Trees Of Righteousness
Isaiah 61:1-3
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God: To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
I do not think that anyone would imagine that Jesus was not anointed. But Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah and told us what His anointing would be for.
There was a reason why the Spirit of God was upon Jesus. He was on Jesus to anoint Him. He was anointing Jesus to do specific things.
Preach good tidings to the poor.
Heal the brokenhearted.
Proclaim liberty to the captives.
Open prison doors for those who are bound.
Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God.
Comfort all who mourn.
Console those who mourn in Zion.
Give beauty for ashes.
Give the oil of Joy for mourning.
Give the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Ten things Jesus was anointed for. Everyone one of them is good. Everyone thing Jesus was anointed for was positive and a blessing.
Why was He anointed to do these ten things?
That they who received might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
In other words, it is the goodness of God on display through Jesus benefitting those in need and transforming their lives to the glory of God. Jesus did not come to make them focus on what they didn’t have in themselves. He came to make them aware of what He could offer them if they simply believed in Him. It’s about what He has, not what I don’t have.
At the cross, Jesus took our sins, past, present, and future, and in exchange, gave us His righteousness. New Covenant ministry sets at liberty under the same anointing Jesus walked in. It is the same Holy Spirit who anoints us. The ministry of Jesus is to continue on the earth through His church. Jesus stood in the synagogue in Nazareth, where he grew up, read this passage, and then declared, “This day, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus showed us the desire of the Father to be kind, good, and generous towards those who come in faith to Christ. This is still true today. This amazing message of hope and promise needs to be resurrected in the church and taken outside it to the lost. I encourage you to be a witness for Christ to those outside the church today.