From Darkness to Joy

Anguish can come from being under oppression; perhaps creativity has been stifled or guilt from past mistakes and failures will not let someone have rest. Others experience matters of injustice that continually drain mental, emotional, and financial resources. People with these experiences long for relief that will give way to joy, that will remove weights and burdens of the heart.

When Judah anguished under threat of judgment, Isaiah announced that the gloom would lift. The Lord promises a great light where there is darkness and anguish. And we have confirmation that this promise was kept: when Christ began His public ministry in Capernaum, the Gospel of Matthew said that He fulfilled this prophecy (Matt. 4:13–14).

The very presence of Christ is the light of God to Naphtali and Zebulun. His preaching of repentance from sin and call to His kingdom is the revelation of the way to God. In doing so, He came as Abraham’s promised seed who will be a blessing to Israel and all nations. Gentiles can repent and look to Him for freedom from their spiritual darkness, and His people can place their hope in Him to expel the anguish of oppressive rule.

When life ahead of us seems so dark, as though we were sinking in the Slough of Despond of Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, it is then that the child born to Israel, Jesus Christ our Savior, offers to rule our lives with counsel that is beyond the wisdom of this world. He has divine power to reign in our lives. He is faithful and loving, offering us peace from anguish.

Pray with Us

Our Intercultural Studies faculty carries on Moody’s tradition of equipping the next generation of global ambassadors for Christ. Please pray for the ministry of professors Timothy Sisk, Michael Rydelnik, and Mary Cloutier.

BY Dr. Eric C. Redmond

Dr. Eric C. Redmond serves as a professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and as associate pastor of adult ministries at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Ill. He is married to Pam and they have five children. He is the author of Say It!  Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition (Moody Publishers), Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men's’ Questions about the Church (Crossway), a commentary on Jonah in the Christ-Centered Exposition Series (B&H Publishers), and a study guide on Ephesians in the Knowing the Bible series (Crossway).