A Bible Study by Joyce Rankin

In Luke 4:16-21 we find Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth. When given the book of the prophet Isaiah to read from, He chooses what is designated in our Bibles as Isaiah 61. "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. (17) And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, (18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (20) And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. (21) And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4:16-21 [KJV])

Please notice verses 18 and 19. He begins reading, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised," and ends with, "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Then He began His exhortation with, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."

Now let us look at the beginning of Isaiah 61. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."

Jesus stopped reading after, "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." He read only the part of that scripture that was His to fulfill at that time. The day of the vengeance of God (or the wrath to come of which both He and John the baptizer had spoken) was God’s business. We find written in Matthew 24:34-36, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. [KJV] Again in Mark 13:30-33 we find written, "Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." [KJV]

Next we find Isaiah speaking of the comfort for those who mourn. We find recorded in John 14, 15, and 16, beautiful words of hope from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, concerning the comfort to come. Remember, Isaiah spoke of these things to come by the Spirit of God and Jesus designated, by the Spirit, that the time had come. His words recorded in John 14:16_18 tell us, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." [KJV]

In John 15:26 it is recorded that Jesus said, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." [KJV]

Again in John 16:7-13, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Then come the benefits of that comforter, or that comfort that comes to those who have mourned and travailed for the family of God. Isaiah 61 which started out by saying, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek" continues to tell us in verse 3, "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." The Psalmist in Psalms 106:7-8 bears witness to the purpose of these blessings we have through the Holy Spirit. "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known."

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus, there is such beauty and graciousness in the realm of the Holy Spirit of God. Nothing in the Spirit of God is like the things of the natural. The glory of God is different from the glory of man; the road to that Glory of God is different than the road to the glory of man. No natural man wants to mourn, travail, be meek and lowly, dress in sackcloth and ashes, nor be poor in spirit, persecuted, reviled, nor shamed before others. Yet, in the ways of a God who tells us His ways are not our ways, He honors and upholds those who truly seek His way. The way is broad unto destruction and many there be who go in and crave it and desire all of its comforts. Narrow is the way that leads to life eternal and few there be who find it. When the way becomes difficult, Jesus will turn it for good.

The beauty of what God does in the lives of His people is to make something out of nothing. He makes a righteous inheritance out of sinners. In the above scriptures we have found the Lord to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Psalms 30:11 declares, "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." Psalms 126:5 says, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." Again in Isaiah 61:10-11 the Lord tells us through Isaiah, I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."

Notice, "For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." Where? "Before all the nations." The witness of the power of God goes forth by His Spirit to all nations. That power of God will give you the strength to turn the other cheek when men strike out at you. The power of God will give you the wisdom to "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you." You will have the strength to "Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." The Holy Spirit through Peter goes on to explain that when we are reproached for the name of Christ, we can be happy "for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." (I Peter 4:12-14)

We do not look for trials, nor do we go around trying to stir up persecution. But if and when it comes, the Lord Jesus will give the victory and the increase. The enemy is the accuser of the brethren, but God gives the victory. The Word tells us that the trying of our faith is much more precious than gold that perishes. It will bring forth ministers who will be faithful to the Lord Jesus no matter what the persecution. It will bring forth saints of God who will be faithful in prayer, fasting, and in the study of God’s Word. When the power of God comes forth, it is often unseen by the world, but recognized by those who know the inner working of the Spirit of God. While the gold (as well as all rewards of this natural life) will perish, the power of our God brings forth riches that are eternal. As one brother said about a hundred and fifty years ago, "You may not be able to take your riches with you, but you can send them on ahead." Let him who has a spiritual ear hear what the Spirit of God is saying.