On the Road to Bethlehem #19: Look in Galilee

“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.”

—Isaiah 9:1-2

Reading the Old Testament can be hard, especially when trying to understand people, places, and political climates far from our own. Nonetheless, God speaks to His people in time—in the midst of situations far from our own, and sometimes about events in the far off future.

Isaiah the prophet wrote in the eighth century B.C. during a time of political upheaval. In 734 B.C. Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria had conquered much of coastal Israel, steadily moving to the border of Egypt where he positioned his troops. By 733 B.C., most of Galilee was conquered and many Israelites deported, leaving behind others who longed for deliverance from Gentile rule. But, hope was not lost. God would bring deliverance.

In Isaiah 9:1, we see there would be “no gloom” for her who was in “anguish”—a reference to Israel under God’s discipline seen exacted by Assyria. In the next sentence, Isaiah starts with “in the former time” which is as if he were taken to the future and was able to look back at the present circumstance. He sees “contempt” brought upon the land of Zebulun and Naphtali (northern regions of the Promised Land), which is seen in their defeat at the hand of Assyria. But, this same region would be the location of great blessing. “In the latter time He has made glorious” is a past tense verb, indicating that what is going to be said for the future is looked on with certainty—it will happen. God has decreed it to be so. God has given Isaiah a vision of the future that is guaranteed. And what is it? Those who have “walked in darkness” will see “a great light” and those who dwell in “deep darkness” light has shined on them. But what is this light?

John wrote that Jesus was the “true light, which enlightens everyone” (John 1:9) and Jesus called Himself the “light of the world.” He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12), evoking similar language to Isaiah 9:2. But how did Jesus fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy?

Matthew attributes the fulfillment of this prophecy after the arrest of John the Baptist when Jesus withdrew into Galilee. He left Nazareth, relocated His ministry home base to Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali (Matthew 4:12-16), thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-2. He was the light that appeared in the region and its residents were the recipients of most of His teaching and miracles.

How does this apply to us on the road to Bethlehem? We can see through Isaiah that God cares for His people enough to send a Savior. In the midst of great heartache, pain, and judgment, God gives hope, just as He did for Israel. And He gives hope to us as well through Christ. The Advent season is a looking forward to the birth of hope. That’s what is so inspiring and wondrous about the Christmas season—we can have hope in Christ. May our hope be renewed this Advent season through God who gave us the light of the world—Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.