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The Good News of Victory
1 The Spirit of the Lord God
has taken control of me!
The Lord has chosen and sent me
to tell the oppressed
the good news,
to heal the brokenhearted,
and to announce freedom
for prisoners and captives.
2 This is the year
when the Lord God
will show kindness to us
and punish our enemies.
The Lord has sent me
to comfort those who mourn,
3especially in Jerusalem.
He sent me to give them flowers
in place of their sorrow,
olive oil in place of tears,
and joyous praise
in place of broken hearts.
They will be called
“Trees of Justice,”
planted by the Lord
to honor his name.
4Then they will rebuild cities
that have been in ruins
for many generations.
5They will hire foreigners
to take care of their sheep
and their vineyards.
6But they themselves will be
priests and servants
of the Lord our God.
The treasures of the nations
will belong to them,
and they will be famous.
7They were terribly insulted
and horribly mistreated;
now they will be greatly blessed
and joyful forever.
The Lord Loves Justice
8I, the Lord, love justice!
But I hate robbery
and injustice.
My people, I solemnly promise
to reward you
with an eternal agreement.
9Your descendants will be known
in every nation.
All who see them will realize
that they have been blessed,
by me, the Lord.
Celebrate and Shout
10 I celebrate and shout
because of my Lord God.
His saving power and justice
are the very clothes I wear.
They are more beautiful
than the jewelry worn
by a bride or groom.
11The Lord will bring about
justice and praise
in every nation on earth,
like flowers blooming
in a garden.
Jerusalem Will Be Saved
1Jerusalem, I will speak up
for your good.
I will never be silent
till you are safe and secure,
sparkling like a flame.
2Your great victory will be seen
by every nation and king;
the Lord will even give you
a new name.
3You will be a glorious crown,
a royal headband
for the Lord your God.
4Your name will no longer be
“Deserted and Childless,”
but “Happily Married.”
You will please the Lord;
your country
will be his bride.
5Your people will take the land,
just as a young man
takes a bride.
The Lord will be pleased
because of you,
just as a husband is pleased
with his bride.
6Jerusalem, on your walls
I have stationed guards,
whose duty it is
to speak out day and night,
without resting.
They must remind the Lord
7and not let him rest
till he makes Jerusalem strong
and famous everywhere.
8The Lord has given his word
and made this promise:
“Never again will I give
to your enemies
the grain and grapes
for which you struggled.
9As surely as you harvest
your grain and grapes,
you will eat your bread
with thankful hearts,
and you will drink your wine
in my temple.”
10People of Jerusalem,
open your gates!
Repair the road to the city
and clear it of stones;
raise a banner to help
the nations find their way.
11 Here is what the Lord has said
for all the earth to hear:
“Soon I will come to save
the city of Zion
and to reward you.
12Then you will be called,
‘The Lord's Own People,
The Ones He Rescued!’
Your city will be known
as a good place to live
and a city full of people.”
Reflect
In my years of studying how people interact with God’s Word, I’ve learned many things. For example, 40% of Christ followers have never read the entire Bible. They believe the Bible is inspired and the source of truth, yet are satisfied with skimming the surface of familiar books and passages.
When we only open the Bible on Sundays, we tend to rely more on our perceptions and what we have heard from others about who God is and what he says to use through scripture. We start to buy into simplifications such as “the God of the Old Testament was full of wrath but the God of the New Testament is love.”
These chapters of Isaiah illustrate beautifully how God shows us his righteousness and love throughout both Old and New Testaments. We read that he loves justice. He promises to rescue his people. He says he will not be silent until his people are safe and secure.
When we consider this fuller, more complete picture of our Lord, we naturally respond with worship and praise. We experience the power of meeting him through these pages in a real and present way. Like the prophet, we desire to have “his saving power and justice” be “the very clothes” that we wear.
Respond
Holy Lord, you are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Thank you for revealing yourself through scripture. May I seek you daily through these pages. Amen.
Arnie Cole
DR. ARNIE COLE (Pepperdine) is the CEO of Back to the Bible—an international radio and internet ministry—and Director of Research and Development for the Center for Bible Engagement. He has spent much of his professional life tracking trends of human behavior. Dr. Cole is the co-author of seven books, including Seven Secrets of Worry-Free Living (BroadStreet Publishing). He and his wife, Char, are parents of adult children and operate an equestrian center in Nebraska.