Matthew 4:12-17 the Kingdom of God Is At Hand

Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES— “THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.” From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus move fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-2 which states that the Messiah will be a light to the land of Zebulun and Naphtali which is the region where Capernaum was locarted. The central theme of Jesus' teaching concerned the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven. John, who came before him preached a message of repentance. Jesus follows John's message because without repentance, he will remove their lamp stand because the kingdom is not some future event, but is here among us here and now. It remains with us even today, because God through His Son has chose to make himself known to us through Jesus, so that people may come to him for salvation and reconciliation to God through the Son.

Daily Prayer: Father, us all have ears that can hears. Let us not be satisfied with the enticement of the world when your kingdom is being offered to those who come to you. Let us count is all as loss that which tries to replace your blessing with temporary selfish gain. In Jesus name I pray Amen.