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b'We often think of the Old Testament as dull and dry. Some parts are filled with stories that are familiar to some of us, like Noah\\u2019s ark. But the rest of the Old Testament\\u2026eh, not so much. A lot of us don\\u2019t like to read the books of the prophets because many of them seem so full of gloom and doom. But let\\u2019s take a closer look at a small portion of a large prophecy book.\\nIsaiah is considered the earliest of Israel\\u2019s prophecy books. Isaiah wrote between 760-673 BC, and at this point the Israelites were a divided nation: two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah (where Jerusalem is) to the south. The book of Isaiah is called one of the \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153major prophets\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d because of its length (the \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153minor prophets\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d are not less important, just shorter). Isaiah\\u2019s writings are full of warnings of God\\u2019s judgment coming on the nation, but his book is also full of God\\u2019s hope, grace, and restoration that will be fulfilled in the Messiah.\\nWhen God gives prophecies, they can be for the immediate future, or they can be for a time much farther in the future (and often it\\u2019s both). From when a prophecy is first spoken or written, it could be a day, a month, or thousands of years until that prophecy is fulfilled.\\nIsaiah 61:1-3 talks about power to restore, to lift burdens, to set prisoners free, and to heal grief and broken hearts. In this passage of Scripture, Isaiah was speaking of the coming Messiah, the One God promised to send to save His people, the One the Israelites had been waiting for, for generations. Isaiah\\u2019s words tell people what to expect from this Messiah.\\nThe beauty of this passage is that we find it repeated in the New Testament by Jesus Himself. In Jewish synagogues, there are daily readings, first from the Torah (which we know as the first five books of the Bible), and also from the prophets. Each day has a specific passage to read from the scrolls. One day, Jesus went to Synagogue in Nazareth and read this passage from Isaiah, and He said, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153The Scripture you\\u2019ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d (Luke 4:21). So, while no one in Isaiah\\u2019s time saw the fruition of this message, those in Jesus\\u2019 time did, and many believed He was the Messiah! Today, if we\\u2019ve put our trust in Jesus, His death for our sins and resurrection, we can experience the freedom only He can give. \\u2022 Carol Graft\\n\\u2022 How did Jesus fulfill this Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 61:1-3)? \\n\\u2022 While God first gave these prophecies to the Israelites, the Messiah is good news for everyone! How can you pray for friends going through tough times in light of Isaiah 61:1-3? \\n\\u2026wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17b (NLT)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nPsalm 139:1-12; 143:10; John 14:16-17'