Wednesday, March 17
Who is speaking in Isaiah 61:1?
The Spirit of God is on this anointed person, which means that he is a messiah or the Messiah. He is 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” (Isaiah 61:1). Whom does that sound like? Compare Isaiah 42:1-7, where God’s Servant is described in very similar terms.
Isaiah 61:2 talks about the “acceptable year of the LORD.” The Messiah, who is anointed as the Davidic King and Deliverer, proclaims a special year of divine favor at the time when He proclaims liberty. Compare Leviticus 25:10, where God commands the Israelites to proclaim liberty in the holy fiftieth year: “it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family”. This means that persons who had been forced to sell their ancestral land or to become servants in order to survive hard times (Leviticus 25:25-55) would reclaim their land and freedom. Because the jubilee year began with the blowing of a trumpet on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 25:9), we have mentioned this passage before in connection with Isaiah 58.
While “the acceptable year of the Lord” in Isaiah 61:2 is a kind of jubilee year, it is not simply an observance of Leviticus 25. This year is announced by the Messiah, the King, when He reveals Himself through a ministry of liberation and restoration. This is similar to some ancient Mesopotamian kings who promoted social kindness by proclaiming release from debts during early years of their reigns. The Messiah’s ministry goes far beyond the scope of the Leviticus 25 law. Not only does He “proclaim liberty to the captives,” He also binds up the brokenhearted, comforts those who mourn, and brings about their restoration (Isaiah 61:1-11). Furthermore, in addition to “the year of the LORD’s favor,” he proclaims “the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2).
When was Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled? Luke 4:16-21. How did Jesus’ ministry accomplish this? Also, ask yourself this important question: We, of course, are not Jesus. But we are to represent Him to the world. What are the things the Messiah does, as expressed in Isaiah 61:1-3, that we, in our limited capacities, should be doing, as well? And what are some of the practical ways in which we can do these things?
