Dear God,
You allowed Your precious only Son to represent Your love and perfect character upon earth. In the Bible book called by his name Isaiah has written about salvation for people through Jesus, when He was in man’s form, at His first coming Then at His second coming, to redeem those who had loved Him, and wore Christs robe of righteous. The words of the Prophets give Gods people hope of being redeemed by Jesus and living in heaven with Him and later in the New Jerusalem, with changed sinless bodies, with all the other ransomed people, God the Father and all the heavenly beings. Isaiah 61:1-3 represent Christ, Verse 1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Through Verses 2-3 additional healing and restorative actions are promised by the Lord, bringing joy, righteousness, peace, and so glorifying Jesus.
To the priests and people present in the Synagogue, Jesus identified Himself as being the answer to the above prophecy. This occurred on the Sabbath day, after Jesus read from Isaiah. Luke 4:18-19 records the quotation that Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1-3. With all eyes upon Him, He gave the book back, and said Verse 21 “……….’today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” Few realized what an immense statement this was for those alive, and saw His work, and after His death, He unlocked the potential, to bring His promised light and healing salvation to every individual, that ever lived.
In the scriptures, firstly in Old Testament times, caring for the oppressed and helping the poor, and not taking advantage of such people, is clearly stated as what God wanted all on earth to do. Jesus ever had a heart full of tender pity and actively relieved the suffering of the oppressed, poor, sick and suffering.
For some little while, John the Baptist had been languishing in prison. Jesus was not doing what Israel had expected of the Messiah. With the help of others, doubts about Jesus being the Messiah, began to form in the mind of John the Baptist so he sent his disciples to ask questions; such as ‘should we look for another’? After a day caring for all in need, Luke 7:22 “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind sea, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.” John understood, and it was enough.
Please Jesus put within me a heart for the poor and needy of all types and nations.