Hope from the Messiah!
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Isaiah 61:1 NASB 95 biblegateway.com
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
I know that I have been quoting directly a lot lately but I think that speaks to how moving and amazing these final chapters of Isaiah are. Just read that verse above again....every word is proved out in the gospels.
Look at the hope of this promised Messiah. God loves us and wants to meet in the challenges of this lifetime; with eternal hope to come after that.
I've been writing about Marxism for a project I am working on and it's so depressing. They reject morals; reject the value found in each all human life, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes humans tick this side of heaven. It's a healing salve to read just a single verse from my Lord and Savior about what He wants for us.
And for those who question the doctrine of the trinity, here's one of those verse that includes Lord, Messiah, and Holy Spirit in one clause.
There is also personal guidance in there for each of us. The Great Commission for those in the Lord who have been given the Holy Spirit to do exceedingly great things for those the Lord loves and sends us to. Taking up the Servant's cross and following in His way.
Wheewh... that was just verse 1.
7.15.24
Verse 1 is only a partial thought, though. The rest of the calling for the anointed Servant/Messiah is:
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
Isaiah 61:2-3
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
This even further shows the calling of the redeemed believer.
- God's favor and God's vengeance. We don't get to choose who God is and how we describe Him. We need to tell the whole story.
- Emotional healing. mourning can leave one feeling as if they've gone mad. It's disorienting. But if we can know where we will spend eternity; our mourning turns to dancing. Praise instead of a faint spirit.
- Being an oak. So that the Lord is glorified.
A bonus thought on thought on these first three verses. According to a footnote in Ryrie Study Bible, verses 1 and 2a are related to the first coming of the Messiah and 2b-3 are the second coming. What's interesting is that when Jesus read in the synagogue in Luke 4, He only read the portion that applied to His first coming. I thought that was a very cool fact.
And then this platinum promise:
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
Isaiah 61:4
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
Look at what the Lord can do. And He's asked us to be a part of the process.
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We are all in a sort of Babylonian captivity this side of heaven. In exile. But even in this state we can see shadows of these promises. Victories and freedom even in exile. All while picturing the glorious day we will see the ruins raised up for the final time towards Zion's final transformation.
Starting in verse 5, the author, the Messiah, describes other predictions.
- Strangers and foreigners will do the work for them, shepherding and tending.
- So they can be the priests; speaking of them as the ministers of God.
- Getting to trade shame for a double portion; dishonor for rejoicing.
- Also a double portion for their land and more rejoicing.
That's such a God thing. To earn a rebuke; but be given, not only a reprieve, but also a generous gift and joy.
This passage really speaks to me in my life right now. Looking for an end to an "exile" and toward being able to minister. It brings such joy to my heart to think that we serve a God who makes a way when we thought we had ruined any way out. Hallelujah.
Verses 8 and 9 continue similarly.
- The Lord loves justice; hating robbery and wrong.
- The Lord makes the covenant and pays the recompense.
- Their children will be known among the nations and their descendants will be in the midst of the people.
- They will be acknowledged as blessed offspring of the Lord.
Amen to that!
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
Isaiah 61:10
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Hallelujah. My salvation and my righteousness because of the work of my Lord and Savior is my jewelry. All that shines bright in me is because of Him.
This beautiful, encouraging chapter ends in verse 11 with the author describing God as the garden, the soil that gives us life and brings forth our fruit. He will bring forth righteousness in us and praise for Him from the nations.
Lord, please make it so in my life, for your glory.