Isaiah 61:2 To proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn.
BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) are abbreviations used to designate years in the Gregorian and Julian calendar. BC refers to the years before the birth of Jesus Christ and AD refers to the years after the birth of Christ. “Anno Domini”, in Latin means “in the year of the Lord”. The history of the world is marked and divided by “before” and “after” the birth of Jesus Christ. “Anno Domini” is not after death but in the year of the Lord’s arrival. The arrival of Christ Jesus was the invasion of the Lord’s dominion on Earth. His arrival brought about deliverance from the clutches of sin and chains of curses.
His arrival provided comfort to those who mourn. His arrival was to complete a divine transaction on the Cross of Calvary to exchange ‘beauty’ for the ashes, nourishing ‘oil of joy’ instead of mourning and ‘a garment of praise’ instead of despondency. Provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (vs 3).
Before Christ the mourners who were incarcerated in iniquities and incantations sprinkled ashes on themselves and sat in ashes. The mourners did not oil their hair and would tear their garments to express their regret and grief. It was a pathetic scene to see them lament for the irrecoverable loss. But in the year of the Lord’s arrival, Anno Domini (AD), Jesus came into this world to complete the transaction by turning defeat into victory, sorrow into joy and depression into praise.
Anno Domini, The year of the Lord:
1. Crown: The compassion and forgiveness of Christ uses our ashes and defeats to make crowns of royalty and victory.
2. Cross: On the cross Jesus exchanged our mourning with joy.
3. Coat: The arrival of Jesus took away the ragged lamenting garments and clothed us with glorious garments of praise.
The arrival of Jesus restored royalty, victory, joy and praise.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, you marked history by your arrival; do the same with my past, losses and defeats and make a new beginning with victory, joy and rejoicing. Amen.
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