It is not strange that Yeshua/Jesus said in Matthew 7:13, 14, enter by the narrow gate because narrow is the gate and difficult is the Way which leads to life and few there are that find it!
So if your life is difficult, it’s the WAY, the right WAY. Easy-street is the broad road that leads to destruction. We, in our fleshly selves, are resistant to the talk of hard, difficult and sacrificial lives. We don’t want it. We just want the blessings of a life of comfort and prosperity with no problems.
That’s not what Yeshua/Jesus promised. His words were: in this world you will have tribulation. If we are going to live the life of a disciple of Yeshua/Jesus, it will help us to remember that anything of worth or excellence is going to be difficult. Of the 12, only John lived to old age and he was in exile!
This ‘knowing’, should inspire us to press on and overcome as Yeshua/Jesus has overcome this world.
God has saved us through the atonement of Jesus/Yeshua, by His sovereign Grace. Philippians 2:13. He works in us vs.12; our part is to work out that salvation in every day practical life.
It requires bravery, courage and holiness.
He is bringing many sons/children to glory; Heb. 2:10, and according to the scriptures, requirements of sonship are not associated with pampered, spoilt weaklings, still drinking milk, holding selfish, prideful attitudes of entitlement and exhibiting self-righteousness; or those with religious thinking, based on doctrines of demons and traditions of men.We Must answer His CALL IMMEDIATELY.
It takes a tremendous amount of discipline, to live the worthy and excellent life of being His disciple in the realities of life, especially in this day and age. And for the effect our lives are to make, it’s absolutely necessary for us to live a life of worth and excellence.
With this in mind, consider whether the disciples of Yeshua/Jesus were talmidim as understood by the people of His time.
They were to be with Him, Mark 3:13-19;
to follow Him, Mark 1:16-20;
to live by His teaching, John 8:31.
They were to imitate His actions, John 13:13-15.
They were to make everything else secondary to their learning from the rabbi. Luke 14:26.
When the teacher believed that his talmidim were prepared to be like him; he would commission them to become disciple-makers. He was saying ‘As far as is possible you are like me. Now go and seek others who will imitate you. Because you are like me, when they imitate you they will be like me.’ This practice certainly lies behind Jesus/Yeshua’ great commission; the focus of which, was the reconciling of our relationship with the Father. (Matt. 28:18-20).
DISCIPLES-MAKE-DISCIPLES!
While in one sense, no one can be like Yeshua/Jesus in His divine nature, or in His perfect human nature; when taught by the Rabbi, empowered and blessed by the Spirit of God, imitating Yeshua/Jesus becomes a possibility. The mission of the disciples was to seek others, who would imitate them and therefore become like Yeshua/Jesus.He chose disciples whom He would empower to become like Him and led them around, (the shepherd with His sheep), until they began to imitate Him.
Then after Pentecost/Shavuot/the gift of the Holy Spirit was given and received; He sent them out to make disciples…to lead people to imitate them, by obeying Yeshua/Jesus. Yeshua/Jesus calls us to be His talmidim and to know God’s Word and Yeshua/Jesus’ interpretation of it.
We must be passionate in our devotion to that Word and to His example, then, when we are filled with His Spirit, we must be filled with the desire to become like Him as far as is humanly possible.
This means that the present day talmid /disciple, must be no less focused on the rabbi.
We must be with Him in His Word,
we must follow Him even if we are not sure of the final destination,
we must live by His teaching; which means we must know those teachings well;
and we must imitate Him whenever we can.
In other words everything becomes secondary in life to being like Him.
When they had observed and learned for a time they were sent out to begin to practice being like the teacher (Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-24)
This is one of the most significant concepts of the New Testament. Jesus, the divine Messiah Yeshua, chose the rabbi-talmid system.
He taught like a rabbi in real life situations, using the most brilliant methods ever devised, (e.g. using parables).
He interpreted God’s Word and completed it.
He demonstrated obedience to it.
He says to us today, you are…
In Revelation we read that Messiah’s Bride is CALLED, CHOSEN and FAITHFUL:
Revelation/Chazown 17:14
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Master of masters, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Ve•hem yi•la•cha•moo et-ha•Seh ve•ha•Seh yig•bar aley•hem ki hoo Adon ha•a•do•nim oo•Me•lech ha•m`la•chim ootz•va•av ee•mo k`ri•ey El be•chi•rav ve•ne•e•ma•nav.
יד. וְהֵם יִלָּחֲמוּ אֶת-הַשֶּׂה וְהַשֶּׂה יִגְבַּר עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי הוּא אֲדוֹן הָאֲדֹנִים וּמֶלֶךְ הַמְּלָכִים וּצְבָאָיו עִמּוֹ קְרִיאֵי אֵל בְּחִירָיו וְנֶאֱמָנָיו:
Why 3 CALLED, CHOSEN and FAITHFUL?
Matt 22;14 holds a clue those who are CALLED then those who are CALLED AND CHOSEN; and finally in Rev. 17:15 CALLED, CHOSEN AND FAITHFUL.
Seems like there are 3 stages here.
There are also 3 groups at the Wedding of the Lamb.
The guests who are CALLED
The 5 of the 10 bridal attendants who are CHOSEN
and
The bride who is FAITHFUL.
However Jesus/Yeshua asks the critical ?
and continued to make it clear in Matthew 22
What is our identity as grafted in believers? Are we Called, Chosen, Faithful, Hebrews, Israelites, Jews or Gentiles?
The terms Hebrew, Israelite and Jew, originated through 3 different biblical personalities:
The first Hebrew was Abraham.The word Hebrew/Ibriym means ‘one who crosses over,’ as Abraham crossed over from paganism into a set-apart life with YHWH (YaHuWaH). Therefore, Abraham was the first one to become a ‘Hebrew.’ He was ‘CALLED’ and he obeyed the call.
The first Israelite was Jacob.
He was the first one to be called ‘Yisra’EL,’ which means ‘one who prevails or overcomes with Elohiym.’
He was ’CHOSEN’ over his twin brother Esau.
And the first one to be called a Jew/Yahuwdiy was Judah.Jacob (ISRAEL), and Leah named their 4th son Judah/Yahuwdah; from where we derive the term ‘Jew’ and it means ‘I will praise YaHuWaH.’
Judah was ultimately ‘FAITHFUL’ because he honored his promise to his father Jacob when he promised to ’bear the blame forever’ if something bad happened to Benjamin. (Gen. 43:9). Judah is the tribe that volunteered to become the scapegoat. And ultimately why Messiah was born into that Tribe because as the scapegoat, He was the sinless lamb who took the punishment for guilty sinners.
Hebrew = called out (Genesis 12:1; Revelation 18:4).
וָאֶשְׁמַע קוֹל אַחֵר מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם קֹרֵא צְאוּ מִתּוֹכָהּ עַמִּי פֶּן-תִּגְּעוּ בְחַטֹּאתֶיהָ וְדָבְקוּ בָכֶם תַּחֲלֻאֶיהָ:
Va•esh•ma kol a•cher min-ha•sha•ma•yim ko•re tze•oo mi•to•cha ami pen-tig•oo ve•cha•to•te•ha ve•dav•koo va•chem ta•cha•loo•e•ha.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Could it be said that when we are saved/born-again, we begin as a Hebrew, because we obey the CALLING to come out of paganism and the sinfulness of this present world and cross over into our new life?
Yisra’el means an overcomer, or one who prevails. (Gen. 32:28; Rev. 3:12).
Then, we become like Jacob, an Israelite/Yisraelite when we wrestle with Elohiym to find our identity in Him. Like Jacob, we prevail against the enemy of our soul when we conquer the sinful nature (Rom. 8:37). This is what qualified Jacob/Ya’aqob to have his name changed to Israel/Yisra’EL.
Likewise our names will be changed as seen in
Rev 3:12,
Mee asher-oz•na•yim lo yak•shiv et asher ha•Roo•ach ma•gid la•k`hi•lot lam•na•tze•ach e•ten min-ha•man ha•sha•moor ve•na•ta•ti lo even le•va•na ve•al-ha•e•ven cha•kook shem cha•dash asher eesh lo yi•ko•ve•noo bil•tee ha•m`ka•bel.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
The scripture says that those who receive a new name, are those who overcome, or in other words, they prevail with Elohiym!
Jew/Yahuwdiy means one who praises YHWH. (Gen. 29:35; Rev.19:5).
Do we finally become a Jew/Yahuwdiy when we learn to praise YaHuWaH no matter what the circumstances are? This would seem to be the mark of a mature believer who is ready to be the bride!
The Hebrew Strong’s Concordance shows the definition of the name Judah as follows:
#3063 Yhuwdah yeh-hoo-daw from 3034; celebrated; praised; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory, Judah.
It stems from another root word:
#3034 yadah yaw-daw’ a primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027; literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands):–cast (out), (make) confess(-ion), praise, shoot, give thanks; thanksgiving; thankful.
#3064 Yhuwdiy yeh-hoo-dee’ patronymically from 3063; a Jehudite (i.e. Judaite or Jew), or descendant of Jehudah (i.e. Judah):–Jew.
By the definitions above, the name Judah/Yahuwdah means one who praises YaHuWaH.
Remember everything is connected!
Many are CALLED (Hebrews) but few are CHOSEN (Israel/Yisra’el).
And of those who are CHOSEN, only the FAITHFUL (Yahuwdiy) are the ones who praise YaHuWaH!
There is a lot of misunderstanding about the term Jew/Yahuwdiy. The term Jew or Yahuwdiy comes from the Tribe of Judah /Yahuwdah. Melchizedek is from the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Hebrews 7:14).
(Remember the Priests of Jesus/Yeshua’s day were corrupt: click link below to see relevant post.)
https://www.minimannamoments.com/why-was-the-priest-in-the-water-conclusion-of-the-mystery
Paul uses the term Jew/Yahuwdiy in Romans 2:28, to describe those whose hearts are circumcised. Why does he use the term Jew to define somebody who has a circumcised heart? Why does he not use the terms Hebrew or Yisraelite?
Could it be because a bride joins the tribe of her bridegroom when she marries him.
So to be called a Jew/Yahuwdiy, means that you have reached the place of maturity where you are ready to be called Messiah’s bride?
In a previous post about Ruth the scripture records that she was a Moabite, and Torah/Towrah says that no Moabite may enter the congregation of Israel/Yisra’el forever (Deuteronomy 23:3; Nehemiah 13:1).
So how was she able to marry Boaz who was from the Tribe of Judah? She ‘crossed over’ when she followed Naomi to Bethlehem, Judah and she said ‘Your God/Elohiym is my God/Elohiym, and your people shall be my people’.
in Ezek. 47:21-22 where any stranger may join the tribe of their choosing simply by ‘sojourning‘ with that tribe, and they would also inherit land with that tribe; so the principle is clearly referenced here too.
If, as believers in Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, we are ‘walking with’, or ‘sojourning with‘, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah/Yahuwdah (Rev.5:5); should it not follow that those who are His bride are going to be married into His tribe?
Followers of Messiah are called a royal priesthood. (1Peter 2:9). This royal priesthood is the priesthood of Melchizedek, and Melchizedek is the King of Salem. Salem is the ancient name for Jerusalem, and according to Hebrews 7:14 Melchizedek also sprang out of Judah/Yahuwdah. Followers of Messiah are therefore part of this priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
See last 2 posts for more of on Melchizedek.
https://www.minimannamoments.com/a-mystery-why-was-the-priest-in-the-water/
However we must still have our hearts circumcised in order to be counted as a Jew/Yahuwdiy by our Messiah. (Rom. 2:28-29; Rev.2:9 & 3:9).
Another amazing point to note is in the paleo Hebrew, alef bet, there is only one letter different from the name YaHuWaH
to YaHuWDaH.
The difference is the letter Dalet in the middle of the name Judah/ YaHuWDaH.
The letter Dalet means the Door!
Also meaning (by the definitions above,) the name Judah/Yahuwdah means one who praises YaHuWaH.
Click link below for more on the alef bet
https://www.minimannamoments.com/alef-bet-alphabet/
Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is the DALET/DOOR to the Father (John 10:7-9)and
He came from the Tribe of Judah/YaHuWDaH (Rev. 5:5).
The only tribe that bears the Father’s name is Judah/YaHuWDaH!
Messiah’s name is Yeshua and can be written and said YaHuWShuWA which means YaHuWaH is Salvation, as seen in
Hebrew Strong’s Concordance:#3091 Yhowshuwa` yeh-ho-shoo’-ah or Yhowshua {yeh-ho-shoo’-ah}; from 3068 and 3467; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader:–Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare both 1954, 3442.
Now it makes sense as to why our Messiah came from the Tribe of Judah/Yahuwdah , and why He told the Samaritan woman at the well that Salvation is of the Jews/Yahuwdiy (John 4:22).
It’s because the Levite Priesthood could not act as the permanent Kinsman Redeemer* for Israel/Yisra’el.
For the simple reason that they would eventually die because they were mortals. However in the scriptures we are told that Melchizedek, who sprang out of Judah/YaHuWDaH has an endless life, and he never dies behind the veil. (Hebrews 7:14-16).
(Boaz was Ruth’s kinsman-redeemer*, a type of Messiah, offering to redeem her and marry her, (covenant), and it took place located right on Mt. Moriah where Yeshua was crucified)!
Those who are the bride of Messiah are part of His ‘Royal Priesthood’ (1Pet.2:9), and they bear the Father’s name, YaHuWaH, just like Ruth we have crossed over.
Crossing over and entering the narrow WAY through The Door/Dalet of Yahuwdah/Judah, praising the Father YHWH, in every circumstance, appears to mean that we have reached the place of maturity where we are ready to be called Messiah’s bride?
The bride also is married into the Tribe, YaHuWDaH. The five wise virgins in Matt 25 will enter into the bridegroom’s chamber and the door will be shut!
The key of David which qualifies the bride to enter into the chamber is only open to those whose hearts are circumcised for they have kept His Word/Torah/Towrah and have not denied his name (Rev 3:8).
Remember Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah who called their 4th son Judah In Gen. 29:16-25, we learn that Jacob loved Rachel because she was beautiful, but her sister Leah was not very attractive.
The same thing happened with our Messiah, Jesus/Yeshua orYahuwshuwa. In Matthew 15:24, Yeshua/Yahuwshuwa said that He had come for only the lost sheep of the House of Yisra’el. Like Jacob who only loved Rachel, our Messiah only wanted to remarry His divorced bride, Israel/Yisra’el (Jer. 3:8; Hos. 2:19-20; Rom. 7:4).
The leadership in Israel/Yisra’el however, did not accept Him as their Messiah, and the gentiles were the ones who accepted Him.
Leah typifies the gentiles who were not the favored ones, and Rachel typifies Israel/Yisra’el who was favored by Messiah. Surely Messiah was disappointed in the same way Jacob was. He had come for his beloved Israel/Yisra’el, but instead, He was married to the gentiles who accepted His message, and thus, they were grafted into the olive tree of Israel/Yisra’el (Romans 11:17-25). There were also many 1000’s who accepted Him at Pentecost who were not gentiles.
John/Yahuwchanon 1:11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Leah typifies the bride of Messiah who first comes into the understanding of her salvation when she gives birth to a son (1Timothy 2:15). Leah was CALLED to be the bride of Jacob/Ya’aqob and she accepted the call to be married to him.
This means that she was CHOSEN by YaHuWaH.
Leah typifies the person who is called, then chosen. However, once she is chosen, she goes through affliction and testing.
Leah represents the bride of Messiah who will be married to Him first, just as Leah was the first to marry Jacob. in the future, possibly on a Feast of Trumpets /Yom Teruah, the faithful bride, typified by Leah, will be taken for seven days to the New Jerusalem for the wedding. Then she will return with Messiah in her new resurrected body riding white horses (Rev.19).
This event could take place on a future Yom Kippur, and could be when Messiah will meet the other bride who typifies Rachel, the House of Judah.
They will look upon Him whom they have pierced as His feet touch the Mount of Olives
they will mourn for him as one mourns his only son. (Zech. 12:10; 14:4).
Mount of Olives was and is,
Ha Makem nitsachon/the place of victory.
Ha Makem-The Place-המקום
Instructions are given in Lev. 16:18, for what the High Priest/Kohen ha’Gadowl has to do on Yom Kippur.
He is commanded to combine the blood of the goat with the blood of the bullock and to sprinkle that mixed blood on the altar.
What is this representing?
The Hebrew origin of Rachel’s name means ‘LAMB‘,’Ewe,’ or ‘female sheep’, and Leah’s, meaning ‘Gazelle’ which is ‘beauty and grace’,’contented One,’ ‘also worthy COW‘, as in the biblical days cows were very valuable and treasured.
This means that both brides shall combine and become one bride on a future Yom Kippur, under our High Priest Jesus the Messiah/Yahuwshuwa ha’Mashiyach.
Leah’s faithfulness to YHWH/YaHuWaH caused her sorrow and rejection to be turned into happiness, for she was rewarded with fruitfulness.
Faithfulness is doing what we need to do regardless of feelings or personal preferences, our desires need to be His desires then we make the right choices.
There is a prophetic picture of Messiah and His FAITHFUL bride told in the story of Leah & Jacob. Leah was willing to die to her own selfish desires in order to please her husband.
Similarly, those who follow the lamb wherever he goes (Rev. 14:4) are the ones who are ready to die and be buried with him:
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
הֲלֹא הֵם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-נְגֹאֲלוּ בְנָשִׁים כִּי בְתֻמָּתָם הֵם כִּבְתוּלוֹת וְהֹלְכִים אַחֲרֵי הַשֶּׂה אֶל-אֲשֶׁר יֵלֵךְ וּפְדוּיִם הֵם מִקֶּרֶב בְּנֵי הָאָדָם כְּבִכּוּרִים לֵאלֹהִים וְלַשֶּׂה:
Ha•lo hem asher lo-n`go•a•loo ve•na•shim ki ve•too•ma•tam hem kiv•too•lot ve•hol•chim a•cha•rey ha•Seh el-asher ye•lech oof•doo•yim hem mi•ke•rev b`ney ha•a•dam ke•vi•koo•rim le•Elohim ve•la•Seh.
Romans/Romiym 6:4; Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah/Mashiyach was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.
Leah finally found contentment in her circumstances when she trusted in YaHuWaH and praised him. This is what made her a faithful bride to Jacob
Leah symbolizes the gentile who begins with an uncircumcised heart (Romans 2:26), but learns to place their trust in God.
Rachel symbolizes the one who only appears to be a Jew/Yahuwdiy externally, or in other words only beautiful outwardly (Rom. 2:28).
Those whose hearts are circumcised inwardly are true Jews/Yahuwdiy for they are the ones who faithfully offer up praises to God/YaHuWaH:
Romans/Romiym 2:29 But he is a Jew/Yahuwdiy, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of Elohiym.
A chosen remnant of Israel survives today namely those who have received Jesus/Yeshua, their promised Messiah, as the 3000 did on the day of the first Pentecost/Shavuot.
To the Jew first and then to the Gentile/Greek. Rom.1:16
Over the centuries Gentiles/ גּוֹי/ Goy (go’-ee)
Goyim/Nations, have been made partakers of the grace given to this remnant of Israel. Rom. 11:2–5
Israel is compared to the Olive tree because of unbelief. Many of the Olives branches had been broken off and wild Olive branches had been grafted into the stock.
Click link below for more on the Olive tree:
https://www.minimannamoments.com/grafted-in-to-the-olive-tree/
This is an unnatural act, performed by the sovereign hand of God. As gentiles we are to be humble, because we are grafted in on the basis of our faith and not by any merit we have in ourselves. We should be mindful not to boast in our position even as grafted in believers, since we are supported by the root, (Abraham and his family); and not by means of our own lineage or merit.
The root supports us.
ALWAYS.
Romans 11:9
Whether natural descendents or Gentile, the picture of the Olive tree illustrates that the branches are those who come To the Lord by trusting in His promises of deliverance, just as father Abraham did.
May our faith in Him be solid and unwavering.
Receiving The Hidden Manna And The White Stone. Rev. 2:17
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
Once again, like the previous CALLINGS, the one who hears is CALLED to OBEY.
Hebrew has no word for obedience. The word SHEMA or SH’MA means HEAR and OBEY.To hear someone means to obey him. He who obeys is described as conqueror and overcomer. To this particular overcomer, Messiah is promising something very special – hidden manna and a white stone with a new secret name.
Manna is a symbol of God’s sustenance and provision for the people of Israel in the wilderness; as they came out/crossed over the Reed Sea, leaving Egypt in obedience to God’s call, risking their own lives to go by faith, to a land they would only later be shown.
When Jesus/Yeshua spoke with the Samaritan Israelite woman (John 4), His Judean, Israelite disciples were returning from a nearby town with food acceptable for consumption by the Judeans (Ioudaioi). The disciples asked among themselves if someone already had brought food to Him. He then answered them that He had something that, in the passage in Revelation, also being promised to the one who overcomes – the hidden manna.
He said: I have food to eat that you do not know about. (Jn.4:32)
This secret food that ‘the rest’ did not know about is nothing less than, divine energy of Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh, who is able to provide sustenance in the most unimaginable and perilous circumstances. This characterized what was soon to become a reality for believers in Pergamum. Jesus/Yeshua promised this power/energy/dunamis, to the one who obeys God’s Words. This is why the one who obeys also is the one who overcomes.
The Identity of the White Stone.
Among the most-likely interpretations that may fit the context is a suggestion that the white stones, with names of the recipients inscribed, were given to contest winners of the Roman sport races. The white stone inscribed with a personal name presumably served as a pass to a prestigious banquet only attended by the winners.
Symbolic of the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the need to have a robe of righteousness, that would be the pass into the banquet.
This stone would have been received upon completion of the race. While this is not a particularly Jewish cultural reference, we do know of many biblical examples of the use of Greco-Roman cultural references as illustrations for and by the Jews. For example, the Apostle Paul used many Roman sports metaphors to make his points (Phil. 3:12-14; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; 2 Tim. 4:6-8).
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews also employed Roman sport imagery of running a race and receiving a winner’s wreath (See also Heb. 12:1). This kind of imagery was well known in Judea where there were elaborate sports arenas. The analogy much more closely matches the culture of the Roman city of Pergamum.
No doubt the persecuted believers, both Jewish and former pagans, were aware of this practice and the elaborate banquets of honor for the overcomers/winners of the race. Most of the believers did not take part in these games by the virtue of the fact that the games included a dedication to the Roman gods. Jesus/Yeshua tells them that in all reality they have not missed out on anything. The real race is the race of perseverance dedicated to the God of Israel. Whoever perseveres in this race and overcomes will receive ‘a pass’ into the heavenly banquet of eternal honor.
Another intriguing possibility continues with the theme of priestly attire as was already used in Revelation. The High Priest’s robe had 12 stones with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel.
One of the stones was actually WHITE – Yahalom
(it was WHITE stone number 6),
signifying the 6th son of Leah – Zebulun. What’s Important About Zebulun?
We read in Is. 9:1-7, quoted in Matt. 4:15 that:
“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… For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.”