The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord

Isaiah 61:1-11

This prophecy describes a person anointed by the Spirit bringing about significant change in the lives of individuals and also having a global impact. It is a magnificent picture of God’s Anointed One and the transformation He will generate.

As in Isaiah 11 it is the Spirit of the Lord who will empower this person to conduct their ministry. But this is not an isolated occasion when the Spirit comes and empowers someone for a short period of time. Instead, this passage describes the resting of the Spirit upon the person and an anointing that remains for an indefinite period of time. The image is of someone who will live a life that is influenced, guided and empowered by the Spirit.

In verse 1 we see described the impact of this person on 4 different groups of people: the poor receive the good news, the brokenhearted are bound up or healed, the captives are given liberty and the prisoners granted freedom. This is part of the ‘year of the favour of the Lord’ (v2), otherwise known as the Jubilee. This was a year which was dedicated to God and involved the redemption of people and property (see Leviticus 25). People were able to return to their family inheritance and land. Slaves were released from servitude. Situations were put right. All this was part of the proclamation of the good news.

Alongside the ‘year of favour of the Lord’ there was another aspect, which Isaiah describes as the ‘day of vengeance of our God’ in verse 2. There was a requirement for the people to live God’s way and thus receive the blessing of the Jubilee. But if they didn’t then a day of judgement would come instead of a year of favour. It is worth pondering the contrast of timescales of ‘day of vengeance’ and ‘year of favour’!

The prophecy goes on to describe the many contrasts and blessings that this person will usher in: comfort and gladness instead of mourning (v3), praise instead of weeping (v3), rebuilding instead of ruins (v4), raising up instead of devastation (v4), blessing instead of shame (v7) and joy instead of humiliation (v7). Above all, though, will be the fact that the people will be known as belonging to God (v9) and will be clothed with salvation and righteousness (v10).

At the start of His earthly ministry Jesus attributes this passage to Himself in a startling way. He reads out the passage and amazingly declares, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’ (Luke 4:21). Not only does He reveal Himself as the fulfilment of this hope-filled prophecy but He also claims that it is fulfilled ‘today’!

And we now live as the benefactors of Jesus bringing this about as a reality for people. Jesus truly has ‘Today fulfilled this Scripture’ (see Luke 4:21).

Further reading:      Luke 4:14-21       Leviticus 25:8-17

Worship video:

To think about:
Jesus told us that we would do greater things than he had done (John 14:12) because he was giving us authority to do that. How does his authority present itself in your life? Do you believe that you have the authority to bring healing, blessing, comfort and righteousness?

Or
‘The prophecy of Isaiah 61 is about the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord resting on His servant. Given that as Christians we now have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us how does your life reflect the transformations described in the passage?’

Creative Response:

Art work by Esther

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