Isaiah Chapters 61-62/Commentary

Isaiah Chapters 61-62 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me”: “Disagreement exists among commentators over who is the speaker in this text, but the question was settled

by Jesus Himself when He read these verses in the synagogue of Nazareth and said, ‘This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears’ (Luke 4:16-21). The idea that the Holy Spirit rested upon Jesus and assisted Him with His word is repeated in both Testaments (Isaiah 11:2; 42:1; Matthew 3:16; John 3:34; Acts 10:38). Note that all three Persons of the Godhead are mentioned here.

61:1 “Because the Lord has anointed me”: Thus the meaning of the term “Christ” or “Messiah”, the anointed one. “Christ” is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew “Messiah”. Saul and David were both blessed with assistance from the Holy Spirit after they were anointed (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13), in like manner Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to be a King. In the Old Testament, prophets, priests and kings were anointed, and Jesus serves in all three capacities. “To bring good news”: The Messiah is anointed to preach or proclaim the gospel (Mark 1:15), which He did. “To the afflicted”: Luke describes this class as the “poor”, that is the broken-hearted, those afflicted by sin, the humble or meek.

“The meek are those whose humble dispositions are submissive to the will of God” (Jackson p. 122). To the broken-hearted, captives and prisoners, Jesus would bring spiritual healing and deliverance.

61:2 “To proclaim liberty to the captives”: The word release when this passage is quoted in Luke 4:18 can also mean “forgiveness or pardon”, and the captives here are people who are in bondage to sin (John 8:34,36; 2 Timothy 2:26).

61:2 “To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord”: “The year of the Lord’s favor” (NEB); “That the year of the Lord’s good pleasure is come” (Bas); “To proclaim a year when men may find acceptance with the Lord” (Knox). “This imagery is taken from the Jewish year of jubilee, which was always the fiftieth year after seven sabbatical years (Leviticus 25:8-12). It was usually called Jehovah’s year of grace. Jesus will usher in a new era, a time when spiritual debtors can be released from their sins (2 Corinthians 6:2 “behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation”). In the Old Testament, on the first day of the year of Jubilee the priests with trumpets sounded forth and proclaimed the blessings of that year.

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“The language is borrowed from the Old Testament practice of releasing indentured Israelite servants in the fiftieth year following a cycle of seven sabbatical years (Leviticus 25; Exodus 23:10-11). Jubilee began on the Day of Atonement. The Lord, through His atoning work, was to open the prison to those who were bound. The Messiah would also proclaim the ‘year of Jehovah’s favor’, which is an expression denoting the entire era of grace that spans the Christian age” (Jackson p. 123).

61:2 “The day of vengeance of our God”: At the same time that Jesus proclaimed salvation He would issue warnings of judgment against those who refused to obey (Matthew 7:13-14). Salvation does bring responsibility and condemnation for those who reject God’s grace. “The vengeance is upon whoever or whatever holds the people of God in prison” (Hailey p. 493). “To comfort all who mourn”: That is, mourn for the right reason, mourn over their sins (Matthew 5:4), and mourn because they are being persecuted for righteousness (5:10-12).

61:3 “In Zion”: Comfort would be given to the true Israel. “Giving them a garland instead of ashes”: “Ashes were symbolic of deep sorrow; and the crown, oil, and garment all suggest preparations for joyous festival” (Gaebelein p. 334). “He would sooth their grief with the oil of gladness (on account of the forgiveness of sins). No more would sighs of heaviness escape their lips; rather, songs of praise would fill the air. They would be characterized as fruitful ‘trees of righteousness’ which had been planted by Jehovah Himself, to His ultimate glory” (Jackson p. 123). Compare with Jeremiah 17:7-8. “Trees being a symbol of sturdiness and endurance, of beauty, and of fruitfulness” (Hailey p. 493). Notice that such people are planted by God (Isaiah 60:21), and exist for the purpose of glorying Him (Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:10).

61:4 “Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins”: “Employing symbolism reminiscent of the rebuilding enterprise of the post-Captivity period, Isaiah told of the time when men would reconstruct their lives from the waste and desolation that sin had wrought” (Jackson p. 123). Compare with Isaiah 49:8; 54:3; 58:12.

61:5 “Strangers”: That is people who had not originally been part of Israel, that is, the Gentiles (Ephesians 2:12) will share in rebuilding the new Zion, the church of the New Testament. “The Lord speaks metaphorically for there is no record that after the return from Babylon foreigners fed the flocks, plowed the fields, and dressed the vineyards of the Jews” (Hailey p. 494).

61:6 In the New Covenant every believer would be a priest (1 Peter 2:5-9).

“There will be no special priesthood apart from the citizens of the new city (Revelation 5:9-10). Neither will there be a clergy distinct from the laity” (Hailey p. 494). Nations would bring their wealth, prosperity, and talents to the new Zion as people from every nation are converted by the gospel.

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61:7 “The promise of a double portion may be grounded upon the practice of the elder brother receiving a double share of the family inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17)” (Jackson p. 123). “In their land”: This does not refer to the physical land of Canaan, but rather to the land mentioned in Isaiah, that is God’s holy mountain (57:13; 2:2-4).

61:8 The “everlasting covenant” is the New Covenant. “He loves righteous judgment and He hates injustice, hence, with the obedient He will make an everlasting covenant, but to the disobedient He will give a just recompense” (Jackson pp. 123-124). “For I, the Lord, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering”: The term robbery means “the violent taking away of something which belongs to another” (Hailey p. 495). God loves justice therefore God equally hates any perversion of justice, even by His own people. Unfortunately there have always been those who sought to serve both God and the world at the same time.

61:9 “Their offspring will be known among the nations”: The offspring of the righteous will be known among the various nations because they will be different.

“Although the heathen may not accept the truth in which the offspring of the godly live, they will recognize the righteousness of their lives and the spirit of joy and peace which they possess” (Hailey p. 495). See Matthew 5:13-16; Philippians 2:15; 1 Peter 2:11-12.

61:10 Many feel that the speaker in this verse is Zion or the collective people of God. God will clothe the faithful with salvation, consider similar language that is used in the New Testament (Romans 13:14; Ephesians 4:22-24). Yet some feel that this verse applies to the Messiah who is clothed in garments of righteousness as He brings salvation. 61:10-11 “God’s faithful word will secure the growth of righteousness and praise in His people, which will be publicly displayed, as at a bridal feast, before all the nations” (Gaebelein p. 334). Just as surely as the earth produces vegetation so God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. This certainly looks like a reference to the mission of Jesus, the establishment of the church and the spread of the gospel.

When the world sees us does the world see people clothed in salvation and righteousness? Do they see a tremendous joy in us?

Chapter 62 62:1 “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent”: Concerning the future of God’s people, the Lord will not be inactive or silent. His purpose is to see her righteousness and salvation shining like a burning lamp. “The light of Zion and Jerusalem (the two terms are used synonymously) has been obscured in the shadow of a long night” (Hailey p. 496). Clearly the language here is figurative,

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for literal Jerusalem would not become some sort of literal lighthouse. From the spiritual Jerusalem, the church, the light of God’s truth and the gospel message of salvation would be sent out to all the nations.

62: 2 “The nations will see your righteousness and all kings your glory”: The level of righteousness among God’s people would stand in contrast to the spiritual darkness among the nations. Even world rulers would be amazed at the standard of righteousness in Christianity and even kings would hear the gospel and encounter Christians. 62:2 “And you will be called by a new name”: “Because Zion will be ‘new’ and so totally different from what physical Zion has been before, the Lord will call His people by a ‘new name’. Whether or not the name ‘Christian’ is the name being prophesized here is impossible to prove. The name God gives always signifies what one is in character and being, therefore this might simply mean that the Lord will give His people the knowledge and reality of the new relationship they sustain with Him (see Revelation 2:17; 3:12; 19:12). However, the circumstances at the time the disciples were first called ‘Christians’ does fit the text (Acts 11:26) because by then the Gentiles had come to know the righteousness of God in Zion. The church at Antioch was the first one of record wherein both Gentiles and Jews made up its membership” (Harkrider pp. 140-141).

62:3 The church would be to God a crown of beauty in His hand and a royal diadem. Clearly Christianity would be put on display for all the world to see. This would be God’s crowning achievement on earth with man.

62:4 During the Captivity literal Jerusalem would be forsaken and desolate. In the future the spiritual Zion would be God’s delight and one married to the Lord (Ephesians 5:22ff; Romans 7:4; 2 Corinthians 11:3).

62:5 “God will rejoice over His people as a young man delights in his new bride” (Jackson p. 124). “As a young man marries a virgin and dedicates himself to protecting and caring for her honor, so the sons of Zion dedicate themselves to the honor of Jehovah’s land and people—His kingdom” (Hailey p. 498). Just like it can be said that people are married to a city, nation, or land, so Christians are married to God’s kingdom, His territory, and His glory (Matthew 6:33). Are we dedicated to God’s kingdom as people of the world are dedicated to their causes or territory?

62:6-7 “I have appointed watchmen”: “These watchmen are godly saints who contend earnestly for the faith and guard the truth against heresy (Acts 20:28ff; Jude 3; 1 Timothy 6:20). The citizens of Zion are to continually petition God in prayer until Jerusalem (the church) is praised everywhere, that is, until the Lord’s purpose has been fulfilled “ (Jackson pp. 124-125). This would include the apostles, prophets, elders, evangelists and teachers (Ephesians 4:11-12). The elders watch for the souls of the disciples (Hebrews 13:17). “They are Jehovah’s remembrances, who take no rest, but ever keep petitions before Jehovah in

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behalf of Zion’s citizens. They will not be silent before the Lord until He establishes His word concerning Jerusalem, making her a praise in the earth, which is a continuous work” (Hailey p. 499).

62:8-9 Here is the imagery of God swearing by His uplifted arm. The solemn oath of the all-powerful God underlies His promises. “The fact that He has sworn

by His mighty arm stresses His ability to carry out His word; for His arm is the executor of the Divine will. Through much of her history, Zion had been subject to assault from her enemies and had been robbed of her food supplies, either by marauding armies (7-8) or as the payment of taxes to foreign overlords. God had warned her that disobedience would bring this about” (Gaebelein p. 337). While physical Jerusalem would continue to be overrun in the future, following the time of Malachi and Jesus, spiritual Jerusalem would never be looted. Christians have spiritual food and resources that the world cannot touch.

62:10 Here is a massive road building and road-clearing project resulting in a large pilgrimage to spiritual Zion (compare Isaiah 2:2-4). “Lift up a standard”: “The ensign or standard could be a rallying point for an army in the field or for a scattered people” (Hailey pp. 499-500). Isaiah has already noted that the Root of Jesse, the Messiah will stand for such a rallying point for the peoples (11:10). “It appears, then, that Zion’s citizens go forth removing obstacles (2 Corinthians 10:3-5), making clear the way, and lifting high the banner so that those of the nations can find their way to Zion and pass through the gates of the city” (Hailey p. 500). Are we doing everything we can to remove obstacles and clear the way so that people can find salvation? Thus Zion is no longer forsaken, but sought out (62:12).

62:11 The Lord will come with His reward. As a result, those who obey the Lord will become God’s holy people, the redeemed (1 Peter 2:9).

From these verses we learn that salvation is within the spiritual city of Zion.

Some argue today that “church membership” is not essential of salvation, but this is a misunderstanding of Scripture. One cannot be saved without being part of the church, for the church is the body of the saved (Ephesians 5:23).

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