Matthew 4:12-17 A Light Has Dawned
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: January 21, 2019, Matthew 4:12-17
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
(Understanding the Text) How long after Jesus’ baptism was it before John was arrested? At first I thought that Matthew was saying that Jesus was not preaching until after John’s arrest, but then I remembered that Jesus’ disciples had been baptizing at the same time as John. “After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison)” (John 3:22-24). I always thought that comment about John not yet being put into prison was a little strange, but if John’s was the last gospel and he was filling in missing details from the other gospels, it makes sense, since the other gospels tell of how Jesus began His Galilean ministry when John was put into prison and make it sound like it was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
Why did Jesus stay near John in Judea until his arrest? I think it was to give more chances for John to clearly witness that Jesus was the Messiah. I think that it was important that all of John’s disciples and the people who came to John in repentance knew that John believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Once John was imprisoned there was no more reason to stay in Judea and every reason to avoid the vicinity of Jerusalem. Did Jesus clean out the temple before or after John’s imprisonment?
I imagine someone running to the place where Jesus and His disciples were staying and shouting out that Herod had arrested John the Baptist. Had the Spirit already told Jesus about it? Maybe, but I don’t think that Jesus had told His own disciples because it says “when he heard that John had been arrested” which sounds like the disciples witnessed Jesus being told about the arrest and Jesus responding either immediately or shortly after that it was time for them to go to Galilee.
I imagine that first, they went to Nazareth and picked up any belongings that Jesus needed and informed His mother of His plans to move. From there, Jesus and His disciples traveled to Capernaum. At this time, I think Jesus had six disciples who were traveling with Him–Peter, Andrew, James, John, Nathanael, and Phillip. Peter, Andrew, and Phillip were originally from Bethsaida, but since Peter and Andrew were now living in Capernaum, it is possible that Phillip was too. James and John were also from Capernaum. Thus, Nathanael may have also been from the area. Thus, Jesus was moving to His disciples’ home turf. Tradition says that He was living in Peter’s house there, which is implied also in several places like Mark 1. “And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her” (Mark 1:29-30). The fact that Peter had his own house which was large enough to accommodate not just his wife and kids but also his mother-in-law, his brother, Jesus, and probably others of the disciples says a lot about the prosperity of Peter’s fishing enterprise and Peter’s business/fishing skills. Peter was in partnership with James and John whose family was well-off. For the family to partner with Peter said a lot about their respect for Peter as a worker, manager, and a man worthy of trust.
Matthew leaves out a lot of Jesus’ ministry in Judea, but there is a reason. It is not necessary for his purpose in writing. Matthew is not just telling a biography of Jesus. Matthew is giving evidence for Jesus as the Messiah who fulfilled all the Old Testament scriptures with His life. Now Matthew gives evidence #10 for Jesus being the Messiah. Evidence #8 was John’s testimony at Jesus’ baptism and evidence #9 was Jesus dwelling in the wilderness for forty days just as the children of Israel had to roam in the wilderness for forty years before entering the land of promise. Evidence #10 is the Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah. “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:1-7). In ancient times, Galilee had been sacked by kings warring against Israel and it’s inhabitants had be sent into captivity. “In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria” (2 Kings 15:29). Isaiah had looked down through the years and seen that there would be a day when Galilee would be the scene of the blessing of the world by the appearance and ministering there of Messiah. The Jews would have interpreted the part about breaking the rod of his oppressor as breaking the temporal power of Rome or any other kingdom which held dominion over the Jews, but the breaking the rod of his oppressor comment refers to Satan and death, the ultimate oppressor of the human race. The tramping warriors are not Rome, but instead the war on this earth will be won by the Prince of Peace.
(Revelation of God) Jesus told His disciples and other followers over and over that He was bringing in the kingdom of heaven. He never claimed to be bringing in the kingdom of Israel. Thus, He was trying to get the Jews to think bigger beyond their own local parochial worldly boxes to the greater and more real and more lasting issues of their lives. He was trying to win them forever and not just for a few years. He was trying to save them from a reality more profound than Rome or even poverty. Repenting from sins was not about becoming a respected nation who cast off the dominance of Rome. Instead, it was about reconnecting with the God of their fathers who desired them to live in the kingdom of heaven.
(Application) My application for myself is that I need to see the big picture and not get hung up on the cares of the world. Yes, I need to make money and resolve issues like my house remodel, but those are not the lasting issues. Those are temporary until I go home to live where Jesus is. It is not that I ignore the present issues that I face; it is that I keep them in perspective for my ultimate goal. I must never forget that I am not a citizen of this world. I am a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is my king and I serve Him. Everything else is secondary.
(Prayer) Help me to see You more and more clearly and to understand Your lessons about the kingdom of heaven better and better. I want to go home with You and away from this sinful world. Come soon and rescue Your people. You are the only light that we have in this dark and broken world. I want Your light to shine into my soul so deeply that there is no darkness left in me.