1 THE LORD WILL REJUVENATE HIS PEOPLE ISAIAH 61:1-11
2 Text: Isaiah 61:1-11, The Lord Will Rejuvenate His People 1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, 2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, 3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times. 5 Foreigners will take care of your sheep; foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards. 6 You will be called, the Lord s priests, servants of our God. You will enjoy the wealth of nations and boast about the riches you receive from them. 7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. Yes, they will possess a double portion in their land and experience lasting joy.
3 8 For I, the Lord, love justice and hate robbery and sin. I will repay them because of my faithfulness; I will make a permanent covenant with them. 9 Their descendants will be known among the nations, their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will recognize that the Lord has blessed them. 10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; I will be overjoyed because of my God. For he clothes me in garments of deliverance; he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would; I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 11 For just as the ground produces its crops and a garden yields its produce, so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance to grow, and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. (NET) Introduction: I. Hailey wrote, It has been suggested by several writers that chapter 60 reveals the outer grandeur of Zion, whereas chapter 61 emphasizes its inner glory. In chapter 60 Jehovah is the speaker, praising the eternal glory of Zion, which is His own creation: I will glorify the hours of my glory (verse 7). In our present chapter the Servant Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the speaker. Through Him Jehovah will bring inner beauty to His glorious city. II. Briley noted that Isaiah 61 contains many links to chapter 60. What chapter 61 adds is an elaboration upon the agent by whom God s light shines in the world and the resulting transformation of his people that allows them to minister to the nations, Briley wrote.
4 III. The Pulpit Commentary views Isaiah 61 as consisting of three sections; viz.,... A. Verses 1-3, The Mission of the Servant of the Lord,... B. Verses 4-9, God s Purpose of Dealing Graciously with Israel, and... C. Verses 10-11, Jerusalem Accepts the Promises and Glories in Jehovah. Commentary: Isaiah 61:1, The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. I. The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. A. Jesus quoted this passage from the LXX when in a synagogue in Nazareth near the beginning of his ministry. 1. In Christ this Scripture was fulfilled. We have the Lord s word for it! 2. Luke 4:16-21, Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of
5 the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to tell them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read. (NET) 3. Jesus came both to save and to judge, and his work will not be complete until his salvation and his judgment are both complete. (Briley wrote.) 4. Salvation and vengeance. Christ came the first time to save the lost. When he comes again, the righteous will be taken to glory while sinners will be cast into the fires of hell. 5. Isaiah 43:1, Now, this is what the Lord says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: Don t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine. (NET) B. The Servant Jesus Christ declared the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him. (See Hailey.) 1. Isaiah 42:1, Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations. (NET)
6 2. Isaiah 11:2, The Lord s spirit will rest on him a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord. (NET) 3. Isaiah 48:16, Approach me! Listen to this! From the very first I have not spoken in secret; when it happens, I am there. So now, the sovereign Lord has sent me, accompanied by his spirit. (NET) 4. Isaiah 49:8, This is what the Lord says: At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you; in the day of deliverance I will help you; I will protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, to rebuild the land and to reassign the desolate property. (NET) 5. Isaiah 50:4, The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. (NET) 6. Acts: 10:38, with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. (NET) 7. Matthew 1:20, When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and
7 said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (NET) 8. Matthew 3:16, After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him. (NET) 9. Matthew 4:1, Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (NET) 10. Mark 1:10, 12, And just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. (NET) 11. Luke 1:35, The angel replied, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God. (NET) 12. Luke 2:40, And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him. (NET) 13. Luke 3:22, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight. (NET)
8 14. Luke 4:1, 14, 18-21, Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the surrounding countryside. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to tell them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read. (NET) 15. John 1:32-33, Then John testified, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. (NET) 16. John 3:34, For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. (NET) C. Smith, Hailey, et. al. view the speaker in the opening verses of Isaiah 61 as the Servant Redeemer although the speaker is not
9 specifically named. This can be considered the fifth and last of the Servant poems. Christ is the speaker here. (See Coffman.) D. Smith observed the speaker as God s Herald would accomplish seven (7) things; viz.,... 1. He would preach glad tidings to the afflicted. 2. He would bind up the brokenhearted. 3. He would proclaim liberty to the captives. 4. He would proclaim freedom to prisoners. 5. He would proclaim the year of acceptance; that is, the period of God s grace. 6. He would announce the day of judgment, and... 7. He would comfort mourners. E. The spirit of the Lord descended upon Christ at his baptism. (See Coffman.) 1. Luke 1:35, The angel replied, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God. (NET)
10 2. Matthew 3:13-17, Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. But John tried to prevent him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me? So Jesus replied to him, Let it happen now, for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then John yielded to him. After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him. And a voice from heaven said, This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight. (NET) 3. Luke 2:40, And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him. (NET) 4. John 3:34, For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. (NET) F. Christ alone could accomplish what is foretold here. This passage is the fifth Servant Song. (See Coffman.) 1. Isaiah 42:1-4, Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations. He will not cry out or shout; he will not publicize himself in the streets. A crushed reed he will not break, a dim wick he will not extinguish; he will faithfully make just decrees. He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing
11 justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees. (NET) 2. Isaiah 49:1-6, Listen to me, you coastlands! Pay attention, you people who live far away! The Lord summoned me from birth; he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, he hid me in the hollow of his hand; he made me like a sharpened arrow, he hid me in his quiver. He said to me, You are my servant, Israel, through whom I will reveal my splendor. But I thought, I have worked in vain; I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing. But the Lord will vindicate me; my God will reward me. So now the Lord says, the one who formed me from birth to be his servant he did this to restore Jacob to himself, so that Israel might be gathered to him; and I will be honored in the Lord s sight, for my God is my source of strength he says, Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth. (NET) 3. Isaiah 50:4-9, The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; I have not rebelled, I have not turned back. I offered
12 my back to those who attacked, my jaws to those who tore out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spitting. But the sovereign Lord helps me, so I am not humiliated. For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; I know I will not be put to shame. The one who vindicates me is close by. Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! Who is my accuser? Let him challenge me! Look, the sovereign Lord helps me. Who dares to condemn me? Look, all of them will wear out like clothes; a moth will eat away at them. (NET) 4. Isaiah 52:13-15, Look, my servant will succeed! He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted (just as many were horrified by the sight of you) he was so disfigured he no longer looked like a man; his form was so marred he no longer looked human so now he will startle many nations. Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about. (NET) 5. Isaiah 53:1-12, Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord s power revealed through him? He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him. He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;
13 people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth. He was led away after an unjust trial but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded. They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully. Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord s purpose will be accomplished through him. Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins. So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with
14 the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels. (NET) Isaiah 61:1-11, The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times. Foreigners will take care of your sheep; foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards. You will be called, the Lord s priests, servants of our God. You will enjoy the wealth of nations and boast about the riches you receive from them. Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. Yes, they will possess a double portion in their land and experience lasting joy. For I, the Lord, love justice and hate robbery and sin. I will repay them because of my faithfulness; I will make a permanent covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the
15 nations, their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will recognize that the Lord has blessed them. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; I will be overjoyed because of my God. For he clothes me in garments of deliverance; he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would; I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. For just as the ground produces its crops and a garden yields its produce, so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance to grow, and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. (NET) G. Clarke wrote, In most of Isaiah s prophecies there is a primary and secondary sense, or a remote subject illustrated by one that is near. The deliverance of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon is constantly used to shadow forth the salvation of men by Jesus Christ. II. He has commissioned* me to encourage ** the poor (meek), to help *** the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners. A. *NES Footnote: Or sent. B. **NET Footnote: Or to proclaim good news to. C. ***NET Footnote: Hebrew to bind up [the wounds of].
16 D. God had commissioned the Servant, Jesus Christ, to preach good tidings, good news to everyone including the poor, brokenhearted, captives and prisoners. (See Hailey.) 1. Isaiah 40:9, Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion! Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem! Shout, don t be afraid! Say to the towns of Judah, Here is your God! (NET) 2. Isaiah 41:27, I first decreed to Zion, Look, here s what will happen! I sent a herald to Jerusalem. (NET) 3. Isaiah 52:7, How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, Your God reigns! (NET) 4. Matthew 11:3-4, Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another? Jesus answered them, Go tell John what you hear and see: (NET) 5. Nahum 1:15, Look! A herald is running on the mountains! A messenger is proclaiming deliverance: Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah! Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God! For never again will the wicked Assyrians invade you, they have been completely destroyed. (NET)
17 E. Hailey further wrote that Christ would not only preach, He would take divine action to provide blessings. 1. He will bind up as with a bandage the brokenhearted, those whose inner life is crushed by sin,... a. Psalm 147:3, He heals the brokenhearted, and bandages their wounds. (NET) b. Isaiah 1:6, From the soles of your feet to your head, there is no spot that is unharmed. There are only bruises, cuts, and open wounds. They have not been cleansed or bandaged, nor have they been treated with olive oil. (NET) c. Isaiah 3:7, At that time the brother will shout, I am no doctor, I have no food or coat in my house; don t make me a leader of the people! (NET) d. Isaiah 30:26, The light of the full moon will be like the sun s glare and the sun s glare will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, when the Lord binds up his people s fractured bones and heals their severe wound. (NET) 2. He will proclaim liberty to the captives, liberty being a technical term for the release of debtors and slaves in the fiftieth (50 th ) year of Jubilee and here release from sin. (See The Pulpit Commentary.)
18 a. Leviticus 25:10, So you must consecrate the fiftieth year, and you must proclaim a release in the land for all its inhabitants. That year will be your jubilee; each one of you must return to his property and each one of you must return to his clan. (NET) b. Jeremiah 34:8, 15, The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to grant their slaves their freedom. Recently, however, you yourselves showed a change of heart and did what is pleasing to me. You granted your fellow countrymen their freedom and you made a covenant to that effect in my presence in the house that I have claimed for my own. (NET) c. Isaiah 42:7, to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons. (NET) 3. He will announce the opening of the prison to them that are bound by sin releasing them into spiritual freedom. F. Briley observed that God supervises events. The speaker in verses 1-3 is the Messianic King, the Servant who will establish a righteous and peaceful rule by the royal, anointed. Through him God s light will shine into darkened Gentile regions and raise a banner for the nations. (See Briley.)
19 1. Isaiah 11:2, The Lord s spirit will rest on him a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord. (NET) 2. Isaiah 42:1, 7, Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations. to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons. (NET) 3. Isaiah 49:9, You will say to the prisoners, Come out, and to those who are in dark dungeons, Emerge. They will graze beside the roads; on all the slopes they will find pasture. (NET) 4. Isaiah 11:4-12, He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed. Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips. A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along. A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw. A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will
20 be universal submission to the Lord s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea. At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts. He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel s dispersed people and assemble Judah s scattered people from the four corners of the earth. (NET) 5. Isaiah 49:9, You will say to the prisoners, Come out, and to those who are in dark dungeons, Emerge. They will graze beside the roads; on all the slopes they will find pasture. (NET) G. Only the Servant, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, God s son, could accomplish the results specified in this chapter. (See Briley quoting Oswalt.) H. Briley wrote, God s designated agent will preach good news to the poor, those who suffer deprivation or distress of any kind. 1. Psalm 34:18, The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged. (NET) I. Christ will free prisoners who are bound by sin by opening their eyes to the truth of the gospel. (See Briley.)
21 1. Isaiah 42:7, to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons. (NET) J. The primary reference of this passage is to the wondrous deliverance Christ came to provide us from the clutches of sin. Delivery from Babylonian captivity cannot be compared with the delivery from sin made possible by Christ Jesus. (See Coffman.) K. The opening of the prison to them that are bound is to be interpreted spiritually. Coffman added, There is no record of Jesus having procured the release of anyone from an actual prison. Jesus did not release John the Baptist from prison, Coffman wrote. 1. This speaks of perfect spiritual liberty, complete redemption. 2. The year of Jubilee was the year of general release of debts and obligations of bondmen and bondwomen, of lands and possessions which had been sold from the families and tribes to which they belonged. (Clarke) a. Luke 4:18-19, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of
22 everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to tell them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read. (NET) Isaiah 61:2, to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, (NET) I. to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor (grace), the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, A. Hailey explained that vengeance is to be taken on those people and things holding God s people in spiritual prison. B. Christ will console all who mourn for the dead because, Hailey wrote, in the Servant life beyond death is guaranteed. 1. Isaiah 53:10-12, Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord s purpose will be accomplished through him. Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins. So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels. (NET)
23 2. Isaiah 57:19, I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby, says the Lord, and I will heal them. (NET) 3. Matthew 5:3-4, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (NET) C. The proclamation of freedom for the captives in the year of the Lord s favor is an allusion to the Year of Jubilee. 1. Leviticus 25:8-12, You must count off seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, and the days of the seven weeks of years will amount to forty-nine years. You must sound loud horn blasts in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, on the Day of Atonement you must sound the horn in your entire land. So you must consecrate the fiftieth year, and you must proclaim a release in the land for all its inhabitants. That year will be your jubilee; each one of you must return to his property and each one of you must return to his clan. That fiftieth year will be your jubilee; you must not sow the land, harvest its aftergrowth, or pick the grapes of its unpruned vines. Because that year is a jubilee, it will be holy to you you may eat its produce from the field. (NET) 2. Briley wrote, The Year of Jubilee represents a provision of God to restore the inevitable imbalances that occur in the
24 course of human societies that leave people no recourse but to sell their property or themselves in order to pay their debts. This occasion thus provides a fitting motif for the good news of God s greater redemption of a fallen world. 3. From this reference to the year of Jubilee has come the recognition that the reign of the Messiah is the earth s Jubilee from the darkness of paganism. (See Coffman.) D. Briley well wrote that the year of the Lord s favor is inseparable from the day of the Lord s vengeance. 1. Sin must be defeated in order for God s favor to be bestowed. 2. Isaiah 34:8, For the Lord has planned a day of revenge, a time when he will repay Edom for her hostility toward Zion. (NET) 3. Exodus 20:5, 6, You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (NET)
25 Isaiah 61:3, to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. (NET) I. to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,... A. Sprinkling ashes on the head was an expression of grief, mourning. The Lord would replace the symbols of sorrow with a headpiece of beauty, Hailey wrote. B. Smith wrote, In place of ashes, mourning and a faint spirit, God s people would receive a garland, oil, a mantle and a new title ( oaks of righteousness ). 1. These are symbols of the joy and strength of the redeemed, Smith noted. 2. Jesus would provide strength to spiritual mourners. (See Clarke.) 3. 2 Corinthians 7:11, For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. (NET)
26 4. Comfort is to be extended to all who mourn their transgressions and shortcomings with a genuine desire to be rid of them and to serve God truly in the future. (See The Pulpit Commentary.) 5. Clarke wrote, Beauty for ashes, a beautiful crown instead of ashes. In times of mourning the Jews put on sackcloth, or coarse and sordid raiment and spread dust and ashes on their heads; on the contrary, splendid clothing and ointment poured on the head were signs of joy, Clarke continued. a. 2 Samuel 14:2, So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. (NET) b. Apocryphal 10:3, She pulled off the sackcloth which she had on, and put off the garments of her widowhood, and washed her body all over with water and anointed herself with precious ointment, and braided the hair of her head, and put on a tire (miter, turban) upon it; and put on her garments of gladness. 6. The Pulpit Commentary states the Messiah was to come to give to (1) the godly mourners a crown for ashes, a crown of glory in lieu of the ashes of repentance, which it was customary to sprinkle upon the head, (2) the oil of joy for mourners, or the anointing of the Spirit in lieu of that
27 plenteousness of tears which naturally belonged to mourners, (3) the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, or a glad heart inclined to praise God in lieu of a heavy one inclined to despair. II. oil symbolizing joy,* instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. A. *NET Footnote: Hebrew oil of joy. B. Hailey explained the oil of joy was an expression used by the ancients as a symbol of gladness and festivity. 1. Psalm 45:7, You love justice and hate evil. For this reason God, your God has anointed you with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions. (NET) 2. Ecclesiastes 9:8, Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head. (NET) 3. Song of Solomon 4:10, How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine; the fragrance of your perfume is better than any spice! (NET) C. God s people who mourned and were discouraged would be dressed in a garment of praise. God s people are to praise him by life and word continually. (See Hailey.)
28 III. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. A. God s people would be called oaks or trees of righteousness, symbols of sturdiness and endurance, of beauty and fruitfulness by whom the Lord s splendor would be revealed. (See Hailey and Briley.) 1. Isaiah 60:17, 21, Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold, instead of iron, I will bring you silver, instead of wood, I will bring you bronze, instead of stones, I will bring you iron. I will make prosperity your overseer, and vindication your sovereign ruler. All of your people will be godly; they will possess the land permanently. I will plant them like a shoot; they will be the product of my labor, through whom I reveal my splendor. (NET) 2. Jeremiah 17:7-8, My blessing is on those people who trust in me, who put their confidence in me. They will be like a tree planted near a stream whose roots spread out toward the water. It has nothing to fear when the heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It has no need to be concerned in a year of drought. It does not stop bearing fruit. (NET) 3. Isaiah 11:1, A shoot will grow out of Jesse s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots. (NET) B. Coffman wrote, The trees of righteousness in this passage are members of the body of Christ.
29 1. Clarke wrote of the steadfast faithfulness of early New Testament Christians who endured intense persecution without yielding to the winds of adversity, oaks of righteousness that did not bend to the devil. Isaiah 61:4, They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times. (NET) I. They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times. A. Hailey wrote, Those who have been blessed by the Servant s work are given a threefold task: they are to (1) build the old waste places, (2) raise up the former desolations, and (3) repair the waste cities. The prophet has a worldview before him. 1. Isaiah 49:8, This is what the Lord says: At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you; in the day of deliverance I will help you; I will protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, to rebuild the land and to reassign the desolate property. (NET) 2. Isaiah 54:3, For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your children will conquer nations and will resettle desolate cities. (NET)
30 3. Isaiah 58:12, Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; you will reestablish the ancient foundations. You will be called, The one who repairs broken walls, the one who makes the streets inhabitable again. (NET) 4. Isaiah 49:19-20, Yes, your land lies in ruins; it is desolate and devastated. But now you will be too small to hold your residents, and those who devoured you will be far away. Yet the children born during your time of bereavement will say within your hearing, This place is too cramped for us, make room for us so we can live here. (NET) B. Smith wrote, Those who have been blessed by the work of the Servant would rebuild the ancient ruins. The reference is to the building up of the church from the ravages of sin through the ages. C. From Israel s beginning as a people, God s goal has been the formation of a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. To the degree that this ideal is realized, to that same degree the mediatorial role of God s people is fulfilled in attracting others to God, Briley wrote. 1. Physical Israel failed to discharge their duties in regard to this mission. 2. Therefore, through Christ a nation, kingdom, church of priests and ministers would be established with the same mission of bringing the world to Christ.
31 3. The question remains: Is the church doing any better job than physical Israel in bringing the world to God through Jesus? D. As Coffman explained, Although fulfilled in a token manner by the return from Babylon, the true meaning goes far beyond that. 1. Its true application is spiritual. 2. Acts 15:16, After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, (NET) E. The land of Judah lay in waste condition beginning perhaps with Pharaoh Necho in B.C. and continuing until the edict of Cyrus in 538 B.C. 1. Isaiah 44:26, who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants and brings to pass the announcements of his messengers, who says about Jerusalem, She will be inhabited, and about the towns of Judah, They will be rebuilt, her ruins I will raise up, (NET) 2. Isaiah 49:8, 19, This is what the Lord says: At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you; in the day of deliverance I will help you; I will protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, to rebuild the land and to reassign the desolate property. Yes, your land lies in ruins; it is desolate and devastated. But now you will be too small to hold
32 your residents, and those who devoured you will be far away. (NET) 3. Isaiah 64:10-11, Your chosen cities have become a desert; Zion has become a desert, Jerusalem is a desolate ruin. Our holy temple, our pride and joy, the place where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire; (NET) 4. The returning captives would set about to rebuild Judah and Jerusalem. More importantly, Christ Jesus would rebuild the spiritual which had fallen into utter ruins. (See The Pulpit Commentary.) Isaiah 61:5, Foreigners will take care of your sheep; foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards. (NET) I. Foreigners (strangers) will take care of your sheep; foreigners (strangers) will work in your fields and vineyards. A. Hailey wrote,... the thought is that Jews and Gentiles were to work together in building the new Zion. 1. Ephesians 2:12, that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (NET) 2. Isaiah 56:6-8, As for foreigners who become followers of the Lord and serve him, who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants all
33 who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it, and who are faithful to my covenant I will bring them to my holy mountain; I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray. The sovereign Lord says this, the one who gathers the dispersed of Israel: I will still gather them up. (NET) 3. Zechariah 6:15, Then those who are far away will come and build the temple of the Lord so that you may know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you. This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the Lord your God. (NET) 4. Romans 15:25-27, But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things. (NET) 5. 1 Corinthians 16:1-3, With regard to the collection for the saints, please follow the directions that I gave to the churches of Galatia: On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside some income and save it to the extent that God has blessed you, so
34 that a collection will not have to be made when I come. Then, when I arrive, I will send those whom you approve with letters of explanation to carry your gift to Jerusalem. (NET) 6. 2 Corinthians 9:12-15, because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God. Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone. And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (NET) 7. Isaiah 14:1-2, The Lord will certainly have compassion on Jacob; he will again choose Israel as his special people and restore them to their land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the family of Jacob. Nations will take them and bring them back to their own place. Then the family of Jacob will make foreigners their servants as they settle in the Lord s land. They will make their captors captives and rule over the ones who oppressed them. (NET) 8. Isaiah 45:14, This is what the Lord says: The profit of Egypt and the revenue of Ethiopia, along with the Sabeans, those tall men, will be brought to
35 you and become yours. They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. They will bow down to you and pray to you: Truly God is with you; he has no peer; there is no other God! (NET) 9. Isaiah 60:10, Foreigners will rebuild your walls; their kings will serve you. Even though I struck you down in my anger, I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. (NET) B. Smith wrote, Those who were once strangers would work for Zion and perform all the work necessary to maintain the Kingdom of God on earth. C. Barnes via Coffman wrote, The idea is that it would be a time of signal spiritual prosperity, and that it would be so great and glorious as if foreigners were to come in among the people and take over the whole labor of attending their flocks and cultivating their fields. D. Clarke explained, Gentiles shall first preach to you the salvation of Christ, and feed with Divine Knowledge the Jewish congregations. Isaiah 61:6, You will be called, the Lord s priests, servants of our God. You will enjoy the wealth of nations and boast about the riches you receive from them. (NET) I. You will be called, the Lord s priests, servants of our God.
36 A. Hailey wrote, When Gentiles and Jews come to Zion, there will be no distinction between them; all shall be named the priests of Jehovah. There will be no special priesthood apart from the citizens of the new city, for each is a priest. 1. 1 Peter 2:5, you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (NET) 2. Revelation 5:9-10, They were singing a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation. You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. (NET) 3. Hebrews 12:28, So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. (NET) 4. Hebrews 13:15, Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. (NET) 5. Exodus 19:6, and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites. (NET)
37 6. Hailey well wrote, Neither will there be a clergy distinct from the laity, for all will be called the ministers of our God. a. Hebrews 12:28, So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. (NET) b. Hebrews 13:15, Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. (NET) B. All citizens of Zion would constitute a priesthood to the world, Smith wrote. 1. 1 Peter 2:5, 9, you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (NET) 2. Revelation 5:10, You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. (NET) II. You will enjoy the wealth of nations and boast about the riches you receive from them.
38 1. Isaiah 60:5-11, Then you will look and smile, you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. For the riches of distant lands will belong to you and the wealth of nations will come to you. Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the Lord. All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. They will go up on my altar acceptably, and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple. Who are these who float along like a cloud, who fly like doves to their shelters? Indeed, the coastlands look eagerly for me, the large ships are in the lead, bringing your sons from far away, along with their silver and gold, to honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has bestowed honor on you. Foreigners will rebuild your walls; their kings will serve you. Even though I struck you down in my anger, I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. Your gates will remain open at all times; they will not be shut during the day or at night, so that the wealth of nations may be delivered, with their kings leading the way. (NET) 2. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, So then, no more boasting about mere mortals! For everything belongs to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. (NET)
39 Isaiah 61:7, Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. Yes, they will possess a double portion in their land and experience lasting joy. (NET) I. Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. A. The land they receive, Hailey wrote, is the region of spiritual blessings, Jehovah s holy mountain. 1. Isaiah 58:13, You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the Lord s holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. (NET) B. Instead of shame and humiliation, God s people will receive a double portion of God s goodness. C. A double portion was a benefit reserved in ancient Israel for the firstborn son in a family. God s faithful children will be greatly blessed. 1. Isaiah 55:3, Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David. (NET)
40 2. Jeremiah 31:31-37, Indeed, a time is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them, says the Lord. But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land, says the Lord. I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people. People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me, says the Lord. For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done. The Lord has made a promise to Israel. He promises it as the one who fixed the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by night. He promises it as the one who stirs up the sea so that its waves roll. He promises it as the one who is known as the Lord who rules over all. The Lord affirms, The descendants of Israel will not cease forever to be a nation in my sight. That could only happen if the fixed ordering of the heavenly lights were to cease to operate before me. The Lord says, I will not reject all the descendants of Israel because of all that they have done. That could only happen if the heavens above could be measured or the foundations of the earth below could all be explored, says the Lord. (NET)
41 D. In verses 7-9, the marvelous spiritual blessings to be attained through the Messiah are presented here in literal, materialistic terms, Coffman wrote. II. Yes, they will possess a double portion in the land and experience everlasting joy. A. God s blessings are unspeakably great including a double portion of everlasting joy. 1. How could anything be better? 2. When we get to heaven we will declare nothing compares with this! The half has not been told! B. Related references:... 1. Isaiah 51:7, 23, Listen to me, you who know what is right, you people who are aware of my law! Don t be afraid of the insults of men; don t be discouraged because of their abuse! I will put it into the hand of your tormentors who said to you, Lie down, so we can walk over you. You made your back like the ground, and like the street for those who walked over you. (NET) 2. Isaiah 54:4, Don t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame! Don t be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated! You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth; you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment. (NET)