Isaiah 61

Isaiah started this chapter with the Messianic program that the Divine Messiah will become a human that will have the “Spirit of the Lord God upon Him (v. 1a). Jesus identified the context of Isaiah as Himself in Luke 4:18. There was no other context meant. The Lord has anointed Christ (v. 1b). The reason is He was to bring the good news to the afflicted (v. 1c). The brokenhearted was to be bound up (v. 1d) and for the captives He was to pronounce liberty (v. 1e). Do not get the Messiah wrong like Judas Iscariot the sicari (knive carrier) did. Christ was not sent to break open prisons for escape. It was the prisoners of sin in a sinful environment that was to be set free from guilt and shame and stigma of their sins. The 180 degrees turn of this world was not to be between 4 BCE to 31 CE but was to come at the Second Coming of the Messiah in glory as the King of Kings. The favorable year of the Lord (v. 2a) was the Second Coming’s of the Lord announced, namely when He will come to reward the saints by resurrection and transfer to heavenly Zion. Christ also had the task of proclaiming the Hell “the day of vengeance of our God” (v. 2b). He will comfort for a thousand years all those who mourn their loved ones who could not make it to heaven (v. 2c). Those who mourn on earth, for example at every open grave, will also be comforted at the Second Coming and Resurrection. Those who are faithful but had to experience the pain of death, Zion will be their home “giving them a garland instead of ashes” (v. 3b). They will receive gladness and praise (v. 3c-d). They will be called “oaks of righteousness” and “the planting of the Lord” and by this they will glorify the Lord (v. 3e-f). They will be an eternal witness to the unfallen worlds of the involvement of God with the fallen world of history. When the new earth is created by God, the remnant will “rebuilt the ancient ruins” and “they will raise up former devastations” meaning that instead of the historical image of ruin and devastation, now the reality of the new world will be rebuilding and raising up (v. 4a-b). Faithful architects will be able to live out their creative imaginations on the new earth. They will “repair the ruined cities” meaning that in their imagination they will remember in history a ruined cities and will remodel their new city on what they remembered (v. 4c). Also the “desolations of many generations” namely constant breaking of monumental cities will be recreated by the remnant, the building pride of every generation (v. 4d). Farmers on the new earth is going to experience “strangers [from the unfallen worlds] will be your farmers and your vinedressers but you [remnant on the new earth] will be called priests of the Lord” (v. 6a). “You will be spoken of, ministers of our God” (v. 6b). The remnant will eat the wealth of nations from the unfallen worlds and in their riches they will boast (v. 6c-d). Business will be prosperous in this way that instead of shame, a double (v. 7a). Instead of humiliation those working from the unfallen worlds on the new earth for the remnant will “shout for joy over their portion”. There is no restless labor situations but a happiness on all sides. In the land of the unfallen worlds, it appears that the remnant will possess “a double in their [unfallen worlds’ inhabitants] land” (v. 7c). We know it is the new earth that Isaiah is talking about because he says “everlasting joy will be theirs” (v. 7d). This is not in history but in eternity. Preterists want to apply it to the return after exile rebuilding promises and say in v. 7d that Isaiah is just metaphorical but that is turning God’s promises around and secondly, it cannot explain all the expressions and phrases properly. Many historicists “just let it go the preteristic way” for these prophecies because it is not Daniel or Revelation but that is failing to read God’s Word, which is reading Daniel and Revelation also in the other prophets. God is consistent to every generation. Isaiah’s description is about God “for I the Lord love justice. I hate robbery in the burntoffering” (v. 8a-b). Nearly 82 bulls had to be burnt during festivals of the burntoffering in Israel which is about 6+ bulls for each tribe. The requirement, according to Numbers 29:13, 17 is it had to be “without defect”. The problem with some in the remnant in history, is that they take more portions that what they need and secondly, they brought sick animals. Thirdly, they gave less than what was required, they kept back their tithes. If you fall into temptation you also rob God of the burntoffering or glory that He should receive. God said that due to the Investigative Judgment “I will faithfully give them their recompense” (v. 8c) meaning that they will either be the weed or the harvest at the Second Coming. “My reward is with Me” Christ said one time. “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them” (v. 8d). At the Second Coming Christ will make an everlasting covenant with the faithful resurrected remnant. The remnant’s offspring at that time, will be known among the nations and peoples [of the unfallen worlds] (v. 9a-b). “All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring the Lord has blessed” (v. c-d). All the unfallen world inhabitants will recognize the faithful remnant from history and the fallen world, because they were blessed by God with salvation and recreation. Isaiah is so taken up by this image that we find him on his knees: “I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God” and then in similar terms as we find it in Revelation 21:2 a new earth like a bride for the bridegroom so Isaiah responded about this vision of the new earth saying “for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (v. 10a-f). As vegetation grows “so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations [of the unfallen worlds]” (v. 11c-d).

Dear God

We learn from Isaiah about the new earth and its wonderful conditions. All because we can be part of those who are blessed by the Lord. Bless us also dear God. Amen.

Koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Visiting Professor, Department of Liberal Arts Education, Kyungpook National University, Sangju Campus, South Korea, Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College, Australia