Jesus Is My Light

According to Isaiah, Jesus is the Great Physician. Isaiah 42:7 says He came, "To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house." In Scripture, the Messiah is often referred to as light. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

In John chapter one, Jesus is seen not only as Creator and Truth, He is called "the light of men" (v. 4) and "the true Light" (v. 9). Again, in John 9:5, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world."

Numerous times the Bible refers to God's people as being "in the light," and it admonishes them to "walk in the light." Ephesians 5:8; says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." And 1 John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Isaiah 42:7 paints a picture consistent with the rest of Scripture. Man is blind. He is in spiritual darkness. He is held captive by his own self-centered, sinful nature. Jesus came to open our eyes spiritually and to release us from our prison of sin. He is the Great Physician. Without Him, we are in spiritual darkness, but with Him we are "in the light" (1 John 1:7).

Isaiah goes on to indicate that Jesus is the All-Powerful God. "I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images" (Isaiah 42:8). Over and over again throughout Isaiah and in the other prophets, we are reminded that we can depend on these prophecies. They will not fail. They will be fulfilled in every way. His Word is true and it is established first of all by His might. He is omnipotent. He is the All-Powerful God.

"I am the LORD" (v. 8a). "I am" the one and only, all-powerful God. This is the name God gave to Moses as symbolic of His relationship with Israel—"I AM WHO I AM"... "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14). In Exodus, "I Am" is joined with the word "Yahweh" ("the LORD") to make the name "I AM WHO I AM." Here He says emphatically, "I am the LORD, that is My name" (Isa. 42:8a).

The name Yahweh, "the LORD," is loaded with spiritual truth for the Israelites. Yahweh was the One who made the heavens and the earth, and who created life itself. It was He who cared for them and rescued them time and time again. He is the God of truth and righteousness. He is the one and only true God.

"My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images" (v. 8b). He is far greater than all the false gods, all the idols that had tempted the Israelites for centuries, turning them away from Him. It had been Isaiah's task to warn them of the pending judgment that was to come upon them because they had turned away from God. Now he makes it clear that God, the all-powerful Yahweh, will not share His glory.

Isaiah continues to establish the fact that Jesus is our standard of life. Another argument used to establish the truth of the Messianic prophecy is here in verse 9: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them." You can believe all of the prophetic messages of Isaiah, as well as those of all the other prophets, because God has a perfect track record. All he had promised had come to pass. He is the standard-bearer.

He tells us what will happen before it takes place. You can count on it. You can take it to the bank. If God said it, it will take place just as He said. All prophecy given in Isaiah and the other prophets, including all things still waiting to be fulfilled, will take place. Take comfort in that truth. And rest assured: He is my light. Amen.