May 13th, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Change Happens!

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

You, Lord, speak words of promise and I answer with praise. I am Yours, all Yours.

Read ISAIAH 61:1-11

[1] The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, [2] to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, [3] and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. [4] They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. [5] Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. [6] And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. [7] Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. [8] “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. [9] Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.” [10] I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. [11] For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright &copy 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.&reg Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“Only listening to the Word, welcoming it … and meditating on it can make persons into prophets, leaders whose choices can … create a people whose faithfulness … bespeaks God!” (Enzo Bianchi).

Think Further

Today’s passage opens before us two sharply contrasting realties: one of blessing: “…the year of the Lord’s favor…” (2a); the other of judgment: “…the day of vengeance of our God …” (2b). Both these realities arise from the truth on which the previous chapter ended: change happens! Like Israel, we always need to be reminded that things will not endlessly go on as they are. However, the latter reality (Day of Judgment) is treated later (63:1-6), so we focus on the former (the Lord’s favor). Chapter 61 concentrates both on the favor of the Lord and the person who ushers it in.

This person speaks in verses 1-6 and introduces himself. We can see we have met him before. He is the servant of chapters 40-55 and the Messiah of chapters 1-35. As Barry Webb comments, “Here is the great theological breakthrough of Isaiah’s vision and the heart of his gospel. The Messiah must suffer and rise again. Only thus can the year of the Lord’s favor be ushered in” (The Message of Isaiah). Clearly this prophecy, in its distant fulfillment, was referencing Jesus. In fact, Jesus took a scroll at the synagogue in Nazareth, read this passage, and spoke of its fulfillment in the kingdom he was ushering in (Luke 4:18-21).

What follows is a confirmation statement from the Lord, describing what he will do for his people (7-9) and the people’s response (10,11). What a gospel of grace is ours: the poor are not abandoned; the broken will be made whole; the addicted will be liberated. Our gospel is one of hope to a world languishing in despair. Change happens, but our God is still in charge and is working for good for us (Rom. 8:28)! God’s favor comes to us from the Sovereign Lord himself. Isaiah bookends the passage with this wonderful truth (1,11).

Apply

How can you find your identity and purpose in this prophecy, as Jesus did, so that your core passion is to be a person who speaks and enacts good news?

Closing prayer

Lord, in a world of never-ending bad news, I’m grateful to know and experience the Good News of the Gospel. Give me opportunities to share this Good News with others.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

Get ENCOUNTER:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store