#DailyDevotion It’s The Year Of The Lord’s Favor
Luk 4:16-21 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. (17) And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, (18) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, (19) to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (20) And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. (21) And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Well Jesus had fairly just earlier started his ministry. He was baptized by John and started preaching, teaching and gathering disciples. He had just turned water into wine at a wedding nearby. So now he had come to his hometown and as was his custom he went to synagogue on the Sabbath. Now I’m not totally informed on synagogue customs but it appears he is recognized as being a rabbit as they invite Jesus to read from the appointed lesson for the day and to speak on it.
On this day it happened to be the text from Isaiah. Jesus having read it tells them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Now this would be awesome if it were true. Israel was hoping for this day to come
In fact, Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism. Starting at that point he began his ministry proclaiming the kingdom of God was at hand, to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and to believe the good news. We will see Jesus healing the blind, opening the ears of the death and the mouths of the mute. He heals the lame. To those oppressed by demon possession and affliction he give them liberty. To those bound up by the guilt of their sins he gives remission of those sins. He is proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor. Now under the law of Moses, every seven years debts were cancelled, slaves were given the opportunity to be free and on the fiftieth year that plus lands would be reverted back to the original owners. But this thing Jesus proclaims is even greater because it is on the spiritual realm.
For in Jesus and by his proclamation we who were slaves to sin and the fear of death are set free from that slavery. We who have been oppressed by the devil and his minions are relieved from that. Where we once did not understand the scriptures and were blind to their meaning he has given us his light. Where we were death to hearing his word he has opened our ears that we might believe and trust in it. The Spirit with which was anointed he anoints us with in his baptism. Finally, the world which has been under the dominion of Satan, it shall be given to us and place back under our dominion at his second advent.
Heavenly Father, grant us ears and eyes that believe Jesus is your promised anointed one and continually free us from our bondage of sin and death, to the praise and glory of your Son Jesus Christ in whose name we pray. Amen.