Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 61:10

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Isaiah 61:10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord — These may be the words of the Jews now converted, and brought into the Church of Christ, and with the Gentiles made fellow heirs of the blessings of the new covenant.

As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments - "As the bridegroom decketh himself with a priestly crown"] An allusion to the magnificent dress of the high priest, when performing his functions; and particularly to the mitre, and crown or plate of gold on the front of it, Exodus 29:6. The bonnet or mitre of the priests also was made, as Moses expresses it, "for glory and for beauty," Exodus 28:40. It is difficult to give its full force to the prophet's metaphor in another language. The version of Aquila and Symmachus comes nearest to it: ὡς νυμφιον ἱερατευομενον στεφανῳ· "as a bridegroom decked with a priestly crown." - L.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Good news for the exiles (61:1-62:12)

God’s Spirit gives the prophet some good news to pass on to the Jews held captive in Babylon. They will be released to return to their land, but their captors will be punished (61:1-2). When they arrive in Jerusalem, they may be overcome with grief because of the ruin and devastation they see around them. But God will encourage and strengthen them so that they can rebuild their beloved city (3-4).
Foreigners will carry out the everyday duties for the Jews and contribute liberally to the national income. This will enable the Jews to concentrate on the more important matters of worshipping and serving God (5-6). God will give blessings to his people that are far beyond anything they have ever expected. In justice he will compensate them for the plundering they have suffered at the hands of their enemies (7-9).
In thanks the prophet praises God in advance for saving Israel and giving it glory, a glory that he likens to the beauty of wedding garments. As surely as seeds sprout and grow, so just as surely will God save Israel and bring praise to himself from people of all nations (10-11).
But at the time of writing, the prophet is still in Babylon and Israel has not yet been saved. The prophet will therefore not cease praying for Israel till it has been restored to its land in glory (62:1-3). The nation will then no longer be like an unfaithful wife living alone and in disgrace. Her husband still loves her and will take her back. As the deserted woman becomes happily married again, so the desolate nation will again rejoice in fellowship with Yahweh (4-5).
In Jerusalem watchmen wait expectantly for the first returning exiles. The prophet urges these watchmen to join him in unceasing prayer that God will soon fulfil his promise and bring his people back, never to be plundered again (6-9). He then commands people to go out and prepare the way for Israel’s release from Babylon and return to Jerusalem. Israel will again be known as the people whom God has redeemed (10-12).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with a garland, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth its bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth: so the Lord Jehovah will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations.”

These verses also must be identified with the New Covenant in Christ. Only “in him” is there salvation. The only true righteousness this world ever knew is “in Christ”; and those who wish to share in it must do so in the way God has directed. For any who hope to be clothed with the garments of righteousness mentioned here, there is one way for it to happen, “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, and “putting on Christ” is equivalent to putting on the righteousness of Christ. The righteous life pledged in the ceremony is also required.

Before leaving this chapter, we note that Douglas has cited at least twenty close resemblances and correspondences between this chapter and the chapters of Isaiah prior to Isaiah 40.George C. M. Douglas, pp. 393, 394.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

I wilt greatly rejoice in the Lord - This is the language of the prophet in the name of the church; or, as Vitringa supposes, the language of a chorus introduced here by the prophet. The Chaldee regards it as the language of Jerusalem, and renders it, ‘Jerusalem said, I will surely rejoice in the Lord.’ The sentiment is, that the prosperity and enlargement of Zion is an occasion of joy, and should lead to thanksgiving and praise. The phrase, ‘I will rejoice in the Lord,’ means that the joy would arise from the view of the faithfulness and perfections of Yahweh manifested in the redemption of his people. See similar expressions of joy in the song of Mary Luke 1:46-47.

For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation - That is, Jerusalem or the church.

He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness - The word rendered ‘robe’ here means mantle, or a large and loose garment thrown over the other parts of the dress. Such garments are for protection and for ornament, and the image is that of the church defended and ornamented by God (see the notes at Isaiah 49:18).

As a bridegroom decketh himself - Margin, ‘As a priest.’ The Hebrew is, ‘As a bridegroom adorns himself as a priest’ (יכהן y^ekahēn); that is, as he makes splendid his head-dress in the manner of a priest.

With ornaments - (פאי pe'ēr). With a tiara, head-dress, diadem. See the word explained in Isaiah 61:3. The Septuagint renders it, Μίτραν Mitran - ‘Mitre.’ The allusion is to the dress of the Jewish high - priest when he discharged the functions of his office, and particularly to the mitre and the plate or crown of gold which he wore in front of it Exodus 29:6. It is not easy to give full force to the metaphor of the prophet in another language. The Hebrew, as near as we can express it, is, ‘As a bridegroom attires himself as a priest with a crown or mitre.’ The version by Aquila and Symmachus comes nearest to it - Ὡς νυμφιον ἱερατευομενον στεφανῳ Hōs numphion hierateuomenon stephanō. The sense is, that the church should be adorned with the highest ornament and beauty; not for the mere purpose of decoration, but as if it were a priest engaged in offering continually the sacrifice of prayer and praise.

And as a bride - See this explained in the notes at Isaiah 49:18. The word rendered ‘jewels’ here (כלי k^elı̂y) does not of necessity mean merely jewels. It properly means an apparatus, implement, utensil, vessel; and then dress, ornament of any kind; and would be better rendered here, in a more general sense, bridal ornaments.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

10.Rejoicing I shall rejoice in Jehovah. He represents the Church as giving thanks to God, in order to convince them more fully of the truth of what he formerly said. It may be regarded as (ὑποτύτωσις) a lively description, by which the thing is, as it were, painted and laid before the eyes of men, so as to remove all doubt; for by nature we are prone to distrust, and so fickle, that we place confidence rather in the inventions of men than in the word of God. As to this form of confirmation, we have spoken at chapter 12:1; 26:1, and at other passages.

For he hath clothed me. These things were still, indeed, at a great distance, but must have been seen and understood by the eyes of faith; as the eyes should undoubtedly be raised to heaven, when the Prophet discourses concerning salvation and righteousness. Nothing is visible here, and much less could so great happiness have been perceived by the senses, while everything tended to destruction. But because even now we do not see any such beauty of the Church, which is even contemptible in the eyes of the world under the revolting dress of the cross, we need faith, which comprehends heavenly and invisible things.

With the garments of salvation. He connects “righteousness” with “salvation,” because the one cannot be separated from the other. “Garments” and “mantles” are well-known metaphors. It is as if he had said, that righteousness and salvation had been bestowed upon them. Since the Lord bestows these benefits, it follows that from him alone we should seek and expect them.

He hath adorned me. The metaphor is supposed to be drawn from priestly ornament; and accordingly there are some who speculate here about the priesthood of Christ. But I do not think that the Prophet spoke so ingeniously; for he brings forward the comparison of the bridegroom and the bride ⁽¹⁶⁸⁾ Formerly the Church lay in filth and rags, and was universally despised, as a forsaken woman; but now, having been received into favor with her husband, she shines with amazing lustre. A parallel passage occurs in Hosea 2:20. This was accomplished at the coming of Christ; but it is also bestowed upon us daily, when the Lord adorns his people with righteousness and salvation. But all these things, as we have often said already, shall be accomplished at Christ’s last coming.

(168) “‘As a bridegroom halloweth himself with ornament,’ that is, maketh himself respectable, as a priest in his secret vestments.” —Stock.
“The reference is, no doubt, to the sacerdotal mitre, which was probably regarded as a model of ornamental head-dress, and to which פאר (peer) is explicitly applied.” —Alexander.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Isaiah 61:1-11 .

We are told in the New Testament that the Old Testament prophets many times wrote of things that they did not really understand. Earnestly desiring, really, to look into these things, but they wrote as the Spirit of God inspired them. And so we find that quite often, the Old Testament prophets did not clearly understand the work of God in creating the body of Christ, the church, from among the Gentiles. Paul the apostle in talking about the church and Christ in us, the hope of glory, said that it was a mystery that was hid from the beginning of time but is now revealed. And so it is something that was not revealed until the New Testament writings and the epistles. It was something that was more or less hid from the Old Testament writers.

Now in their prophecies concerning the work and the ministry of Jesus Christ, quite often both aspects of the coming of Christ would be more or less mixed together in a single phrase or in a prophecy. So they would be prophesying of aspects of the first coming of Jesus Christ and also would go right in and prophesy of the aspects of the second coming of Jesus Christ, right in the same sentence or paragraph. And they did not really clearly see the distinction between... Well, they really didn't see the two comings of Christ. And thus it was a mystery to them the things that they wrote because they seem to be so incongruous. They spoke of the glorious reign of the Messiah and of the kingdom, sitting upon the throne of David and all of the earth flowing unto Jerusalem and all. And then they spoke about Him being despised, rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with griefs, and they just really didn't themselves understand these things of which they wrote.

For they were written for our sakes. Now with Daniel, when he was seeking further understanding, the Lord said, "Just seal it up, Daniel. It's for the time of the end. It's not really given to you to understand these things. You just wrote them, you've done your job. That's good now. But in the last days knowledge will be increased. I will give the understanding of these things. These things are written for a generation that is to come. Not written for your understanding, but for the generation that is to come and they will be understanding these things." So that as we look now at the Bible prophecies with the advantage of our history, and we can look back now and see the coming of Christ, we can see Him despised and rejected, and we can now look towards the second coming of Christ and as we see these things beginning to take place in the world around us, we say, "Oh, well that's what Daniel was talking about. Oh yes, I can see that now." And it begins to unfold to us in these days. So as we get into the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah, the prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, he actually just merges both the comings of Christ into one prophecy.

But Jesus, because He understood the two aspects of His coming, when He in the synagogue of Nazareth, turned to the prophecy of Isaiah and read this particular passage, stopped in what is right the middle of verse Isaiah 61:2 in our Bible. And at that point, He closed the scroll and said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your eyes" ( Luke 4:21 ). He didn't go on, because if you go on you are then dealing with the aspects of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Now that wasn't fulfilled that day. That won't be fulfilled until He comes again. So understanding and discerning His ministry in His first coming, He stopped right in what is the middle of the prophecy here in Isaiah for us and said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your eyes." So what was fulfilled and what is yet to be fulfilled? This is what was fulfilled:

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek ( Isaiah 61:1 );

Now in a restricted sense, this prophecy is of Jesus Christ and His ministry, who was anointed by the Spirit and went about preaching the good tidings to the meek. You remember when John the Baptist was in prison and John did not understand the prophecies concerning Jesus Christ. John was expecting Him to establish the kingdom momentarily. And when John was sitting there in prison for a while, he started getting impatient and he sent his disciples to Jesus and he said, "Are you the One that we're to look for? Or shall we start looking for someone else?" In other words, "When You going to get the show on the road? Tired of this prison life." And he was... He knew that Jesus was the One because he testified of Jesus that the Lord had told him whoever he saw the Spirit descending upon and remaining, that that was the One. And John testified of the Spirit of God descending upon Christ and resting upon Him there at His baptism. So he knew He was the One, and yet because Jesus wasn't moving right into the kingdom and setting up the kingdom and throwing out the Romans and all of this, he said, "Are you the One or shall we look for another?" And Jesus did not directly answer John's inquisition. But instead in that same hour, He healed many of the sick and He opened up the blind eyes and caused the lame to walk and so forth. And then He said to his disciples, "Just go tell John what you have seen-how that the blind have had their eyes opened, the deaf hear, the lame are walking, and to the poor the gospel is being preached. I'm fulfilling the prophecies, John. You know the Word. You know the scriptures. I'm doing the things that the scriptures said. You don't need a direct answer; yes, I am the Messiah. Just go back and tell John the things that you see. John knows the scriptures well enough. He'll know that I am the One. You don't need to look for anybody else."

"But the Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me. For the Lord has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the meek." As Jesus said, "He did not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance. For they that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick" ( Mark 2:17 ). "The Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" ( Luke 19:10 ).

I am interested in observing the ministry of Jesus Christ, His attitude towards those who were acknowledged, confessed sinners, and His attitude towards those self-righteous individuals. To the woman that was brought to Him caught in the very act of adultery, He shows great tenderness, understanding and grace. "Woman, where are your accusers?" "Sir, I guess I don't have any." "Well, neither do I condemn thee, go thy way, sin no more" ( John 8:11 ). Oh, how tender He deals with her.

To the woman of Samaria there at the well. Now she wasn't the most moral woman around. She had been married to five different men. And then finally decided marriage wasn't for her and so she was just living with a man. Some of those who think they are so modern today, that stuff has been going on for a long time. People have been immoral from the beginning. And yet Jesus in His dealing with her was so gracious, revealing to her His identity. For she said, "I know that when the Messiah comes, He's going to teach us all things." And He said, "Woman, I that speak to thee am He" ( John 4:25-26 ). Oh, the attitude of Christ towards the sinner was always beautiful. He had good news for sinning man and those that confessed and were aware of their sinful state.

To those who were righteous in themselves, He had nothing but words of vilification. He was harsh with them. "Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!" Boy, did He denounce them. If you think, "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, look upon this little child," you better think again and read Matthew's gospel twenty-two. And you'll see His attitude towards the self-righteous, self-sufficient. But, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; He's anointed Me to preach the good tidings to the meek."

he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound ( Isaiah 61:1 );

Now I believe that this particular portion of the verse refers to the ministry of Christ to those who had died before He came. "To open the prison to those that are bound." For we are told by Peter that Christ preached to those souls that were in prison. Paul tells us that He who has ascended is the same One who first of all descended into the lower parts of the earth. And when He ascended, He led the captives from their captivity. You see, from the time even before Abraham, there were those men of the Old Testament who were accounted righteous because of their faith in God. Abraham became more or less the figurehead for those who believe and had faith in God. And they were waiting for the promises of God.

Hebrews 11:1-40 tells us that "they all died in faith, not having received the promise, but seeing it afar off, they embraced it" ( Hebrews 11:13 ). They held on to it. They claimed, "I'm only a stranger and a pilgrim here. I'm only passing through. This isn't my life. This isn't where it's at. I'm looking for a city which has foundation whose maker and builder is God." They were looking for the glorious kingdom of God. And they all died in faith believing the kingdom and God to establish that kingdom. They all died in faith not having received the promise. "God having reserved something better for us that they, apart from us, couldn't be brought into the completed state" ( Hebrews 11:40 ). It was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats could put away their sin. That took the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross. So the blood sacrifices that they had made according to the old covenant covered their sin, but did not put it away. And they had to wait for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ before they could enter in to that heavenly scene.

So we are told by Peter that when Jesus died He descended into hell. He tells us the purpose of His going there, to preach to those souls that were in prison that one time were disobedient. But they believed and trusted in God. And Paul tells us when He ascended, He led the captives from their captivity. And Matthew's gospel, chapter 27, tells us that when He arose from the dead, many of the graves of the saints were open and they were seen walking in the streets of Jerusalem after His resurrection from the dead. They were released from the prison. So a part of the first coming was to release from the prison those that were bound by death. For Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth on Me, though he were dead, yet he's going to live. And he who lives and believes in Me shall never die" ( John 11:25-26 ).

We will have a transition that is necessary. This corruption must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. And I know that when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, I have a new building of God, a house that is not made with hands that is eternal in the heavens. And while I am still in this dumb old tent, I groan earnestly, desiring to move out.

You know, it's hard to get out of bed in the morning anymore. Dumb left foot of mine starting to pain first thing in the morning. I've got to walk for a few steps to get the thing operating. I never thought I'd reach this age. Hard to walk in the morning. What a tent. Wearing out. But oh, thank God, I have a building of God that's not made with hands, that's eternal in the heavens. One of these days I'm not going to die; I'm going to move from the tent into that glorious building of God. The mansion that He's prepared for me.

So to finish the aspects of His first coming:

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD ( Isaiah 61:2 ),

This is the accepted day. God's accepted time for your salvation. At this point, Jesus closed the scroll because these things dealt with the first aspect of His coming. Now Isaiah, not really seeing the two comings, goes right on and he declares,

and the day of vengeance of our God ( Isaiah 61:2 );

Well, that's not going to take place until yet future. God's vengeance and wrath is going to be poured out upon this earth. As the seals are opened, the judgments of God are going to begin to fall and the earth will enter into that period known as the Great Tribulation. And we read where the men, the chief men of the earth and the captains and so forth, will call to the rocks and the mountains and say, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the Lamb, for His day of wrath has come" ( Revelation 6:16-17 ). The day of the vengeance of our God.

Well, that won't take place until a yet future time during the Great Tribulation, and I think that it is totally inconsistent with God and the nature of God and the work of Jesus Christ to think that the church would be here during the time that God pours out His wrath upon the earth. In fact, Paul tells us in Rom 5:9 that we have not been appointed unto wrath. He tells us again in First Thessalonians Isa 5:9 that we've not been appointed unto wrath. And I think it's totally inconsistent with the nature of God to think that Christ having borne the wrath of God for our sin, that we would somehow have to face the wrath of God during the Great Tribulation.

Now as a child of God, as long as I'm in this alien world, I'm going to have tribulation. Jesus said, "In this world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world" ( John 16:33 ). Now if you were of the world, the world would love you because you'd be a part of their whole system. Because you're not of the world, they hate you. And if they haven't received Me, they're not going to receive you. They hated Me; they're going to hate you. The servant isn't greater than his Lord.

And so as a child of God walking in fellowship with God in this alien world, I can expect to have tribulation. It's not going to be easy. However, I shall surely not face the wrath of God, the Great Tribulation. And the whole vast difference is the tribulation that I face comes from Satan. The tribulation that the world is going to face comes from the vengeance of God who has declared, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" ( Romans 12:19 ).

So, "To proclaim the day of the vengeance of our God,"

and to comfort all that mourn ( Isaiah 61:2 );

Moving into the Kingdom Age.

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give them the beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called Trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified. For they shall build the old wastes ( Isaiah 61:3-4 ),

The rebuilding that will go on in that land.

they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations ( Isaiah 61:4 ).

And, of course, we see a beginning of that today. But what we see today is not really the fulfillment of this particular passage in Isaiah, because Isaiah here is going on into the Kingdom Age. That which... so much of that which is being built up now is going to be destroyed. Unfortunately, Israel is going to be the central battlefield of two more major battles. Probably the biggest and bloodiest battles in the history of the world are yet to be fought in that land. And so much of that marvellous building that is going on there today will be destroyed in the wars that are yet to come upon this nation. But this particular prophecy goes out into the Kingdom Age as they rebuild the waste and the waste cities and the desolations of many generations.

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks ( Isaiah 61:5 ),

As God restores the nation Israel. Now you hear a lot of people and even ministers who talk about the final restitution of all things, "God is going to finally save everybody. Nobody will be lost. Even Satan will repent and be brought back as a child." That is not what the Bible teaches when it speaks of the final restitution. In the final restitution, God is talking about His restitution of the nation of Israel as His people. They have been put away as an unfaithful wife and God is going to bring them back again, even as is depicted graphically in the prophecy of Hosea.

When God said, "Go out and take a wife," and he married this wife and she bore him a couple of children. She bore another child and called it Loammi. "That's not my kid." And she finally just went out and became a prostitute. Her life was marred and ruined as she made love with anybody who would come along. God finally said to Hosea, "Go find your wife and take her again and buy her. Redeem her. She's gone into slavery. Redeem her. Wash her up. Clean her up and take her as your wife again." So God spoke then through that graphic illustration of how He would bring Israel again back into a relationship with Him. For He will love her as a wife and be a husband unto them. And this goes into that area, "The stranger shall stand and feed your flocks."

and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God ( Isaiah 61:5-6 ):

The word minister is servant. I think that it's important that we remember that. We so oftentimes use that as a title of great distinction. "Oh, he's a minister." You're saying he's a slave. That's great. We ought to think of it as that. Sometimes I think, "Well, I'm a minister, you know. Give me a ten percent discount, after all, you know." And we think if I'm a minister I should have special privileges. I'm a minister. I should get in front of the line. Or I'm a... And that is totally incongruous with the true aspect of the word minister and the idea of ministry as Jesus spoke of it. He said if you're going to be chief, then learn to be the servant of all. And He taught the servanthood. He took and put a towel around Himself. Tied a towel around Himself and He went around and washed the disciples' feet. "If I being your Lord have become your servant, then learn to be servants." And so the beautiful privilege we have of serving God by serving one another. "Inasmuch as you've done it unto the least of these My brethren, you've done it unto Me" ( Matthew 25:40 ). Giving a cup of cold water, serving in the name of the Lord. God rewards us for His service. "Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all to the glory of God" ( Colossians 3:17 ). Do it as unto the Lord, knowing that of the Lord you're going to receive your reward. And so the glorious thing to be called.

Now in the book of Revelation in chapter 1, as He is giving the opening remarks, in speaking of Jesus Christ, he said, "Who hath redeemed us with His blood. Who hath made us kings and priests unto our God" ( Revelation 1:6 ). More literally, a kingdom of priests unto our God. So that is going to be a part of the ministry and the work of the church in the Kingdom Age is that we will be priests unto our God. In the fifth chapter of the book of Revelation, when Jesus takes the scroll out of the right hand of the Father and they sing the new song, it is, "Thou art worthy to take the scroll and loose the seals: for Thou was slain, and hath redeemed us by Thy blood out of all of the nations, tribes, tongues and people. And hath made us unto our God [again] a kingdom of priests: and we shall reign with Thee upon the earth" ( Revelation 5:9-10 ). And so looking forward to the glorious Kingdom Age, the place of the church will be as a kingdom of priests reigning with the Lord upon the earth.

And so, "You shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God."

ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. For your shame [talking again to Israel, the shame that they've gone through] ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD has blessed ( Isaiah 61:6-9 ).

The universal recognition of God's grace and mercy as He restores the nation Israel to that favored nation status.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness ( Isaiah 61:10 ),

This is the response, actually, to these glorious promises of God of restoration. "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He's covered me with the robe of righteousness."

as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations ( Isaiah 61:10-11 ).

Oh, that glorious day of the Lord. How we anticipate and look for it. As I look around the world today and I see the things that are happening, I pray with John, "Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus" ( Revelation 22:20 ).

This week they'll be sharing with you some of the things that the scientists are now dabbling in genetic engineering, and some of the goals that the chief geneticists have declared for genetic engineering. And some of the things that they're starting to do now, shocking things. Some of the creatures that they're beginning to create through genetic engineering. It's really shocking things that are happening in the world today. And you wonder, how far will God allow these things to go? It seems that man in the past has perhaps had periods of genetic engineering. It isn't... Man has arisen to tremendous scientific levels in the past. But whenever man seems to get to a point in development, especially as they move into the area of genetic engineering, God says, "That's it," and He cuts it off. Even as before the flood there were these creatures that were upon the earth, the giants, men of renown through genetic engineering, and God wiped them out and started all over again with Noah. You've got some very interesting things to consider this week as they share with us some of the past and some of the future from a scientific standpoint.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The benefits of the mission of the Anointed One 61:4-11

The Anointed One would fulfill God’s ancient promises to Israel.

"The Servant of Jehovah celebrates the glorious office committed to him, and expounds the substance of the gospel given him to proclaim. It points to the restoration of the promised land, and to the elevation of Israel, after its purification in the furnace of judgment, to great honour and dignity in the midst of the world of nations." [Note: Delitzsch, 2:428.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Isaiah now spoke for Zion, who rejoiced in the Lord for the gifts that He would give her in the future. Yahweh will have clothed her in garments of salvation and wrapped her in a robe of righteousness, like a bride for her wedding day. Salvation is "unto" (for the purpose of and expected results toward) righteousness. Israel’s joy in that day (the Millennium) will be like that of a bride on her wedding day, ecstatically adorned with a turban and jewels.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,.... These are not the words of the prophet spoken in his own person, rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord to his people and countrymen; nor of Christ; but of the church, especially the Jewish church, expressing her joy for benefits received, as declared in the preceding verses. The Targum is,

"Jerusalem said, rejoicing I will rejoice in the Word of the Lord;''

not in his word of promise, but in his essential Word, his Son the Messiah; in his person, offices, fulness, righteousness, and salvation:

my soul shall be joyful in my God; in Christ, in that he is God, and so able to save to the uttermost, and keep from a final and total falling, and to preserve safe to his kingdom and glory: hence his person is excellent; his blood precious; his righteousness valuable; and his sacrifice efficacious; and all matter of joy to the believer: and who also rejoices in that he is his God, "my God"; God in our nature; Immanuel, God with us; the God-man and Mediator, through whom there is access to God and acceptance with him; and who stands in near relation to his people, and has all fullness to supply their wants, and makes all he has theirs; so that, they have great reason to rejoice in him indeed. The Targum is,

"my soul shall rejoice in the salvation of my God;''

the nature of this joy may be collected from the text itself: it is not a carnal one, or the joy of a carnal man in carnal things, it is spiritual; nor a pharisaical joy, a rejoicing in a man's self, in his own works of righteousness, for this "is in the Lord"; nor is it a hypocritical one, or only externally, for it is the soul that rejoices; and it is the joy of faith, or in the Lord, as "my God"; and a very great one it is, joy unspeakable, and full of glory; and is what continues, as the matter and ground of it always does, as follows: "for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation"; with salvation as garments; the salvation of Christ, which, like garments, is without men, being wrought out by Christ; and is brought near, and applied by the spirit of Christ; and is all around, and encompasses the saints as such, and like them beautifies and adorns them, and keeps them warm and comfortable, when they have the joys of it; and which secures them from the storms of divine wrath and vengeance; and the plural number being used may denote the fulness and completeness of this salvation, from all sin, from wrath, hell, and damnation, and from every enemy: and this is matter of joy to the believer interested in it, and clothed with it; since it is a salvation so great; a garment so fitting and suitable, and had at free cost; and in which the glory of all the divine perfections is so conspicuous, as well as it being so full, complete, and perfect, and an everlasting one:

he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness: not with her own, that is a rag, and not a robe, and a filthy one too, Isaiah 64:6 and no covering, and is indeed no righteousness, properly speaking; but the righteousness of Christ, the best robe, the wedding garment, and change of raiment, which, like a robe, is upon believers, but not in them; it in Christ, and imputed to them; it covers their persons and their nakedness, and all their sins, so as not to be seen with the eye of avenging justice: to clothe and cover with it is God's act of imputation, and Christ's application of it by his Spirit, Zechariah 3:4, which, perceived by the believer, causes great joy; it being all of a piece, like Christ's seamless robe, and so pure and spotless, so perfect and complete, and so rich and glorious:

as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments; or, "adorns" himself

in a princely or priestly manner d; for the word used signifies both. The sense is, as a bridegroom puts on the best clothes he has on his wedding day, and makes the appearance of a prince in his richest robes, or as the high priest when he had on all his sacerdotal garments; so the Targum,

"as a bridegroom that flourishes in his bridechamber, and as the high priest who is adorned with his garments:''

and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels; or "implements" e; and makes herself as fine as she can, to recommend herself to her spouse and her friends: thus richly and magnificently arrayed is the church of Christ, and every believer, being clothed with his righteousness; he and they are in the same relation; he is the bridegroom, they the bride; and they are clothed alike with the garment down to the foot; and are righteous as he is righteous; and are herewith as a bride adorned and made ready for her husband; and the joy at such a solemnity fitly expresses the mutual joy of Christ and his church; see Revelation 19:7 so Christ's righteousness is compared to a wedding garment, Matthew 22:12.

d יכהן "sacerdotali more ornabit", Tigurine version; "qui sacerdotem refert ornatu", Piscator. e כליה "vasis suis", Vatablus, Montanus; "instrumentis"; Junius & Tremellius, De Dieu.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.   11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

      Some make this the song of joy and praise to be sung by the prophet in the name of Jerusalem, congratulating her on the happy change of her circumstances in the accomplishment of the foregoing promises; others make it to be spoken by Christ in the name of the New-Testament church triumphing in gospel grace. We may take in both, the former as a type of the latter. We are here taught to rejoice with holy joy, to God's honour, 1. In the beginning of this good work, the clothing of the church with righteousness and salvation,Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 61:10. Upon this account I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. Those that rejoice in God have cause to rejoice greatly, and we need not fear running into an extreme in the greatness of our joy when we make God the gladness of our joy. The first gospel song begins like this, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour,Luke 1:46; Luke 1:47. There is just matter for this joy, and all the reason in the world why it should terminate in God; for salvation and righteousness are wrought out and brought in, and the church is clothed with them. The salvation God wrought for the Jews, and that righteousness of his in which he appeared for them, and that reformation which appeared among them, made them look as glorious in the eyes of all wise men as if they had been clothed in robes of state or nuptial garments. Christ has clothed his church with an eternal salvation (and that is truly great) by clothing it with the righteousness both of justification and sanctification. The clean linen is the righteousness of saints,Revelation 19:8. Observe how these tow are put together; those, and those only, shall be clothed with the garments of salvation hereafter that are covered with the robe of righteousness now: and those garments are rich and splendid clothing, like the priestly garments (for so the word signifies) with which the bridegroom decks himself. The brightness of the sun itself is compared to them. Psalms 19:5, He is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, completely dressed. Such is the beauty of God's grace in those that are clothed with the robe of righteousness, that by the righteousness of Christ are recommended to God's favour and by the sanctification of the Spirit have God's image renewed upon them; they are decked as a bride to be espoused to God, and taken into covenant with him; they are decked as a priest to be employed for God, and taken into communion with him. 2. In the progress and continuance of this good work, Isaiah 61:11; Isaiah 61:11. It is not like a day of triumph, which is glorious for the present, but is soon over. No; the righteousness and salvation with which the church is clothed are durable clothing; so they are said to be, Isaiah 23:18; Isaiah 23:18. The church, when she is pleasing herself with the righteousness and salvation that Jesus Christ has clothed her with, rejoices to think that these inestimable blessings shall both spring for future ages and spread to distant regions. (1.) They shall spring forth for ages to come, as the fruits of the earth which are produced very year, from generation to generation. As the earth, even that which lies common, brings forth her bud, the tender grass at the return of the year, and as the garden enclosed causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth in their season, so duly, so constantly, so powerfully, and with such advantage to mankind will the Lord God cause righteousness and praise to spring forth, by virtue of the covenant of grace, as, in the former case, by virtue of the covenant of providence. See what the promised blessings are--righteousness and praise (for those that are clothed with righteousness show forth the praises of him that clothed them); these shall spring forth under the influence of the dew of divine grace. Though it may sometimes be winter with the church, when those blessings seem to wither and do not appear, yet the root of them is fixed, a spring-time will come, when through the reviving beams of the approaching Sun of righteousness they shall flourish again. (2.) They shall spread far, and spring forth before all the nations; the great salvation shall be published and proclaimed to all the world and the ends of the earth shall see it.