If man’s biggest problem is defined as “not knowing” or “not understanding,” (see Isaiah 1:3), then God’s answer, His solution, is to send a preacher. But not just any preacher – Jesus Christ, His Son. In Isaiah 6:9-10, the prophet was told by God: “He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.”
Israel needed a preacher. But not just any preacher. They needed the Son of God who would live and embody in the most profound way the Truth from the heart and mind of God.
Even for Isaiah’s day, preaching was important. Isaiah 40:9: “Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
And in 52:7, we read: “How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
When Isaiah arrives at chapter 61, he pictures a special messenger of God, whom we know to be Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16ff), as the preacher sent from heaven. Observe these points from the text:
First (61:1), Jesus’ preaching was guided by the Holy Spirit. Back in 11:2, we saw a seven-fold blessing that would be made available to the Messiah, from the Holy Spirit. Also, in 42:1, the Servant of the Lord would have the Holy Spirit.
Second, the preaching of Jesus would have a positive element. This is illustrated in the number of infinitives (some visible in the English text, some not) that complete the reason why the Messiah would be anointed with the Holy Spirit. Those infinitives are: to bring good news (vs 1), to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord (vs 2), to comfort all who mourn, “to” give a garland instead of ashes (vs 3).
The result of His ministry work would be that His followers would be “called oaks of righteousness” (vs 3). Their lives and their faith would be stable, strong, unswerving and rooted in the Messiah.
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Third, Jesus’ preaching has a negative element to it. He is to proclaim “the day of the vengeance of our God” (vs 2). Earlier, in 35:4, Isaiah had said: “Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”
Fourth, Jesus’ preaching has as its final goal or purpose the glorification of God. Observe verse 3: “that He may be glorified.”
If our preaching is to reflect and imitate the preaching of Jesus, it needs to be guided by the Holy Spirit, through His word (1 Cor. 14:37; Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:25; 6:16)..
Our preaching must have a strong positive element: saturated with graciousness (Col. 4:6), done with patience (2 Tim. 2:24), characterized by gentleness (2 Tim. 2:25; 1 Cor. 4:21), and love (Eph. 4:15), designed to build up (1 Cor. 14:4) and intended to encourage (1 Thess. 4:18). We need to comfort the afflicted in our preaching.
But, we also need to afflict the comfortable, as the old preacher use to say (I don’t know who he is!). If one does not have courage and conviction in the truth of God’s word, he cannot, he must not be allowed to preach. The preacher of the Gospel needs to know what he believes and whom he believes.
Our preaching needs to reprove and rebuke (2 Tim. 4:2). We have to rebuke the brother who sins (Luke 17:3) and we must rebuke those who contradict the Word (Titus 1:9). We must also instruct (2 Tim. 4:2). We need to instruct those who are atheists and those who believe in premillennialism. Those who are Calvinists and Pentecostals need to be instructed. All those who have an imperfect and inaccurate understanding of the truths of God’s word need instruction.
Jesus’ preaching had as its goal the glorification of God. Our goal, in our preaching and in all that we do, needs to be the glorification of God, our Heavenly Father (Galatians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
–Paul Holland
