Prophecies of Jesus-20

1. Messiah would bring light to Galilee.

   
   

   Old Testament Scripture. Isa. 9:1-2

   
   

   New Testament Fulfillment. Mat. 4:13-16

For to Us a Child Is Born

Isa. 9:1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

The future deliverance of the nation

In these verses Isaiah spoke of the coming Deliverer who will effect the changes in the nation of which the prophet had been speaking. The Messiah’s coming will lead the nation into joy and prosperity, which had been lacking for years. His coming will fulfill the promises to Abraham and David about the prosperous kingdom. The “child” motif again is evident (Isa. 9:6; cf. Isa. 7:14-16; 8:1-4, 8:18). The Child will grow up to be the Deliverer (Isa. 9:7), not a sign (Isa. 8:18) of deliverance but the Deliverer Himself. He will effect the changes necessary for prosperity and spirituality to come to the nation.

Nevertheless...

כִּי

kı̂y

kee

A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed: - and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured [-ly], + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, who, yea, yet,

the dimness...

מוּעָף

mû‛âph

moo-awf'

From to fly; properly covered, that is, dark; abstractly obscurity, that is, distress: - dimness.

shall not...

לֹה לוֹא לֹא

lô' lô' lôh

lo, lo, lo

lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles: - X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig [-norant], much, less, nay, neither, never, no ([-ne], -r, [-thing]), (X as though . . . , [can-], for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

be such as...

אֲשֶׁר

'ăsher

ash-er'

A primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as adverb and conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.: - X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how (-soever), X if, (so) that ([thing] which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither (-soever), who (-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.

Isaiah pictures the spiritual darkness of the land when the Messiah comes as less than when God first let the land be judged by Syria under Benhadad in the reign of Baasha (1Kgs. 15:20), and the more grievous invasion by Hazael in Israel (2Kgs. 10:32-33). When the Messiah comes the people who walk in darkness shall see great light (Isa. 9:1-2).

was in her vexation,...

מוּצָק מוּצַק

mûtsaq mûtsâq

moo-tsak', moo-tsawk'

From to stiffen; narrowness; figuratively distress: - anguish, is straitened, straightness.

when...

עֵת

‛êth

ayth

From terminus, that is; time, especially (adverbially with preposition) now, when, etc.: - + after, [al-] ways, X certain, + continually, + evening, long, (due) season, so [long] as, [even-, evening-, noon-] tide, ([meal-], what) time, when.

at the first...

רִאשֹׁן רִאשׁוֹן

ri'shôn ri'shôn

ree-shone', ree-shone'

From a beginning; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun): - ancestor, (that were) before (-time), beginning, eldest, first, fore [-father] (-most), former (thing), of old time, past.

He (Father) lightly afflicted...

קָלַל

qâlal

kaw-lal'

A primitive root; to be (causatively make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.): - abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease (-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light (-en, -er, ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), X slight [-ly], be swift (-er), (be, be more, make, re-) vile, whet.

A time will come when gloom and darkness (Isa. 8:22) will be a thing of the past. The gloom on the northern section of Israel came because of discipline. God humbled… Zebulun and… Naphtali for a while.

the land...

אֶרֶץ

'erets

eh'-rets

From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.

of Zebulun...

זְבוּלֻן זְבֻלוּן זְבוּלוּן

z^ebûlûn zebûlûn zebûlûn

zeb-oo-loon', zeb-oo-loon', zeb-oo-loon'

From to enclose; habitation; Zebulun, a son of Jacob; also his territory and tribe: - Zebulun.

and the land... see the land above.

of Naphtali...

נַפְתָּלִי

naphtâlı̂y

naf-taw-lee'

From to twine; my wrestling; Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the tribe descended from him, and its territory: - Naphtali.

A time will come when gloom and darkness (Isa. 8:22) will be a thing of the past. The gloom on the northern section of Israel came because of discipline. God humbled… Zebulun and… Naphtali for a while. Though Isaiah was probably using these two tribal names to represent the Northern Kingdom, it is striking that Jesus’ upbringing and early ministry was mostly in that very area near the Sea of Galilee. His presence certainly “honored” that area. In 732 b.c. this northern portion of Israel became an Assyrian province under Tiglath-Pileser III, thus humbling the people there and putting them in gloom. Under Gentile domination, that area was called Galilee of the Gentiles.

and afterward...

אַחֲרֹן אַחֲריֹן

'achăryôn 'achărôn

akh-ar-one', akh-ar-one'

From to loiter; hinder; generally late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western: - after (-ward), to come, following, hind (-er, -ermost, -most), last, latter, re-reward, ut(ter)most.

did more grievously afflict...

כָּבֵד כָּבַד

kâbad kâbêd

kaw-bad, kaw-bade'

A primitive root; to be heavy, that is, in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively to make weighty (in the same two senses): - abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, X be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, X more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.

Her (Israel) by the way...

דֶּרֶךְ

derek

deh'-rek

From to tread; a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action, often adverbially: - along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, [east-] ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, [high-] [path-] way [-side], whither [-soever].

The way of the sea describes a major international highway running through this region. This is the only place where the Bible used this phrase, but it appears often in Assyrian and Egyptian records. The invading Assyrian soldiers took that route when they invaded the Northern Kingdom. From that area the Messiah will arise and will wipe away the gloom and darkness brought on by Gentile domination.

of the sea,...

יָם

yâm

yawm

From an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article) the Mediterranean; sometimes a large river, or an artificial basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south: - sea (X -faring man, [-shore]), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).

beyond...

עֵבֶר

‛êber

ay'-ber

From to cross over; properly a region across; but used only adverbially (with or without a preposition) on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; usually meaning the east): - X against, beyond, by, X from, over, passage, quarter, (other, this) side, straight.

Jordan,...

יַרְדֵּן

yardên

yar-dane'

From to descend; a descender; Jarden, the principal river of Israel: - Jordan.

in Galilee...

גָּלִילָה גָּלִיל

gâlı̂yl gâlı̂ylâh

gaw-leel', gaw-lee-law'

The same as a valve of a folding door; a circle (with the article); Galil (as a special circuit) in the North of Israel: - Galilee.

of the nations...

גֹּי גּוֹי

gôy gôy

go'ee, go'-ee

Apparently from the same root as the back (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts: - Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

Mat. 4:13-16 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

Communications from the King:

Beginning proclamations:

By Word

His sermon

Matthew presented an important time factor in his account when he noted Jesus did not officially begin His public ministry until John the Baptist had been put in prison. The reason for John’s imprisonment was not presented here, but it was stated later (Mat. 14:3). When Jesus learned of John’s imprisonment, He went from Nazareth and settled in Capernaum (Luke 4:16-30 explains why He left Nazareth). This region was the area settled by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali after the conquest of Joshua’s time. Isaiah had prophesied (Isa. 9:1-2) that light would come to this region, and Matthew saw this movement of Jesus as fulfillment of this prophecy. One of Messiah’s works was to bring light into darkness, for He would be a light to both Jews and Gentiles (cf. John 1:9; 12:46).