To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
The appointed time of divine favor is the whole period of grace and salvation while human probation lasts, while the day of vengeance is God's coming judgment against evil, and the promise to comfort mourners means a universal exchange of sorrow for joy that makes them righteous to God's glory. This is the Messiah's commission to bring good news to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, free captives and the oppressed, and give sight and light to those in darkness, which Jesus of Nazareth claimed as fulfilled in Him when He read it on the Sabbath and closed the book before naming vengeance. Anointed by the Spirit He carried it out not by force or earthly rule but by mercy and self-sacrifice, preaching forgiveness, healing sickness, raising the dead, and revealing God's tender paternal love to all races and ranks without partiality. That same Spirit-anointed work of proclaiming favor and judgment, healing suffering, and comforting mourners is now the mission of His witnesses and ministers in preaching and practical care. Its comfort is for everyone who mourns, calling God's people out of sackcloth into praise and liberty in Christ, while the near day of reckoning will seal those who grieve over evil and destroy those who join the world.
Verse Wording and Context
The acceptable year of the Lord is the appointed time of His favor, grace and salvation. It is the Lord's favorable time when He brings good news, mercy, forgiveness and access to God to all who come in faith and repentance. It is a period extending through the ages while human probation lasts.
The day of vengeance of our God is God's day of judgment and reckoning against evil. It stands alongside the proclamation of His acceptable year as part of the same anointed work, joining favor with judgment and comfort for mourners. It does not contradict mercy, for those who hear Heaven's call are given opportunity to accept it and be saved from the ruin their sins bring.
To comfort all that mourn means comfort for mourners in Zion through a universal exchange of beauty for ashes, joy and oil of joy for sorrow and mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. It is healing and restoration that replaces grief and heaviness with joy and praise so that God may be glorified. Those thus comforted become trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, made righteous to bring glory to God.
The verse belongs to the Spirit-anointed commission of the Lord's Anointed carried out through the Holy Spirit. It joins proclaiming favor, judgment and comfort with bringing good news to the poor and meek, healing the brokenhearted and afflicted, proclaiming liberty to captives and prisoners, relieving the oppressed, freeing the bruised, restoring sight to the blind, and revealing light and truth. That whole work of good news, release, healing, freedom, restoration and comfort is one mission, now also laid upon God's people in this age.
Messiah Foretold and Fulfilled
Isaiah 61:2 is prophecy of the Messiah, and Jesus of Nazareth is the promised One to whom it belongs. The promise is that the Lord will anoint One to bring good news to the poor and meek, heal the brokenhearted, announce freedom to captives and prisoners, relieve the oppressed, free the bruised, restore sight to the blind, and reveal light and truth while proclaiming the Lord's favored year. Studying this prophecy alongside the facts of His life shows that the lowly Jesus fulfilled it, and His ministry to suffering people revealed His divinity and glory through humble service. The faithful who preserved the knowledge of God strengthened their faith by dwelling on this promise with exceeding joy.
On the Sabbath in the synagogue at Nazareth where He had spent His youth and early manhood, Jesus read this prophecy and declared it fulfilled that day in the hearing of His listeners. He explained its words clearly and convincingly, standing before His own people as its living expositor and presenting Himself as the Anointed One, a claim no man before had ventured to make, not the learned or noble, not prophets or kings. He had recognized this as His mission as Prophet of the Most High even during His first visit to the temple at age twelve. He announced it after John the Baptist had prepared the way by preaching repentance and confession of sin and preaching that men should repent because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and after His own victory over Satan in the wilderness to show how man may overcome.
He read through the acceptable year of the Lord and then closed the book, stopping before the words about vengeance. This silence did not deny their truth. His hearers were eager to use that vengeance to condemn people outside their faith, having been taught that God hated the heathen, and they wanted judgment against the heathen while failing to see that their own guilt was greater and that they needed mercy. His presence among them was their opportunity to accept Heaven's call and be saved from the ruin their sins brought, proclaiming an open door of mercy for all through faith and repentance.
His hearers expected a glorious earthly reign that would banish oppression by force, lead armies, deliver Israel from Rome, and reign on David's throne with pomp as a great conquering king, and this kept them from recognizing Him in humility. His work was to relieve the oppressed and bring deliverance, healing, and truth, not to lead an army to deliver Israel or to establish a kingdom by force or political upheaval. As He spoke the Spirit of God impressed minds and hearts with thrilling power from God, God spoke to hearts, and divinity flashed through humanity while all eyes were fastened on Him. Yet those who saw Him only as Joseph's carpenter son toiling daily, of humble family with Mary, let doubt, unbelief and offense harden them against the exposure of their true position, resisted the power that had stirred their hearts, and with one voice that had witnessed to the truth of His gracious words then cursed with lips that had just blessed Him.
In demonic fury they thrust Him out of the synagogue, dragged Him to thrust Him over the hill, and would have killed Him had angels not hidden Him and led Him to safety so that He passed through unnoticed. His very humiliation was foretold as a specification of His divine character and mission and should have commended Him to every home and heart. He granted them another opportunity after time for prejudice to subside, and because of the unfavorable reception He made no tarry at Nazareth but sought more fruitful fields to preach to ears that would listen and to hearts that would receive His message. The faithful read the promise with joy, yet their hearts were filled with sadness because to fulfill the divine purpose He must suffer and appear as a servant.
The work first announced in the prophetic roll will also be part of the closing work in the world's history. It is a world-wide message to be extended to all nations, tongues, and peoples, contesting and overcoming Satan's power by Christ and by His followers in an extensive war against the powers of darkness. That warfare requires means placed in the hands of followers for sustaining it.
Character of Christ's Ministry
His work is God's opening offer of mercy, proclaiming an open door of favor, forgiveness and access to God to all who come in faith and repentance. The acceptable year is a period extending through the ages while human probation lasts. He stopped His reading before the words about vengeance, and this silence did not deny their truth. His hearers were eager to turn vengeance against the heathen and against outsiders, having been taught by tradition that God hated them, but they failed to see that their own guilt was greater and that they needed mercy themselves. His presence among them was their opportunity to accept Heaven's call and be saved from the ruin their sins brought, revealing God's paternal character against human traditions.
Anointed by the Spirit and working by the power of God, He preached the gospel to the poor, healed the sick, restored demoniacs, made whole lepers and paralytics, gave speech to the dumb, opened ears of the deaf, opened blind eyes, bound up the brokenhearted, proclaimed deliverance to captives and raised the dead. Every miracle gave proof of His true character and divine anointing, though those who refused the light of heaven set themselves against the evidence. Whole villages were left without sickness.
His kingdom would be established not by force or political upheaval, but by mercy, self-sacrifice and speaking to hearts. His fulfillment exposed a deeper bondage, showing Israelites themselves to be in bondage to evil, as prisoners needing deliverance, and as in darkness and blindness needing truth and sight, altogether different from the expected glorious reign that would banish oppression by delivering from Rome at the head of armies. His deeds of relief for the oppressed, liberation of captives, healing of the afflicted and brokenhearted, and revealing of the light of truth were open to close searching inspection.
In contrast to Satan He limits Satan's power, breaks oppression, looses the bands of wickedness, sets right what unrighteous leaders distorted, saves those under Satan's power, and brings peace, goodwill, mercy, love, truth, freedom, daily mercies and blessings, and great joy. To mourners in Zion He brings comfort as joy and praise replacing ashes, grief and heaviness, making them righteous for God's glory, to restore and uplift them and bring peace and happiness. This fruitful restoring work contrasts with false prophets and evil destructive works. While the Bridegroom was present His disciples should rejoice rather than mourn and fast, and mourning belongs to those who reject Him and choose bondage and darkness rather than freedom and light.
To accomplish His work He took man's nature to reach man's wants, sharing human poverty and grief. He made Himself approachable so the poorest and humblest were not afraid to come to Him and even little children were drawn to Him. Though rich He became poor that men through His poverty might be rich, bore the griefs and sorrows of men, comforted the sorrowful, lifted up the downcast, and was made a perfect Saviour through suffering borne for man, so that He understands every need of fallen humanity.
Every act revealed love, mercy, compassion and tender sympathy for men. These words of good news and healing belong to the Lord's Anointed and show God's tender, merciful, paternal character revealed in Christ. Heaven was opened to man through the sacrifice of the Son, and the gates are open and the glory of God shines for every soul who looks to heaven in trial and perplexity, with divine power cooperating with human effort in those who reach out for help in faith.
His tender care is impartial and universal, not limited to a favored few or only the highest ranks, but given to everyone who mourns or seeks help, to the meek, lowly, brokenhearted and needy, and to people of every nationality and race, with the needy actively sought out. He did not conform to the standard of the world, did not exalt Himself above others, did not keep apart from men and hide from His own flesh, did not honor the wealthy while despising the poor for having less of this world's goods, and did not crush the bruised reed and quench the smoking flax. Those who bear His name must follow that same humble ministry of mercy to the poor and suffering instead of feelings of superiority and separation, serving and supporting others instead of using advantages for self-exaltation.
Commission for Christ's Followers
The same Spirit-anointed work of announcing God's time of favor and His day of judgment while comforting all who mourn now belongs to believers as laborers together with God for the salvation of others. It is the mission of God's people, His witnesses, shepherds and ministers, carrying forward Christ's own work of good tidings, binding up the brokenhearted, liberty to captives and prisoners, healing, liberation and restoration so that God may be glorified. The Sun of Righteousness has arisen, and Christ is waiting to clothe His people with salvation in fulfillment of this commission.
It is directed to those who believe the Word of God and claim to be His children. It is especially for the contrite, humble, meek and broken in heart, with whom God dwells in the high and holy place to revive them, drawing near to the lowly, healing wounds, and reconciling God to man and man to God. To mourners in Zion it appoints beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, so that they become trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.
It is carried out through gospel preaching joined with practical care that heals the sick and relieves suffering. This includes health reform as gospel service in practice, educational work, publishing and canvassing, and field and house-to-house labor that cheers the sorrowing, strengthens the weak and gives the Sabbath its exalted place by pen, voice and every means. Its proclamation brings liberty for captives and release for those bound as part of God's work of salvation, and it is a message of light and truth to people in spiritual darkness.
It must be done with Christ's mind and tender sensitivity, healing, restoring and comforting the wounded and erring rather than condemning. It binds the sin-bound, sorrowing and miserable sufferer to the heart with wise, compassionate, tender love without harshness or demeaning, hears the cry of souls oppressed and tried by poverty, affliction and temptation, helps them keep faith in a prayer-hearing God, and refuses by harsh unpitying words to crush the wounded spirit or quench the last spark of hope. One saved soul is worth more than the riches of a world, so the work lifts up the Man of Calvary through personal soul-saving effort, finds character only by abiding in the vine and bearing good works that represent Christ and diffuse light, rather than by craving large buildings to make an appearance, and does not shun duty and responsibility like the priest and Levite, while angels are ready to work with such servants. No one is authorized to control or judge God's messengers by imposing human rules upon them.
This God-authorized work has been neglected and should not be neglected. Isaiah 61 will be understood when reformation comes to the people of God. Christ claimed this commission when He stood to read in the synagogue at Nazareth on the Sabbath, and His compassionate, restoring labor is the good fruit borne on a good tree, proving character by works rather than by mere profession of Lord, Lord without doing the Father's will. It is to be carried forward even when black clouds cover the world and ignorance, superstition, darkness and strong unbelief oppose at every step, by looking past them to the light beyond and the promise around the throne, and by reflecting that light with pen and voice in praise to God before the world.
Comfort for Mourners Today
Comfort belongs to all who mourn and to everyone who seeks help, not only to a favored few, and the needy are to be actively sought out and relieved after Christ's example. God does not want His people to remain a band of mourners living in undue hardship, sitting in sackcloth and ashes; they are to repent of sin, recognize God as helper, cooperate with Him in doing His will, and enjoy the liberty of His children. That liberty is full of praise shaping the countenance, the words, and the tone of the voice, making life a blessing to others and exchanging ashes for beauty, sorrow for joy, and heaviness for praise, so that mourners become trees of righteousness planted by the Lord for His glory.
The announcement that this time of favor has come is a message of strength and hope for the brokenhearted, hopeless, and afflicted, calling them to take hold of Christ's strength. He carries out this restoring work as humanity's Mediator and Instructor, healing the sick, comforting the brokenhearted, delivering captives, giving sight to the blind, and freeing the oppressed. Those who follow Him fully share in that work and help restore God's moral image in people, making the glorifying of God the purpose of life.
Personal grief is met with pitying tenderness, for faith in Christ as personal Saviour brings light, reconciliation for sin, peace, and hope, and divine power cooperates with human effort in all who reach out for help in faith. One left bereaved when the strong husband leaned on in tenderness and love is taken by violent death, leaving a frail suffering widow alone with a breaking heart that human words of sympathy are too feeble to relieve, is called to look to the lifelong best Friend whose love has been with her all her life. The sorely tempted and doubting are assured that Jesus has not forsaken them but looks on them with pitying tenderness, and His voice of invitation goes with compassion to those bowed down by grief, privation, and bereavement, promising rest, peace, and consolation. He binds up the brokenhearted and gives joy to the sad and afflicted, lifting up sorrowing and bowed-down households so they may see His salvation, opening heaven and the glory of God to every soul who looks up in trial, since through suffering borne for man He was made a perfect Saviour who understands every need. This comforting is carried out through ministry that cheers the sorrowing, strengthens the weak, and brings them the gospel by field and house-to-house work.
While the Bridegroom was present with His disciples, joy rather than mourning and fasting was fitting, for His coming brought heaven's light, limited Satan's power, set captives free, and offered peace, goodwill, mercy, love, truth, freedom, daily mercies, and great joy. Mourning belongs to those who reject Him and choose bondage and darkness rather than freedom and light. After His return to heaven, fasting and mourning become fitting for the church amid the unbelief and darkness of the world until He returns the second time. The day of God's vengeance is near, when those who grieve over the abominations in the land receive God's seal, while those who join in sympathy with the world face destruction with workers of iniquity.
The appointed time of divine favor is the whole period of grace and salvation while human probation lasts, while the day of vengeance is God's coming judgment against evil, and the promise to comfort mourners means a universal exchange of sorrow for joy that makes them righteous to God's glory. This is the Messiah's commission to bring good news to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, free captives and the oppressed, and give sight and light to those in darkness, which Jesus of Nazareth claimed as fulfilled in Him when He read it on the Sabbath and closed the book before naming vengeance. Anointed by the Spirit He carried it out not by force or earthly rule but by mercy and self-sacrifice, preaching forgiveness, healing sickness, raising the dead, and revealing God's tender paternal love to all races and ranks without partiality. That same Spirit-anointed work of proclaiming favor and judgment, healing suffering, and comforting mourners is now the mission of His witnesses and ministers in preaching and practical care. Its comfort is for everyone who mourns, calling God's people out of sackcloth into praise and liberty in Christ, while the near day of reckoning will seal those who grieve over evil and destroy those who join the world.
Verse Wording and Context
The acceptable year of the Lord is the appointed time of His favor, grace and salvation. It is the Lord's favorable time when He brings good news, mercy, forgiveness and access to God to all who come in faith and repentance. It is a period extending through the ages while human probation lasts.
The day of vengeance of our God is God's day of judgment and reckoning against evil. It stands alongside the proclamation of His acceptable year as part of the same anointed work, joining favor with judgment and comfort for mourners. It does not contradict mercy, for those who hear Heaven's call are given opportunity to accept it and be saved from the ruin their sins bring.
To comfort all that mourn means comfort for mourners in Zion through a universal exchange of beauty for ashes, joy and oil of joy for sorrow and mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. It is healing and restoration that replaces grief and heaviness with joy and praise so that God may be glorified. Those thus comforted become trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, made righteous to bring glory to God.
The verse belongs to the Spirit-anointed commission of the Lord's Anointed carried out through the Holy Spirit. It joins proclaiming favor, judgment and comfort with bringing good news to the poor and meek, healing the brokenhearted and afflicted, proclaiming liberty to captives and prisoners, relieving the oppressed, freeing the bruised, restoring sight to the blind, and revealing light and truth. That whole work of good news, release, healing, freedom, restoration and comfort is one mission, now also laid upon God's people in this age.
Messiah Foretold and Fulfilled
Isaiah 61:2 is prophecy of the Messiah, and Jesus of Nazareth is the promised One to whom it belongs. The promise is that the Lord will anoint One to bring good news to the poor and meek, heal the brokenhearted, announce freedom to captives and prisoners, relieve the oppressed, free the bruised, restore sight to the blind, and reveal light and truth while proclaiming the Lord's favored year. Studying this prophecy alongside the facts of His life shows that the lowly Jesus fulfilled it, and His ministry to suffering people revealed His divinity and glory through humble service. The faithful who preserved the knowledge of God strengthened their faith by dwelling on this promise with exceeding joy.
On the Sabbath in the synagogue at Nazareth where He had spent His youth and early manhood, Jesus read this prophecy and declared it fulfilled that day in the hearing of His listeners. He explained its words clearly and convincingly, standing before His own people as its living expositor and presenting Himself as the Anointed One, a claim no man before had ventured to make, not the learned or noble, not prophets or kings. He had recognized this as His mission as Prophet of the Most High even during His first visit to the temple at age twelve. He announced it after John the Baptist had prepared the way by preaching repentance and confession of sin and preaching that men should repent because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and after His own victory over Satan in the wilderness to show how man may overcome.
He read through the acceptable year of the Lord and then closed the book, stopping before the words about vengeance. This silence did not deny their truth. His hearers were eager to use that vengeance to condemn people outside their faith, having been taught that God hated the heathen, and they wanted judgment against the heathen while failing to see that their own guilt was greater and that they needed mercy. His presence among them was their opportunity to accept Heaven's call and be saved from the ruin their sins brought, proclaiming an open door of mercy for all through faith and repentance.
His hearers expected a glorious earthly reign that would banish oppression by force, lead armies, deliver Israel from Rome, and reign on David's throne with pomp as a great conquering king, and this kept them from recognizing Him in humility. His work was to relieve the oppressed and bring deliverance, healing, and truth, not to lead an army to deliver Israel or to establish a kingdom by force or political upheaval. As He spoke the Spirit of God impressed minds and hearts with thrilling power from God, God spoke to hearts, and divinity flashed through humanity while all eyes were fastened on Him. Yet those who saw Him only as Joseph's carpenter son toiling daily, of humble family with Mary, let doubt, unbelief and offense harden them against the exposure of their true position, resisted the power that had stirred their hearts, and with one voice that had witnessed to the truth of His gracious words then cursed with lips that had just blessed Him.
In demonic fury they thrust Him out of the synagogue, dragged Him to thrust Him over the hill, and would have killed Him had angels not hidden Him and led Him to safety so that He passed through unnoticed. His very humiliation was foretold as a specification of His divine character and mission and should have commended Him to every home and heart. He granted them another opportunity after time for prejudice to subside, and because of the unfavorable reception He made no tarry at Nazareth but sought more fruitful fields to preach to ears that would listen and to hearts that would receive His message. The faithful read the promise with joy, yet their hearts were filled with sadness because to fulfill the divine purpose He must suffer and appear as a servant.
The work first announced in the prophetic roll will also be part of the closing work in the world's history. It is a world-wide message to be extended to all nations, tongues, and peoples, contesting and overcoming Satan's power by Christ and by His followers in an extensive war against the powers of darkness. That warfare requires means placed in the hands of followers for sustaining it.
Character of Christ's Ministry
His work is God's opening offer of mercy, proclaiming an open door of favor, forgiveness and access to God to all who come in faith and repentance. The acceptable year is a period extending through the ages while human probation lasts. He stopped His reading before the words about vengeance, and this silence did not deny their truth. His hearers were eager to turn vengeance against the heathen and against outsiders, having been taught by tradition that God hated them, but they failed to see that their own guilt was greater and that they needed mercy themselves. His presence among them was their opportunity to accept Heaven's call and be saved from the ruin their sins brought, revealing God's paternal character against human traditions.
Anointed by the Spirit and working by the power of God, He preached the gospel to the poor, healed the sick, restored demoniacs, made whole lepers and paralytics, gave speech to the dumb, opened ears of the deaf, opened blind eyes, bound up the brokenhearted, proclaimed deliverance to captives and raised the dead. Every miracle gave proof of His true character and divine anointing, though those who refused the light of heaven set themselves against the evidence. Whole villages were left without sickness.
His kingdom would be established not by force or political upheaval, but by mercy, self-sacrifice and speaking to hearts. His fulfillment exposed a deeper bondage, showing Israelites themselves to be in bondage to evil, as prisoners needing deliverance, and as in darkness and blindness needing truth and sight, altogether different from the expected glorious reign that would banish oppression by delivering from Rome at the head of armies. His deeds of relief for the oppressed, liberation of captives, healing of the afflicted and brokenhearted, and revealing of the light of truth were open to close searching inspection.
In contrast to Satan He limits Satan's power, breaks oppression, looses the bands of wickedness, sets right what unrighteous leaders distorted, saves those under Satan's power, and brings peace, goodwill, mercy, love, truth, freedom, daily mercies and blessings, and great joy. To mourners in Zion He brings comfort as joy and praise replacing ashes, grief and heaviness, making them righteous for God's glory, to restore and uplift them and bring peace and happiness. This fruitful restoring work contrasts with false prophets and evil destructive works. While the Bridegroom was present His disciples should rejoice rather than mourn and fast, and mourning belongs to those who reject Him and choose bondage and darkness rather than freedom and light.
To accomplish His work He took man's nature to reach man's wants, sharing human poverty and grief. He made Himself approachable so the poorest and humblest were not afraid to come to Him and even little children were drawn to Him. Though rich He became poor that men through His poverty might be rich, bore the griefs and sorrows of men, comforted the sorrowful, lifted up the downcast, and was made a perfect Saviour through suffering borne for man, so that He understands every need of fallen humanity.
Every act revealed love, mercy, compassion and tender sympathy for men. These words of good news and healing belong to the Lord's Anointed and show God's tender, merciful, paternal character revealed in Christ. Heaven was opened to man through the sacrifice of the Son, and the gates are open and the glory of God shines for every soul who looks to heaven in trial and perplexity, with divine power cooperating with human effort in those who reach out for help in faith.
His tender care is impartial and universal, not limited to a favored few or only the highest ranks, but given to everyone who mourns or seeks help, to the meek, lowly, brokenhearted and needy, and to people of every nationality and race, with the needy actively sought out. He did not conform to the standard of the world, did not exalt Himself above others, did not keep apart from men and hide from His own flesh, did not honor the wealthy while despising the poor for having less of this world's goods, and did not crush the bruised reed and quench the smoking flax. Those who bear His name must follow that same humble ministry of mercy to the poor and suffering instead of feelings of superiority and separation, serving and supporting others instead of using advantages for self-exaltation.
Commission for Christ's Followers
The same Spirit-anointed work of announcing God's time of favor and His day of judgment while comforting all who mourn now belongs to believers as laborers together with God for the salvation of others. It is the mission of God's people, His witnesses, shepherds and ministers, carrying forward Christ's own work of good tidings, binding up the brokenhearted, liberty to captives and prisoners, healing, liberation and restoration so that God may be glorified. The Sun of Righteousness has arisen, and Christ is waiting to clothe His people with salvation in fulfillment of this commission.
It is directed to those who believe the Word of God and claim to be His children. It is especially for the contrite, humble, meek and broken in heart, with whom God dwells in the high and holy place to revive them, drawing near to the lowly, healing wounds, and reconciling God to man and man to God. To mourners in Zion it appoints beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, so that they become trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.
It is carried out through gospel preaching joined with practical care that heals the sick and relieves suffering. This includes health reform as gospel service in practice, educational work, publishing and canvassing, and field and house-to-house labor that cheers the sorrowing, strengthens the weak and gives the Sabbath its exalted place by pen, voice and every means. Its proclamation brings liberty for captives and release for those bound as part of God's work of salvation, and it is a message of light and truth to people in spiritual darkness.
It must be done with Christ's mind and tender sensitivity, healing, restoring and comforting the wounded and erring rather than condemning. It binds the sin-bound, sorrowing and miserable sufferer to the heart with wise, compassionate, tender love without harshness or demeaning, hears the cry of souls oppressed and tried by poverty, affliction and temptation, helps them keep faith in a prayer-hearing God, and refuses by harsh unpitying words to crush the wounded spirit or quench the last spark of hope. One saved soul is worth more than the riches of a world, so the work lifts up the Man of Calvary through personal soul-saving effort, finds character only by abiding in the vine and bearing good works that represent Christ and diffuse light, rather than by craving large buildings to make an appearance, and does not shun duty and responsibility like the priest and Levite, while angels are ready to work with such servants. No one is authorized to control or judge God's messengers by imposing human rules upon them.
This God-authorized work has been neglected and should not be neglected. Isaiah 61 will be understood when reformation comes to the people of God. Christ claimed this commission when He stood to read in the synagogue at Nazareth on the Sabbath, and His compassionate, restoring labor is the good fruit borne on a good tree, proving character by works rather than by mere profession of Lord, Lord without doing the Father's will. It is to be carried forward even when black clouds cover the world and ignorance, superstition, darkness and strong unbelief oppose at every step, by looking past them to the light beyond and the promise around the throne, and by reflecting that light with pen and voice in praise to God before the world.
Comfort for Mourners Today
Comfort belongs to all who mourn and to everyone who seeks help, not only to a favored few, and the needy are to be actively sought out and relieved after Christ's example. God does not want His people to remain a band of mourners living in undue hardship, sitting in sackcloth and ashes; they are to repent of sin, recognize God as helper, cooperate with Him in doing His will, and enjoy the liberty of His children. That liberty is full of praise shaping the countenance, the words, and the tone of the voice, making life a blessing to others and exchanging ashes for beauty, sorrow for joy, and heaviness for praise, so that mourners become trees of righteousness planted by the Lord for His glory.
The announcement that this time of favor has come is a message of strength and hope for the brokenhearted, hopeless, and afflicted, calling them to take hold of Christ's strength. He carries out this restoring work as humanity's Mediator and Instructor, healing the sick, comforting the brokenhearted, delivering captives, giving sight to the blind, and freeing the oppressed. Those who follow Him fully share in that work and help restore God's moral image in people, making the glorifying of God the purpose of life.
Personal grief is met with pitying tenderness, for faith in Christ as personal Saviour brings light, reconciliation for sin, peace, and hope, and divine power cooperates with human effort in all who reach out for help in faith. One left bereaved when the strong husband leaned on in tenderness and love is taken by violent death, leaving a frail suffering widow alone with a breaking heart that human words of sympathy are too feeble to relieve, is called to look to the lifelong best Friend whose love has been with her all her life. The sorely tempted and doubting are assured that Jesus has not forsaken them but looks on them with pitying tenderness, and His voice of invitation goes with compassion to those bowed down by grief, privation, and bereavement, promising rest, peace, and consolation. He binds up the brokenhearted and gives joy to the sad and afflicted, lifting up sorrowing and bowed-down households so they may see His salvation, opening heaven and the glory of God to every soul who looks up in trial, since through suffering borne for man He was made a perfect Saviour who understands every need. This comforting is carried out through ministry that cheers the sorrowing, strengthens the weak, and brings them the gospel by field and house-to-house work.
While the Bridegroom was present with His disciples, joy rather than mourning and fasting was fitting, for His coming brought heaven's light, limited Satan's power, set captives free, and offered peace, goodwill, mercy, love, truth, freedom, daily mercies, and great joy. Mourning belongs to those who reject Him and choose bondage and darkness rather than freedom and light. After His return to heaven, fasting and mourning become fitting for the church amid the unbelief and darkness of the world until He returns the second time. The day of God's vengeance is near, when those who grieve over the abominations in the land receive God's seal, while those who join in sympathy with the world face destruction with workers of iniquity.