The Divine Exchange | Ps Rob Buckingham
May 1, 2020

Text: Isaiah 61:2b-3

to comfort all who mourn,
3 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 splendour.

A brief history lesson

Isaiah 1-39 was written by Isaiah who started his ministry in the 740s BC. He died around 698 BC by being sawn in half. This section of Isaiah was written well before the captivity in Babylon.

Chapters 40-66 were written by Second Isaiah (Deutero-Isaiah) when the Jews returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity in 538 BC.

Isaiah 40:1-2, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for…”

Both men’s prophecies were compiled as the Book of Isaiah when the Hebrew Bible was composed around 200 BC.

Our text is located in the second part of Isaiah. The people are back in Jerusalem, rebuilding the city and the wall, re-establishing themselves in Israel, and it’s a hard slog. The people are despondent at the sad picture of Jerusalem and they could do with some encouragement.

Chapter 61 was the prophet’s encouragement to a discouraged people:

Isaiah 61:4-5, “They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.”
I.e. others will come and help you

The prophecy also looks forward to Messiah who will “make an everlasting covenant with them” (Vs. 8) and all nations (Vs. 11)

560 years later, Jesus stood in his home Synagogue on the Sabbath day and read from Isaiah 61. Over 2,500 years later we are reading these same words and finding encouragement in them during our time of crisis…

The Divine Exchange

“To comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes.”

Beauty instead for ashes

Beauty (Heb. p’er)
P’er refers to…
A Turban worn by a bridegroom (joyous occasion)
A Garland

Isaiah 61:10, “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

I.e. an adornment instead of ashes
Ashes were a sign of sorrow

And yet…this wonderful promise of a divine exchange…

To all who mourn
for those who grieve
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes

The oil of joy instead of mourning

Consider the sense of dislocation felt by the Jewish refugees. They had spent decades in captivity only to come home to a devastated city. They would experience a loss of familiarity, their hope turned to hopelessness, and they staggered at the enormity of the task in front of them. Enter the encouraging Word of God:

“To comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve – to bestow on them…the oil of joy instead of mourning.”

The Oil of Joy:
Gives us strength
Makes our prayers effective
Enlarges our character
Increases our health

This is just what we need at this time when many of us are experiencing similar things to the Hebrew refugees.

A garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair

Garment ~ a wrap or shawl, a loose sleeveless cloak
Despair ~ of fainting, of heaviness

The garment of praise isn’t tight, heavy, and scratchy. When you’re feeling faint and desperate start to express your praise out loud and you will experience a divine exchange…

Psalm 147:1, “How good to sing praises to our God! How delightful and how fitting!”
I.e. praise looks good on you

So, if you’re in a place of despair & heaviness, experience the Divine Exchange and put on the garment of praise. Begin to praise God for:

  1. Who God is – all His attributes
    (Merciful, loving, good, gracious, kind, longsuffering, compassionate, tender-hearted)

  2. What God does – all His actions
    (Saves, heals, provides, blesses, forgives)

  3. What God is going to do – all His promises
    2 Corinthians 1:20, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.”

  4. What we have – all His gifts
    (Life, salvation, health, strength, talents, food, friends & family, work, breath)

Enjoy the Divine Exchange ~

“Beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

Further Study & Discussion

  1. Read Isaiah 61 and think about the truth expressed. Imagine how they would feel coming back to such an enormous task of rebuilding a city. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a massive challenge? What was it? Do you feel that way now? How can God’s Word encourage you at this time?

  2. Read Nehemiah chapter 9 and list all the attributes of God that you can find.

  3. Revisit the sermon, This Kind of Joy, on the Bayside Church Website or App. How can Joy impact your life at this time?

  4. “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.” The word, Righteousness here refers to “a people who are enjoying their salvation.” Does this describe you? Why or why not?

  5. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.” Recall a time when you had a massive task to accomplish and others came to help you. How did you feel? Have you ever done that for someone? Is there someone now who could do with your help?

  6. What are your favourite comfy clothes?