04/12/10

Prophets of Galilee, Light from the shadow of death

Jonah, Prophet from Galilee


Contrary to the claim of the Pharisees that no Prophet (Man of God) can arise from Galilee, Jesus was called Prophet of Galilee or of Nazareth which was a small town of southern Galilee. Along with Jesus there was another Prophet who came from Galilee and that was Jonah.

The Pharisees knew and had accepted Jonah as a Prophet but yet they we see that they were stubborn on their belief that no Prophet or good can come out of Galilee even specifying Nazareth. Jonah was from Gath-Hepher which was 2 miles from Nazareth.

Why was Jesus a stumbling block for the Pharisees?

Like I told you contrary to people thinking that the word Gentile means unbelievers, it was a word coined for the Jews who lived in the northern part of Galilee also called as 'Galilee of the Nations' in Isaiah. Galilee (meaning 'circuit' in Hebrew) was a very important passage connecting the Sea ports to the main land; this was a busy place with all kinds of people of various countries and believes. The southern Galilee Jews were strong rooted to Jewish traditions unlike the northern Galilee Jews who were exposed more to the world, therefore accepted and incorporated traditions and believes of the Heathens (people of other believe) in their own. These northern Galilee Jews were given the nick name 'Gentiles'; later it hardened to be used for an outcast Jew or an unbeliever. This Gentile infection during the time of Jesus had spread throughout Galilee and thus caused the attitude of the Pharisees that nothing good could come out of Galilee, including Nazareth.

Like I told you Jesus did not come for the Heathens but only for His people - Israel, including those who know Him and those who are His and are lost or confused. Still people think that the people who follow Judaism are the chosen people of God and due to this they do not understand scriptures and loose great. It was very heart breaking to hear that thousands of Muslims who come into the light of Christ and become Christians suffer tremendously and are even killed all because of those follow Judaism. The Camp David agreement (started by Jimmy Carter) mainly signed between USA (included its allies - Europe), Egypt and leaders of Palestine had a term that USA will not interfere into internal matters of some of the Islamic countries in the Middle East.

To save these people who follow Judaism and are unbelievers (because they do not accept Christ) we are sacrificing thousands of true Christians. Imagine the blood on the hands of the leaders on these countries? I hope to soon post testimonies of Dr. Ron Charles who works extensively in this area helping these Christians.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem (in Hebrew means 'House of Bread') for He is the 'Shewbread' which was continually kept in the Holy Place along with the Candle Stand which represented the Holy Spirit. Jesus resided in Nazareth in Galilee and was called the Prophet of Galilee or Nazareth to fulfill the prophecy that He would be the Light which shine out of shadow of death which overcometh darkness.

We too live in Galilee of Gentiles where confused Christians follow Heathen traditions and do things which anger God, or are we going to be like Jesus a Light which shines from this shadow of vanity and death?

Do not be a Gentile but an Israelite and shine for your Father and God.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You showed us the way that although You dwelt as man among the confused people yet You did not let the confusion and vanity of the world effect You. You set yourself according to the Word and were alone truly righteous. Lord, we call ourselves your disciples, show us and help us by opening our minds and strengthening our weak hearts that we too become a Light like You to the lost sheep and bring them unto You...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
John 1:45-49
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Isaiah 9:1-2
1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Matthew 4:12-17
12 Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee;
13 and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali:
14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,
16 the people that sat in darkness saw a great light, and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring up.
17 From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 2:19-23
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

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