Midnight Hike

We often think of the Old Testament as dull and dry. Some parts are filled with stories that are familiar to some of us, like Noah’s ark. But the rest of the Old Testament…eh, not so much. A lot of us don’t like to read the books of the prophets because many of them seem so full of gloom and doom. But let’s take a closer look at a small portion of a large prophecy book.

Isaiah is considered the earliest of Israel’s prophecy books. Isaiah wrote between 760-673 BC, and at this point the Israelites were a divided nation: two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah (where Jerusalem is) to the south. The book of Isaiah is called one of the “major prophets†because of its length (the “minor prophets†are not less important, just shorter). Isaiah’s writings are full of warnings of God’s judgment coming on the nation, but his book is also full of God’s hope, grace, and restoration that will be fulfilled in the Messiah.

When God gives prophecies, they can be for the immediate future, or they can be for a time much farther in the future (and often it’s both). From when a prophecy is first spoken or written, it could be a day, a month, or thousands of years until that prophecy is fulfilled.

Isaiah 61:1-3 talks about power to restore, to lift burdens, to set prisoners free, and to heal grief and broken hearts. In this passage of Scripture, Isaiah was speaking of the coming Messiah, the One God promised to send to save His people, the One the Israelites had been waiting for, for generations. Isaiah’s words tell people what to expect from this Messiah.

The beauty of this passage is that we find it repeated in the New Testament by Jesus Himself. In Jewish synagogues, there are daily readings, first from the Torah (which we know as the first five books of the Bible), and also from the prophets. Each day has a specific passage to read from the scrolls. One day, Jesus went to Synagogue in Nazareth and read this passage from Isaiah, and He said, “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!†(Luke 4:21). So, while no one in Isaiah’s time saw the fruition of this message, those in Jesus’ time did, and many believed He was the Messiah! Today, if we’ve put our trust in Jesus, His death for our sins and resurrection, we can experience the freedom only He can give. • Carol Graft

• How did Jesus fulfill this Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 61:1-3)?

• While God first gave these prophecies to the Israelites, the Messiah is good news for everyone! How can you pray for friends going through tough times in light of Isaiah 61:1-3?

…wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17b (NLT)

Read Verses:

Psalm 139:1-12; 143:10; John 14:16-17