Isaiah 61:1-11 is the
culmination of this exaltation, the covenant that God makes with me as one of
His people, to heal, to free from my imprisonments whatever those may be, to
comfort me and to anoint me and all of His people. All of us have the position
in His family, this is His promise and those outside of His family will serve
His people and me included. There are three things that ring clear in this
passage, God loves judgment, hates robbery or deceitfulness, and will direct
the work in truth. This is His everlasting covenant. He will be known to all
people and will cause growth as seeds sown. What a lovely covenant! The thing
that gets confusing for people reading Isaiah is the descriptions in Isaiah of
Israel and concepts that it will be saved. (Isaiah 45:16) Is this the Israel of
the past? Prior to the Babylonian and Assyrian invasions? Prior to the Roman
occupation? Is this the “one nation” that Isaiah so often refers to? It would
seem not, because of the exclusiveness of the Jewish religion at the time, but
also because Judaism, while it serves to provide a moral and strong background
to doing the will of God (if one followed the precepts and not the people), was
becoming outmoded in favor of greed and idolatry and politics. No, the nation
that Isaiah was describing was the result of the coming of Christ, that Christ
would have the authority over this nation and all could come to Him. And He
would have a new song, as described in Isaiah 42:1-12, much as Jesus in John
15:12-17 said that He was giving His apostles a new commandment. The new song
was so new and at the same time what God had intended all along in order to
provide for His children and to nurture His children. (Isaiah 41:12-20). Isaiah
is so rich in the descriptions of the Spirit of God and how much He desires to
come to Him and obey Him and how much
God desires to gather not just Israel but all people to Him. To accomplish this
purpose, He will send His Son. What a breath of fresh air God is!
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