Isaiah 61

Heather Thomas walks the community through Isaiah 61.

Last week Kyle talked about the vision for who we are at Misiso based out of Jeremiah
29. In Jeremiah 29 the people are in exile. Exile happens throughout the OT as a result of
humanity failing; not honoring their relationship with Yahweh. Adam and Eve are sent
away from the garden: exiled. Israel is sent away from Jerusalem: exiled.

The broader textual meaning is that exile creates in humanity a feeling of being
dislocated and lacking a sense of true belonging. Tim Mackie describes it this way:
“(A) feeling of alienation and longing for something more no matter where you live.”
In that place we need comfort, hope, vision for who we are and a renewed sense of
purpose and vocation.

The book of Isaiah provides poetic imagery describing a person, a human agent who
is sanctioned and empowered to do a deeply transformative work in the community of
Gods’ people. What emerges is a picture of transformative, radical reversal and
exchange; where people are brought out of exile, drawn out of sadness, loneliness, grief
and are offered presence, vitality and joy. They become people with energy, vision and
resolve. People whose strength and vitality is restored. Earlier in Isaiah it is clear how
these people emerge. They emerge though the self-sacrificing servant of Isaiah 52-53
and their subsequent response to him.

When Jesus begins his ministry he reads Isaiah 61. He is about to do a deeply
transformative work in humanity. Through an act of self-giving love he brings humanity
out of the exile of sin and death. His life proves more powerful than human failure and
exile. The picture in Isaiah 61 then becomes a picture of who we can be when we
respond to the transformative power of God in our lives.