Read: Isaiah 58-63:14
Isaiah begins by rebuking the people of Judah for pretending they wanted to be near God and doing righteous acts to look pious when their hearts were hearts of stone. They went through the motions of “church” so they could appease their conscience. It was a total mind thing and not a heart thing. They fasted to look religious when the fast God wanted was of their heart. He wanted them to fast because their hearts were broken over the oppression and poverty in the land. Their poverty was both physical and spiritual. If they would put action to their pious words then God would hear their prayers and come to their rescue. If they would honor God and His Word, then God would honor them and their requests.
They cried out that God was not helping them when it was their sin that was holding back the power of God. So their land was full of darkness, injustice, and gloom. When the Lord couldn’t find an intercessor, he stepped in himself to save. He came as our Redeemer in the form of Jesus of Nazareth. He came bringing the light. He is the everlasting light that shines through us. We can proclaim what they said about Jesus: the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord us upon us. He has anointed us to bring good news to the poor, comfort the brokenhearted, proclaim captives to be released, and prisoners freed. He has sent us to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord,’s favor has come. God, in return will give the people we pray for a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. Their righteousness will be like great oaks that the lord has planted for his own glory.
When we become the people of the Lord that he can move through then it says that we will drink the wine we have pressed. In other words, we will see the people we invest in go on to invest in others which will be a blessing to us also.
Lord, we trust and believe in your Word. Help us to be oaks of righteousness in a world of sin.
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