Messiah’s Mission

¹The mighty Spirit of Lord Yahweh is wrapped around me[#61:1 The “Spirit of Lord ” is viewed by many scholars as a synonymical phrase for the Spirit of Prophecy.; #61:1 Or “upon,” “in,” “on,” “over,” “above,” “by,” “for,” “through,” “throughout,” “around,” or “beside.”]

because Yahweh has anointed me,

as a messenger to preach good news to the poor.

He sent me to heal the wounds of the brokenhearted,

to tell captives, “You are free,”

and to tell prisoners, “Be free from your darkness.”

²I am sent to announce a new season of Yahweh ’s grace[#61:2 Or “year”—not a literal year but a season of time.; #61:2 Or “favor,” “good pleasure,” or “acceptance.”]

and a time of God’s recompense on his enemies ,

to comfort all who are in sorrow,

³to strengthen those crushed by despair who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful bouquet in the place of ashes,

the oil of bliss instead of tears,

and the mantle of joyous praise

instead of the spirit of heaviness.

Because of this, they will be known as

Mighty Oaks of Righteousness,

planted by Yahweh as a living display of his glory.

⁴They will restore ruins from long ago

and rebuild what was long devastated.

They will renew ruined cities

and desolations of past generations.

⁵Foreigners will be appointed to shepherd your many flocks;

strangers will cultivate your fields and tend your vines.

Messiah’s Ministers

⁶But you will be known as Priests of Yahweh ,[#61:6 It has been the desire of God to make all his people priests (see Ex. 19:1–6; 1 Peter 2:1–10; Rev. 5:9–10). This far surpasses the priestly ministry of the Old Covenant (see Heb. 8:6). Under the law of Moses, only the Levites were allowed to be priests, but in the New Covenant reality we are all believer-priests. Once we were covered in ashes, but now we are robed in his beauty as priests.]

and called Servants of our God.

You will feast on the wealth of nations

and revel in their riches!

⁷Because you received a double dose

of shame and dishonor,

you will inherit a double portion

of endless joy and everlasting bliss!

⁸“For I, Yahweh , love fairness and justice,

and I hate stealing and sin.

I will rightly repay them because of my faithfulness

and enter into an everlasting covenant with them.

⁹Their seed will be famous among the nations,

and their descendants the center of attention of the people.

All who see them will recognize

that they are the seed that Yahweh has blessed with favor !”

Messiah’s Music

¹⁰I will sing and greatly rejoice in Yahweh !

My whole being vibrates

with shouts of joy in my God!

For he has dressed me with salvation

and wrapped me in the robe of his righteousness!

I appear like a bridegroom on his wedding day ,

decked out with a beautiful sash,

or like a radiant bride adorned with sparkling jewels.

¹¹In the same way the earth produces its crops

and seeds spring up in a garden,

so will the Lord Yahweh cause righteousness and praise

to blossom before all the nations!