“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.’”

A people saddled with the heavy weight of gloom and distress, Isaiah’s message to his fellow suffering jews resonated in every heart. Zebulun and Naphtali represent the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the jews living in this region were invaded by the Assyrian’s, and had been oppressed by the heavy and brutal hand of Tiglath-Pileser III, the regional Gentile, non-jewish, Assyrian ruler.

The invasion, occupation, and oppression was self-inflicted, a result of the leaders and peoples rebellion against God. Their depressive state and experience, the gloom and distress, was self-imposed, and born out of choices that opposed their God and His Way. The result, a humbling.

Under the heavy weight of this gloom and distress, as is often the case, their is a cry to their God for relief and Isaiah, speaks of a brighter future for the people of this region, “Galilee of the Gentiles (Nations).

Reading this narrative that Isaiah left behind evokes thoughts regarding our plight as a nation. A nation that was established by God’s will, on God’s principles and promises, by people who openly declared their allegiance to God. Of course, imperfect people, just like those belonging to Israel’s Northern Kingdom, during the Assyrian oppression.

We are a people living in gloom and distress. Everywhere you look, people are down and out. We are on the constant hunt to find relief for our oppressive-depression. Legalizing gambling, weed, developing and prescribing medications to fix our beatdown state; streaming our way into fantasy land to find an escape. We even try to educate our way out of our problems, and yet every philosophy or self-help path-way we create leads us further and further down into the gloom and distress that festers like a plague, rotting us from the inside out.

Evidence of a problem, perhaps? Maybe even a “Danger” sign from God?

Question:  How about your world, what are the signs of humbling that you can see in the world you live in?
Question:  Looking a little closer to home, your life, your heart. What signs of humbling, Lord, are you showing me?

Hope is NOT lost!

‘The people walking in darkness
 have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
 a light has dawned.’”

Christmas Is Coming…