In Isaiah 61, the Lord’s prophet foretold a glorious restoration
In this beautiful and poetic chapter, Isaiah 61, the prophet predicts a glorious restoration of the Earth. But the battered Earth is the least important issue in the prophet’s message. In this chapter, we read of the Jewish Nation finally realizing their place in God’s story. We also see the nations of the world fulfilling their God-ordained purposes. In addition, there is mention of the renouncing of debts among other things in the Jubilee celebration.
And coupled with that celebration is the realization of God’s Holy Justice unleashed on those who reject Him. Interestingly, we also read words that appear to describe the inhabitants of the world involved in rebuilding ruins, cities, and nations. The immediate need for that would be the devastation brought on by the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy. Those seven years are often called the Great Tribulation. In another chapter, Isaiah wrote that the Earth itself would wobble on its axis.
No Harps and Clouds in Heaven
Too many people have mistaken ideas about what heaven and the future Millennium will be like. This passage is one of several that provide the reader with a clearer picture of our future reality. You see, our future in heaven isn’t going to be sitting on clouds and playing harps. Hardly!
Our destiny is not heavenly clouds, but here on Earth. And we will take part in the restoration project. How exciting is that? No need to practice your harp play. Jews and Gentiles will work together to restore cities, ruins, and entire countries. We catch a glimpse of that in verse four.
Strangers and foreigners will come from the farthest parts of the Earth to worship, serve, and help restore Jerusalem. That is the city in which our King Jesus will reign. There will be so much to do as well as explore as humankind finally will get to see what true peace can be like.
Isaiah 61:1 The Lord anointed the Messiah
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Verses 1-3. – THE MISSION OF THE SERVANT OF THE LORD. The words of our Lord in Luke 4:21, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears,” preclude the application of this passage to any other than the Lord himself. It is simply astonishing that some Christian commentators (Ewald, Hitzig, Knobel) have not seen the force of this argument.
61:2 An acceptable year and a day of vengeance.
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn.
Verse 2. – To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. An “acceptable year,” or “year of acceptance,” is a space of time during which God would be pleased to accept such as repented and turned to him. It is, of course, not intended to limit the space to a “year.” The space is rather the term of our sojourn here below. The day of vengeance. The “day” of vengeance is contrasted with the “year” of acceptance, to indicate God’s long-suffering and patience towards sinners (compare. Isaiah 34:8. see also Exodus 20:5, 6).
61:3 Beauty for ashes and garments of praise.
To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
The oil of joy – The oil of joy denotes that which was symbolic or expressive of joy. Oil or ointment was employed on occasions of festivity and joy (see the notes at Isaiah 57:9); but its use was abstained from in times of public calamity or grief (see 2 Samuel 14:2).
The garment of praise – That is, the garment or clothing which shall be expressive of praise or gratitude instead of that which shall indicate grief.
61:4 rebuild the old ruins and desolations.
And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
Verses 4-9. – GOD’S PURPOSE OF DEALING GRACIOUSLY WITH ISRAEL. Having proclaimed the objects of his own mission, “the Servant” proceeds to declare God’s gracious purposes towards Israel. Taking the Captivity period for his standpoint, he promises, first, the restoration of the cities of Judah (ver. 4), and then a flourishing time in which Jews and Gentiles shall dwell together in one community peacefully and gloriously, Israel having a certain pre-eminence.
61:5 Strangers and foreigners will serve them
Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the foreigner Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
And strangers shall stand – (See the notes at Isaiah 14:1-2; Isaiah 60:10).
And feed your flocks – The keeping of flocks constituted a very considerable part of the husbandry of those who dwelt in Palestine. Of course, any considerable prosperity of a spiritual nature would be well represented by an accession of foreigners, who should come to relieve them in their toil.
Isaiah 61:6 Priests and servants of God.
But you shall be named the priests of the LORD. They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles. And in their glory, you shall boast.
Verse 6. – But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord. By the covenant made at Sinai, Israel was to be “a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Had they risen to the height of their calling when our Lord and his disciples offered them salvation before offering it to the Gentiles, they might have “been in the midst of the heathen who had entered into the congregation of Jehovah and become the people of God.
61:7 Double honor and blessings
Instead of your shame, you shall have double honor. And instead of confusion, they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land, they shall possess double. Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
Verse 7. – For your shame ye shall have double. Instead of the shame and confusion of face which were the portion of Israel during the Captivity (see Isaiah 51:7, 23, Isaiah 54:4, Daniel 9:7, 8, etc.). They should after their restoration to Palestine “have double” their former glory and double their former territory. An increase of territory had been already prophesied (Isaiah 49:18-21).
61:8 The Lord loves justice and hates robbery.
“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
Isaiah 61:8-9. For I the Lord love judgment — I will do them right, for I love justice in myself, and in them that practice it. I hate robbery for burnt- offerings — I hate all things gotten by injustice, though they are for sacrifice. As God will not accept that which cost nothing, so much less of that which is the effect of rapine and oppression. And I will direct their work in truth.
61:9 Those whom the Lord has blessed.
Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, And their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.”
61:10 Clothed with garments of salvation
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful 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 with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:11 Earth will bud as a garden in Spring
For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes 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.
Here’s a great Isaiah 61 video created and presented by The Bible Project.
Related content from Isaiah
Destruction of Leviathan: Isaiah 26-27 & a rapture verse
The Chosen Servant of God: Isaiah 42 part one: Jesus
Streams in the desert: Isaiah 35 Restoring the planet
Let me know what you think.