Isaiah 61:3 English Standard Version (ESV) to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.^{[that he may display his beauty]}

Once again we refer to the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and those who mourn for Him. Let’s begin here with Zion. Zion is said to be Jerusalem, by adding Zion to the list we are pointing to the Jews in particular, not just all who mourned.

We can relate to that as we attested to yesterday. Those same blessing granted to those people at that time are ours to claim. In that sense we can now look at each of the items as ours.

“A beautiful headdress; The Hebrews do not appear to have regarded a covering for the head as an essential article of dress. Hats were unknown. The earliest notice we have of such a thing is in connection with the sacerdotal vestments.” Source Smith’s bible Dictionary

This is a reference to our priestly service to the gospel.

Romans 15:15-16 English Standard Version

¹⁵ But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Interestingly when discussing this in emotional terms most of us look at this as the bride’s headdress. In terms of biblical references, the bride had no headdress. The closest we can come to see scripture in relation to marriage is Jacob’s first marriage to Laban’s daughter, Leah. Jacob did not know he was marrying Leah until after the wedding was performed and her veil removed.

Ashes signifies our relationship with death, ashes to ashes, but it is not until the wedding is finished that everyone gets to see who is under the veil.

“But then, we will see Him face to face.”

Isaiah 61:2 English Standard Version (ESV) to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

The Hebrew puts an emphasis on the year by proclaiming it acceptable. It is duly noted that the Lord shows favor upon this time period but shifting the attention to the Lord lessens the impact of the conditions surrounding just what the word year means in context to His acceptable favor.

In one sense a year is one measure of time. It is considered to have a beginning and an end. Since a year is as a thousand years to the Lord in His realm perhaps we should look at a year in another way.

A year is divided up by seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter. Interestingly enough the year begins with winter and yet many of us think in terms of the year beginning in the spring. That too can be significant because of our understanding of change. Seasons change and the most pleasant seems to be spring and blossoms.

The time in which the Lord’s favor is shown is the time in our lives when we accept change, to be born again, to reset the times of our lives by the seed that was sown emerging in newness of life.

The day of vengeance refers to God’s justice. He has placed the guilt of our sins upon His Son to pay the debt of our sins which held us captive.

Matthew 20:28 English Standard Version (ESV) even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Romans 6:3-4 English Standard Version

³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.