Isaiah

Isaiah Chapter 61

• Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
• 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

In Luke 4: 18, 19 Jesus quotes these verses but leaves out "the day of vengeance of our god; to comfort all that mourn."

Luke 4:

• 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
• 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Jesus came the first time to do all up until the last parts of verse two. The day of vengeance comes at the Second Coming. The vengeance will be against those that have opposed the gospel and persecuted the people who believe in the gospel. If we live godly according to the scripture, we will suffer persecution. Don't expect to win popularity contests and be accepted by the main stream of society. The world did not love the savior and they will not love a true follower or believer. The day is coming, however, when vengeance will be taken upon those that hurt the people of God.

• Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

I believe this verse refers to Israel. Israel, the despised nation, the persecuted people will one day receive the knowledge of the Lord and recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah. The Lord will comfort Israel at that time and take vengeance upon all their persecutors. All who receive Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation, the new living way that God gave to mankind, will be part of those who Jesus Christ comforts and protects at His Second Coming.

• Isaiah 61:4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

We see a partial fulfillment of this in the years following 1948 but again as I've said many times, prophecy can be a pattern. It can happen more than once until the final fulfillment. 1948 definitely is the beginning of the final latter day fulfillment, then again it could be that Israel will be destroyed again only to be rebuilt again. Although I tend to believe they will never be destroyed and scattered again unless they have to flee to a safe place temporarily. The end for Israel though is good, not evil.

• Isaiah 61:5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

The hostile world that once hated Israel and followers of Jesus Christ will become their plowmen and rebuild the waste places.

• Isaiah 61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

This refers to Israel after the tribulation period when they discover their Messiah is truly Jesus the one their ancestors crucified. As a nation they will be completely restored and given the land God originally promised to Abraham. Believing Gentiles who are in Christ shall also be included during the reign of Christ over all the earth. They will be priests of the Lord and ministers of God.

The priests and ministers of God will be those who have received Christ as savior, whether they will be natural Israel or adopted Israel by faith in Jesus Christ.

• Isaiah 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

Everlasting joy shall be to those who believe and receive God's plan of salvation, shame shall be to those who persecute and hate God's chosen people.

• Isaiah 61:8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

This tells us a little of what God is like. He loves judgment. He loves fair judgment and impartiality. He loves truth and hates lying. We need to seek to be people of truth.

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them", This is the heart of God, to save forever. He has no desire that any of us should perish. We can actually get to know what God is like through the study of His word. When we neglect the study of the word, we get away from knowing the true character of God.

• Isaiah 61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.

The despised Israel will be acknowledged and respected among the whole world. They will be looked up to, highly esteemed and praised. This will be because of Jesus Christ. Jesus will rule from the nation of Israel. They will rule the whole world at the Second Coming of Christ. Those who are Israel by adoption (faith in Jesus Christ) will also be respected and honored instead of scorned and shamed.

At the present time the world loves its own kind. It despises those that love the Lord and mocks those that live godly and reprove sin.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is the reward in heaven for those who choose to suffer reproach for the cause of Christ rather than choose the love of mankind. Fear not them that can only kill the body but cannot destroy the soul. Rather fear Him who has power to destroy both.

• Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

This is the beautiful description of those that receive the fullness of the Lord in their lives. To accept Jesus as savior is to be clothed with salvation. They are compared as a beautiful bride who is adorned for her husband. This is probably where many get the "bride of Christ" idea. However the church is not the bride of Christ by itself. It is joined with Israel when they are reunited with God and accept Jesus Christ as savior.

• Isaiah 61:11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

All the earth will one day be righteous. Isn't that something to look forward to. Amen.

Isaiah 62

Isaiah Index