We find the story in Luke 4:14-28. Jesus spent the 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, led by the Holy Spirit, yet being temped by Satan. Of course He didn’t fall for Satan’s deceptions. He then started going from town to town, synagogue to synagogue, preaching the Good News. Then He arrived in Nazareth, where He was raised. Remember, that’s where both Mary and Joseph were from. They had returned to Nazareth once God told them that King Herod had died and it was safe to return to Israel (Matthew 2).
One Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue and it was customary to have a visiting rabbi read the scripture. He was handed the scroll of Isaiah. Where does he start reading from? What we know as chapter 61. Let’s dig in…
The Gospel Account
14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” (Isaiah 61:1-2a)20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
22 Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
23 Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.
25 “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 And many in Israel had leprosy in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.”
28 When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. 29 Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, 30 but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.
Luke 4:14-30 NLT
That’s pretty amazing. “He passed right through the crowd and went on His way.” How does someone escape an angry mob that wants to throw Him off a cliff? It had to have been a divine intervention, an angel or something that allowed Him to just walk away. If you watch the video below, you’ll see what the cliff is like. It’s also the picture at the top of the blog. It’s called Mt. Precipice.
Let’s read the whole chapter in Isaiah…
Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
3 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.4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
though they have been deserted for many generations.
5 Foreigners will be your servants.
They will feed your flocks
and plow your fields
and tend your vineyards.
6 You will be called priests of the Lord,
ministers of our God.
You will feed on the treasures of the nations
and boast in their riches.
7 Instead of shame and dishonor,
you will enjoy a double share of honor.
You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.8 “For I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be recognized
and honored among the nations.
Everyone will realize that they are a people
the Lord has blessed.”10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
Isaiah 61 NLT
For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
or a bride with her jewels.
11 The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.
Everyone will praise him!
His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,
with plants springing up everywhere.
Important Points
- First, note that previously, when God would speak about Jesus Messiah, it was in the 3rd person. Now, it switches to the 1st person.
- When Jesus read the passage in the synagogue, He declared that He was the One. That prophecy was fulfilled right then and there!
- Notice that He didn’t read the whole 2nd verse. The first part described His first coming and the 2nd part describes His 2nd coming when it will be the day of God’s anger or wrath — judgment. See, first and foremost, He came to save. When He comes back, it will be with vengeance against Satan, the Antichrist and the false prophet. Had He gone on, the people would have thought that God’s anger was against the Romans. Check out the teaching from Amir Tsarfati of Behold Israel at the bottom.
- Isaiah goes on speaking of the Good News of hope…
- Heal the brokenhearted
- Free prisoners
- Comfort those who mourn (Matthew 5)
- Joyous blessing
- Crown of beauty
- Honor
- Prosperity for the land
- Everlasting Joy
Related: Your Invitation to the Wedding Feast
Going on…
Isaiah 62 – Isaiah’s Prayer for Jerusalem
Because I love Zion,
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem,
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
2 The nations will see your righteousness.
World leaders will be blinded by your glory.
And you will be given a new name
by the Lord’s own mouth.
3 The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—
a splendid crown in the hand of God.
4 Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City”
or “The Desolate Land.”
Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”
and “The Bride of God,”
for the Lord delights in you
and will claim you as his bride.
5 Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem,
just as a young man commits himself to his bride.
Then God will rejoice over you
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.6 O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength:
“I will never again hand you over to your enemies.
Never again will foreign warriors come
and take away your grain and new wine.
9 You raised the grain, and you will eat it,
praising the Lord.
Within the courtyards of the Temple,
you yourselves will drink the wine you have pressed.”10 Go out through the gates!
Isaiah 61 NLT
Prepare the highway for my people to return!
Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;
raise a flag for all the nations to see.
11 The Lord has sent this message to every land:
“Tell the people of Israel,
‘Look, your Savior is coming.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”
12 They will be called “The Holy People”
and “The People Redeemed by the Lord.”
And Jerusalem will be known as “The Desirable Place”
and “The City No Longer Forsaken.”
His promises are yet to be fulfilled. However, we know God keeps His promises! If you want to get a glimpse of what the New Jerusalem will look like, check out the study on Revelation 21 and 22.
- He will come back to judge the world at some point. Looking at the signs of the times, one can’t help but feel it will be sooner rather than later. Check out the recent Prophecy Round Table video at the bottom.
- We believers are the watchmen on the wall.
- We are called to pray for the peace — shalom — of Jerusalem.
6 Pray for peace in Jerusalem.
Psalm 122:6-9 NLT
May all who love this city prosper.
7 O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
and prosperity in your palaces.
8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
“May you have peace.”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
Last Days Timeline
In case you were wondering, here’s a simple diagram of the Biblical End Times. Right now, we are in the Church Age and we are waiting for the Rapture, which could happen at any moment. Soon after the Rapture, when all the born again believers will be taken to Heaven, the Antichrist will be revealed and the Great Tribulation will start.
The Question is… Will YOU be Left Behind?
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…