Isaiah

Isaiah 61: God’s anointed Servant brings good news

Begin in prayer

Before we read the good news God sends to the humble, let us ask Him for hearts ready to receive it. Pray for our family, that we would come to Jesus for the salvation we cannot provide and rejoice in the righteousness He gives.

Return to your rest, my soul, for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 116:7

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us the Savior You have sent and the joy of His salvation. Bring us to receive His righteousness through faith. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

God anoints a speaker and puts His Spirit upon Him to preach good news to the humble, bind broken hearts and announce liberty to captives. He proclaims God’s year of favor and day of vengeance, bringing comfort and replacing mourning with joy and praise. God’s planting will rebuild ruins, foreigners will tend flocks and fields, and His priests will share the nations’ wealth. Shame gives way to a double portion and lasting joy because the LORD loves justice and hates robbery and iniquity. He promises an everlasting covenant and offspring recognized among the nations as people He has blessed. The rejoicing voice celebrates garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness that God supplies. As plants grow from the earth, God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations.

As you read Isaiah 61, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God sends His anointed Servant to bring good news and comfort all who mourn.

The anointed speaker receives the Spirit and a mission to bring good news to people who cannot free or heal themselves. Jesus later reads these opening promises and declares them fulfilled in the hearing of His listeners (Luke 4 verses 16 to 21). The year of favor announces God’s gracious welcome, while the day of vengeance keeps His judgment against evil in view. A garland replaces mourning ashes, and joyful praise replaces a faint spirit. The trees of righteousness are people God plants to display His glory. Rebuilt ruins, restored honor and service as priests describe a people whose life and worship He renews. God’s love of justice includes His hatred of robbery and iniquity, so salvation never makes those sins acceptable. The clothing and growing garden both show that righteousness and praise come from God’s gift and work.

How does Isaiah 61 show us that God sends His anointed Servant to bring good news and comfort all who mourn?

God sends His Servant to people who need rescue.

Broken hearts and captive lives cannot restore themselves. God’s Spirit equips the speaker to announce freedom, favor and comfort. His mission also declares a day when God will avenge evil.

God changes His people’s shame into joyful service.

Ashes and faintness give way to a garland and praise. Ruined places are rebuilt, and the people serve Him as priests. His everlasting covenant brings honor that displays His blessing among the nations.

God gives the righteousness that makes His people rejoice.

God Himself clothes the rejoicing speaker with salvation and righteousness. The robe pictures righteousness received from Him. God causes it to grow before the nations as surely as plants spring from a garden.

Memorise

The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble.

Isaiah 61:1

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what need am I bringing to Jesus for the salvation and righteousness He gives?

Jesus reads the promise of good news to the poor and announces its fulfillment in Himself (Luke 4 verses 16 to 21). The Spirit anointed Savior has come to people held by sin and unable to repair their broken lives. He gives the salvation Isaiah pictures as clothing supplied by God.

Jesus was stripped of His clothes and gave His life for His people. He rose from the dead, having completed the redemption they could never accomplish. He clothes believers with a righteousness that fully answers their need before God, where their own conduct cannot cover their guilt. The coming Judge is also the Savior who welcomes guilty people through His finished work.

Turn from sin and trust Jesus. Come without pretending that your own conduct can become a spotless robe. Forgiveness and righteousness are God’s free gifts to all who receive His Son in faith. He is the anointed Servant who brings good news to the humble, and He clothes with salvation all who come to Him.

Parent's note

Tell your children that Jesus Himself identifies the opening promise with His ministry. Keep the favor and vengeance together, and explain priestly service as belonging to God. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He sends His anointed Savior and supplies the righteousness sinners need, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

Luke 4:21

Lord God, thank You for sending Jesus with good news for helpless people. Please help us trust His finished work for forgiveness and righteousness. Turn us from robbery, injustice and self reliance. Let our family rejoice in Your salvation and serve You with willing hearts during this week. Amen.