A Great Light shines in the land of the shadow of death.

Isaiah 9:1-2

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“Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first He lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” Isaiah 9:1-2

The Lord promised not to bring the gloom of His judgment upon the land of Zebulun and Naphtali. He first gave little attention to them, meaning the Israelites were the glory of His eyes. The territory of Zebulun and Naphtali was referred to as the “Galilee of the Gentiles”, referring to their majority non-Jewish population and were viewed as second class citizens by the standards of the Israelites. The inhabitants of Zebulun and Naphtali were distressed and heavily oppressed by frequent military conquests. When the Israelites turned away from God to form a confederacy with a foreign military and economic power, God promised to bring His light to the “Galilee of the Gentiles”. The “great light” that Zebulun and Naphtali would see is prophetic for the non-Jewish Gentiles seeing the Light of Jesus Christ.

“Galilee of the Gentiles” was known for its high population of non-Jewish Gentiles in contrast to the heavily Jewish population of the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah [both south of Galilee]. Different nationalities lived in Galilee. The territory was often conquered by military invaders, putting them under distress and heavy oppression. They were literally living in the shadow of death and walking in great darkness. Jewish leaders held this area in contempt due to its mixed heritage. 

Our Lord Jesus was from the land of Zebulun and Naphtali. He was raised in Nazareth, a city in the region of Galilee of the Gentiles, “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” John 1:45-46 Our Lord Jesus is also known as the man from Galilee, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” Matthew 21:11

Our Lord Jesus is the Great Light that came to the Gentiles, to the mixed culture of Zebulun and Naphtali, a.k.a. Galilee of the Gentiles. “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” Matthew 4:15-16

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13

Galilee of the Gentiles was, and still is, in the northern part of Israel, just north of the West Bank, as seen in the red area of the image below on the left. In the day of Isaiah, Naphtali and Zebulun [Galilee of the Gentiles], are seen on the image to the right. Naphtali is seen to the north in the orange area, and Zebulun just under Naphtali in the purple area. “The sea” refers to the “Sea of Galilee”, which is on the southeast portion of Naphtali on the image to the right, and east of Galilee on the image to the left.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1