There is no gloom where there had been distress. Where once he degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, now he has glorified the way of the Sea, the land across the Jordan, Galilee of the Nations. 1 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone. 2 You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing; They rejoice before you as people rejoice at harvest, as they exult when dividing the spoils. 3 For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, The rod of their taskmaster, you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. 4 For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for fire. 5 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. 6 His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, Upon David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this!
The Assyrians had captured the Kingdom of Israel, the Northern Kingdom comprised of ten tribes with Samaria as the capital, and were trying to put an end to the Davidic dynasty (Is. 7:6) by capturing Judah, the Southern Kingdom comprised of two tribes with Jerusalem as the capital, and installing a foreign puppet king. King Ahaz of the Southern Kingdom was afraid, and God sent a sign through the prophet Isaiah to bolster Ahaz’s faith.
Through Isaiah, God described the successor from the line of David in whom the promise of the dynasty would be realized. A young woman will bear a son to be named Emmanuel, God with us (Is. 7:14). Nazareth was in Zebulun along a trade route. After a time of distress when the people in Galilee of the Nations walked in darkness (v. 23), a great light will shine in Galilee (v. 1). The Messiah that is to come will break the yoke of Assyrian oppression in that holy war (v. 3) and there shall be no more war (v. 4). A child is given to us. Initially, the prophet thought the son was imminent, but Isaiah later prophesied that the Messiah would come when a shoot shall sprout from the line of Jesse (Is. 11:1-9). The titles describing the Messiah are the same titles used for Yahweh in other parts of the OT. The Messiah will have the burden of kingship and will rule by the virtues of judgment and justice.
Almighty God, the birth of the Messiah brings hope to all nations and a light to all who struggle in the darkness of sin. Grant us the courage to follow the light that leads to everlasting life and the judgment to discern the right path. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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