Prophecy 10: Isaiah 61:1-2

Daily Thoughts – December 14^th

Prophecy 10: Isaiah 61:1-2

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;... "           - Isaiah 61:1-2(a)

Isaiah 61:1-2 and cross references

This is an extremely powerful statement and prophecy to be fulfilled. I'm sure you have introduced yourself to someone in your life. Your introduction of yourself typically includes your name, perhaps where you work, what you do and references to relationships that might help the receiver to understand who you are. Perhaps something like this,

"Hi, my name is Rich Palmer. I work at Advanced Micro Devices in the Global Partners group on building strategic partnerships for business growth. You know my dad - Jim Palmer, from Tecumseh; he speaks highly of you."

In this prophecy, Isaiah is speaking on behalf of the Messiah, foretelling of who he will be, and what he will do in a manner that the audience clearly understood what was to come. The careful use of words gives us many points to think about.  1) "...the Lord has anointed me..." - Messiah means "Anointed One", so by making this statement Isaiah makes it clear that he is speaking on behalf of the Messiah in a prophetic manner.  2) "...preach good news to the poor." - Priests and Rabbis were anointed to represent the service to the Lord, claiming to preach classifies the Messiah in the same category as these teachers.  The difference, though, is that the good news is not just for the upper echelon but for the poor as well. The implication is that the current priests were not reaching those that needed it the most. 3) "...bind up the brokenhearted...release from darkness..." - the Messiah will come to heal the sins of the people once and for all. 4) "and the day of vengeance of our God;" - God's revenge for sin of all time will come at the second coming of the Messiah, so we have to be aware that this prophecy is actually split across multiple events in time.

Now, forward your calendar 700 years to Luke 4:16-21. Imagine the impact of standing in front of an audience of highly Priests, Rabbis, and influential leaders of law and religion and introducing yourself by reading this scripture from the ancient scrolls.  This is exactly what Jesus Christ did the very first time he was asked to preach in the synagogue.  At the conclusion of his reading of the word, he carefully rolls the scroll back into place and makes the most profound statement, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing", and thereby proclaiming that He had come to fulfill this prophecy.

Can you imagine the shock on the faces and the shouts of anger from those in attendance? I'm sure there were cries of "blasphemy, stone him"; "wait, isn't this Joseph the carpenter's son". They were blinded by their own knowledge at that time. Blinded to the point that they couldn't accept the claim made in their very presence. Put yourself in their shoes, could you have accepted it? Would you accept it if a man stood in the front of your church or synagogue this weekend and claimed the same? 

We are told that His return will be swift like a thief in the night and that His sheep will know Him. An introduction will not be necessary when He comes again.

- Rich

© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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Back in the Mitten

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“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Luke 4:24

Going home is such an awesome feeling for most people, especially for those of us that live a considerable distance away.  People say that absence makes a heart grow fonder, and I for one can attest to the truth of that statement.  My family is from Michigan, but in 1992 I left to chase dreams and success elsewhere.  First in Florida, than Massachusetts, and for the last 22 years in Texas.  I’ve raised my children in Texas (3 were born here), which officially makes me a Texan by assimilation, rather than native. 

I will always bleed blue though.  My home will always be Michigan, and every time I return it’s sweet to reminisce on days gone by. My little home town has changed, but not changed dramatically since I was a child, riding my bicycle on these streets.  Flying into Detroit, my instincts take over and the habit of driving home kicks in.  I don’t even think about where to turn or where the police might sit (yep, they still sit in the same spots), but rather the car seems to know the way.

I love the opportunity to visit with my friends and family, many of you reading this blog, and I can’t help but think of our Lord and His return to Nazareth.  He grew up there, ran the streets, played with the other Jewish boys, studied the art of carpentry, maybe even flirted with cute girls down the street, and chased puppies around the village.  When He began his ministry though, Nazareth became a memory.  For the next three years, He wandered from city to city and village to village, preaching, performing miracles, and sharing the love of the Father.  We hear of Him visiting Capernaum, Bethany, Canon, Jerusalem, Jericho, Bethlehem, Mount of Olives, Sea of Galilee, and Golan Heights, but never again of Nazareth.

He was able to separate His emotions and childhood memories from His purpose in this life.  Was He sad, when He thought of His mother, His brothers, His father?  Did they remain in Nazareth?  We don’t know a great amount of details on any of that from scripture, but Christ was 100% Man and 100% God at the same time.  I have to imagine He had to have moments of human emotion.  His purpose though took priority, and He went about the Father’s business.  We ought be doing the same. 

Our connections with friends and family provide joy in our lives.  We rely on the love and cherish the memories, and look forward to the future together.  But, we have a purpose from God above, which may or may not have anything to do with them.  Don’t let this world get in the way of serving God to your fullest.  Always keep in mind that it is Him we live for and His eternity we are pursuing.  It’s so good to be back in the mitten (Michigan) and with my friends and family again.  Now I ask myself what the Lord will have me do while I’m here.
 
© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com

He Knew His Purpose

Click Here: Read Luke 4

“Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”"  – Luke 4:20-21

His mother was Mary and his father was Joseph.  They were from Nazareth, in Galilee, and were known by the Jewish leaders of the day.  His father was a carpenter and was known in the villages around the Sea of Galilee – Tiberius, Capernaum and others.  His mother was likely known amongst the women of the villages and surrounding cities as she was seen carry for her children including Jesus.  There are records of their trip to Jerusalem during the Feast of the Passover when Jesus was 12 (Luke 2:41-50), and Jesus was observed studying in the temple with the elders and teachers.  This boy was known in and around the area.

I picture in my mind, Jesus running through the streets of Nazareth, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Tiberius playing with the other boys.  I can picture him playing with a stray puppy in the market, laughing and giggling as they would wrestle.  I imagine him skipping stones at the Sea of Galilee, while his parents shopped in the marketplace, and I see him lying on his back in a pasture of green staring up at the soft puffy clouds as they float by on a bright summer afternoon.  Jesus was a boy from Galilee who studied alongside the other boys and learned the Torah (first four books of the Bible) from the elders in the Synagogue of Nazareth.

I picture Jesus as a strong, well defined young man working alongside of Joseph in the family business of making furniture from wood.  Sweat upon his brow, calloused hands, covered in sawdust and dirt from the day’s work.  I picture him coming into his mother’s home, sitting for the evening meal and tending to the chores of the home as necessary in those days.  He grew up in Nazareth, was known by the people in town, the leaders of the Synagogue and the Pharisees of the day.  He was no stranger in Galilee by any means.

At some point He came to realize His true identity as the Son of God.  Did He realize this fact since His birth?  Did He come into this knowledge through a revelation from above or from His mother?  We don’t know.  What we do know from scripture though is that His ministry started around the age of 30 and lasted but only a few years.  As we discussed yesterday, He came into the calling of His Father in Heaven and was baptized by John in the river Jordan where God acknowledged him as the “My Son….”  We pick up in Chapter 4 with Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness for 40 days.  If we were to focus on Jesus’ responses in that dialogue alone, we could solve many of today’s problems.

Then we watch as Jesus separates Himself from the village of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30), having been rejected by the elders there for claiming to be the fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah 58:6.  He knew His purpose on this earth and spent His final two years of life pursuing nothing but that purpose – to bring salvation to the world.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, came to the earth to bring salvation for the lost.  He did not come to bring peace or to reign on earth, but to provide a way for mankind to be redeemed once again to the intended right standing with God the Father.  Many still chose to reject Him because they knew Him as the boy from Nazareth, the son of Joseph.  Even, today there are many who reject Him for that same reason, and ask – “Why would God choose to save the world through the son of a carpenter?”  There is only one way to answer these skeptics; “Because He is God and you’re not.”



© Sondove Enterprises, 2018
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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Words of a King – “Stand on Truth”

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“And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” – Luke 4:21
He journeyed for days across the hills, valleys and along the river.  Dust covered his feet and soiled the bottom of his robe.  He traveled in the heat of the day as well as the cool of the night, for he was headed home; and realized well in advance what lie before him.  The darkness covered the small village as he approached, with exception of a few homes with lanterns hanging in the window.  Making his way through the streets, there were dogs barking, and wolves in the distant hills responding with a bone chilling howl toward the full moon.  A few men wandered in the streets, likely full of the wine and having a hard time making back to their respective homes in the darkness. 

Finally though, our traveler knocks upon the door of his childhood home and embraces his mother as she steps back to let him enter.  He found relief for his tired muscles as he sits to break bread with his family once again.  He is informed that he is expected at the services in the morning bright and early, and following a deep prayer to the Father, he finds rest for the first time in days.

As the morning dawn breaks, he joins the other men from the village as they make their way to the synagogue.  Upon entering, he is welcomed home and embraced by many, then the Rabbi informs him that he will be reading from the scrolls that day.  Jesus then begins reading from the scriptures of Isaiah 61:1, and upon closing the scrolls, he shares with the elders, the teachers and the Rabbi with these words, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Shock filled the room, as men murmured with each other as to his meaning.  Some might have been declaring blasphemy under their breath, while others sat in quiet contemplation that it might actually be true.  The room became an uproar and the men filed out one by one, pressing and pushing him along with the mob.  Angered by his comments that “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”  followed by examples from the ministries of Elijah and Elisha helping others outside of their hometown rather than the widows and sick within the city walls.  The men pushed Jesus to the edge of the city hill with evil intent on his very life, for making such a claim.  In a manner that only the Son of God could do, Jesus walked right through them as if they didn’t even know he was there.  And so it began, the fact that many will hate him for the truth that he brought to bear upon that generation. 
------------------

Jesus began His ministry in Nazareth, amidst those whom He knew would not accept Him.  In His wisdom of mankind and of things eternal, He knew that it was a necessary step in establishing His presence here on earth.  For what He revealed in Nazareth would certainly proceed Him in Jerusalem and elsewhere throughout Israel.  In 3 years time the day would come where His proclamation would come to be judged and a crucifixion would need to take place. 

God’s plans and actions are not simply for the immediate situation in our life.  He is often times using something today to establish an action that will take place years down the road.  What we might see as a hardship or a concern today, could very well be the catalyst of great things to come in the future.  As Jesus stepped to the podium that Sabbath morning in Nazareth, He knew that what He was about to do would be seen as blasphemy and sacrilegious in the synagogue.  Yet, He also knew that it was a necessity for His purpose on this earth; and He was capable of following the plan the God had laid out for Him, despite the potential consequences. 

Do not fear what the Lord has in store for you today, for you do not know how it might bless you tomorrow.  Remember, God is sovereign, and in His sovereignty all things work for His good.  Do not fear the rejection of mankind for standing firm on the word of God in your daily walk.  Let God be your protector and salvation against the evils of this world.
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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Passing it On

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“After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers." – Luke 2:46-47

Twenty one, as in years. The Bible records the impact of Jesus’ life from the age of 12 through His death at the age of 33.  At the age of 12 he was in the temple with the Scribes and Pharisees, studying the word of God.  His father, Joseph, was a carpenter and his mother, Mary, was a strong, courageous woman who was loved by the one true God.  We must draw the conclusion that Jesus was raised learning and memorizing the scriptures, just like the other boys his age in Nazareth, as was the custom in those days.  For you see there was no Bible laying on the coffee table or nightstand.  There were scrolls for each book and chapter of the Torah (first five books of the bible), that had been written and re-written over the last 400 years prior to Jesus birth.  But these weren’t available to the common folk, they were stored in the Synagogue under the watch of the Pharisees and Scribes of the day.  No, Jesus would have memorized scripture from the teachings of his father and other men around Galilee.

I was fortunate enough to visit the Western Wall of the temple during one of my visits to Jerusalem many years ago.  I was invited to join a father and his family inside of the Western Wall, for their reading from Numbers in their native language.  I couldn’t understand a word that the man was saying, but to experience first-hand the love, passion and importance that this father spoke to his children with will forever be etched in my mind.  He unfolded the scroll, and read from the scriptures.  Then he had his eldest son read some as well, and then the family proceeded to pray together.  Closing the scroll, he kissed it and placed it back into the ark for storage until the next day.  This principal of reading the scriptures as a family unit was practiced for generations and generations, handed down over centuries.  In the days of Jesus the Torah was to be memorized and drawn upon for comfort, peace, law and governing.  The Holy Word of God was carried in the hearts and minds of every devout Jew and passed on to the children.

Where has this practice gone and why?  Is our life so much more under control that we no longer need to partake in the practice of teaching our children the scriptures?  I realize that we live in a much faster paced world than 1st Century AD, but by all means, this is not something we should have let fall away.  For it is in knowing the scriptures that we will be made stronger in times of struggle and strife.  As we face challenges in this life, drawing upon the wisdom found in the Holy Bible is where we will find the answers. 

I can comment to you today that this is a practice that will once again become common in the Palmer household for generations to come.  I am no longer content to study God’s word on my own and hope that my children are doing likewise.  I am going to take a proactive part in their learning and studying of God’s word.  I’m asking each of you reading this Daily Thought today, to take this practice seriously and begin anew reading scriptures with your children, grandchildren, parents and spouses daily.  Quit complaining about the demise of Christianity in the 21st century and do something about it.  Teach and learn from the One who wrote the book.       

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

What Did He Say?

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;... " - Isaiah 61:1-2(a)

This is an extremely powerful statement and prophecy to be fulfilled. I'm sure you have introduced yourself to someone in your life. Your introduction of yourself typically includes your name, perhaps where you work, what you do and references to relationships that might help the receiver to understand who you are. Perhaps something like this,

"Hi, my name is Rich Palmer. I work at Hewlett Packard in the server organization on technology strategies on the horizon. You know my dad - Jim Palmer, from Tecumseh; he speaks highly of you."

In this prophecy, Isaiah is speaking on behalf of the Messiah, foretelling of who he will be, and what he will do in a manner that the audience clearly understood what was to come. The careful use of words give us many points to think about. 1) "...the Lord has anointed me.." - Messiah means "Anointed One", so by making this statement Isaiah makes it clear that he is speaking on behalf of the Messiah in a prophetic manner. 2) "...preach good news to the poor." - priests were anointed to represent the service to the Lord, claiming to preach classifies the Messiah in the same category as the priests, the difference though is that the good news is not just for the upper echelon but for the poor as well. The implication is that the current priests were not reaching those that needed it the most. 3) "...bind up the brokenhearted...release from darkness..." - the Messiah will come to heal the sins of the people once and for all. 4) "and the day of vengeance of our God;" - God's revenge for sin of all time will come at the second coming of the Messiah, so we have to be aware that this prophecy is actually split across multiple events in time.

Now forward your calendar 700 years to Luke 4:16-21. Imagine the impact of standing in front of an audience of highly influential leaders of law and religion and introducing yourself by reading this scripture from the ancient scrolls. This is exactly what Jesus Christ did the very first time he was asked to preach in the synagogue. At the conclusion of his reading of the word, he carefully rolls the scroll back into place and makes the most profound statement, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Can you imagine the shock on the faces and the shouts of anger from those in attendance? I'm sure there were cries of "blasphemy, stone him"; "wait, isn't this Joseph the carpenter's son". They were blinded by their own knowledge at that time. Blinded to the point that they couldn't accept the claim made in their very presence. Put yourself in their shoes, could you have accepted it? Would you accept it if a man stood in the front of your church or synagogue this weekend and claimed the same? We are told that His return will be swift like a thief in the night and that His sheep will know Him. An introduction will not be necessary when He comes again.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2011
For additional Daily Thoughts, visit: http://www.10minutereader.com