Casting Shadows Part 5: Still in St. Matthew
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." (Matt. 4:12-16)
To understand why St. Matthew quotes from this prophecy, it will almost be necessary to have a good map of the northern kingdom. See below:
Notice where Capernaum is, and notice where the territories of Zebulun and Naphtali are. What makes these two territories so important? The history of the northern kingdom reveals the answer.
We turn now to the actual prophecy quoted by St. Matthew, from Isaiah chapter 9:
But there will be no gloom for her that 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 will make 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. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy; they rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest ... For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Is. 9:1-7)
We can already see that this is a Messianic prophecy - the lines "for unto us a child is born" should be well familiar to you, even if you only know those words from Handel's Messiah. But what is the meaning of the words that precede this promise? In the former time "he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali?" What does that mean?
Notice again the geographical location of these two territories. They are at the upper northern region of the kingdom. Approaching the year 722 BC, the northern kingdom of Israel was under the rule of King Pekah (who had reigned for some 20 years), and the southern kingdom of Judah was under the rule of King Azariah (who would rule for over 50 years). The history of the kings tells us a bit about King Pekah's rule: "he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin." (2 Kings 15:28)
Remember that Jeroboam was the first king of the northern kingdom, coming to reign around 930 BC. He immediately set up two golden calves and encouraged Israel to worship these idols, and for the next 200 years, nearly every king that followed Jeroboam was wicked as well.
Here it is, 200 years later, and the author is still comparing the current king (Pekah) with the first king of Israel, Jeroboam: "he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam." This becomes sort of a refrain to describe the kings of Israel:
Zimri ... burned the king's house over him with fire, and died, because of his sins which he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. (1 Kings 16:18-19)
Omri began to reign over Israel ... Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins which he made Israel to sin. (1 Kings 16:23-26)
Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel. But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and in Dan. (2 Kings 10:28-29)
Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria ... He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them. (2 Kings 13:1-2)
Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria ... He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, but he walked in them. (2 Kings 13:10-11)
Jeroboam the son of Joash ... began to reign in Samaria ... he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. (2 Kings 14:23-24)
Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel ... He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. (2 Kings 15:8-9)
Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel ... he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart all his days from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. (2 Kings 15:17-18)
This is the litany of bad northern kings that finally, after a few more rotten entries, brings us up to King Pekah - who, as we saw, also "did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam." The next verse is very matter-of-fact, but the history that it relates is chilling:
In the days of Pekah, king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser (king of Assyria) came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Jan-oah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried the people captive to Assyria. (2 Kings 15:29)
When Assyria struck from the north, they descended (quite naturally) on the northernmost territories of Israel first: Naphtali, Zebulun, Galilee, etc. By the year 722 BC this conquest was complete. In the reign of King Hoshea, we read:
But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea; for he ... offered no tribute to the king of Assyria ... therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
And the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel, and afflicted them, and gave them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. When he had torn Israel from the house of David they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD and made them commit great sin. The people of Israel walked in all the sins which Jeroboam did; they did not depart from them, until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day. (2 Kings 17:4-6, 20-23)
What is the point of all of this history? The attack upon Zebulun and Naphtali was the beginning of the end for Israel; it was an attack that set in motion the events described in 2 Kings 17, the total destruction and exile of the entire northern kingdom. To mention this battle between Assyria and Zebulun/Naphtali is to refer to the entire Assyria/Israel war.
We have similar examples in our own time. What do you think of when I mention that Hitler invaded Poland? You don't just think of one man's army going up against one nation, do you? You think of the entire Nazi regime, of the entirety of WWII, of Churchill, of Japan, of Pearl Harbor, of Normandy, and all the rest. But the invasion of Poland was the event that sort of kicked off the whole thing - likewise with the invasion of Zebulun/Naphtali.
In that historical light, look again with a new appreciation upon Isaiah's prophecy: "But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish" - namely, Israel - "In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali" - a reference to the initial invasion that triggered the entire exile - "but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea." This restoration of the northern kingdom begins with the restoration of Zebulun and Naphtali, and this entire restoration is associated with the coming of the Davidic Messiah; Isaiah links the two, saying that this restoration will take place "for to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder..."
A few chapters later, Isaiah says that "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse" - David's father - "and a branch" - that is, in Hebrew, a nezer, which sounds like Nazareth - "shall grow out of his roots," and that this "root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples"; although Israel was scattered by Assyria and never restored, Isaiah promises that in this Messianic age, "the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant which is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea." (Is. 11:1, 10-11)
Isaiah promises a restoration of the northern kingdom, and by the time we reach St. Matthew's Gospel, this promise has been 700 years in the waiting. Think about that! 700 years of waiting for God to fulfill His word!
This gives us a sense of the excitement with which St. Matthew must have penned these words: "[Jesus] went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled..."
St. Matthew recognizes the significance in Our Lord's choice of a "home base." He makes His headquarters precisely at the geographical location where the exile and destruction began; He continues to re-trace the steps of historical Israel, reversing their curses and restoring the kingdom.
This is why, in the next few verses, Our Lord begins calling His disciples. His first two, Ss. Peter and Andrew, are called by Him as they work by the Sea of Galilee - two northerners are elevated to be God's own apostles, and thus the restoration begins.
This also explains why St. Matthew is quick to record Our Lord's work in that region. After telling us that Jesus went to Zebulun/Naphtali, and that He called a few disciples there, St. Matthew writes: "he went about all Galilee ... preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people ... they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them." (vs. 23)
How can we fail to see the significance of this? The Davidic "branch" goes straight to the geographical location where the exile began, He calls disciples, He preaches the gospel of the kingdom, and He starts healing all manner of diseases and casting out evil spirits in that region.
For the reader who might ask, "Why does He go to Zebulun/Naphtali first," St. Matthew is ready with the answer: he quotes from Isaiah 9 before he tells us any of these narrative details - and certainly, with the historical background in our minds, his use of Isaiah 9 here makes complete sense.
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