Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Isaiah Chapter 61
Metaphysically Interpreting Isaiah 61:1-11
61:1The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 61:2to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 61:3to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. 61:4And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
61:5And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers. 61:6But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 61:7Instead of your shame ye shall have double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them.
61:8For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 61:9And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which Jehovah hath blessed. 61:10I 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. 61:11For 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 the nations.
November 6, 1949: Isaiah 61:1-3
What is the effect on us of possessing a courageous spirit? We strive to give it fitting expression. Everyone who is imbued with courage desires to justify the faith that is in him. “The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah” moves us to action. “Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings ... to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” Spiritual awareness conditions us for every use to which divine love, wisdom, and power can be put, and such is the purpose of its bestowal, “that he may be glorified.”
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 01-22-2014
Material found in Unity Magazine October 1922:
UNITY 1922 October page 354-357
Lesson 5, October 29, 1922.
Unity Subject—THE SAVING POWER OF THE CHRIST WITHIN.
International Subject—WORLD-WIDE PROHIBITION.—Isaiah 61:1-9.
1. The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2. To proclaim the year of Jehovah’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.
4. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
5. And strangers shall stand and feed your nocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6. But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
7. Instead of your shame pe shall have double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them.
8. For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9. And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which Jehovah hath blessed.
Golden Text—Righteousness exalteth a nation; Rut sin is a reproach to any people.—Prov. 14:34.
Silent Prayer—The Christ Spirit satisfies mp everp longing.
Christ is the perfect spiritual man. He is the man who, in the beginning, was made in the image and likeness of God. Christ is the reality upon which the life of every man and woman is based.
When Isaiah wrote the prophesy quoted in today’s lesson, he realized the wonderful possibilities of the Christ. Jesus, the perfect manifestation of the Christ, acknowledged later at Nazareth, that Isaiah’s prophesy was fulfilled in him.
Our Christ is ever with us and is ready to preach good tidings to us, when we are meek enough to lay aside cur personal worldly wisdom and to listen to him.
The Christ within will heal our diseases, dissipate our sorrows, free us from bondage of sin, and also set us free from bondage of lack and debt.
When we listen to the Christ within, we learn that the “year,” or the time of Jehovah’s favor, is now, and that the day of vengeance is also now. We are reaping today what we have sown. Every day is a day of judgment. Christ in us dissolves the effects of error, when we put our lives into his hands, and then he brings us into the fullness of joy. Instead of mourning, we are comforted by the sustaining love of Spirit.
Verse 3 refers to the new and beautiful viewpoint of life which comes to us, when we have found the Christ within. Instead of ashes, or thoughts of worry and sorrow, our heads will be surrounded with wreaths of spiritual joy. Instead of dragging ourselves about under a weary load of the sins and sorrows of the world, we shall be filled with praise, and joy will cover us and protect us like a wonderful garment. This condition of righteousness will be as unfading as the green trees which Jehovah has planted.
Verse 4 explains how the wastes which have occurred in mind and body, because of wrong thinking and wrong living, are repaired. Even conditions of evil and sickness inherited from our ancestors are overcome by a realization of our Christ perfection.
Verse 5 shows how conditions that were once adverse, or that we did not understand (strangers), are forced to serve us and to contribute to our welfare and happiness. When one has found the Christ within, and directs his life according to the Christ standard, all outer conditions will work together for his highest good.
Every man is his own priest, and is in communication with God through the Christ mind within him. All that the Father has is Christ’s. Therefore, one who is one with Christ, literally eats of the wealth of the nations.
No matter what your shame may have been in the past, you will have a double portion of everlasting joy when you have contacted the Christ within.
God is Justice and God is Love. God is not in robbery, and iniquity, and one who believes in the reality of these is turning away from God. God’s recompense is in truth, which is everlasting. Those who live the Christ life, are continually in covenant with God; their thoughts, words, and deeds are blessing people everywhere. They are constantly radiating health, happiness, and prosperity.
Temperance based upon mere human will power, is very unstable, but temperance founded upon the inner Christ principle is everlasting. Christ satisfies all our longings, and when we have Christ we do not need strong drink to make us happy.
QUESTIONS
- 1. Who is the perfect man that God created in the beginning?
- 2. Through what agency is the true healing of disease accomplished?
- 3. What is the year of Jehovah’s favor?
- 4. Does the true Christian see a world of sorrow?
- 5. Upon what is true temperance based?
