The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners, Isaiah 61:1 NABRE
Opening up this chapter of the Book of Isiah we read the proclamation of something very good. We hear from a messenger, who is anointed, like a king and as a servant of the Lord, but the messenger seems to be more than a king and more than a prophet. His mission is a dual one, to be a messenger and a comforter. As a messenger, like a king’s ambassador he is meant to bring good tidings, he announces redemption for slaves, release for prisoners. His message proclaims a new order, where there will be no need for repression, and where harmony and well-being prevail. There is a year of the Lord’s favor, similar to a jubilee year, a day where God shows Himself to the most gracious and grants salvation. As the comforter he will bind up hearts broken by illness or misfortune, and give encouragement to those who weep and revive those who mourn. When the comforter is the Lord, there is an expectation he will re-establish his people, to set things right, to renew the broken covenant and re-establish institutions that have been dismantled. He will bring about a situation where everything is in plentiful supply. It sounds like the message is God wanting to return everything back to before the fall.
Jesus read this prophecy in the synagogue at Nazareth. When He finished reading, He proclaimed the passage is fulfilled in their hearing (Luke 4:20) His words upset the people; they saw the passage referring to the Messiah. So the people tried to kill Him but Jesus escaped. Jesus was not the Messiah they were expecting.
What are you expectations about the Messiah? Do you reach out to Jesus for help?
Jesus read a prophecy meant for the coming of the Messiah and proclaimed the passage is fulfilled. His words upset the people; Jesus was not the Messiah people were expecting. Click To Tweet#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #jubilee #liberty #Isaiah #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray #prayer #goodnews #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways