Light

There is a species of ape called the Gelada baboon - they live in the mountains of Ethiopia. A few years ago a photographer spent several weeks living close to them and observing them. Day after day they would wake before daybreak and climb to the highest vantage point they could find to watch the sun rise, sometimes they would sit in silent contemplation, sometimes they would stand to greet the sun. There is something deeply spiritual about the coming of light. Those ape’s could appreciate it and the prophet Isaiah caught it in this wonderful poem which is quoted in Matthew’s gospel.

In today’s world we can just flick a light switch and there is light, our devices that we hold in our hand or screens that we watch or our alarm clocks - they all emit light. Living in the city there are street lights and lit signs and nearby houses with lights. We don’t appreciate what real darkness is…

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Much of the Old Testament is set in the late Bronze/ early Iron age. For them light was safety and comfort. Away from their villages it would have been thick darkness on nights with no moon or heavy cloud cover. Darkness was associated with chaos and threats of attack from wild beasts or enemies. Walking in darkness would have been terrifying. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light...”

This is a word to an oppressed people, a conquered people, a people in exile… When the prophet used the metaphor of darkness this was the darkness into which he spoke his word.

‌When Matthew wrote his gospel the Hebrews were no longer in exile but they were an occupied people, familiar with the tramp of soldiers feet. A people where the touted Pax Romana - the roman peace was enforced by brutally crucifying thousands who did not comply. And as Jesus begins his public ministry after his baptism and temptation, Matthew reminds his readers of this prophecy of Isaiah’s of light shining in darkness. Mark and Luke also mention Jesus situating himself in Galilee at the beginning of his ministry but Matthew adds a whole lot more detail in the way he uses the Isaiah quote. He mentions the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali - regions of no particular importance at the time - the sort of Eketahuna of Israel - placing Jesus in the back-blocks. The writer then he goes on to specify Jesus’ location as “Galilee of the Gentiles”.

If there’s one thing that Matthew’s is often known as - its the gospel for the Jews - but Matthew has foreign gentiles visiting the baby Jesus, Jesus beginning his ministry in this place known as Galilee of the Gentiles - a place where a lot of gentiles had settled. At the end of his gospel is that well-known “great commission” - to make disciples of all nations. A global perspective frames this gospel. This revelation of Jesus is for all. In John’s gospel we hear of Jesus claim to be the Light of the World. Here in Matthew’s gospel we get the message in story form, embedded in an old prophetic word. The light dawns in the apparently insignificant backwoods of ancient Israel; it’s in the presence of Jesus and the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Just as God’s presence is the source of light in the creation story. For those in Isaiah’s time the prophet goes on to speak of a Peaceable Kingdom and the one who would lead it is the one called the Prince of Peace. It’s a promise of a return to their homeland where peace, justice and mercy would reign.

For those in the time of Jesus, the light they looked for was a freedom from their oppressors. Jesus went about bringing healing and wisdom but he was not the political freedom fighter they thought would bring them relief from their oppression. Jesus brought light in unexpected ways.

Just to be clear - Matthew’s gospel uses the expression Kingdom of Heaven and Luke and Mark use “Kingdom of God” - they are not different things. Saying ‘heaven’ instead of ‘God’ was a regular Jewish way of avoiding the word ‘God’ out of reverence and respect. the Kingdom of Heaven then is not some place where God is King - somewhere up in the sky, the place to which we go when we die. The Kingdom of Heaven refers to the reign of God. This Kingdom of God idea was not invented by Jesus, it was a long-held hope and there were multiple “kingdom” movements in the time of Jesus. So making a claim about the kingdom of God was not new - it was the kind of kingdom and the way it came that was new. There were plenty of people wanting to bring about the kingdom of God with fighting the oppressor, with battles and war - Repent! says Jesus this is a nonsense - there is another way to do things. You do not bring peace by bringing violence. It’s time to change how God’s kingdom is proclaimed and lived. Isaiah 9 reminds us the Prince of this kingdom is a prince of Peace.

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In our psalm today, the psalmist speaks of God being the source of light and beauty and he sings of the wonder of being in the presence of God, the temple where God dwells with his people. Any separation from God is then equated with darkness, fear and chaos.

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For Paul as he writes to the Corinthians he doesn’t specify the metaphors of light and dark, but the situation he speaks to is one of disunity in the community of faith there. That is their darkness and he reminds them they all belong to Christ - it is in Christ and the light of Christ that we find peace and resolution at all levels.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light …

We can see plenty of darkness in our world - on a global level we see wars, famine, climate crisis and the ongoing nuclear threat. On a community level there is division and disunity, violence, injustice, poverty.

On an individual level we can all experience times of darkness - hopelessness, loneliness, pain, illness, grief, loss and self-doubt

but remember - the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light …

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God promises light in our darkness, hope, peace, freedom from our bondage, joy instead of sorrow.

We are drawing near to the end of the Epiphany season. The season which celebrates the revelation of Jesus to the Gentiles, where Jesus is promised as light to all who walk in darkness.

‌So what does light mean to God’s people? it means - goodness, justice, mercy, knowledge, wisdom, joy, peace and love. Actually the light is not just “our light” Jesus is not just Light for us - Jesus came as the Light of the world. As we begin to live in this new Kingdom he announces, we experience and bring these blessings of Light to those around us

There’s a modern-day Advent & Christmas song written by Lauren Daigle and it’s called “light of the world”. It’s a song that looks for the hope in the midst of darkness - it appeals to that longing and anticipation we live through in advent while also celebrating the real presence of the Light in our world.

“The world waits for a miracle

The heart longs for a little bit of hope

Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel

A child prays for peace on Earth

And she's calling out from a sea of hurt

Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel

And can you hear the angels singing

Glory to the light of the world

Glory, the light of the world is here

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He is the song for the suffering

He is Messiah, the Prince of Peace has come

He has come, Emmanuel

Glory to the light of the world

For all who wait

For all who hunger

For all who've prayed

For all who wonder

Behold your King

Behold Messiah

Emmanuel, Emmanuel

Glory to the light of the world”

Once that announcement of the nearness of the kingdom is made by Jesus, the Light of the world, we can live with the prophetic hope that gloom will be turned into joy and that people divided for a variety of reasons will realise that unity and kingdom joy as a community of God's people. As we are blessed, seeing the Light in our darkness, we too can bless others and share the Light with each other, the Light of God’s presence, the Light of peace and reconciliation, the light of justice, the light of love, the light of hope - with our community and with our world.

Amen

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