Isaiah 61 - Jubilee!

It's as if the prophet anticipated the climax of his work and saw the promise of the Messiah more and more clearly. It was most certainly a burden on his soul to have his kinsmen of the flesh come to see Him as well. That ought to be our desire!

Isaiah 61:1-3 (HCSB) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the LORD to glorify Him.

This language has peeked out in various passages in Isaiah's gospel, all of which are based on the Levitical teaching about the year of Jubilee in Lev 25, which came every 50 years and was the basis for debt cancellation, release of slaves, return of property, and redemption and atonement.

When Jesus came back from His time of temptation in the dessert, He was teaching in their synagogues, being acclaimed by everyone (Luke 4:15). Then He entered into the synagogue, as was His custom, in Nazareth - the city of His birth. He walked in and stood up, indicating He was ready to read. (Luke 4:17) The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him, and unrolling the scroll, He found the place where it was written, in Isaiah 61, which details these Jubilee blessings and declared that His coming had fulfilled those promises! Jesus stopped quoting Isaiah at the point wherein prophecy was fulfilled at that time. The latter part of verse 2 will be fulfilled when He returns to judge the nations, gather His people, and make all things new: and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn.

When John's disciples asked if Jesus was the promised one (while John was in jail), Luke 7:22-23 (HCSB) He replied to them, “Go and report to John the things you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. And anyone who is not offended because of Me is blessed.”

Jesus did send John reassurance but not in the way we might expect, not with words of fleshly comfort. He declared Himself as Lord of the Sabbath as His witness. He brought the age of the true Sabbath, the day of the Lord's favor! This is true Jubilee!

Isaiah 61:4-7 (HCSB) They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers. But you will be called the LORD’s priests; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will eat the wealth of the nations, and you will boast in their riches. Because your shame was double, and they cried out, “Disgrace is their portion,” therefore, they will possess double in their land, and eternal joy will be theirs.

The first part of this passage points to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, which was the object of most Jews. Israel did have foreigners provide for them and trade with them, but did not have them as servants throughout the land. In Exodus 19, the infant Jewish nation was told they would be His kingdom of priests and a holy nation, IF they listened to Him and kept the covenant He gave them on Mount Horeb. Peter also used this language in declaring that all who had faith in Christ Jesus "are living stones being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood ... you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession" (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The blessings promised in the Mosaic Covenant were temporal and dependent upon the obedience of those in that covenant; those promised in the New Covenant are spiritual (many with temporal aspects) and dependent on the faithfulness of the Messiah, in whom is the fullness of God. One is secure, like building on rock; the other is tenuous, like building on sand.

The last sentence in this passage shows how devoted God is protecting and rewarding His people. Those who were not His people but have now been made His people receive mercy (1 Peter 2:10) - the "double land" refers to the new earth that Peter also wrote about. All the inhabitants of that land, the royal priesthood, will have eternal joy, based on the unbounded blessedness and bliss of fully realizing what Christ has done for us. We see through a glass dimly now, but will see Him face-to-face one day!

Isaiah 61:8-9 (HCSB) For I Yahweh love justice; I hate robbery and injustice; I will faithfully reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations, and their posterity among the peoples. All who see them will recognize that they are a people the LORD has blessed.

When YHWH announces He loves justice and hates theft and injustice, He is reminding national Israel of their consistent failure to be just, as they fell into oppression on a routine basis. Zechariah 7:8-14 is one such time when God spells out Israel's failures to do justice, Micah reminded them that to "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before your God" was the sum of obedience pleasing to YHWH. Since man is unable, in his natural condition, to do these things, God Himself has made a covenant by His Son, and His reward is in His hand, to give to every son and daughter He has purchased with His death. All the nations will be in awe of the glories of God poured out on His people and then all the nations will be judged and swept away as He descends upon the new earth with His spiritual house.

Isaiah 61:10-11 (HCSB) I greatly rejoice in the LORD, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth produces its growth, and as a garden enables what is sown to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

The response to one who has been raised up by the Spirit is to GREATLY rejoice in YHWH, to exult in God! He has clothed us in His righteousness - that of the highest royalty! Garments of salvation are necessary - recall the parable of the wedding feast and the one at the end who had no proper clothes. These are not the ostentatious robes of the Levitical priesthood but the humble yet glorious robes of the eternal righteousness of the glorious Creator and Judge of all flesh! No amount of increase in the bounty of this world can truly compare with the amazing transformation of a sinner being raised up and clothed in Christ!

Saints - are you in AWE at being in Christ? Look deeply into His Word, seeking to see Him more clearly, more gloriously and mighty! Let your soul be swept up to the heavenlies, wherein we are seated with Him, to rejoice with all the saints because the Lamb has conquered and ransomed us from master sin!

People of the word: time is short, the Judge is coming. You will find no refuge, no hiding place anywhere on this world. He who created the world sees all and judges righteously. Cry out for mercy and plead for the Judge to pardon you and cleans you and give you a new heart.

Jesus is coming again. This time, not to deal with sin but to gather those who eagerly await Him. His reward is in His hand - and so is His sword.