A Double Portion
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
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Jesus stood up in the temple and read a portion of this from the ancient scrolls, fulfilling the word (the word becoming flesh) in the beginning of His public ministry. The Good News proclaimed the Good News, His heart for the poor, broken, and those in bondage made very clear. In these words I AM proclaims His goodness- a joyful jubilee of favor.
“Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.”
This fabulously good news that Isaiah originally prophesied announces to those like I who have known great shame that instead of overwhelming emptiness, the mercy of God extends a double portion of Himself. God as their portion, they will shout for joy because this portion is so laden with grace, that they can't contain their joy!
God doesn't leave anyone out, but lavishly and generously pours out on us the riches of His heart. Our areas of lack are swallowed up in the fullness of His victory. He gives us an inheritance that far exceeds our wildest hopes and dreams, and completely overtakes all prior suffering. Any experience of suffering only deepens the gift He longs to give, and so suffering becomes worth it ("I count it all loss" Phil 3:8) in the quest to seek His face. How can I even begin to describe the beauty of this Man and Son of God, Jesus Christ, my Beloved?