Posts
Isaiah 61-62
by Samuel E. Ward
Introduction
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:4 NIV).. For anyone seeking a reason to study the Old Testament Scriptures, this is it. The God of the Old Testament is the same God in the New Testament working out His divine plan for the world and His chosen people, Israel.
One might wonder why God continues to pursue Israel given their history of idolatry, unfaithfulness, and rebellion against the God Who called them to be His own. That is why we speak of the amazing grace of God. The history of Israel is the story of God's grace, love, mercy and compassion toward His people.
The benefits of this marvelous relationship is not reserved for Israel alone, but are offered to the world at large if they would come into relationship with Him by faith in Christ. This will be shown in the concluding portion of the passages under consideration.
In studying .. . .
VI. God's Message Concerning His People's Future, Isa 40-66
We have seen . . .
A. The Sovereign God's Plan to Restore, Isa 40-48
B. The Submissive Servant's Plan to Redeem, Isaiah 49-53
C. The Steadfast God's Plan to Reconcile, Isa 54-57
D. The Stanch God's Demand for the People's Repentance, Isa 58
E. The Slighted God's Description of the People's Ruthlessness, Isaiah 59
F. The Savior God's Declaration of the People's Future Restoration, Isa 60
Let us now consider . . .
G. The Sympathetic God's Promise to Renew His People, Isa 61-62
1. He Will Send His People a Preacher of Good News, Isa 61:3
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV) 1The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed 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, 2to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
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.
a. Good News to the poor, Isa 61:1a
b. Good News to the brokenhearted, Isa 61:1b
c. Good News to the captives and prisoners, Isa 61:1c
d. Good News to the abused, Isa 61:2a
e. Good News to the mournful, Isa 61:2b-3
1) beauty for ashes, Isa 61:3a
2) oil of gladness for grief, Isa 61:3b
3) garment of praise for a spirit of despair, Isa 61:3c
2. He Will Re-new His People's Cities and Lands, Isa 61:4-6.
Isaiah 61:4-6 (NIV) 4They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. 5Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. 6And you will be called priests 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.
3. He Will Double His People's Inheritance in the Land, Isa 61:7.
Isaiah 61:7 (NIV) 7Instead 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.
4. He Will Raise His People's Status, Isa 61:8-9.
Isaiah 61:8-9 (NIV) 8"For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9Their 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."
5. He Will Bring Forth Righteousness and Praise from Among the Nations, Isaiah 61:10-12
a. To the delight of His Anointed One, Isa 61:10-11.
Isaiah 61:10-11 (NIV) 10I 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. 11For 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.
b. For the sake of His People, Isa 62:1-5
Isaiah 62:1-5 (NIV)1For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. 2The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. 3You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons£ marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
c. For the sake of His word, Isa 62:6-9
1) His promise to make them the praise of the earth, Isa 62:6-9
Isaiah 62:6-9 (NIV) 6I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, 7and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. 8The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: "Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled; 9but those who harvest it will eat it and praise the LORD, and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary."
2) His promise to bring them to their destiny, Isa 62:10-12
Isaiah 62:10-12 (NIV) 10Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. 11The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.'" 12They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.
Relevance
1. Just as God gave Israel good news meant to sustain them through tough times ahead, Jesus also brings hope to those who are spiritually impoverished, brokenhearted, held captive to sin, abused by the world, and in despair and without hope.
Romans 8:16-18 ( NIV ) 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co–heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 ( NIV ) 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
2. Just as God gave Israel the hope of a future kingdom where they would live in peace with the rest of the world be a prince among them, Christians, as well, are promised a special place of service and honor as rulers over all the nations of the earth in God's kingdom.
Revelation 5:9-10 ( NIV ) 9And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."
3. Just as God promised Israel a vast inheritance in their future kingdom, God has promised Christians an eternal inheritance when Jesus returns,Col 3:24; 1 Pet 1:3-6; Rev 21:3-8
1 Peter 1:3-6 (NIV) 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
4. Just as God promised Israel a place of honor among the nations in the coming kingdom, Christian have been promise to be seated with Christ in His kingdom.
Ephesians 2:4-7 ( NIV ) 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
