TEXT: Isaiah 61:1-3
READING: Isaiah 60:1-22
SUBJ: The exchanges that Christ made with the sinner and the exchanges that He made for the redeemed as prefigured here through Isaiah.
AIM: To provide a meditation that considers the changes wrought in us through the merit of Christ and the work of the Spirit.
INTR: This passage begins with the familiar but precious word delivered to those at Nazareth in Luke chapter 4 and so establishes the involvement of the Trinity in all our salvation.
1. Matthew Henry saw this passage as being explained by the greatest expositor of all – Chriest Himself.
2. We should marvel at the change that takes place as we experience regeneration, repentance, and faith as in For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; (1 Thessalonians 1:9)
3. We would consider here and elsewhere the blessedness of Gospel exchanges – that which He took from us and that which he effected in us.
THESIS: We are the recipients of mercy, the beneficiaries of Grace, and here we are characterized as the planting of the Lord.
I. The exchanges considered. (vv. 1,3)
1. Spurgeon commented that “Grace like its God delights to be a trinity.”
2. In the first verse here, the declaration is of the Gospel to the meek and is expressed in terms we can understand – liberty to captives, comfort for the brokenhearted, opening of the prison to them that are bound.
3. Then in verse 3:
1) Beauty for ashes. Consider the figure of ashes as the residue after all has been destroyed – a descriptive figure of the ugliness of sin and sure destruction and compare the prayer of Moses: “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. (Psalms 90:17).”
2) Oil of Joy for Mourning. We consider that after the walk through the valley of the shadow of death David rejoices that : “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (Psalms 23:5).” Of Christ we note: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9).” Mourning disfigures while oil beautifies
3) The Garment of Praise for the spirit of heaviness: We see the outcome in verse 10 of this passage – with special emphasis on the garments and the robe of righteousness.
4. We consider that praise reflects in us a knowledge of:
1) The measure of mercy and the extent of grace and,
2) That it displays the worthiness of Christ in every aspect of our lives.
II. Trees of Righteousness. (v. 3).
1. We are quickly reminded of the words of the Psalmist: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalms 1:3).”
1) This is not a bruised reed.
2) This is not grass that appears for a little while and then withers.
3) This is not the heath in the desert: “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
(Jeremiah 17:5-6).”
2. It is rather: “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
III. The planting of the Lord (v. 3)
1. From Paul we read: “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:9).”
2. The divine aim for us: “Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. (Isaiah 60:21).”
3. The character of Christ manifested in us: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:8).”
