Matthew 4:14

14. Which was spoken by Esaias the prophet Isaiah 9:1-2. The prophecy from which Matthew extracts a brief and abrupt fragment, extends through chap. 8, to Matthew 9:7. This entire passage forms one distinct piece of prophecy. Through the eighth chapter the prophet predicts the overthrow of Syria and the northern tribes of Israel by the mighty power of the king of Assyria. The ninth chapter opens with a beam of hope to succeed this terrible overthrow. Terrible as was this period of vexation, “nevertheless,” says the prophet, (Isaiah 9:1,) “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 afterwards did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea beyond Jordan in the Galilee of the nations.” The reason why the dimness should not be such as under the Assyrian overthrow, the prophet proceeds to tell in the six following verses, (2-7,) namely: A great light should arise upon them, an emancipation like the “joy in harvest;” all the weapons of war should be destroyed by the power of the Prince of Peace; “for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,” etc.”

“But there shall not hereafter be darkness in the land which was distressed: In the former time he debased The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali; But in the latter time he made it glorious:

Even the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; They that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death, Unto them hath the light shined.

Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased their joy: They rejoice before thee as with the joy of harvest, As they rejoice who divide the spoil.

For the yoke of his burden, the staff laid on his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor hast thou broken, as in the day of Midian. For the greaves of the armed warrior in the conflict, And the garment rolled in much blood Shall be for a burning, even fuel for the fire.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, And the government shall be upon his shoulders, And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, the Father of the Everlasting Age, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, To fix it, and to establish it With judgment and with justice, henceforth and forever: The zeal of JEHOVAH, God of Hosts, will do this.”

In this piece of prophetic poetry the development and emancipation from its enemies of the Messianic “nation” or kingdom is compared as far superior to the deliverance from Assyria, though upon the same spot. Upon that same locality the light should rise, the joyous kingdom should increase, the oppressor’s “rod” should be broken before it, all armour should “be for a burning,” and war should cease, for the “Prince of Peace” is born. He is son of David, seated on his throne and ruling his kingdom; which throne and kingdom under him become eternal, since he is “the Mighty God.”