Isaiah's Prophecy
21He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21
The Lord Jesus gives us insight into His ministry upon earth, why He was sent by the Father to be made flesh. He had just read a portion of Isaiah to those in the synagogue:
18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, 19and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. Luke 4:18-20
"Today" this scripture was fulfilled in their hearing. He had recently been tempted by the Devil for 40 days in the wilderness, relying on His faith in His Father. Now, having been refreshed by the Holy Spirit, He returned to society. He had been proven to be the Son of God and the Son of Man, choosing to do whatever His Father had sent Him to do. Now would begin His glorious work as the Christ.
It is evident that His use of "today" was symbolic, for the Spirit had fallen on Him many days earlier, when He was baptized by John in the river. He had already been anointed to preach the Gospel, to heal, to release, to heal blindness and to welcome sinners into the Kingdom of God. But this "today" was more than a literal day—it was the mark of the new age, that of Yahweh's Kingdom upon the earth in the midst of men.
17From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17
20Being asked by the Pharisees when God’s Kingdom would come, he answered them, “God’s Kingdom doesn’t come with observation; 21neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, God’s Kingdom is within you.” Luke 17:20-21
Because God stands outside of time, it is always "today" with Him. But for us who live upon the earth, within the ages He had foreordained, we must respond as we are given opportunity. He chooses the times and seasons (Acts 1:7), and in each one we must go after Him as we are able.
6Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6
Part of this mystery that is called "Today" in the scriptures is that it encompasses God's will for creation—He gives us a window of time to hear His voice and to obey. Although we have strayed from Him through our own sin, ignorance and pride, He still calls to us.
1“I am inquired of by those who didn’t ask. I am found by those who didn’t seek me. I said, ‘See me, see me,’ to a nation that was not called by my name. Isaiah 65:1
What was the promise of Yahweh to His people through Isaiah? That the Spirit of the Lord Yahweh would be upon this Servant, anointing Him, and that He was sent (Isaiah 61:1):
- To preach Good News to the humble
- To bind up the broken-hearted
- To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening to those who are bound
- To proclaim the year of Yahweh's favor
Jesus adds to and slightly modifies this list with (Isaiah 42:7), which scholars also believe is from His reading of the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures commonly in use in His day:
- To proclaim recovering of sight to the blind
- To deliver those who are crushed
- To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord
After closing the Book, all eyes were fastened on Him in the silence. He began to say:
"Today, this writing has been fulfilled in your ears."
The Lord Jesus was bringing these things to completion in their ears; they had heard them read for many generations, but "today" was the time of their fulfillment.
Preaching Good News
The first item mentioned is that He was anointed to preach Good News to the humble or poor. The Hebrew word translated "humble" can also mean "poor." One who is beggarly, lowly, without means. As we know from the rest of the Gospels, this was often His audience. He was sent to preach Good News to them.
The Good News is the entirety of God's plan for man, encapsulated in the Person of Jesus. He is the Way to the Father, the nexus between God and man. It is "good" news because it is a free gift. God is not holding our sins against us, but in Christ is reconciling the world unto Himself. We need not stay in the pig-pen like the prodigal son, but are called back to our Father in heaven.
This is good news, as we don't have to fear Him, that we will be punished; rather, He has found justice in seeing His Son suffer in our place, defeating Death, Hell and the Devil for all time!
Why do Isaiah and Jesus qualify this with "to the poor/humble?" Because, they were often left out of society. The religious had begun to equate being rich with being godly, and poverty with ungodliness. Therefore, they left out the poor assuming them to be judged by God. However, Jesus looks past this simplistic thinking, recognizing that the ones who need help are the ones who don't currently have it! As He said, He did not come to call the righteous to repentance, but the sinner. Those who accept that they are in need are the ones who will receive.
The humble, the poor, they are in a position to more easily hear and respond to the call to turn oneself and come back to God, as they are readily aware of their lowly position. The Lord knew this and took the message to those who would respond.
The other obvious application of this has to do with their natural means too. Jesus promised that we don't have to worry about what we will eat or wear, but that as we seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness first, all those things will be added to us. Paul affirms this by saying God will supply all our needs in Christ Jesus, that we might have all we need for all things.
This brings us out of poverty into the full provision that Yahweh has ordained for His people, and Jesus took this message to the poor.
Healing the Broken-Hearted
What a promise from the Son of God! He is not merely concerned with being worshiped, with us obeying Him in all things, but also wishes to heal our hearts. He recognizes the pain we have caused ourselves and that caused by others has broken our hearts. We have gone astray, and paid the price. But He has an answer. Jesus has been sent by the Father to heal that broken heart.
Have you been let down by your parents or other family? By a friend? A spouse? The Lord can bind up, stitch back together, that broken heart. You do not need to continue suffering; God Himself has come to heal your heart.
Recovering of Sight to the Blind,
Liberty to the Captives
Here is the other side of preaching Good News to the poor. They often recognize their spiritual need by means of their lowly, natural condition. Those who believe they are "okay," are in fact blind. One cannot repent who does not admit he is wrong. Therefore, those who say they see when they remain sin are convicted by sin. Understand this message of the Lord:
39Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.” 40Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. John 9:39-41
He brings healing for the blind, that as they recognize they cannot see the truth of God in their sinful state, Jesus boldly declares that they have no sin. It is affirming the righteousness of God by admitting our own unrighteousness that leads to removal of our sin through Christ. However, to those who say they see and are not blind, Jesus promises that their sin will remain. They have been convicted by the Holy Spirit of their sin but will not repent.
This is truly what has brought us into bondage, for by whatever thing we are mastered we become its slaves. Satan, and sin, have overcome us, bringing us into slavery to them. We cannot help but do their bidding, walking out the evil lusts of our flesh, doing the work of the Enemy of God. This is our prison, our being held captive.
Here is our hope, that even though we have been deceived by Satan, lulled asleep and made blind spiritually by his lies, the Lord Jesus is able and willing to grant us healing. He can open our eyes to see the truth of our condition, which will lead us to the opportunity to receive Him. He has not left us in the grasp of the Enemy, but has come to us with healing for our blindness! What grace!
Again, the other side, perhaps more obvious, is that He also promises healing of our natural blindness, as we see repeatedly in the Gospels. Those who could not physically see were healed by His power, given natural sight— both those who had never seen from birth and those who had gone blind later in life. The power of God knows no bounds:
12The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh has made even both of them. Proverbs 20:12
Setting Free the Shattered Ones
What an amazing description of our condition! He promises to free "those who have been shattered, broken in pieces." It specifically intends a result of very many, small pieces, like dust. We have been completely pulverized, crushed to dust. It is known from other studies that it is Satan who comes to do this: to steal, kill and destroy.
One commentator believes this phrase is from (Isaiah 58:6). There the word for "shattered" in Hebrew means the same thing, one who has been crushed. And the promise is that they will be set free, or more specifically, "sent forth, shot out." In that verse the thought is finished with, "that you break every yoke." Those words bring imagery of iron bars keeping someone bound up, held down, shackled in place. God wants people "to tear out, pluck up, snap" every one of those binding bars. Obviously, here is the Man Who can do this: the Lord Jesus Christ. He answers Yahweh's call for the true fast, one that brings complete freedom from captivity.
We may have been thoroughly crushed, shattered, smothered, by the binding iron bars of the Enemy, but the Son of God has come to free us from them. He has come "to send us far away from imprisonment!" HalleluYah! You do not have to stay bound by Satan or sin any longer. The Lord Jesus has come for you!
The Acceptable Year of Yahweh
In Hebrew, this literally says, "the year of favor for/toward/to Yahweh." The word for "favor" can also mean "pleasure, goodwill, delight." Again, we see a physical notation of time for a spiritual age. This was the same language used of the Year of Jubilee in the Law, when all debts were canceled, and all servants freed, every seventh year.
Seven is the number of completion; as the Sabbath typified the experience of resting from one's own works and entering the rest of God's provision and presence, so this Jubilee would represent one's complete freedom from any previous bondages. If we had lent something to someone, it would be given back then. If we had sold ourselves into someone's household, we would be freed then.
It is the year of favor to Yahweh. He looks upon us with goodwill, as He announced through the angels at the birth of Jesus, and has chosen to cast our sins into the sea. He desires us to be reconciled to Him and has given us opportunity through this spiritual time of release. Our debts racked up by sinned have been canceled, and we have been freed from the prison of Satan.
It is time to go free, unto Yahweh! The Lord Jesus both announces and brings it!
Today
Do you have to wait for this to happen? Is it only for a certain time? Jesus gives the answer: "Today." As we know, the "Today" of God spans our human ages—it is a non-physical description, a spiritual opportunity for us to respond. Until that Day when the Son of God returns with His angels and saints, and resurrects those lost in Him and brings vengeance upon those who have continued to reject His lordship, it is called "Today." Therefore, let us not harden our hearts. There is still time.
All of the things above that Father Yahweh sent His Son to accomplish, are still being done by the same Jesus right now through the work of His Holy Spirit.
"Today," will you repent, soften your heart as you hear His call now, and allow Christ Jesus to completely heal and free you as He was anointed to do?