"The Year of the Lord's Favor" Sermon: Isaiah 61:1-11

“The Year of the Lord’s Favor”

[Isaiah 61:1-11]    

December 11, 2011 Second Reformed Church

            Israel had been conquered by the Assyrian army.  Many had been slaughtered.  Many had been taken into captivity.  Many in Israel despaired of their future.  But God was not done with her.  God does not break His Promises; God keeps His Covenant.  All the promises God has ever made will come to pass.

            Chapter sixty-one of Isaiah comes in the midst of a prophecy of restoration and salvation for the people of God.  In chapter sixty, God spoke through Isaiah, telling Israel that there would be remnant who returned to the land.  God would bring them back, revealing His Glory through them – bringing the Promised Savior through the chosen people.

            Then we read:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; “

Isaiah says that God the Holy Spirit is upon him, because God has given him a message to proclaim.  Understand that no one has ever spoken the Word of God rightly without God the Holy Spirit superintending over the message.  Isaiah could not preach the pure Word of God unless the Holy Spirit guided his tongue; I cannot – you cannot – speak God’s Truth without the guidance of God the Holy Spirit.  The proclaimer of God’s Word is one who has been anointed – set apart – chosen for a special purpose. 

            Peter wrote, “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21, ESV).  Preaching the Gospel is authorized and commissioned by God and God alone.

Isaiah was sent to preach the Good News – the remnant shall return – God will restore a remnant.  Fear and despair will be done away with.  The captives and prisoners of Assyria will be set free.  He was anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit:

            “to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;”

Isaiah was sent as the herald of future grace – God would establish the remnant and make them His people.  God would do the work of salvation.  God would show Himself to be all glorious through His Work.  And Isaiah was sent as a herald of the vengeance of God – to let the people know that God will require justice.  Everyone will have to answer for and pay for his or her sins.  God will not wink at sin or “let it slide.”  God’s Justice must be satisfied.  Still, there is comfort – there is a partaking of spiritual joy because God is both Faithful and Just.

Is this text about Isaiah?  Is it about all the true prophets and preachers – proclaimers of the Word of God?  Yes, but we know that the merely human proclaimers of the Good News are not the whole story.  They cannot bring the fullness of the Good News or God’s Judgment to pass.

           We have the testimony of Jesus, that this text – though it is about all those who speak the Good News – it is ultimately about Him:

            “And [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

           ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.’  And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, ‘Is not this Joseph's son?’ And he said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ And he said, ‘Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away” (Luke 4:16-30, ESV).

            It was common practice for men to be called up from the crowd to read and comment on the reading from the Tanakh – the Old Testament.  Jesus was called up that day to read and give a word – a blessing – to the congregation.  So, what happened?  Why did they want to kill Him?

            Three reasons:

            First, He stopped the text short – He didn’t finish the reading.  Purposefully, dramatically, He stopped reading after saying that He had come to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, so anyone who knew the text would have the next phrase ringing in their ears:  “and the day of vengeance of our God.”  Jesus’ point was – God sent Him to proclaim the Good News and to condemn them.

            Second, He said that they will reject Jesus and the Word of God that He brings.

            And finally, the last straw, Jesus said that just as in the days of Elijah and Elisha, Israel would reject the Word of God, but the Gentiles – the non-Jews – would receive it.  Which is exactly what happened.

            So, we see that this text is about Isaiah and all those who proclaim the Good News of God, but it is most specifically and finally about Jesus.  The salvation Isaiah is prophesying about is not just the return of Israel to the land, but the salvation of the whole person that is only found through Jesus Christ Alone.

“to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.” 

            Those in exile – in prison – have been in mourning for their loss, but God will come and take away their mourning.  God will remove the ashes of repentance from their heads and give them a crown of glory.  Instead of songs of sorrow, they will sing songs of praise to God.

Have we not heard this promise before?  “[Jesus] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, ESV).

The people of God will be called “oaks of righteousness” – the ones whose righteousness is strong and solid.  Because God will plant them – God will make them His people – for His Sake – for His Glory. 

Although all those who follow God are called to holiness, our righteousness can never save us, because we are not holy.  We cannot earn or merit holiness.  Only God can make us holy, so all glory for our salvation goes to Him Alone.

“They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.”

Jerusalem had lain in ruins for “seventy years.”  They people would return to a vast wasteland – rubble and weeds.  But God cannot be stopped.  God cannot be hindered.  It was the will of the Lord to raise Israel up again, and God will raise up all of His people in His time.  Those whom God has chosen for Himself cannot completely fall away, but God will raise them up again.  He raises us up – all we who believe – just as He raised up Jerusalem.

“Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.”

The remnant would have wondered how they could rebuild:  after “seventy years” in captivity, they had no money or supplies – how could they rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple?  So, God told them that the Gentiles would help them.  They would supply money and supplies and even work for them.  And the remnant of Israel would be known as the priests of God.  No more would there be a separate priestly class, but all peoples, through the Savior, would be able to come to God.

Ezra recorded the return of the remnant to Israel and Judah:  “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

“’Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem’” (Ezra 1:1-4, ESV).

And John wrote, “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:4b-6, ESV).            

And Peter wrote, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV).

And Paul wrote, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11, ESV).

All peoples have come into the household of God and all those who believe have become priests who proclaim that the Final Sacrifice has been offered – we celebrate that fact here this morning – receiving the bread and the cup.  “It is finished.”

Just as God sent help to Israel as the remnant returned, that they would be able to rebuild to the Glory of God, so Christ, as the Head of the Church, causes all types of people to come into the Church that we would work together, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to the Glory of God.

“Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.”

Israel had sinned and been conquered by God – taken into Assyrian captivity.  The nations around her mocked her and cast dispersions upon her and her God.  But God promised they would not return to dishonor, but God would give them a double portion of joy in their return.

Similarly, as we receive indignities for our faith in Christ, we will receive blessings such that all that we suffered for Christ will be as nothing.  Paul said, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,” (2 Corinthians 4:17, ESV).  Just as God did not deny the “seventy years” of suffering Israel suffered in captivity, Paul does not deny the suffering we endure for the sake of Christ.  But God promises a double portion of joy – that the glory into which those who believe will enter will be so much more glorious than everything we ever suffer that it will all be like nothing.

As we suffer on earth, we need to keep that in mind – if we consider the worst suffering we suffer and understand that the glory and joy that we will be received into will be exponentially greater, we can suffer for Christ.  We can endure.  This is a great hope to me as I am constantly ill and in pain, and I know it is for some of you.  Let us do what we can to be well and then hold fast to the promise that – compared to what we will receive in glory – this is nothing.

The opposite is also true – for those who don’t believe – they will enter suffering beyond anything they could ever have conceived.  The worst someone suffers on earth will be like nothing compared with the severity of the suffering of those who never believe.

“For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.”

God loves justice and God will bring justice to pass.  The only question before each human being is:  “Will you pay the debt you owe God, or will someone else?”  God is just and faithful and will bring everything to pass as He has promised.  Human beings never keep their promises, but God, Who swears by Himself, will keep the covenant promise He has made for all those who believe in Him.

“Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.”

Here, again, we have the promise that God’s Plan always included all peoples.  God always intended to save people from every nation and tribe and race.  Moses recorded God’s promise to Abraham, which included these words:  “and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:18, ESV).  God’s people include people from every nation, not just Israel.

In verses ten and eleven, it is no longer God speaking through Isaiah, but Isaiah speaking on behalf of Israel – and all those who would believe in the Good News:

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Isaiah acknowledges in his proclaiming of the Good News that God’s Word has made him rejoice and praise God, because God has caused Isaiah’s salvation – God has dressed him with salvation; God has covered him with righteousness – not a righteousness that belonged to Isaiah, but a righteousness that was given by God to Isaiah.  God, as his Bridegroom, made Himself his priest and, Isaiah, His bride.

As God told Israel through the prophet, Hosea, “And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD” (Hosea 2:19-20, ESV).

And John says of all those who believe:  “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;” (Revelation 19:7, ESV).

“For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.”

Isaiah calls Israel to look at the Creation:  after the death of winter, the plants sprout anew, and when the dead seeds are planted in the garden, God causes them to sprout up.  In the same way, God has chosen a people to raise from spiritual death – both from Israel and from all of the nations.  And God will cause them to rise up, filled with the righteousness that He gives through faith in His Son.  From this, all the nations will praise God, the Only Savior.

What shall we say to these things?

God keeps His promises to His people today, just as He did to Israel.

God has given us His Word and makes us able to proclaim it and believe it.

God is faithful and just, and so God has given us a Savior to make all those who will believe right with Him.  And God has given salvation to every people – making all those who believes priests to Him.

And whatever the worst is that we endure in this life, it is nothing compared with the glory that He is bringing us into.

Salvation has come through the Person of Jesus, our God.   Will you be raised from the dead, cleansed, dressed, and given to the Bridegroom?  Jesus does this for each one who will believe in Him Alone for Salvation.

Let us pray:

            We come to you, Great Savior, in this, the year of the Lord’s favor, and we ask that You would save Your people.  Meet with us in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.  Give us Your Grace.  Enable us to do Your Will and to rejoice.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.