Reading
Isaiah 61

1The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me,

because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble.

He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives

and release to those who are bound,

2to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

3to provide for those who mourn in Zion,

to give to them a garland for ashes,

the oil of joy for mourning,

the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,

that they may be called trees of righteousness,

the planting of Yahweh,

that he may be glorified.

4They will rebuild the old ruins.

They will raise up the former devastated places.

They will repair the ruined cities

that have been devastated for many generations.

5Strangers will stand and feed your flocks.

Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.

6But you will be called Yahweh’s priests.

Men will call you the servants of our God.

You will eat the wealth of the nations.

You will boast in their glory.

7Instead of your shame you will have double.

Instead of dishonor, they will rejoice in their portion.

Therefore in their land they will possess double.

Everlasting joy will be to them.

8“For I, Yahweh, love justice.

I hate robbery and iniquity.

I will give them their reward in truth

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9Their offspring will be known among the nations,

and their offspring among the peoples.

All who see them will acknowledge them,

that they are the offspring which Yahweh has blessed.”

10I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh!

My soul will be joyful 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 with a garland

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11For as the earth produces its bud,

and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up,

so the Lord Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.


Devotional
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation.
Isaiah 61:10

Much of Isaiah’s prophecy predicts the devastation of God’s people because of their sin. But the final section, beginning in the previous Chapter, God calls his people to arise from their present circumstance and embark on a new life. The Spirit tells Isaiah to put the oil of joy on God’s people and give them a garment of praise.

How could such a turnaround be possible for God’s people who were exiles? Look closely at today’s key verse. God’s people can praise him because he has already clothed someone with salvation and a robe of righteousness. 

In the New Testament Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 as he preaches in Nazareth for the first time. Then he says, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:18-21). The New Testament also states that by faith in Jesus we are clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27). And later we are challenged with these words: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

Let’s put on garments of praise today. Let’s wake up to the glory and goodness God has given us through salvation in Christ Jesus and live so that others may be drawn to him as their Lord and Saviour.