When God gives us help where we live, He always makes us stronger. When God revealed this to Isaiah, He was showing how the Messiah would come to accomplish this is believer’s lives.
Isaiah 61:1 NIV The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
Isaiah 61:2 NIV to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
Isaiah 61:3 NIV and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.
This is one of the amazing transitions that happens in believer’s lives when God helps us.
- He comes to minister aide to the wounded and bruised.
- He bestows a crown of beauty instead of ashes.
- He gives the oil of gladness instead of mourning.
- He covers us with the garment of praise instead of despair and heaviness.
Now, think about the double blessing He gives.
He is our Savior and Redeemer and makes us His very own. He takes away the load and burden of our shame, pain and distress and gives us mercy, grace, and favor. Then to crown it all, He changes our weak and lowly estate and strengthens us with His strength, making us more than conquerors.
We are called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.
Instead of weakness, grief, heaviness, and ashes, God’s people are accepted and prepared for His glory. He does this in us to raise up a worthy testimony of His splendor.
The fulfillment of this text is seen throughout the Lord’s ministry.
First, Jesus came into this world to fulfill this prophetic word.
He announced this during His ministry. He was anointed by the Spirit of the Lord God to declare this good news and bring about this wonderful change. The reason the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him was because the Lord has anointed Him to accomplish this.
As He walked among us, we saw His glory. We witnessed great victory and glorious transition as Jesus healed the sick and proclaimed liberty to captives. He defeated the evil powers of darkness that attack and assail humanity. He conquered hell, death, and the grave when He arose in victory. He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men.
Second, this text refers to the ministry of Christ and the age of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus announced this day of victory for everyone who put their trust in Him. What He achieved as He walked among us is still being witnessed in the age of the Holy Spirit. Jesus came to break the chains of sin and darkness, and chains are still being broken. He came to heal the brokenhearted, hearts are still being mended. He came to release captives and the Holy Spirit is still breaking into dark places and releasing captives. He came to open prison doors for those who are bound. He came to comfort, console, and confer His blessing and favor.
What Jesus announced is the day of victory for everyone who puts their trust in Him. When He ascended back to the Father, the blessed Holy Spirit was sent to believers to bring about this wonderful change. Throughout the age of the Holy Spirit, the church has experienced the power of Christ that transforms lives. We are living testimonies of His great power to bring release.
Third, it refers to the millennial reign of Christ when the Lord comes back to earth again.
At that time, all of the trouble, sorrow, pain and death that was experienced during the days of the tribulation will cease. During that millennial day, the earth will be restored. The adversary of our souls will be bound for a thousand years and we will have no tempter, no sickness, heaviness or mourning. Everlasting joy and gladness will be upon our heads. The blessing of the Lord shall be upon all the land. The favor of the Lord will be upon all peoples.
Fourth, the Lord Jesus Christ will bring an ultimate conclusion when Satan will not only be bound for a thousand years, he will be no more.
We eagerly await that day of the Lord.
2 Peter 3:10 NKJV But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
2 Peter 3:11-12 NKJV Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
2 Peter 3:13-14 NKJV Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
Since we know all of this, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?
Isaiah tells us that God has made provision for us to be made new.
God wants to take away the destructive tendencies of our lives and establish us as trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. God intends to be glorified in Christ’s church. He is making us a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. God is taking away our shame and is giving double honor. He is taking away confusion and giving a double portion where we live so that everlasting joy will be ours. He is clothing us with robes of righteousness and causing His praises to spring forth from our lips. He is filling us with the spirit of power, love and a sound mind. He is making us a holy habitation, the temple of the Lord.
We know that ultimately all of the redeemed of the Lord will experience this complete joy, peace and favor.
We know the day of the Lord will bring a glorious change. I am convinced that the prophecy is not just for the eternal bliss of the saints of God, it is for the redeemed where we live. While we are facing the trials and tests of our daily lives, God wants to clothe us with His righteousness. He wants to give us His oil of joy and remove the spirit of heaviness from our spirit and soul. He wants to make us the planting of God that will be a testimony of His righteousness. He wants to fill you with the life and vitality of the Holy Spirit so that you are filled with His goodness and mercy all the days of your life. He wants to fill us with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, to demonstrate His nature through our lives.
Whatever the testimony of your history has been, God is ready to minister to you that He may be glorified.
Have you ever considered that every time you are saved, healed or delivered, God gets the glory?
God is not withholding His blessing and favor from you. He is ready to give the blessing of Christ to you. He is ready to pour upon you the oil of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is still saying to us, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 12:28)
He is ready to help you where you live.
Psalm 55:22 NKJV Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
The Lord wants to make you like oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
