To Israel, God promised that he would hear the groaning of the prisoner and release those appointed to death, to declare his name in Zion and praise him in Jerusalem. The scene is the gathering of people from all nations to serve the Lord. (Psalms 102:18-22)

The time is future, for God says it is written for the generation to come. Thus, to Israel, God prophesied that he would bring about a generation in the future of his people who would serve and praise him.

It is a specific and particular generation noted by the definite article, "the". This will be written for "the generation" to come." (Psalms 102:18) Thus, a particular generation in Israel's future history would fulfill this Old Testament passage.

Thirdly, this generation was yet to be created. In other words, it would not be the same as the existing generations of Israel. God says, "That "a people yet to be created" may praise the Lord. Whoever this generation is, it is going to be one that God creates, hence a new people to serve the Lord.

The words "groaning" and "release" of the prisoner echo the refrain from Exodus when Israel was in bondage to Egypt. However, as God looks down from heaven he sees an even greater bondage, that of sin. He looks to the time when he would gather his people to himself from all kingdoms to worship and praise him in Zion.

We find the elements of this text completely fulfilled in the message of the New Testament in the finished work of Christ. Jesus, appearing in a synagogue in Nazareth, announced during a Sabbath day service that God had anointed him to release the captives and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18, 19)

Jesus declared that he would free the captives and those who were oppressed. The comforting of God's people resulted in their praises and God's glory. The quotation from Isaiah 61:1-3 also includes the day of vengeance which was the flip side of the coin of the Jubilee year of freedom. Knowing Jesus alluded to their coming destruction, the Jews led him out of the synagogue to the hill on which their city was built to throw him over a cliff but he escaped. (Luke 4:29)

It is Jesus' death and resurrection which effects the release of Israel in bondage to sin and the law. Hence after receiving the gospel, Paul forbids the church from being entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage, (Galatians 5:1). See also 4:9; 5:13.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul confirms that God had in fact created for himself a new people. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:9).

The new man of the gospel was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10) This man created in Christ Jesus is put on in baptism, wherein the old man is crucified. (Galatians 3:26, 27; Romans 6:5, 6)

In this new creation, praises continue without ceasing to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generation, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:21).

Peter assures us that those who had been born again, (baptized believers, 1 Peter 1:23; 3:21), were the chosen generation of whom David spoke. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9, 10)

It is this creation which Isaiah saw as the new people who would rejoice before God. For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying. (Isaiah 65:17-19) The new Jerusalem God created is the church, the bride of Christ. (Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 22:1-3).

In summary, the new creation of God's people consisted of the new Israel created in Christ Jesus. This equates to Jew and Gentile who received and obeyed the gospel in the terminal generation of Old Covenant Israel. God through Christ released them from the bondage and oppression of the law, sin and death setting them free into the liberty of God's grace in the gospel. Those who rejected Christ, the old creation of Israel, fleshly Jews who held to the Law of Moses were destroyed in God's day of vengeance upon the land when Rome destroyed Israel in 70 A.D.

Copyright © 2007 by William Bell, Jr. All Rights Reserved.