To all who mourn in Israel,
    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

The God of the bible is a God of redemption. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells the story of a broken world and a God moving towards His creation to redeem His people. I love this verse in Isaiah 61. This chapter is a prophecy foretelling of the coming of Jesus to earth to save His people.

In the gospel of Luke, chapter 4 verses 18-19, Jesus quotes the beginning of this chapter in Isaiah 61 announcing that their long-awaited savior has come at last. It marks the beginning of his ministry on earth to heal the sick, set the captives free, bind up the brokenhearted, and preach the good news.

Isaiah 61 is a summary of the kingdom of God come to earth. God’s will done on earth as it is in heaven. It is the reconciliation of mankind and creation to God, a healing of the nations, restoration of everything that is broken. This is the good news. It is not a message of control and world domination. It is a message of humility and peace. Through faith in Jesus as Savior, we receive grace and forgiveness of our sins.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

Romans 3:23-25 (NLT)