A Bright Light in the Shadow of Death

A Bright Light in the Shadow of Death.

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of the shadow of death (“tzalwevel”), a light will shine.” (Isaiah 9:2).

“For Behold…The people that walked in darkness”, Philippe Sly, Julian Wachner

“Tzalmavel” = the Hebrew word that refers to the deepest of dark shadows; a total blackout; lightless gloom; a profound darkness that is life-threatening; the thick blackness that signals extreme danger; figuratively refers to the grave, death, or divine judgment. Another example in the Hebrew Bible is found in Job 10:20-22 when he is in a moment of hopeless despair, “Aren’t my days almost finished anyway? Stand back, leave me alone, and let me have my scrap of comfort before I go to the place from which I won’t return, the land of utter darkness and the shadow of death (“tzalmavel”), the land as dark as darkness itself and of the shadow of death, of blackness and shadowy chaos where the only illumination is more darkness.”

“For unto is a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful (“pele”) Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  (Isaiah 9:6).

Pili (pil-ee), Pala, or Pele = the Hebrew word which means: wondrous; miraculous; unsurpassed; something so wonderful that it is beyond comprehension; remarkable, extraordinary, marvelous; so awesome it cannot be understood by humans; so amazing that it seems impossible or too difficult to accomplish; so uniquely set apart from human understanding that it is God’s secret.

Miraculous in Wisdom. Hebrew scholars claim that the word “pele” usually refers to something miraculous, supernatural, beyond extraordinary, something that far surpasses what could reasonably be expected. Moses and Miriam exuberantly used “pele” in their Song of the Red Sea, exclaiming “Who is like You, O Lord? Majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wondrous miracles (“pele“)! So this Son to be given to humanity is filled with such wisdom that His guidance, His counsel, will lead to something miraculous, His counsel will be a marvel, resulting in guidance that far surpasses anything human or natural. We can confidently call this long-expected Messiah a wondrous counselor for all who follow Him.

Händel – For unto us a Child is born from Messiah (WarsawPhilh Orchestra and Choir, Haselböck)

From Deep Darkness to Dazzling Light. The journey from Isaiah 8 to Isaiah 9 describes the greatest miracle in the Bible. Going from spiritual darkness to the Great Light. From the absence of truth to truth incarnate. From walking in blindness to walking in the light. From spiritual ignorance to the light of wisdom from on high. From a time of hopeless grief to a time of celebration and rejoicing. From a world without the Messiah to a world with Him in the midst. About 700 years before its fulfillment, we hear about a child born who will be the light of the world, a son who will be given to us, who will bear the government of the world on His shoulders. The Messiah’s rule will be eternal and upheld with justice and righteousness, Isaiah tells us. And the wonderful thing is, God really, really wants this to happen. This coming of the Messiah is not just of passing interest to the Lord. The “zeal of Yahweh” will accomplish this prophecy. God promised to pursue this Incarnation with great energy, with intense fervor, with passion and determination. God passionately desires that His Son would come into the world. And, as we know, God tends to get what He wants in due time. In the middle of this prophetic word in Isaiah 9, we are offered four titles of the Messiah that end up being a fascinating character description. Isaiah wrote this well before the truth of the Triune God became well-defined. And so the titles here don’t necessarily reflect the roles of the Messiah in the Trinity as much as describe his character. There are various ways one could translate this passage. Nonetheless, these four titles are all true in the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father.

“Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Shalom.” (NKJV).

“Wonder-Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (NJB).

“The Mighty God is planning grace; the Eternal Father; a peaceable ruler.” (Tanakh, JPS).

“Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (NAB).

Miraculous Advisor, Champion God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Wholeness. 

A Wonderful Counselor is the Mighty God! The Everlasting Father is a Prince of Peace! (TPT). 

Isaiah 9 – Wonderful Counselor || Bible in Song || Project of Love

Jesus the Father? When Isaiah refers to Eternal Father, what kind of Father was he thinking of? This might be surprising, but Father God in the Hebrew Bible was recognized as being the Creator and the Maker; the Molder and the Shaper; the Protector and the Provider; the Redeemer; the Head of the household of the world. Most of all, the OT father was a person, or Person, of love and mercy… “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” (Ps. 103:13). In  the OT, the role of the father is not applied to an austere, distant taskmaster, a person who exists merely to punish or judge. The image of the father inevitably involves compassion and kindness. If Jesus is the Eternal Father, we couldn’t find a more apt title for Him. One reading of the gospels and we are convinced that Jesus, in this biblical sense, was fatherly in all He did. Creator God’s first recorded words were, “Let there be light!” And Jesus was right there at His side, the one an only Light of the World.

The Father and the Son, Share and Share Alike. The source of Jesus’ compassionate fatherliness was His divine intimacy with the Father. They shared the same character. Jesus loved others the way the Father loved Him, like a father. Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing, which was act like a father. Since all the Father’s fullness dwelt in Jesus, Jesus spilled over with the qualities of the Father. Jesus expressed the Father’s compassion, He reflected on earth the heart of the Father in heaven. Jesus represented the Father by doing what the Father wanted Him to do. Jesus was and is the Eternal Father because He is the exact visible image of the invisible Father. Jesus was fatherly, because if you’ve seen the Son, you’ve seen the Father. Jesus cared for His people the way the Father cares for His. Father-like, Jesus tends to His flock. For He is the Great Shepherd. He is the Eternal Father.

“There is no unfathering Christ, and there is no unchilding us. He is the Eternal Father to those who trust in Him.”  (Charles Spurgeon).