A Love Story

Ladies, do you remember when your husband asked for your hand in marriage; the day you became engaged? You either were scared or excited; filled with joy and gladness.

Did you feel no one would ask for you to marry them? Did you feel as an outcast by so many in this world? Did you begin to wonder if there was any justice or love in the world that would offer you hope and joy in this life? Did trying to buy a mate not work, either?

I want to tell you a love story. It is about a person sent to preach good tidings to a potential bride. He would be the bearer of good news to a virgin unexpecting to become a bride any time soon. He was to bring good tidings to the meek, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, open prisons to them who were bound, and to comfort them who mourn. In addition, he was to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God.

His proclamation would bring justice to the meek and vengeance upon the unrighteous. The meek would understand the engagement but the evil would be told of their calamity by a just ruler; all in the same breath.

Let us read the story together. Turn to Isaiah 61. God chose to bring out the despised of Israel to become the bride of God. They were to become the talk of the nations. They were to be despised no more. God was calling them to a more excellent life before the world. They would still be despised but God would glorify them above all nations. Like your feeling of being unwanted, God wanted them; your boyfriend wanted you. You are to become the wife of __________________. Israel was to become the chosen bride of God again and returned to glory.

Isaiah 61. 61 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, 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 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.

Isaiah was sent to bring requests to all who would become the bride of God. God sought to bring good news to a captive nation who had deserted God and riled him into sending them away. They had been captive in Babylon for a long time. Punishment had to be administered for an unruly stiffnecked people who rejected his love before. Now that the discipline had been ministered and fulfilled, God was ready to seek them for his bride again. They needed to know he sought them. In all their wretchedness, God chose Israel to be his bride.

Now he promises them what he will and can do for them. When your groom requested your hand in marriage, did he not make promises to you of what he intended to perform for you? Did he not make a promise to your parents of how he would treat you all the days of your life?

Vs. 4. 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 flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. 8 For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.

The children of God would again be raised to glory before mankind. The Gentiles would do the work for them rebuilding their homes, vineyards, and tend their flocks. Israel shall receive double for their obedience and place as the bride of God. God would direct their every work in truth and righteousness. Gentiles shall know God’s bride. She shall be recognized in her gown of white. Her children and grand-children for each generation shall be recognized as the offspring of God. All who see the offspring will know the Lord has blessed them.