The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.

The discipline of God does not last forever. For the people of God, there is always a time of favor yet to come. There is always a time of deliverance on the horizon.

In our verse for today, Isaiah says he has been anointed by God to proclaim a time of deliverance for God’s people. Most immediately, this refers to the people of Judah who would become captives in Babylon in the future. As such, his proclamation was for a limited group of people and for a limited time frame. In Luke 4:18-21, however, Jesus tells us that this prophecy was fulfilled in Him. Jesus proclaimed a time of deliverance available to the whole human race that would last for all eternity. In Jesus, therefore, Isaiah’s prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment.

What, specifically, does Isaiah’s prophecy proclaim about deliverance for the people of God?

First, it is a proclamation of good news for the poor. The “poor” are those who have been impoverished in any way by captivity of any kind. They are those who have been oppressed by the devil and held down in circumstances less abundant than that which God intended for His people. The poor shall experience release from their sorry situation.

Second, it is a proclamation that the brokenhearted will be bound up. The “brokenhearted” are those who have been deeply affected by their captive situation. They are those who are sorry for their sins. The Lord will bind up, that is, console their broken hearts (see Psalm 34:18).

Third, it is a proclamation of freedom for the captives. The “captives” are those who have been enslaved in any sense of the term. They are those who have been held back by the devil, kept in bondage to sin. The Lord will set them free.

Finally, it is a proclamation of release from darkness for the prisoners. The “prisoners” are those who have been kept from seeing the true nature of their captivity. They are those who have been kept in the dark by the devil. The Lord will release them from darkness into His glorious light (see 1 Peter 2:9).

In Christ, the Lord is enriching, consoling, freeing, and enlightening you—and His work in you has really only just begun (see Philippians 1:6).

By John Huisman, friend of Bible League International