Week 18
Restoration, part 3
Isaiah 61:3
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting,
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Where is Zion?
Zion is the Hebrew name for the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and was the seat of the first and second Holy Temple. It is the most holy place in the world for Jews, seen as the connection between God and humanity.
BUT also, ZION comes from the Hebrew word tsee-yaw which is an unused root meaning to parch, A DESERT barren, drought, dry (land, place) solitary place, or wilderness.
When do we seem to CONNECT with Jesus Christ better than other times in our lives?
Would you say that when you are thirsting for HIM? When you are alone or lonely for comfort? How about when they is NO WHERE else to turn and you can’t seem to find your way back home? How about when you don’t want to come to church or be involved in anything going on at church, you don’t want to be involved with anything you just can’t produce one once of “want to”?
Do the words barren, dry, solitary place or wilderness plug into anything that you are feeling when you are not connecting with God?
So whether you are already in Zion, connecting with God or if you are in a barren spot in your life right now…Jesus came to restore you to what “should have been your normal” worshiping Him.
Jesus is proclaiming that He will grant all who mourn in Zion a garland instead of ashes.
What is a garland?
Look up garland/beauty in Strong’s Concordance for Isaiah 61:3.
What is the Hebrew number?
What is the Hebrew word?
What does the word mean?
What do you think of when you hear that definition?
I think of a crown!
Why would the Hebrew children of ashes on their head. I mean if Jesus is restoring or making new something, if He is giving us a headdress (I like crown) that is on our head, so He is replacing something already there, the ashes, with the headdress.
Why are the ashes on their head?
What do the ashes say to people who see you with ashes on your head?
Let’s look:
Job 2:12
Romans 12:15
Ezekiel 27:30
Esther 4:1
Dust and ashes in ancient times shows that you are?
If you are mourning and sad, you sure probably are not wearing that sprinkling new crown you just got from Jesus, right?
Jesus is going to make it ?
Not only is He going to give us a beautiful new headdress, BUT He is going to giving us OIL of gladness, now oil is pretty important during this time and if you ask my husband if oil is important today….he would agree….since last week when he decided to cook deer meat and sweet potato fries and we didn’t have any oil!! His meal was not very good!!
If the oil that Jesus gives us is perfumed, that kind of oil is set aside for ANNOITING PEOPLE, to show richness…what kind of people get anointed?
What kind of people get beautiful headdresses (or crowns, as I like to call them)?
If you have a beautiful new crown and some awesome smelling perfumed that you KNOW is super expensive….would you still be mourning or would you start to feel loved, wanted, cared for….I am not saying the money buys love, I am saying that usually, when someone loves you, that want you to have the best…Not only is Jesus the best, so are HIS gifts.
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
What does another Bible translation say for the word mantle?
It was like a shawl, a cloak…
Who wouldn’t like a new coat!! Hey, I am thinking mink!! I have a crown, wonderfully expensive new perfume, why wouldn’t I get a new mink coat!! Just saying!!
If you are fainting all the time…what kind of shawl or cloak to you think you would be wearing?
A HOSPITAL GOWN WITH YOUR BACK END EXPOSED!!
You are depressed, hurting, and lonely, you have been mourning, you have ashes all over your head and now you have the dingy white hospital gown on and to top it off, all the snap do not snap!! Your life stinks!!
But the Messiah is coming and He has been appointed by the KING of the World to come and make my life better!!! First, get revenge for all the bad in the world, probably even from someone who has hurt me. Second, He is going to calm me down, He is going to pull me up on His lap and tuck my head right under His chin and hold me tight and let me cry!! And let me cry!
Then, He going to look at me and say…”Girl, that is enough, OUR Father has sent me here to make sure you understand that you are HIS daughter. I am going to get the most beautiful crown ever seen by anyone, EVER!! I am going to smell so good….and my coat, my coat is amazing, I am going to stay warm, everyone will know that I am loved and that I am important and that I am a CHILD OF THE KING!!
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
What are the things that you just received?
1.
2.
3.
Do you feel pretty good about yourself right now?
Can Satan tear you down right now?
When people see you coming their mouth will fall open and flies will swim around in their mouths because they will not be able to believe that you are YOU!!
WHAT HAPPEN?
WHAT WILL YOU TELL THEM?
The last part is up to you. Are you going to let people know where you were and how you were changed?
Are you going to be a billboard for the LORD?
Or are you going to take all the credit?
My job just took off….my boss finally saw what an asset I was to the company and gave me a raise…I won the lottery!
God allowed all those things to happen….don’t forget.
