God Heals Broken Humanity

MEMORY VERSE: “When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” —Matthew 9:36

ISAIAH 61:1-4

THE Scriptures make it abundantly clear that God’s grand design is to heal broken humanity. The Apostle Peter referred to the period when this would be accomplished as “times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-23) That which God has caused to be foretold by all his holy prophets must indeed be very important to him, as indeed it will be to all mankind.

Isaiah 61:1-4, which speaks of the Spirit of the Lord God and what it would accomplish, was quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:18-21, who said that it was being fulfilled through him. The prophet states that the Spirit of God would be an anointing power, and the word Messiah means the “anointed One.” So Jesus was the Lord’s anointed in proclaiming and making possible all the wonderful things outlined in this prophecy.

As the prophecy declares, Jesus preached good tidings to the meek. He did this by word of mouth, and he did it by illustrations through the miracles which he performed. In other words, he demonstrated that the good tidings of deliverance from death which he proclaimed could and would become a reality in God’s due time, which Peter later explained as the “times of restitution.”

There were many broken-hearted ones in Jesus’ day, even as there are today. This condition of sadness is usually caused by the loss of loved ones in death, and Jesus comforted his hearers by the assurance that the time would come when all in their graves would hear his voice and come forth. What more comforting message could there be than this! Jesus said to Martha concerning her brother Lazarus, “Thy brother shall rise again.”—John 11:23

Jesus was also sent to “proclaim liberty to the captives.” The reference here seems to be to those who are held captive by sin under the yoke of the Law.

The prophet also foretold “the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” This could well refer to these who are held prisoners in actual death. While Jesus awakened a few from the sleep of death, his glad tidings of the kingdom assured the people of the time when all death’s prisoners would be set free. Jesus’ anointing by the Spirit not only empowered him to declare the truth concerning this and other features of the divine plan, but also gave him the authority to actually accomplish these mighty deeds when the Heavenly Father’s due time arrived.

“To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” mentioned in the lesson pertains to the work of God in the earth during the Christian era. This has been the period when the Lord has accepted the sacrifices of his people.

These also, as the New Testament shows, come under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and thus become a part of the messianic company. They are authorized to preach the same message Jesus preached, and in the age to come will share with him in delivering all the prisoners of death. Paul wrote of these, “Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.”—Heb. 3:1

COLOSSIANS 1:21-23

“You, that were sometime alienated and enemies” referred to in this passage were the Gentile converts. Believing Gentiles had been brought nigh by the blood of Christ, and were now partakers of the “commonwealth of Israel.” They had inherited the promises which God had made to Israel, but were broken by most of the Israelites. The messianic company will be made up of both believing Jews and believing Gentiles.

Jesus went about all the cities and villages of the Holy land “preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Our memory verse adds, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them.” How wonderful to have a compassionate Christ!

QUESTIONS

When will broken humanity be healed?

Who besides Jesus are anointed to proclaim the glad tidings?

Who are the “alienated” and “enemies” referred to by Paul?

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