Monday 24 September 2012

Background

This part of Isaiah looks forward to the restoration of thepeople of Israel to their homeland following a long exile inBabylon. This is the second passage to refer to one who isanointed; the first is in 45:1 which names him as Cyrus, the Persianruler at the time that Babylon fell to that nation's might, and whoallowed captured peoples to return to their homes. This is also thesecond time (the first is 49:1-6) that words are placed by the prophetdirectly in the mouth of the anointed one. The opening words of thepassage make clear that the anointing in view is accomplished byGod's spirit.

The undertakings that the anointed one makes in today's passagego much further than anything Cyrus accomplished, and despite everysense in which he may have accomplished the Lord's purposes, henever adopted the Jewish religion. So the Jews' on-going hope for atruly God-anointed figure, a Messiah (which is the Hebrew word'Anointed'), grew out of passages such as this one. According toLuke's Gospel (4:16-21) Jesus began his ministry by readingthis passage in the synagogue and claiming to fulfil it.

Jesus terminated his reading with "to proclaim the year of theLord's favour" (Luke 4:21), omitting "and the day of vengeanceof our God" (v. 2). Whilst the Jewish people expected the Messiahto restore all favour to them, and at the same time take vengeanceon their Roman enemies, Jesus saw his ministry in much morespiritual terms, and specifically his role as one of salvation (John3:17), in which necessary judgement would await his secondcoming (eg John5:22-29).

The reference to ashes and mourning in verse 3 emphasiseprimarily sorrow over sin. In a similar way, whilst verse 4 clearlyhas relevance to the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem, destroyedfollowing the siege that led to the exile, it is also aboutrestoring spiritual life patterns. This is why in verse 6 all thepeople of Israel are expected to act as priests and ministers - iego-betweens or mediators between God and all the people who nowlive in the land, bringing knowledge and experience of God to them,and incidentally fulfilling a long-standing commission in Exodus19:6.

To Ponder

• In the Old Testament only particular individuals were reckonedto be anointed with the Holy Spirit, but the prophet Joel (Joel2:28-29) made a promise which the Apostles of Jesus claimed hadbeen fulfilled at Pentecost, that the anointing of the Spirit wouldbe poured out on all believers. Has this been your experience, andif so, how do you know the Spirit is upon you?

• Which, if any, of the tasks of the Messiah in verses 1 or 3,have you personally experienced Jesus doing for you? And do youfeel that any in particular are part of a commission he has placedupon you to help fulfil?

• With reference to verse 6, the 'priesthood of all believers' isan important dimension of Methodist understanding and of many otherChurches. What do you understand by it?