Matthew 4:12-16
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“Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,” Matthew 4:12-13
Matthew speaks about the arrest and beheading of John the Baptist in Matthew 14:1-12.
Galilee was a region that included the cities of Nazareth, Capernaum, Zebulun, and Naphtali. Galilee was a place of very bad neighborhoods and even known as the “Galilee of Gentiles”, Isaiah 9:1. Gentiles were rejected, despised, and abandoned by the Jewish culture and were not wanted within their culture. Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, was very infamous for being a place of very undesirable people, “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
Many people moved to the region of Galilee, as a last resort, to escape the severe oppression and persecution happening in the region of Judea, where Jerusalem and Bethlehem were. John the Baptist stayed in Judea! That is also where Herod ruled and imprisoned John the Baptist and had him beheaded for preaching to him saying that it was illegal for him to marry his brother’s wife, Mark 6:14-29. The Herod who killed John was the son of the Herod who slaughtered the newborns in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus, Matthew 2:13-18. Herod who killed the newborns died, then Herod’s son ruled after him and gave himself the name of his father, which was common in those days, “Now when Herod was dead…Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod,” Matthew 2:19, 22
Our Lord Jesus left Nazareth to move to Capernaum, which was still in the region of Galilee, and also in the area of Zebulun and Nephtali.
All of the places mentioned above are shown on the map at the bottom of this post.
“…that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “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 4:14-16
The quote in the verse above is from Isaiah 9:1-2. The place where Jesus chose to begin His ministry, at the age of 30, was not a place of good neighborhoods. By today’s standards, the whole region of Galilee was a land of slums, filled with crime, filth, void of spiritual values, despised by mainstream society, neglected and abused by governing authority. The inhabitants of the “Galilee of the Gentiles” despised mainstream society, they were rebels against governing authorities, and anti-establishment in every way. They sat in spiritual darkness within the shadow of death. Death came to them in many ways, and often not by natural causes.
All of the problems within the cities of the “Galilee of the Gentiles”, whether rejected by mainstream society or enemies of mainstream society, whether abused and ignored by politicians or anti-establishment rebels, it’s a sin problem rooted within the nature of human beings. A change has to happen within the heart, mind, and soul of people. But that change doesn’t happen by social and economic policies, that change happens by washing away the sins from within. By the remission of sin, the Holy Spirit comes to us to give us a new heart, a renewed mind, and new fruit flowing from our words and actions.
A man named Jesus moved to the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, and the people saw a great Light…a Light that chased away the dark shadow of death and chased away the spiritual darkness that lurked within themselves. The people learned to live by the Light that brought life, because “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:4-5 The people learned they didn’t have to set in darkness, but they could walk in the Light as Jesus was in the Light, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John8:12
Jesus Christ took all of the darkness of this world upon Himself, and the shadow of death overshadowed Him wherever He went. He took all of that darkness upon Himself so that we could live in the Light that gives life. The Pharisees hated Jesus for eating and talking with Gentiles, sinners, lepers, and Jesus was even ran out of a city for casting out multiple demons. He carried our sins upon Himself so that we can become the righteousness of God through Him, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 Jesus Christ became sin for us, so how did He wash all of that sin away? It was washed away when it was nailed to the Cross with Jesus Christ who gave His life to atone for our sin. Jesus had so much darkness and death with Him upon the Cross that He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46
Today, we might feel that we are living within the region of the “Galilee of the Gentiles”, in the land of “Zebulun and Naphtali”. There is a darkness that hovers over us as we feel rejected by society, ignored by politicians, and living in the worse situations that we would never choose for ourselves. We are despised and rejected by all the world who lives by the power of darkness through the beast that gives them what to say, do, think, and feel. From within our pain, we cry out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Even so, when we come to Jesus Christ to wash that darkness away, He gives us a new song to sing, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelations 7:10.
Like our Lord Jesus who was resurrected from the grave after three days, a resurrection arises from within our heart and soul, a Light begins to dawn, and the darkness gives way to the Light. We celebrate the hope of eternal life that Christ Jesus gives to us, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24 The return of Jesus is more evident today than at any time in the history of humanity. He is coming to bring us home to live eternally with Him in the New Jerusalem.
As seen on the image below, there are three maps. On the map to the right, Galilee is seen towards the top. On the map to the left, in the region of Galilee, is seen Zebulun and Nephtali, and Nazareth is part of that region [seen in the pinkish red area]. Capernaum is written in red and is on the northern border of the Sea of Galilee. John the Baptist was staying in the region of Judea, which is seen on the map to the left, known as “Judah”. Jerusalem was in the region of Judea.
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17
From the time that Jesus moved to Capernaum, that is when He began His public ministry.
“….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
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