Isa.61:1-3 – TPT – The mighty Spirit of Lord Yahweh is wrapped around me
because Yahweh has anointed me,
as a messenger to preach good news to the poor.
He sent me to heal the wounds of the brokenhearted,
to tell captives, “You are free,”
and to tell prisoners, “Be free from your darkness.”
I am sent to announce a new season of Yahweh’s grace
and a time of God’s recompense on his enemies,
to comfort all who are in sorrow,
to strengthen those crushed by despair who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful bouquet in the place of ashes,
the oil of bliss instead of tears,
and the mantle of joyous praise
instead of the spirit of heaviness.
Because of this, they will be known as
Mighty Oaks of Righteousness,
planted by Yahweh as a living display of his glory.
Like every other part of God’s creation, His sons and daughters are especially designed to display His glory. Actually the blessing of God resting on redeemed fallen man is the greatest display of God’s glory of all. We are part of the fallen race of Adam, originally created as the crown of God’s creation intended to be the greatest display of the glory of the Lord. This is why redemption of fallen man is critical, the Lord has purposed to restore us in order to show forth His glory through His grace. Today’s passage was the first known scripture text from which Jesus preached. In selecting this passage He is clearly stating His purpose, to pour out His Spirit on us to display His glory through His redeemed sons and daughters. Here is how Jonathan Edwards describes this.
“In like manner is the promise in chapter 61:3. “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” The work of God promised to be effected is plainly an accomplishment of the joy, gladness, and happiness of God’s people, instead of their mourning and sorrow; and the end in which God’s design in this work is obtained and summed up is his glory. This proves that God’s glory is the end of the creation.”
So how does this look in the everyday world, this world that is full of horror stories of how sin has brought mankind to a place of bondage and humiliation. Jesus came and said that the Spirit of God rested on Him in order top bring us out of our various places of captivity. Not only are we forgiven for our transgressions by His death on the cross, He has poured His Spirit out on us that we can walk in the blessing of God. What is the point of all of this? Look at the scripture again, this all happened so that we would become “oaks of righteousness planted by the Lord as a living display of His glory”.