ISAIAH

Isaiah 9:1-2

quote:

"But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them."

Circling Israel was darkness and gloom, but it would not last forever. Over an extended period of time God had degraded the land and brought darkness over it. Latter, however, God would bring honor to the western side of the Sea of Galilee, where Gentiles had bordered Israel and mixed with the Jews.

Not long before, Zebulun and Naphtali, the two northeastern tribes situated west of the Jordan (later known as upper and lower Galilee), experienced the deportation of their citizens under Tiglath-pileser, 2 Kings 15:29. Besides this recent occurrence, they had been somewhat decimated by Ben-hadad of Syria about 200 years prior, 1 Kings 15:20. In addition an Assyrian deportation colonized this area with non-Israelites by Esar-haddon, 2 Kings 17:24. From these events there arose a contempt for the citizens of this area on the part of the Jews who lived in the south and who had a purer bloodline. But it was to the inhabitants of the despised Galilee area that the Lord chose to first reveal the light of the Messiah!

Jesus, who came as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, was both the "Glory of His People Israel" and a "Light to the Gentiles". His ministry and teaching was mostly in the Galilee region with His ministry "headquarters" at Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee. And it was from this area He chose most of His apostles. Having felt disgraced and despised, it was those of the Galilee area who more poignantly felt the need for a Savior. These people walked in the darkness of ignorance and sin. But to them a great light appeared!

God is the only source and giver of true light. The good news of a Savior to deliver them from their misery had come. In the fullest sense, Jesus had come to dispel the darkness of sin and bring blessing. To their soul it was as though a light had come that would continue to shine more and more. In place of calamity, sickness and spiritual death, the people experienced peace and blessings, healing and spiritual life; in place of ignorance, knowledge; in place of the darkness of sin, the light of salvation. The glory of the Lord rose upon them and their condition completely reversed.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Paul makes this appeal to all who will accept Jesus as their Savior. When Jesus, the Light of the World, shines in our hearts we become a new creature – our life becomes new in Him! We experience spiritual life void of spiritual darkness!