Hope in the Messiah
9 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 2 The people who walk in darkness a light will shine. 3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and like warriors dividing the plunder. 4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. 5 The boots of the warrior They will be fuel for the fire. 6 For a child is born to us, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will make this happen! 8 The Lord has spoken out against Jacob; his judgment has fallen upon Israel. 9 And the people of Israel and Samaria, will soon know it. 10 They said, “We will replace the broken bricks of our ruins with finished stone, and replant the felled sycamore-fig trees with cedars.” 11 But the LORD will bring Rezin’s enemies against Israel and stir up all their foes. 12 The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west His fist is still poised to strike. 13 For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent. They will not seek the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 14 Therefore, in a single day the LORD will destroy both the head and the tail, the noble palm branch and the lowly reed. 15 The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail. 16 For the leaders of the people have misled them. They have led them down the path of destruction. 17 That is why the Lord takes no pleasure in the young men His fist is still poised to strike. 18 This wickedness is like a brushfire. Its burning sends up clouds of smoke. 19 The land will be blackened and no one will spare even his own brother. 20 They will attack their neighbor on the right In the end they will even eat their own children. 21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, His fist is still poised to strike.