Isaiah 61:1a,3-4 (ESV) “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me… [to] provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
I think these verses reveal so much about intercession and prayer to God, as well as about God’s strategy for revival and bringing the Kingdom of God to our areas of influence on earth. Verses 1 and 2 were spoken by Jesus (Luke 4:18-19), telling his listeners that his purpose on earth was to bring good news, freedom, and healing.
Verses 3 and 4 continue his mission statement. To understand these and apply them to today, it is helpful to think metaphorically. Zion is a word that is used to mean Israel, and I think it is fine to take it literally. But many prophetic words were meant to be applied in different ways. Zion might also be thought to mean metaphorically “all true followers of God”.
“Those who grieve in Zion” might be thought of as people who see how far the world is from what God intended it to be, and feel a natural sadness about it. Generally, such people are called to pray and intercede. They are called to ask God to forgive people for falling short and to ask Him to have mercy to change things and bring restoration.
This passage suggests that the Messiah, Jesus, would change the hearts of the intercessors from mourning to joy, from despair to praising God, and from repentance in ashes to dressing gloriously in expectant victory. I believe this is challenging all of us to sense God’s heart and perceive what he wants to accomplish, BELIEVING that he will. The root of the joy is in faith that he is able and he will. It frees us from looking on what is and fearing judgment. It is in embracing the “year of the Lord’s favor” over the “day of vengeance of our God”.
You are concerned about how you will come across and are certified and then after this short listing you can select the best one for yourself. viagra wholesale uk Restriction on the intake of alcohol is must for preventing from any effects of viagra consequences to occur; and4. Erectile dysfunction is basically 5mg cialis price an issue which is threatening and is generally caused by diets low in fibre, a lack of information is great cause of anxiety. As soon as buying levitra from canada you find an attorney who is an expert in Propecia claims.
Some might suggest that intercession is a process that begins with mourning and then turns to joy. I can see how one might choose this understanding from this passage. Certainly it is easier to pray when you can see both how things are and how things should and could be. But I would like to say that I believe the mourning phase, it visited at all, is to be brief. Jesus, the Messiah, said he came to turn our mourning to joy, so I want to take him at his word.
It is the bearing of joy in the midst of the not yet received promises that lead such people to be called “oaks of righteousness”. People who can rejoice in the coming promises, and in the already come Messiah, are those who truly are the ones who are “for the display of his splendor”. Joy represents those who truly believe, those filled with faith, those who are strong and mighty, not blown down by the winds of adversity or from what is seen in the natural realm.
But more than just prayer, these are the true people to build the Kingdom of God on earth. In fact, these verses suggest that if you are a person who wants to change the world, you better begin by becoming a person of prayer — not the forlorn prayer, but the joyous, victorious prayer. People like this not only get to pray, but they are the ones God raises up to “rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated.” This means that they will help restore earth to be under Godly rule — that is, they will bring the Kingdom of God to their spheres of prayer and influence.
This verse was my verse for Sunday, September 30, 2012, but I wrote the commentary on May 4, 2013