Bible League: Living His Word The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. The discipline of God does not last forever. For the people of God, there is always a time of favor yet to come, there is always a time of deliverance on the horizon. In our verse for today, Isaiah says he has been anointed by God to proclaim a time of deliverance for God's people. Most immediately, this refers to the people of Judah who would become captives in Babylon in the future. As such, his proclamation was for a limited group of people and for a limited time frame. In Luke 4:18, however, Jesus tells us that this prophecy was fulfilled in Him. Jesus proclaimed a time of deliverance available to the whole human race that would last for all eternity. In Jesus, therefore, Isaiah's prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment. What, specifically, does Isaiah's prophecy proclaim about deliverance for the people of God? First, it is a proclamation of good news for the poor. The "poor" are those who have been impoverished in any way by captivity of any kind. They are those who have been oppressed by the devil and held down in circumstances less abundant than that which God intended for His people. The poor shall experience release from their sorry situation. Second, it is a proclamation that the brokenhearted will be bound up. The "brokenhearted" are those who have been deeply affected by their captive situation. They are those who are sorry for their sins. The Lord will bind up, that is, console their broken hearts (see Psalm 34:18). Third, it is a proclamation of freedom for the captives. The "captives" are those who have been enslaved in any sense of the term. They are those who have been held back by the devil from achieving that which God wants them to achieve in life. The Lord will set them free. Finally, it is a proclamation of release from darkness for the prisoners. The "prisoners' are those who have been kept from seeing the true nature of their captivity. They are those who have been kept in the dark by the devil. The Lord will release them from darkness into His glorious light (see I Peter 2:9). In Christ, the Lord is enriching, consoling, freeing, and enlightening you – and His work in you has really only just begun (see Philippians 1:6). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingMicah 6, 7 Micah 6 -- God's Punishment against Ingratitude, Ignorance, Injustice and Idolatry NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Micah 7 -- Israel's Misery and Resurrection; I wait for the God of my salvation NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Revelation 12 Revelation 12 -- The Woman, The Dragon, The Male Child, The Angel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. Insight We may suffer for many reasons. Some suffering is the direct result of our own sin, some happens because of our foolishness, and some is the result of living in a fallen world. Peter is writing about suffering that comes as a result of doing good. Christ never sinned, and yet he suffered so that we could be set free. Challenge When we follow Christ's example and live for others, we too may suffer. Our goal should be to face suffering as he did—with patience, calmness, and confidence that God is in control of the future. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 2 Samuel 23:5 Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant.This covenant is divine in its origin. "He hath made with me an everlasting covenant." Oh that great word He ! Stop, my soul. God, the everlasting Father, has positively made a covenant with thee; yes, that God who spake the world into existence by a word; he, stooping from his majesty, takes hold of thy hand and makes a covenant with thee. Is it not a deed, the stupendous condescension of which might ravish our hearts forever if we could really understand it? "HE hath made with me a covenant." A king has not made a covenant with me--that were somewhat; but the Prince of the kings of the earth, Shaddai, the Lord All-sufficient, the Jehovah of ages, the everlasting Elohim, "He hath made with me an everlasting covenant." But notice, it is particular in its application. "Yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant." Here lies the sweetness of it to each believer. It is nought for me that he made peace for the world; I want to know whether he made peace for me! It is little that he hath made a covenant, I want to know whether he has made a covenant with me. Blessed is the assurance that he hath made a covenant with me! If God the Holy Ghost gives me assurance of this, then his salvation is mine, his heart is mine, he himself is mine--he is my God. This covenant is everlasting in its duration. An everlasting covenant means a covenant which had no beginning, and which shall never, never end. How sweet amidst all the uncertainties of life, to know that "the foundation of the Lord standeth sure," and to have God's own promise, "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." Like dying David, I will sing of this, even though my house be not so with God as my heart desireth. Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 60:20 "Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over.John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." Romans 8:22,23 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. • And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 2 Corinthians 5:4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Revelation 7:14-17 I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. • "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. • "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; • for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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