Isaiah 61
Notes
Transcript
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
Hey guys,
Welcome back tonight to our Wednesday night Bible study, I really appreciate you joining us, those who are here and those who are viewing on Facebook live.
I am thankful for the technology that we can do these things and teach and preach and allow others to hear the word of God.
We have learned so much as we have walked through the text. We have seen the Lord patience and mercy with his people. And we have seen his hand of protection as invaders, the Assyrians came and tried to take the city.
But yet the saddest thing is to see evil kings lead the people astray and sin in front of God. The kings and the people turned away from the Lord and sinned… they worshipped false gods, participated in ungodly acts even sacrificing their own children to false gods like Molech.
They have gone into captivity and they have spent 70 years before returning to Jerusalem.
But lets go ahead and start with chapter 61...
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
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;
The coming of the Spirit is connected to a lot of significant changes here on the earth and we are not told who the “me” is just yet, God’s anointing of a person is often connected to the reception of the Spirit.
And it is God who empowers and directs person through the Spirit…that is an important fact
The anointed one is doing the task assigned to them by God, for he is sent by God. And the power of the Spirit will make sure they fully accomplish the will of God.
He is called to preach the good news, the message is the hope proclaimed to the people in Zion. These people were poor, afflicted and broken hearted and they needed a message of hope.
These people had suffered, the broken hearts were broken in spirit and discouraged, the times they are in tough. The captives might be those in captivity, those who are taken captive in times of war, or those who could be bound for economic or spiritual reasons.
So this anointed one is sent by God is to bind up or heal the hurts of the people, The message will arrive and transform this world. There will be no more adversity when the righteous see God with their own eyes.
God will defeat the enemy, bless their land, bind up the bruises and heal the wounds that brought upon them.
The anointed one will proclaim liberty , a term that refers to the release of slaves
Think of when you heard and believed the gospel message, it set you free, he healed your sin torn heart and blessed you beyond measure.
Now lets look at verse 2 Isa 61:2
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
The fourth task is to proclaim , He is declaring the favorable year of the Lord, and a day of vengeance, which refers to the time when God will pour out his wrath and bring judgement on the wicked.
The year of the Lord’s favor seems to speak at a time associated with the day of salvation. a great day when the compassion of God pours out on His people.
I love the last line, the Anointed one says that God will bring to comfort all who mourn. Looking back to last week in Isa 60:20
20 Your sun shall no more go down,
nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning shall be ended.
it tells us that all mourning will end in God everlasting kingdom. Isaiah said this also in Isa 57, verses 18-19. He will heal the lowly and contrite in heart, God will guide them, bring peace to them and cause them to praise the Lord.
When we think of His compassion, we know that salvation, given from God will heal the entire person, on in that day. All of creation will rejoice because of His favor.
Verse 3 Isa 61:3
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.
The 6th responsibility of this Anointed one is to provide for those grieving in Zion. He will given them something new and beautiful, glorious for their head.
This gift takes the place of the ashes that once were placed on their head in mourning. Remember that ashes on the head were a outward sign of mourning.
Instead the oil of gladness is given them, It adorn their heads… Ps 23:5
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
And also Ps 45:8
8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
So they have a fragrant headdress, and beautiful clothing. So this is a outward way of describing the deep transformation of this person’s life. God will bless and help us.
And the final part of this verse identifies the New People of Zion, After the work of God is complete through His Anointed one, they are called Oaks of Righteousness...
This idea of the Oaks of Righteousness connects to what we saw last week in Isa 60:21
21 Your people shall all be righteous;
they shall possess the land forever,
the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
that I might be glorified.
The symbolism of the Oaks communicates how strong, well rooted and glorious these righteous people will be...
These are the people that God planted to bring glory to himself for the marvelous things He has done.
Now verse 4 Isa 61:4
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
The scene shifts here, no longer focused on the Anointed one, to how God will bless the city and all the people in it.
One of the ways these people will bring glory to God will be through the rebuilding of Zion. The will rebuild, raise up what the enemy formerly destroyed.
They will renew the ruined cities. The coming of the repaired city, is also connected to the coming of the servant, the spirit and the new covenant.
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
Verse 5 Isa 61:5
5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;
foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
The renewed city will have both Hebrews and non-Hebrews from many foreign nation in it. LAt week we looked at how the foreigners will bring gifts and sacrifices to give to God. They will remain and will shepherd the flocks of the Hebrews. They will stand before them and help God’s people any way they can..
Verse 6 Isa 61:6
6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;
they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;
you shall eat the wealth of the nations,
and in their glory you shall boast.
Now the message directly address the future righteous Hebrews in Zion.
In this new kingdom they will not be kinds or taskmasters or judges of the nations, instead they will focus on serving God, they will be a kingdom of Priests and ministers to God.
They will have a spiritual role of ministering to the nations and to bring the truth of God’s message to the world.
They will tell of the glory of God… Man I think of that and proclaim the glory of the Lord in all things, each of us can praise the Lord and tell of His goodness.
Verse 7 Isa 61:7
7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
they shall have everlasting joy.
Israel’s way of life has changed because of the the Lord’s help…They were once a people lost in sin, they were rebellious and were a
But God promises here that their new life in God’s kingdom will substitute a “double portion” instead of shame.
Wow, a double portion is something that is beyond wonderful, it is an abundant blessing of the Lord instead of what we might normally thing they would receive. No more shame instead rejoicing.
They will receive a double portion, not only their original possession of the land but also the wealth of the nations, Surely this is a cause for great joy.
Now God speaks to some theological principles that speak to His actions as a covenant God.
Verse 8 Isa 61:8
8 For I the Lord love justice;
I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
How wonderful that God loves, and his love is characterized by justice. Love speaks to who He is and His deep commitment to His people.
He tells us that God loves justice, and he hates robbery and wrong ways of loving… Those who are unjust and take from others, God hates.
God says to those who have suffered loss, he will return to them fully, He will bring his reward or what is due to them and this is backed by his faithfulness, his justice
Lastly he says in this verse he will make a everlasting covenant with them. This is an everlasting Davidiac covenenat with them.
Verse 9 Isa 61:9
9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.
His covenant will have a profound effect on His people. Those who have turned to him, are seeking to live in a covenant response to God the Father will be blessed.
God will make his covenant with his people, God’s presence will be with them. And the world will see the unique relationship God the father has with Israel.
And so, God’s work among the righteous, holy and repentant Israelites will serve as a witness to the other peoples
also, the eyes of the blind nations that formerly despised and attacked the Israelites will be opened so that they can appreciate the great work of God among his people.
All the world will see and know the blessing of the Lord though His people.
Now we come to the last two verses.. 10-11
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
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.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.
Now the scene shifts back to the Anointed one, This person is clothed with garments of salvation.
The Anointed one says he will rejoice, He says my soul shall exalt in my God. Which reminds me that there is a very close relationship between the two.
The joyful response is because of what God has done. Since God is the one who clothed me with salvation, then he is the one who deserves all the credit.
The one whom God has prepared give his people instead of ashes for their head, a crown of jewels, that would beautify the people and bring glory to God.
Verse 11 tell us that the response of joy ends with a second reason, that tells us that the anointed one rejoices.
There is agricultural terms here, Just like the Lord has the ability to bring forth the plants to the earth so the Lord has the power and might to bring righteousness to come forth.
Take note here god has the power to produce these unstoppable results. And the outward response of this is that rich praise, exciting praise will come forth from Zion, this is the peoples response to God’s great gift of salvation
The naitons will come to Israel to seek God and be saved in those last days. So instead of trying to harm them, they will bless them.
Let me ask you a question....
Do you praise God for your salvation? for the day he spoke to you and called you out of sin into the light?
Isn’t that wonderful?