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The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
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;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
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.
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.
Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;
foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
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.
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.
For I the LORD love justice;
I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
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.
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.
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.
(ESV)
Isaiah 61 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
I attended a wedding recently and I was reminded of the power of this amazing covenant God established. As the bride was preparing to walk in, the groom’s eyes were fixed to the floor. When the doors flung open, the bride entered through the side door of the church as the crowd stood to their feet.
As she rounded the aisle to walk down to her husband, her eyes were fixated on him with pure adoration. No one is surprised by this. It is interesting to note that I’ve never attended a wedding in which the bride’s eyes were focused on the beauty of her wedding dress instead of her groom.
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 NASB
Though we are new creatures, reborn in the Spirit, our eyes should not be fixated on the robe of righteousness we wear. We rejoice as we walk down the aisle with our gaze locked on the One who has provided all this for us. It is He who is worthy of our praise and honor. I will rejoice greatly in Him because He is the source of my life. It is He who is worthy of all praise.
Let us remember to focus not on the something that has been done, but the One who has done it.