Isaiah 61

CHAPTER 61THEME: Distinction between the first and second comings of Christ; delights of the MillenniumThis chapter is of peculiar interest in view of the fact that the Lord Jesus opened His public ministry in Nazareth by quoting from it. This chapter continues the full blessings of the Millennium with Israel as the center of all earthly benefits. The last section projects us into the total benefits of the Millennium.

Isaiah 61:1

DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND COMINGS OF CHRISTHere in the first three verses we have one of the most remarkable passages of scripture, and it helps us to correctly interpret the Bible. Now here we are given a system of biblical interpretation. If I were to read this without knowing the New Testament, I would not be sure about whom he is talking. Who is it who says, “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me”? If He is the Lord Jesus, does it refer to His first or second coming? Well, in the New Testament we have God’s interpretation. When the Lord Jesus went into the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth, He read this section: “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luk_4:16-19). Now, my friend, if you will look again at Isa_61:1-2, you will see that He is not even through the sentence. Why didn’t He keep reading? The rest of the sentence is “and the day of vengeance of our God"why didn’t He preach that?

Notice this: He closed the book. That was a deliberate action. “And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luk_4:20-21). Isaiah’s prophecy up to that point was fulfilled by Christ’s first coming. Isaiah had not made the distinction between the first and second comings of Christ, but the Lord Jesus made the distinction.

In Isaiah’s prophecy a little “and” separates the first and second comings of Christ. You might say that this little and is more than nineteen hundred years long! The prophets wrote of the first and second comings of Christ; they saw these two great events, but they did not know the length of time that lay between them. The apostle Peter confirms this: “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1Pe_1:10-11). Peter says that the prophets spoke of the sufferings of Christ and the glory of Christwe see this in both the first and second sections of Isaiah. Let me illustrate the problem the prophets had as they looked into the future. Behind my home in Pasadena, Californiaseveral miles from the foothillslooms Mount Wilson upon which Mount Wilson Observatory and the antennas of several radio stations are situated. Behind Mount Wilson I can see another mountain, Mount Waterman. It looks as if the two mountains are right there together, but I’ve been up in those mountains and I know there are at least twenty-five miles between them. It is impossible to see that distance between them unless you are there. Now the prophet was way down in the valley looking into the future. He saw the first and second comings of Christ. Perhaps Isaiah was a little confused. In one breath how could he say that the Lord was going to bind up the brokenhearted, and open the prisons, and at the same time announce the day of the vengeance of our God? How can both be true? If the prophet had stood where we stand today, he would have understood.

We are in the valley between the first and second comings of Christ. We can look back to the first coming when He came to fulfill Luk_4:20-21 and to die on the cross as our Redeemer, as we saw in Isaiah 53. Somewhere beyond that mountain peak is the next one, the second coming of Christ. Before He comes again, however, the church will be removed form the earthly scene. In Joh_14:3 Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” “To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God.” When He comes to earth the second time to establish His Kingdom, it will be with vengeance. We will see that in chapter 63 where He is treading the winepress of the wrath of God. It is not a pretty sceneGod didn’t say it would be pretty. But Christ is going to put down the rebellion that is here on this earth. You see, this little earth is still under His control. Emerson was wrong when he said that things are in the saddle and ride mankind. The Lord Jesus Christ is in the saddle, and He is in control. He is the King, and He is coming some day to put down all rebellion; that will be “the day of vengeance of our God.” “To comfort all that mourn.” Immediately after announcing the day of vengeance, He says He is going to comfort all that mournthose who mourn over their sin, who long in their hearts for a better day, and who want to be obedient unto Him. Not only will He comfort all who mourn but all that mourn in Zion

Isaiah 61:3

I believe that Isaiah knew his geography, and when he said “Zion,” he meant Zionnot Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Florida, or South America. Zion, the highest spot in Jerusalem, was well known to Isaiah. Now, speaking specifically of the Jews, he says, “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.” You can see that beyond the “day of vengeance,” which will be amplified in chapter 63, is the peace and the prosperity of the Millennium. Isaiah makes a play upon words with “beauty” and “ashes"it is like saying in English that God will exchange joy for judgment or a song for a sigh. After the sighing and the judgment there will be joy and singing.

Isaiah 61:4

The land of Israel has yet to receive this facelift, which will restore its Edenic beauty. What is happening in our day in Israel is wonderful. It has caused Dr. W. F. Albright, a great Hebrew scholar, to take the position that he now believes in prophecysince a nation that has been out of their land for twenty-five hundred years is back in their land. It apparently has made a believer out of him. But let us be very careful not to call it the fulfillment of this prophecy. The “facelift” that this verse is talking about will take place at the beginning of the Millennium, and we are not at that place in time right now.

Isaiah 61:5

This is a real picture of prosperity.

Isaiah 61:6

“Men shall call you the Ministers of our God.” Israel is going to be a priesthood of believers during the Millennium. It was God’s original intention that the entire nation would be priests. In Exo_19:6 God said of Israel, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Because of their sin this was never attained, but it will be attained in the Millennium.

Isaiah 61:7

In other words, everlasting joy shall be Israel’s portion. It will be fullness of joy! What a great day that will be.

Isaiah 61:8

Their lives then will adorn their religious ritual. We have looked at several passages which spoke of the fact that Israel went through all of the rituals, but God condemned her for it because her heart was not in it. Things will be changed in that future day.

Isaiah 61:9

Anti-Semitism will end, and pro-Semitism will begin because they are genuine witnesses for God. In our day neither Israel nor the church is fulfilling what God intendedalthough I believe we are following God’s program, and it is working out as He said it would. He warned us that the day would come when we would have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.

Isaiah 61:10

DELIGHTS OF THE MILLENNIUM"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God"my, they’re going to have fun then! I wish that in our day more Christians had fun going to church. I wish they enjoyed it more. I wish the study of the Bible was a thrilling and exciting experience for all of us. It ought to be, and God intended that it should be. “For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” The Messiah continues to speak here, and as He does, all who are His can join in the psalm of praise. They will greatly rejoice in the Lord. The problem in our day is that a great many Christians can’t rejoice in the Lord because they are out of fellowship. They have sin in their lives, they are way out of the will of God, and they are going on in their self-will.

Isaiah 61:11

Not only will there be material benefits and physical improvements, but the true blessings will be spiritual in that day.