Neville Goddard on Isaiah 61:1-11 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Isaiah 61 in context

Scripture Focus

1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

4And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

5And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

6But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

7For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

8For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.

10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

11For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:1-11

Biblical Context

The Spirit of the Lord anoints a messenger to bring good news, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty, and open the prison to those bound. It envisions restoration, beauty for ashes, and a renewed life for Zion.

Neville's Inner Vision

Notice that the Spirit isn't out there somewhere; it is the I AM within you that is upon you, the same anointing Isaiah calls 'the Spirit of the Lord GOD.' This is a state of consciousness you can assume now: you are the announcer of good tidings to your own meek thoughts; you bind up the brokenhearted within as you revise old hurts. The 'acceptable year of the LORD' is the present moment when you refuse lack and declare that liberty is your steady state. See yourself wearing the garments of salvation, the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decorates himself; this is your inner attire. The desolations and debts vanish as you affirm you are named Priests of the LORD, ministers to God in your own inner temple, feeding on abundance and being blessed. Your seed thus becomes known to the inner and outer world as you radiate judgment rightly, truthfully. And as the earth brings forth its bud, so your inner life brings forth righteousness and praise; this is your living covenant with the cosmos, right now, in this moment.

Practice This Now

Close your eyes and revise any sense of lack by repeating: 'I am clothed with the garments of salvation; I am the planting of the LORD.' Feel the texture of the robe, hear the inner praise rise.