How do you handle Isaiah 61?
61 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.
Jesus quotes this as talking of himself. The rest is the fruit that his work would eventually produce in the world when certain conditions were met....which turned out to be a long long way in the future.
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.
Speaking about a national prosperity of peoples and nations who adopt varying degree's of Biblical principle in how they run their personal and national affairs due to the influence of the Gospel, the Word and his invisible government. Has been and will continue to be coming to pass all over the world.
5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers.
Speaking about how the gentiles wll also be the pastors and preachers evangelists and missionaries in the Lords farm which is the world.
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.
We are a kingly priesthood Peter says. If we do the will of God in Christ we will transform the nations. Their wealth and prosperity, their rule of law and civilization will be our glory. I say we but the good things about western civilization exist because of what our forefathers did and sacrificed. We a are to take up the baton.
7 Instead 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.
The believers in ancient Israel and then during the time of the Roman empire and everywhere else were oppressed and dispossessed. Instead of that, because of the work that went before and if we do not blow it all up but do our part. We have already and will possess the double and have everlasting joy because of our salvation.
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.
Believers turned the despotic inherantly unjust ancient world world into the free world where justice does exist. God will fight for them to keep it free and just if they walk in knowledge and faith in his word. If they do not the wicked will rule it and bring back injustice like a hammer. As you can see.
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.
To whom to people go to to find salvation or to whom to they go once they have found it? That is an acknowledgement of who the seed of Abraham are. Believers, both Jew and gentile.
10 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. 11 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 the nations.
So it happening and will continue to happen.