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Biblical Resources: ISAIAH 61 The Year of the LORD's Favor
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has annointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, verses 1,2 Jesus quoted these words in Luke 4:18,19. As He read to the people in the synagogue, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21). The next phrase in verse 2 "and the day of vengeance of our God" will come true when Jesus returns to earth again. We are now under God's favor; His wrath is yet to come.
3 and provide for those who grieve - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
6 And you will be called priets of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.
verse 6 under the old covenant, God ordained the priests of Israel to stand between Him and His people. They brought God's word to the people and the people's needs and sins to God. Under the new covenant, all believers are priests of the Lord, reading God's Word and seeking to understand it, confessing their sins directly to God, and ministering to others.
7 Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. 8 "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and injustice. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. verse 8 we suffer for many reasons, our own mistakes, someone else's mistakes, injustice. when we suffer because of others or because of injustice, God is angry. God in His mercy says that His people have suffered enough. God will reward those who suffer because of injustice. He will settle all accounts.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed." 10 I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. verse 10 "me" could refer to the Messiah, the person anointed with the Spirit of the Lord, or to Zion, which symobolizes God's people. The imagery of the bridegroom is often used in Scripture to depict the Messiah (Matthew 9:15) while the imagery of the bride is used to depict God's people (Revelation 19:6-80). We too can be clothed with the righteousness of Christ when we believe in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.