Isaiah 61:3

Isaiah 61:3

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them 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 might be glorified.

a. NLT: 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.

b. NIV: and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

c. YLT: To appoint to mourners in Zion, To give to them beauty instead of ashes, The oil of joy instead of mourning, A covering of praise for a spirit of weakness, And He is calling to them, 'Trees of righteousness, The planting of Jehovah -- to be beautified.'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion—to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit—that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

e. Septuagint: that there should be given to them that mourn in Sion glory instead of ashes, the oil of joy to the mourners, the garment of glory for the spirit of heaviness: and they shall be called generations of righteousness, the planting of the Lord for glory.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: To bring about for the mourners of Zion to give them splendor instead of ashes, oil of joy instead of mourning, a cloak of praise instead of a dim spirit. They will be called “elms of righteousness, the planting of HASHEM in which to glory.”

1. “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion…”

a. To appoint [Strong: 7760 * suwm soom or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down, ((over-))turn, X wholly, work.]

b. unto them that mourn [Strong: 57 * 'abel aw-bale' from 56; lamenting:--mourn(-er, -ing).]

c. in Zion [Strong: 6726 * Tsiyown tsee-yone' the same (regularly) as 6725; Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:--Zion.]

1). The events of the last half of the Isaiah 61:2 and all of Isaiah 61:3 will occur after the second coming of Christ.

2). Why do they mourn in Zion? The reason for the mourning in Zion is the revelation of Jesus Christ as their Messiah. The revelation is shown in Zechariah 12:10-14.

a). Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications...”

(1) This pouring out of the spirit of grace and supplications is to enable Israel to receive the revelation of Jesus as their Messiah.

(2) Contrast the above with Romans 11:7-10, in particular verse 8: “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”

(3) In Zechariah 12 God is pouring on Israel the spirit of grace and supplications and in Romans 11:8 God is reported to have poured on Israel the spirit of slumber to the extent that Israel would not see or hear their Messiah when he would come to them. But we need to look more closely at what Romans 11:8 is saying. Romans 11:8 is a combination of two verses in Isaiah. The first part is a partial quote of Isaiah 29:10, “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep…” The second part is a looser reference to Isaiah 6:9 “Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,…” On first inspection it appears that God is doing this to the people without them being able to do anything about it. But when Jesus quoted Isaiah 6:9 in Matthew 13:15, we see something profoundly different. Jesus said, “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,…” Jesus was saying their spiritual sleep was their own fault.

(4)  Just as Jesus placed the blame on the people for their spiritual condition, so it is with all of us. Peter warns us to be sober, i.e., alert spiritually, 1 Peter 5:8.

b). “…and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,…”

(1) look (5027 * nabat) To scan, i.e., look intently at; by impl. To regard with pleasure, favor or care:- (cause to) behold, consider, look (down), regard, have respect, see.

(2) They begin to look intently at this person who has powerfully rescued them. His rescue causes them to consider…they will look at the wounds in his hands and feet and side. And the revelation will flood their hearts and minds. They will realize that Jesus is their Messiah and their God. The revelation will spark the most bitter, the heaviest, and probably the longest period of mourning in Israel’s history.

c). “…and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and as one that is in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

(1) Jeremiah 6:26 “O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation…”

(2) Ashes were a common part of mourning Job 2:8; and for repenting for sin, Jonah 3:5, 6. While Job was mourning the loss of his sons and daughters, his three friends did not speak to him for 7 days, Job 2:13. “So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.”

(3) This mourning will not only be the most important of Israel’s history, it will be their most sincere and their deepest. The period of mourning for Aaron was 30 days: Numbers 20:29. The period of mourning for Moses was 30 days: Deuteronomy 34:8. The period for mourning for Jacob was a total of 77 days: Genesis 50:3, 10.

(4)  From the Scriptures listed here and others that I will list below concerning their loathing of themselves because of sin, we can  reasonably speculate that the Israelites will not speak to one another for a considerable period of time. As a nation Israel has rejected and murdered their Messiah. His innocent blood is upon them, interestingly at their own request. Matthew 27:25, “Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.”

(Cp. Deuteronomy 19:10; Matthew 23:35.)

(5) Another reason is they have lost 2/3 of their people, slaughtered by the anti-Christ: Zechariah 13:8, 9.

d). Zechariah 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

(1) Hadadrimmon (Unger’s Bible Dictionary) “A place in the valley of Megiddo, originally named after two Syrian deities. The lamentation on account of the death of good king Josiah, who lost his life in battle here, was so great as to pass into a proverb (2 Chronicles 35:20-25).

e). Zechariah 12:12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart.

(1)  There are two passages in Scripture that give some light on the fact of the husbands and wives being apart during this mourning period.

(2) Exodus 19:10-15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them them today and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

(3) 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto her husband.

7:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

(4) From these two witnesses it is shown that there are times when spiritual growth requires being sexually abstinent. This explains the phrase, “and their wives apart.”

f). Zechariah 12:13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart.

(1) Another reason for the mourning is like our own salvation experience, in that when they remember all their ungodly deeds.

(2) Ezekiel 20:42-44 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mind hand to give it to your fathers.

20:43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

20:44 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, not according to your corrupts doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

(3) Ezekiel 36:31, 32 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

(4) Isaiah 57:13-18 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

57:14And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

57:17 For the iniquity of his coveteousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on forwardly in the way of his heart.

57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

(5) The end of Isaiah 57:18, “…I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners”, so fittingly leads us to the next part, their healing.

g). Zechariah 12:14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

(1) According to Zechariah 13:8, 9, two thirds of Jewish people will be slaughtered immediately before Jesus returns.  The passages that speak of “a remnant” i.e., Romans 9:27, 28 and Isaiah 10:20-23; or “he that is left in Zion”, Isaiah 4:3; and here in Zechariah 12:14, “All the families that remain”, are all indirectly mentioning it.

2). As the Scriptures show, the mourning of Israel will be the deepest of any nation in human history. How long this mourning period will last is not stated, but surely it will last longer than the period of mourning for the patriarchs. It will be deeper than the periods of mourning that Israel experienced when Josiah died, when Job lost all his sons and daughters. The mourning process will of course occur at their realization that Jesus is their Messiah, and the comforting will follow the mourning. Chronologically this is immediately after the second coming of Christ, and immediately before the Millennial reign of Christ. Israel will enter an eternal union with her God, never to be separated again.

a). Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them 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 might be glorified.

b). Isaiah 40:1, 2 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

40:2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for her sins.

2. “…to give unto them beauty for ashes…”

a. to give [Strong: 5414 * nathan naw-than' a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.]

b. them [Strong: 1992 * hem haym or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from 1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.]

c. beauty [Strong: 6287 * p'er peh-ayr' from 6286; an embellishment, i.e. fancy head-dress:--beauty, bonnet, goodly, ornament, tire.]

d. for [Strong: 8478 * tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

e. ashes [Strong: 665 * 'epher ay'-fer from an unused root meaning to bestrew; ashes:--ashes.]

3. “…the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…”

a. the oil [Strong: 8081 * shemen sheh'-men from 8080; grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness:--anointing, X fat (things), X fruitful, oil((-ed)), ointment, olive, + pine.]

b. of joy [Strong: 8342 *  e' or sason {saw-sone'}; from 7797; cheerfulness; specifically, welcome:--gladness, joy, mirth, rejoicing.]

c. for [Strong: 8478 * tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

d. mourning [Strong: 60 * 'ebel ay'-bel from 56; lamentation:--mourning.]

e. the garment [Strong: 4594 * ma`ateh mah-at-eh' from 5844; a vestment:--garment.]

f. of praise [Strong: 8416 * thillah teh-hil-law' from 1984; laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn:--praise.]

g. for [Strong: 8478 * tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

h. the spirit [Strong: 7307 * ruwach roo'-akh from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)), tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).]

i. of heaviness [Strong: 3544 * keheh kay-heh' from 3543; feeble, obscure:--somewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, heaviness, smoking.]

4. “…that they might be called trees of righteousness…”

a. that they might be called [Strong: 7121 * qara' kaw-raw' a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.]

b. trees [Strong: 352 * 'ayil ah'-yil from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree:--mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.]

c. of righteousness [Strong: 6664 * tsedeq tseh'-dek from 6663; the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity:--X even, (X that which is altogether) just(-ice), ((un-))right(-eous) (cause, -ly, - ness).]

1). More than a few times, trees are used to illustrate man and his behaviors.

a). Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

b). Jeremiah 17:5-8 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

17:6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

17:7 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

c). Matthew 15:12, 13 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

d). Jude 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

5. “…the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

a. the planting [Strong: 4302 * matta` mat-taw' from 5193; something planted, i.e. the place (a garden or vineyard), or the thing (a plant, figuratively or men); by implication, the act, planting:--plant(-ation, -ing).]

b. of the LORD [Strong: 3068 * Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

c. that he might be glorified [Strong: 6286 * pa'ar paw-ar' a primitive root; to gleam, i.e. (causatively) embellish; figuratively, to boast; also to explain (i.e. make clear) oneself; denominative from 6288, to shake a tree:--beautify, boast self, go over the boughs, glorify (self), glory, vaunt self.]