Preacher - Isaiah 61

Isaiah 1:1 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; v2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD; and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;"

Jesus quoted this passage in Luke 4:18-19 and followed it with the following words: "...This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." And he truly did all those things.

It is a message of hope for those of Zion who are under heavy burdens and are cast down to the lowest point.

v3 "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."

As much of Isaiah is, this chapter is about redemption and their can be no redemption without the Redeemer. We can see a foretaste of these things in the gospel and when the time of grace is fulfilled and judgment is rendered, the full impact of these promises will be completed.

v11 "For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."

In verse ten it says "...as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." This refers also to Revelation 21:2. "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

We live somewhere between creation and the conclusion of time. We can but be amazed at what is to come. Perhaps, we can grasp a part of how it will be. I doubt our imagination can touch the totality of what is to come. I expect it will be wondrous.

II Peter 1:4 "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

I Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

That is jsut the start of the rest of eternity.