Two Paths to Eternity

Second, the way of light consists in listening to God’s Word. Again, in verse 11 not only did the Lord put his strong hand on Isaiah; he also spoke a word of warning to him. Christ’s sheep listen to his voice (John 10:27) speaking through the written Word and by the power of the Spirit within. It keeps us from following the way of those other people (Isa 8:11-12).

Thus, third, the way of light is a way apart from the crowd. We march to the beat of a heavenly drummer. We do not fear what they fear (v. 12), and we do not love what they love. It is a life of separation from the world (2 Cor 6:17), not thinking as they think, living as they live, or touching the unclean things they touch.

Fourth, the way of light is a life of a fear that drives out all other fears. Verses 12-13 say, in effect, “Fearing the holy God, we will fear nothing else. But if we don’t fear him, we need to fear everything else!” Ahaz and Judah were terrified of Israel and Aram, and their hearts fluttered like trees in a wind. They should have feared the Lord; then they would have feared nothing that could possibly happen. Jesus said plainly, “Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28).

Fifth, the way of light is a life lived safely in the sanctuary of the Lord’s protection. Verse 14 says, “He will be a sanctuary.” That means a refuge, a safe haven, like Noah’s ark in the flood—a place to flee to when the waters rise. Ultimately, this is a life lived in the shelter of Christ’s atoning work on the cross.

Sixth, the way of light is a life lived in a pathway completely bounded by God’s Word. Verse 16 says, “Bind up the testimony. Seal up the instruction among my disciples.” God’s disciples are the ones who listen to the testimony and instruction of his laws. Verse 20 commands them to “Go to God’s instruction and testimony!” This is the straight way that leads to heaven, completely bounded left and right by God’s perfect laws. Christ perfectly obeyed the law of God for us, and his righteousness is ours by faith. But having been justified by faith, the law’s requirements are then fully met in us as we live by the power of the Spirit (Rom 8:4). The way of light is not lawless but gladly submissive to God’s perfect laws.

Seventh, the way of light is a life spent inquiring of God (v. 19). We need guidance about the future, and unlike the dark pagans who go to mediums and spiritists, we simply ask God for wisdom (Jas 1:5). It is a life of submissive prayer, saying, “Lord, what is your will for me?”

Eighth and ultimately, it is a life lived by faith in the Lord. Verse 17 says twice, “I will wait for the Lord.” Even if it seems he is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, even if great trials and purifying judgments come—still, “I will put my trust in him.” Jesus is the final Immanuel, the one whom we must trust continually.

By contrast, the way of darkness is described in this chapter as well. It is a life spent rejecting God’s gentle provision, “the slowly flowing water of Shiloah” (v. 6). This rejection of God, exchanging the fountain of living water for the cracked cisterns that can never satisfy, is the fundamental and most shocking sin Israel ever committed (Jer 2:13).

Second, the way of darkness is characterized by a mocking delight in the sufferings of others (v. 6) rather than taking the occasion of those judgments to look inwardly and repent deeply, knowing one deserves the same kinds of judgments. People tend to watch some criminal on trial, some politician who gets caught with a high-priced prostitute, or some athlete who gets caught with drugs, and cluck their tongues self-righteously and say, “Serves them right!” This self-righteousness is the enemy of our souls, as Jesus pointed out in Luke 13:1-5. Unless we too repent, we will all likewise perish!

Third, the way of darkness is a life of stumbling over God and being snared by him (vv. 14-15). Instead of fleeing to Christ for salvation, people stumble over the stumbling stone (Rom 9:32). They can’t believe in the doctrine of the incarnation and are offended by the cross. So they end up being crushed by him and snared by him rather than being saved by him.

Fourth, the way of darkness is a life of false spiritual guidance. People are essentially spiritual, and if they reject the true God who is Spirit (John 4:23-24), they will seek some supernatural “voice,” some spiritual “guidance” that often comes in the costume of the occult. Isaiah 8:19-20 speaks of those who consult mediums and spiritists, who seek to consult the dead on behalf of the living, instead of going “to God’s instruction and testimony!” Rejecting God’s Word, they go after demonic voices “who chirp and mutter.” And why can’t the dead speak to the living? Because the evil dead are too busy screaming in agony in hell, and the righteous dead know that God has spoken adequately in the Word. Instead, it is demons who impersonate the dead and deceive those who consult them.

Therefore, the way of darkness is, fifth, a life of spiritual famine and restless roaming (v. 21). Like the devil who roams the earth (Job 1:7) and homeless demons who restlessly roam through arid places seeking rest (Matt 12:43), these dark people become demonic themselves. They roam through the land, famished for true food, and, enraged, they look upward and curse God. When they look at life on earth, they see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction.

Sixth, and ultimately, such a dark, demonic life can only end in an eternity of thick darkness in hell. Jesus will say, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!” (Matt 25:41). And they will be thrown into outer darkness where there will be nothing but “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 25:30).

As we have mentioned throughout this chapter, the key to everything is Immanuel (v. 8), Jesus Christ, who alone fulfills all the images of this chapter: He is the way of light, and he will judge the way of darkness. He is the refuge to which we flee, and he is the rock of stumbling over which the children of darkness stumble and are snared (vv. 14-15). In the end, we must put our trust in him (v. 17) for the salvation that he alone can give. It also behooves us to assess the course of our lives and be sure that we are on the way of light and not the way of darkness. There are two ways and only two ways. Christ alone leads to heaven.