I have commanded the Ravens and
the widow woman
God sends an Angel to minister to Elijah
THE SPIRIT of the Lord God
is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach
the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has
sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to
the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and
of the eyes to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of
the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, to grant [consolation and joy] to those who
mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty
instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment
[expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit
– that they may be called oak of righteousness [lofty, strong, and
magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing
with God], the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the
former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of
many generations. Aliens shall stand [ready] and feed your flocks, and
foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But you shall
be called the priests of the Lord; people will speak of you as the
ministers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and the
glory [once that of your captors] shall be yours. Instead of your
[former] shame you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor
and reproach [your people] shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in
their land they shall possess double [what they had forfeited];
everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I the Lord love justice; I hate
robbery and wrong with violence or a burnt offering. And I will
faithfully give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an
everlasting covenant or league with them. And their offspring shall be
known among the nations and their descendants among the peoples. All
who see them [in their prosperity] will recognize and acknowledge that
they are the people whom the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice
in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with
the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a
bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as [surely as] the earth
brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to
spring forth, so [surely] the Lord God will cause rightness and justice
and praise to spring forth before all the nations [through the
self-fulfilling power of His word].