Expositor's Dictionary of Texts The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; Isaiah 61:1Speaking against the South, on 3 February, 1863, John Bright declared: 'I cannot understand how any Englishman, who in past years has been accustomed to say that "there was one foul blot upon the fair fame of the American Republic," can now express any sympathy for those who would perpetuate and extend that blot. And more, if we profess to be, though it be with imperfect and faltering steps, the followers of Him who declared it to be His Divine mission "to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised," must we not reject with indignation and scorn the proffered alliance and friendship with a power based on human bondage, and which contemplates the overthrow and the extinction of the dearest rights of the most helpless of mankind?' References.—LXI. 1.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxvii. No. 1601; vol. xl. No. 2371. G. Matheson, Voices of the Spirit, p. 73. T. G. Selby, The Holy Spirit and Christian Privilege, p. 25. C. Kingsley, Sermons on National Subjects, p. 17. W. M. Punshon, Sermons, the Year of Jubilee, p. 171; see also Outlines of Sermons on the Old Testament, p. 239. LXI. 2.—J. M. Neale, Sermons on the Prophets, vol. i. p. 254. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiii. No. 1369. LXI. 3.—A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture—Isaiah XLIX.-LXVI. p. 191. J. Pulsford, Infoldings and Unfoldings, p. 1. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xvii. No. 1016. LXI. 4.—Mandell Creighton, Christian World Pulpit, vol. li. 1897, p. 324. LXI. 7.—J. B. Brown, The Soul's Exodus and Pilgrimage, p. 392. LXI. 10.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xliii. No. 2543. LXI. 11.—Ibid. vol. xix. No. 1104. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. Nicoll - Expositor's Dictionary of Texts Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub |
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