Sunday: End of Gloom for Galilee
Isaiah 9:1-5
Isaiah 9:1 begin with a word (But/Nevertheless) that indicates a contrast to what precedes it?
Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com
Isaiah 8.21-22 describes the hopeless condition of those who turn to the occult rather than to the true God: wherever they look, they will “see only distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness” (Isa: 8:22, NRSV). By contrast, there will come a time when “there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish” ( Isaiah 9.1-2, NRSV). The nation will be multiplied and rejoice because God will have broken “the rod of their oppressor” (Isa: 9:4, NRSV).
The region of Lake Galilee is depicted here because it was among the first territories of Israel to be conquered. In response to Ahaz’s request for aid, Tiglath-pileser III took the Galilee and Transjordanian regions of northern Israel, carried some of the people captive, and turned the territories into Assyrian provinces (2 Kings 15:29). So, Isaiah’s message is that the first to be conquered would be the first to see deliverance.
Whom does God use to deliver His people? Isaiah 9.6-7.
When and how was the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-5 fulfilled? Matt: 4:12-25.
Not by accident, Jesus’ early ministry was in the Galilee region, where He gave hope by announcing the good news of God’s kingdom and by healing people, including delivering demoniacs from bondage to the occult (Matt: 4:24).
Here is where we see a perfect example how the Bible takes events that happened in Old Testament times and uses them to prefigure things that will happen in New Testament times. The Lord mixed images from one era with those of another, such as in Matthew 24, when Jesus mingled the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 with the destruction at the end of the world.
| If someone were to ask you, What has Jesus delivered you from, what would you answer? What personal testimony can you give regarding the power of Christ in your life? |
(48)
My comment this morning is a little archaeological aside to the lesson.
I receive newsletters from The National Geographic, and just yesterday they sent a newsletter reporting on an archaeological dig in Jerusalem. The archeologist found a damaged clay seal bearing the name Isaiah and the word "nvy". The seal was damaged, but if "nvy" had been followed by the letter aleph it would have read "Isaiah the Prophet". As it stands it could just be the name of Isaiah's father.
The issue is that Isaiah was not an uncommon name in Biblical times. So it could belong to another Isaiah altogether.
On the other hand, there is a bit of corroborating evidence in that a clay seal belonging to Hezekiah the king was found in the same dig about 10 feet away. Isaiah was the resident prophet during the reign of King Hezekiah.
I am not sure that this link will work, but the full article is found here:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/02/prophet-isaiah-jerusalem-seal-archaeology-bible/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=crm-email::src=ngp::cmp=editorial::add=SpecialEdition_Escape_20210121&rid=9EF7754321D56DAC17C8113B891BFDD8
Please note that there are a number of issues with associating the seal definitely with Isaiah the prophet. I am providing the information as background only.
Following the question at hand, well, Jesus has delivered me from my sinful indulgence of nature.
Additionally He is really a merciful God no matter sinful I was Hé still answered and heard my cry for help when I was so depressed.
We should always obey His rules and commands for therein is great hope, love and faith.
If I need to get up in the middle of the night I don't put any lights on. It wakes me up too much. So it becomes a sort of challenge or game to inch my way around in the darkness, feeling for walls and corners so I don't hurt myself. (I'm not always successful.) Walking downstairs to get a glass of water is an especially slow journey.
Sometimes faith in God's Word seems like this nighttime walk for me too. The steps forward can feel like sliding from the familiar landing ground of self-reliance, from doing what I'm used to doing to calm and nurture myself, and trusting my own reason, to a really uncomfortable place. And yet God promises that walking with Him is the opposite of walking with the lights off. The leap of faith in Jesus as Savior is stepping into the Light, not into the dark (Is. 9:2). Maybe growing in Christ is like walking down a hallway that gets brighter and brighter.
I would say the darkness is not removed but His promise thou art with me guides us through the darkness.
I see, thank you Newbegin. "....on them has light shone" (Is. 9:2). The light shines brighter on me and in me, shedding God's light through me on the situation around me.
If I get up at night I use a small flashlight which is quite adequate to get where I’m going. However, if I turn on the light for a bit, when I go back to bed the flashlight is almost useless because my eyes are adjusted to the brighter light. I have to be very close to the known obstacles in my path and shine the light directly at them and even then they are not clear - just enough for me to know this is where I need to step around this obstacle.
Many possible illustrations - but the most obvious is that we can think we are all sufficient, but when we see the Light, then our own light is obviously almost useless. (Walk in the light 1John 1:7)
If someone were to ask me what God delivered me from, I’d have to say that He is delivering me from self trust. I used to believe that because I believed in Him, I could trust myself and those who said they believed in Him.
Over time God has and is still teaching me in deeper and deeper ways, that my trust for discernment, spiritual change and understanding must come from Him. Humans, including myself are a poor source of strength and wisdom even though they may have great knowledge. (Jeremiah 10:23 “ O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”.
Jeremiah 3:23 “Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.”)
God is teaching me that He does listen and hear my appeals to Him for help. He does answer specific requests and He is always available to me.
(Isaiah 41:10, 13 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.“)
Hello Nanci - Just a note to let you know that your comments are much appreciated, that they resonate with me greatly; they help point out that God is the ever present help for us in everything we encounter.
The experience in my walk with God is like yours: "Over time God has and is still teaching me in deeper and deeper ways, that my trust for discernment, spiritual change und understanding must come from Him." Thank You!
Your words are very encouraging Brigitte. I can’t wait to meet on the sea of glass and there we’ll recount how God’s endless mercy and grace got us over to our eternal home.
Likewise 🙂 !
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isa 9:6
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up:....The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:16-19.
1. If someone were to ask you, What has Jesus delivered you from, what would you answer?
He delivered me from presumptuous sins and sins of ignorance.
2. What personal testimony can you give regarding the power of Christ in your life?
The power to deliver me and to sustain me. He is doing all he can to help me to walk the path with him. He is my guide and protector, my provider and helper. My healer and my great physician. As a front line worker I don't know how on earth I am neg for the Covid19 test but he had and is still keeping me despite the storm of covid19 is raging all around me.
Taking our eyes off God never ends well! Reading Isaiah 9:3KJV and comparing it with Isaiah 9:7KJV, I find that the increase in the nation of Israel was limited and only according/like to the “joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil’; unreliable, unpredictable and ever changing. But the joy, promissed to them coming through the Prince of Peace, in its “increase of his government and peace there shall be no end".
Man’s peace with each other does not have anything in common with the peace the Lord gives His people. The real delivery is to be established through the zeal of the Lord – spiritual peace in the heard and mind of man by His Son, Christ Jesus, our Savior. He is our deliverance from the snare of the adversary who points for relieve of our misery to the efforts of man.
Yes, it is interesting to study the historical events unfolding and written about in the book of His record; but what really transpired was that ‘the people who sat in darkness, who sat in the region and shadow of death’ due to the ever present thread of death by their neighbors, have now been given help from their from heaven sent new Lord and Savior Christ Jesus - Isaiah9:3-8; v.8 "The Lord sent a word into Jabob, and it hath lighted upon Israel."
Our heavenly Father knew/has established the Salvation-timetable when man first sinned, administering it as He watches over us until the end of this dispensation. Hopefully, we learn to look at everything written about in the Scriptures with the eyes of the mind and heart which seek spiritual understanding. This will strengthen our trust, faith, and our reliance on His Word to be the Truth and the Light.
Reading, understanding and applying the Word of God helps every Christian to build their firm foundation of Faith.
Answering the question: “What has Jesus delivered you from?”, I answer DOUBT. Having been delivered from doubt, I see the Spirit of His Word of Truth to lead me into more Truth, wisdom, discernment and ultimately peace in heart and mind. My testimony is to point out that there is the right way and the wrong way, there is light and there is darkness, there is red and there is white – all given by God the Father for the edification toward Salvation of the living soul!