The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Isaiah 2:5
Introduction.
After I graduated college with a degree in physics, I found it difficult to find a job in that field.
Maybe I just didn’t know where to look, maybe I had a terrible resume, who knows?
I ended up doing the same thing I did before going to college, working retail at a chain drugstore.
I know some of you have worked, and perhaps still do work in retail, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
But I was depressed—all that time and effort and money used on a degree in physics, and here I am doing the same thing I was doing before all that.
So what was the point of it all?
I certainly was not the best employee because of it. I was competent enough, since I had experience doing that sort of thing already, but my heart wasn’t in it.
But then I resolved to go to graduate school. I sent out applications and was finally accepted somewhere—there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
My retail work performance improved significantly because I was happier knowing there was a path out.
When we are facing dark days, it’s important to see a path out, to see that light at the end of the tunnel.
I’m sure many of us feel like we are facing dark days in 2020.
It’s just one thing after another, it seems.
And there’s not much hope coming, particularly if you happened to catch the shouting match on Tuesday.
But for the Christian, there is always a light, the Light of the world—Jesus.
Isaiah calls it the “light of the Lord” (Isa. 2:5).
God knows that we need that light at the end of the tunnel, that hope of great things to come.
He starts off Isaiah 2 talking of that light, but continues the chapter by saying that dark days are coming first.
There’s that oft-quoted phrase: “The night is darkest before the dawn.”
- ***NOTE: This sermon was cut short due to time. The rest will continue next week.***
Preview.
Light in Latter Days (2:1-5).
- The Latter Days.
- The Lord’s House.
- All Nations Flow To It.
- Out of Zion.
- No Longer Learn War.
- The Light of the Lord.
Darkness of Deeds (2:6-9). — Next Week.
Darkness of Judgment (2:10-22). — Next Week.
Body.
Light in Latter Days (2:1-5).
The latter days?
Isaiah here gives a prophecy of something that is going to be fulfilled in the “latter days.”
In so many other translations, it is rendered “last days.”
What are these last days that Isaiah is talking about?
When we look at Acts 2:16-17, we note that Peter is quoting from the prophet Joel.
This prophecy is revealing what’s happening at that moment, “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16).
This, referring to the miraculous events that were happening that day.
Then Peter quotes Joel, saying, “And it shall come to pass in the last days” (Acts 2:17).
The last days occurred all the way back in the first century!
Of course there are other passages that confirm this, one of which we talked about several weeks ago (Heb. 1:1-2).
So this passage is talking about the establishment of the church!
Allow me to prove that to you.
The Lord’s house.
This refers to the tabernacle or temple during this time.
But we also note that the church is called the house of God in several places in the NT (e.g. 1 Tim. 3:15).
It was to be established in those latter days and exalted above the mountains.
In God’s sight, the church is high above all these things because we are His children!
All nations flow to it.
Paul writes in Ephesians about the mystery that God was revealing through him (Eph. 3).
That mystery was that the Gentiles were to be part of the same body, joined together with the Jews.
All nations, Jew or Gentile, now flow to His church, all make up that one body of Christ.
They all come together and want to learn about the Lord and follow after Him.
What do you think we read about when we read the Book of Acts?
It’s all about the Jews and the Gentiles coming together, and the Jews, namely the Apostles (esp. Paul), teaching the Gentiles about the Lord.
Out of Zion.
In Acts 2, we see that the Apostles are in Jerusalem.
That’s where it all ended for Christ, but that’s also where it all began for His church.
His church began by the power of the Holy Spirit there on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
His law, the law of Christ, spread from there.
That’s why we preach that old Jerusalem gospel!
No longer learn war.
This is interesting, particular since it seems to counter my statement that these events occurred in the first century.
But think about it, God’s people went to war often under the OT system.
The Israelites drove out many of the Canaanites in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua.
They had continual fighting during the period of the judges and the kings.
They often had to defend their land through violent means.
But not us. The Lord no longer calls upon us to fight carnally on His behalf.
No, our fight is to plant the seed of God’s Word and grow the kingdom.
Our swords are turned into plowshares, and our spears into pruning hooks.
And if all nations truly have flowed into the Lord’s house, we will not fight against one another.
After all, isn’t Jesus the Prince of Peace? (Isa. 9:6).
The light of the Lord.
This section ends with Isaiah’s plea that the house of Jacob walk in the light of the Lord.
You see, we just read about this light at the end of the tunnel in 2:2-4, but it was something that wouldn’t come for another 700+ years.
But it’s there, and it gives the faithful hope.
Isaiah makes this plea, urging everyone to obey the Lord, to accept His guiding light and follow it.
Since it wouldn’t come for another 700 years, the people Isaiah was writing to would never see that day, faithful or otherwise.
But they are still urged to obey the Lord, for the benefits of that day would stretch back through all time (Heb. 9:15).
The faithful of Isaiah’s day would one day benefit from the sacrifice of Christ!
Sadly, only a remnant would, and dark days were to come first.
Conclusion.
There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
There will be an end to the Covid Crisis we’re all in right now.
I don’t know what form that will take, whether a vaccine or something else.
But it can’t last forever.
Whatever tunnel you find yourself in, there is a light, the light of Christ!
Follow Him today so you can enjoy the benefits of His beautiful light!
- Let us walk in the Light of the Lord!