Today's (16 Feb) verse from our daily calendar is Isaiah 61:1; and Rebekah said that this should be our focus for the week.  As I read through the verse (one I read or heard hundreds of times), something struck me.  So I read through the entire chapter from different translations, and my understanding on this seemed to shift – and I saw the linkage with the current times and words that have been being released at The Gate, especially my new understanding on covenants and Jim White's message.

Background [old understanding]:
I've read through the commentaries and I've heard a lot of discussion on 'the context' of this chapter being that this is the description of 1) The Messiah, His character and office, 2) His promise of future blessing for/on the church, and 3) the church praises God for these mercies.  (And I kind of understood that, especially from the perspective of Jesus' reading and declaration of it's fulfillment in the synagogue in Nazareth [Luke 4:16-21].)  As many translations have sub-titled it, Isaiah 61 is “A prophet's mission”.  And I always thought of this as a description of Christ's ministry, one that we were 'called' to participate in.  But I had the mindset that it was Jesus who would bind up the brokenhearted, comfort the mourners, etc.; and that He would do it through Holy Spirit, with or without us being an extension of Him.  I never really sought to understand my role.  I read these verses more as a declaration of Jesus' work and left it at that.

New understanding:
But as I read and re-read through the chapter today I was struck by the pronouns.  And then I started to see it – these verses are not simply a declaration of the works and promises of Jesus (past and present): this is a sequence of events; an implied if-then statement; a new understanding of what the 'calling' is for in this time, in this country.

So, the pronouns...  The first thing that struck me was the use of 'me'.  I had always looked at the 'me' as a third party.  I guess I originally attributed 'me' to be the writer (Isaiah) or Jesus the Messiah; I never laid it out in context of myself.  As I read it, I suddenly saw this 'me' applied to me, the person.  God has anointed and qualified ME.  God has sent ME.  I am the one (with the help of Holy Spirit) to:
    -   bring the good news
    -   bind up and heal the brokenhearted
    -   proclaim liberty/freedom to the physical and
        spiritual captives
    -   open the prison and the eyes of those bound
    -   comfort all who mourn
    -   grant consolation and joy to those who mourn
        in Zion

I know that this is not really a great revelation, but to me it was (and is) the beginning of shift in my mindset.  And as I pondered this and read on I started to see the other pronoun, 'they'.

The first use of 'they' was in verse 3, and refers to those who mourn in Zion – and I began to realize that the ones 'who mourn in Zion' are the believers, the saved, the ones who have been brought to the cross/brought to Jesus but have not yet been brought thru the cross.  As Jim White said Saturday night, they are the evangelized, frustrated, disillusioned ones standing on the porch, not yet having been led through the door of Jesus into the palace.

And to them, Zion's mourners, I am to give them 'garlands instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a cloak of praise instead of a heavy spirit [despondency]'; so that 'they may be called oaks of righteousness', planted by God, for His glory.  As one translation puts it 'give them flowers in place of their sorrow, olive oil in place of tears, and joyous praise in place of broken hearts. They will be called "Trees of Justice," planted by the LORD to honor his name.'  But I think I like the Amplified translation best:

Isa 61:3 [AMP]  To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

So I am starting to better understand my role and seeking a knowledge from Holy Spirit on the how.  But my part is just the beginning, once I have done that then 'they' – the healed brokenhearted, the freed captives, the unbound, the comforted – the witnesses of Grace AND the saved (imbued with resurrection power) will be the ones that [in verse 4]
    -   shall rebuild the ancient ruins
    -   raise up the former desolations
    -   renew the ruined cities
    -   renew the devastations of many generations

And as I read the part on 'the ruined cities' and 'the devastations of many generations' I saw that this is referring to America.  Not to destroyed building and a physical wasteland I always envisioned, but to corrupted cities and moral wastelands.  At that point, I remembered Jim White's prophesy: God is giving the Bride one year, and then it is the end of the dress rehearsal.

Then Isaiah 61:5-7 made sense from the perspective that if the Bride brings the good news and binds the brokenhearted, etc.; then the healed, unbound, etc. will renew the ruins; and THEN the promise will come to fulfillment that strangers/foreigners will come forward to take care of the 'worldly' matters ('feeding your flocks', being 'your ploughmen and vinedressers') so that we [the church] can be priests of Yahweh, ministers of (and to) our God.   For a declaration of this, go here.

I know that there is more that is coming from this, and that this shift in thinking, this new mindset is taking me somewhere I do not yet know; but I wanted to share what I have to help me commit to it as well as seek confirmation of it.  Because I know that time is getting short and the season will start to change soon...

Greg Foltz