Isaiah 61:1-2 NASB
[1] … The Spirit of the Lord GOD a is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; b He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; [2] To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, …
This prophetic promise is at the heart of the Gospel of Grace. Jesus came proclaiming good news to the afflicted, but in doing so He also proclaimed bad news to the afflicter. Jesus proclaimed the favorable year of The Lord to broken humanity, and He proclaimed the day of vengeance to the devil. Jesus came to minister grace to fallen human beings, and to exact justice on the enemy. He came to make things right. The word “vengeance” comes from the Hebrew word that simply means “to avenge.” If you look up the word “avenge” in the dictionary it says “to inflict harm in return for wrong done to oneself or to another.” Make no mistake about it, the story of the New Testament is not the story of the people under the attack of Satan, but instead, is a story of Satan under attack from the kingdom of heaven. Jesus announced the invasion of heaven assaulting Satan and the kingdom of darkness. He came to exact justice on the one who had inflicted such harm on humanity, and to release forgiveness, healing, and wholeness to people. We are living in the year of the Lord’s favor, and we will be trophies of God’s kindness and grace throughout all of eternity; but I believe the “day” of vengeance of our God occurred 2000 years ago at the Cross, when Jesus made a public display of the defeat of Satan. As we go forth in the name of Jesus proclaiming the favorable year the Lord to broken and fallen humanity, we are also proclaiming and enforcing the vengeance of God carried our against satan in the finished work of Christ at the Cross.