Isaiah 61 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Isaiah 61

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61:1   The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
    because the LORD has anointed me
  to bring good news to the poor;¹
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
  to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;²
2   to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
3   to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
  the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
  that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.³
4   They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
  they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.
5   Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;
    foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
6   but you shall be called the priests of the LORD;
    they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;
  you shall eat the wealth of the nations,
    and in their glory you shall boast.
7   Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
    instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
  therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
    they shall have everlasting joy.
8   For I the LORD love justice;
    I hate robbery and wrong;⁴
  I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9   Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
    and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
  all who see them shall acknowledge them,
    that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.
10   I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
    my soul shall exult in my God,
  for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
  as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11   For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
  so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
    to sprout up before all the nations.

Footnotes

[1] 61:1 Or afflicted
[2] 61:1 Or the opening [of the eyes] to those who are blind; Septuagint and recovery of sight to the blind
[3] 61:3 Or that he may display his beauty
[4] 61:8 Or robbery with a burnt offering

Commentary

v1-3: The work of the Lord, the anointed servant. This was true first of Isaiah, who wrote these words, and doubtless proclaimed them in Jerusalem and beyond.

These words were used by the Lord Jesus at the commencement of His ministry in Luke 4.18-19. The glorious fulfilment in Christ gives us great hope; we can live in the wonderful freedom that He brings.

The Holy Spirit of God anointed Jesus Christ, coming upon Him at His baptism. His whole ministry was a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. In Christ, that anointing comes upon His people. We share in the same blessing, and we share in the same ministry.

Preach good tidings to the poor; heal the broken-hearted; proclaim freedom for captives, and release from the prison of darkness; Christ seemed to seek out the poor and needy.

Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord; a reference to the Year of Jubilee, see Lev 25. Commentators suggest that the people of Israel failed to honour this practice. But the real fulfilment is in Christ, as debts are forgiven, and the people rejoice in Him.

Proclaim the day of vengeance of our God. Elsewhere, the OT speaks of the day of the Lord, eg: Zeph 1.7. The holiness of God demands that judgment fall on those who reject Him. See also John 3.18, where those who do not believe are condemned already.

Comfort and console those who mourn, echoing Matt 5.4. Mourning by joy; repentance and sorrow for sins giving way to the joy of forgiveness.

To give beauty for ashes, promoting righteousness. Ashes replaced by beauty; the old man, now dead, replaced by the new man, who is alive.

The spirit of heaviness; our burden of sin. The garment of praise; the assurance of our salvation.

And all these things are so that God may be glorified. God gains glory through the blessing His people receive. We reflect His character.

Trees of righteousness; ie: in Christ, the planting of the Lord; for we are His workmanship. We are to grow into the wonderful and varied blessings of God.

In context these words must be primarily for the Jews, for God still has a plan for them. But prophetically, these things find their fulfilment in Christians too.

v4-7: Old ruins replaced by everlasting joy. History if filled with nations brought to ruin. The selfishness and greed of mankind leaves multitudes with little; the mismanagement of what God has given us means we see extremes of poverty and of wealth. The prophet declares that this will all change; through Jesus Christ, the one anointed by God.

We see too the honour given to the people of God; called Priests of the Lord, and the Servants of God. The privileges meted out to those who are in Christ are beyond compare. The prophet calls this double honour.

v8-9: The kingdom of God, bringing true godliness. In any age and context, godliness is an essential mark of the Lord's work. The world will see the character of God manifested in His people.

v10-11: Isaiah sings a song, responding to, and rejoicing in the promises of God. The image is of clothing shining with the very glory of God. God's salvation and righteousness are given, not earned; and His promises will be fulfilled.

In Christ, we are beginning to see these promises fulfilled; but we are looking forward to complete fulfilment.