Isaiah 61:1-3

Title: Trees of Righteousness, the Planting of the Lord
Text: Isaiah 61:1–3
Preacher: Keith Dewell

Main Idea

Through the redemptive work of the Messiah, believers are transformed into “trees of righteousness” planted by the Lord, displaying His glory through their new life in Christ.

Key Points

• 1. The Use and Beauty of Trees in Creation

  • Trees demonstrate God's wisdom and goodness in creation.

  • They provide oxygen, food, shelter, beauty, and stability to the earth.

  • Scripture describes trees as pleasant to the sight and good for food (Genesis 2:9).

  • Their majesty reflects the majesty of their Creator.

• 2. Why the Redeemed Are Called “Trees of Righteousness”

  • Humanity was originally created in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24).

  • Through Adam’s fall, mankind lost that righteousness and became corrupted by sin.

  • Christ, the second Adam, perfectly obeyed God and His righteousness is credited to believers.

  • Those united to Christ are spiritually renewed and made strong like trees firmly planted by God.

  • The phrase “planting of the Lord” emphasizes that salvation is God’s work—He gives new life.

• 3. The Purpose of Redemption: God’s Glory

  • Isaiah 61:3 reveals a purpose statement:
    believers become trees of righteousness “that He may be glorified.”

  • Salvation is not human achievement but God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10).

  • Christ’s work produces spiritual fruit in believers that ultimately magnifies Him.

• 4. The Tree of the Cross

  • Scripture sometimes refers to Christ’s cross as a tree (Acts 5:30; Galatians 3:13).

  • Jesus, though sinless, became a curse for sinners by dying on the cross.

  • The Creator of trees was crucified on one of them.

  • Through His sacrifice, believers are redeemed from the curse of the law.

Conclusion

The redeemed are planted by God, sustained by Christ, and designed to bear fruit for His glory. The cross—though an instrument of death—became the means of life and righteousness for God’s people.

“Trees of Righteousness”

1. Biblical Theme: God Plants His People

Primary Passage

Isaiah 61:1–3

Jesus identifies Himself as the fulfillment of this prophecy in Luke 4:16–21.

Supporting Scriptures

• Psalm 1:1–3 – The righteous are like a tree planted by streams of water.

• Jeremiah 17:7–8 – Those who trust in the Lord flourish like well-watered trees.

• John 15:5 – Believers bear fruit by abiding in Christ the true vine.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 – In Christ we become a new creation.

Theme:
God Himself plants, nourishes, and sustains His people so they may bear fruit for His glory.

2. Historical and Redemptive Context

Isaiah 61 speaks prophetically about the Messiah’s mission:

• Preach good news to the poor

• Heal the brokenhearted

• Free captives

• Comfort those who mourn

In Luke 4, Jesus reads this passage and declares:

“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

This establishes that the promises of Isaiah 61 are fulfilled through Christ’s saving work.

The imagery of trees fits the larger biblical story:

• Tree of life – Genesis 2–3

• Tree of the cross – Acts 5:30

• Tree of life restored – Revelation 22

The gospel moves from the tree of the fall to the tree of redemption.

3. Westminster Confessional Connections

Westminster Confession of Faith

• WCF 6.2 – The Fall of Man

  • Humanity fell from original righteousness and became corrupted in sin.

• WCF 11 – Justification

  • Believers receive Christ’s righteousness through faith alone.

Westminster Larger Catechism

• WLC 70–73

  • Justification is an act of God’s free grace where Christ’s righteousness is imputed to believers.

Westminster Shorter Catechism

• WSC 33

  • “Justification is an act of God’s free grace… whereby He pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight…”

These confessions affirm the sermon’s teaching that believers become “trees of righteousness” only through Christ’s imputed righteousness.

4. Practical Applications

• Salvation is entirely God’s work
  Just as trees do not plant themselves, believers do not save themselves.

• Union with Christ produces fruit
  A healthy tree bears fruit; likewise, genuine faith produces obedience and holiness.

• Suffering can lead to transformation
  Christ turns “ashes into beauty” and mourning into joy.

• Our lives exist for God’s glory
  The ultimate purpose of redemption is that God would be glorified through His people

And please turn now to the Old Testament scripture in your Bibles as we consider a text from the book of Isaiah. Isaiah and the 61st chapter. Isaiah 61. And with the Lord's help, I would like to focus on the third verse where we read these words. that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. And for context, I would like to read from Isaiah chapter 61 and the first three verses. Isaiah chapter 61 verses one through three.

Hear now the words of the living and true God. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God. to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Let us bow our heads and call upon the Lord together once again. Let us pray. Oh, blessed Lord God, how wonderful it is when we read your Holy Scripture and in this place, as we read about the special calling of the Messiah, even the Lord Jesus Christ, and all the different things that he was called to do. Oh God, how edifying these words are to us this morning, but we do pray that your spirit may make them yet more edifying, and that by the gift of your, your gift of illumination, O Lord, that we might see things from these holy words that perhaps we have not seen before, and that we might draw closer to you through this means of grace. And so, Lord, we do pray that the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts would be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. For we do pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.

Well, as we read earlier this morning from the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the Lord Jesus identifies himself as the speaker of Isaiah's prophecy, which we just read here. We know this because in a synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus reads this passage and tells the people that the prophecy is fulfilled in their hearing. Of course, the people didn't like that because they clearly understood the suggestion that the Lord was making. Jesus is the Messiah. He is the long-awaited Christ who was prophesied to come, not only by Isaiah, but by many others throughout the Old Testament scripture. Indeed, he is the same one whom the people of God have been waiting for since Jehovah God made that promise to Adam and Eve in the garden.

Jesus is that seed of the woman promised in that first gospel message of the Bible that we find in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15. In that place the Lord God speaks to the serpent who, as we read in the book of Revelation in chapter 12, was that serpent of old called the devil and Satan. And we read there in the account of Genesis, and I will put intimacy between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed.

He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. But they complain, as we just read, is this not Joseph's son? And so it was true for them, as it is said in that old saying, familiarity breeds contempt. And so already, even as the Lord's ministry was just beginning, they wanted to throw him headlong over the cliff at the edge of the city. You see, it's just as it was foretold.

We see here the enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. Now, as we return to this passage in Isaiah, I want to take a closer look at a small part of this passage. As we find these words in the third verse, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. And I would like to divide our message under four observations. Four observations. First, I believe we should speak about the great use and beauty of trees as a way of looking at our text contextually from the work of creation.

And secondly, we see why the redeemed in Christ are called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. Thirdly, we see in our text here the purpose statement of Christ's work of redemption as the Messiah. And fourthly, we see how a tree was used to crucify our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me repeat those, if that would be helpful. So first, I want to just talk more generally about the great use and beauty of trees. Secondly, I want us to see why the redeemed in Christ are called trees of righteousness in the planting of the Lord. Thirdly, we see in our text the purpose statement of Christ's work of redemption. And fourthly, we see how that a tree was used to crucify the Lord of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ. But let us now turn to our first head, our first head, and that is that we should speak, I think, about the great use and beauty of trees.

Now there is no doubt about the great value of a tree, is there? Trees are a vital part of the Lord God's creation. They show his handiwork and as such they glorify their maker. A tree indeed is one of the proofs that God is real. We can just go outside of this building and look at a tree. And there's a few there, wonderful trees to look at and ask ourselves, now, could I have made that?

No, the very existence of trees testifies that not only has God made all things, but that he has made all things well. As we read at the end of God's work of creation in Genesis chapter one, verse 31, Then God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good. And trees were made well because of all the many benefits which we derive from them.

For it is through a process called photosynthesis that trees absorb carbon dioxide, which we exhale, and then they release oxygen into the air, which we need to breathe in. And so you see there's actually this kind of synergism. We understand that trees were made to coexist with mankind. Also, the roots of trees bind the soil together, preventing wind and rain from always washing away the fertile topsoil.

And then, as it is obvious, trees provide timber for construction, furniture, and paper products. And in many parts of the world, wood remains as a primary source of fuel for heating and cooking. And then again, perhaps their most obvious use is the great variety of fruits, nuts, and spices which trees produce for human and animal consumption.

As we read in God's description of the creation of trees in Genesis chapter two, verse nine. And out of the ground, the Lord God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. And so we see here that not only are trees good for food, but they are also, quote, pleasant to the sight, unquote. And we find another divine testimony about the beauty of trees in the fashioning of the golden lampstand for use in the tabernacle. The place of worship for God's people in the old times.

In Exodus chapter 25, we see the Lord God command that the lampstand should be shaped after the form and beauty of an almond tree. The lampstand was to be hammered from one talent of pure gold to form six branches, three extending out of each side of the lampstand. And these branches were to be decorated with almond blossom bowls, knobs, and flowers. And the main shaft of the lampstand would also feature four similar bowls.

But what is more, we cannot ignore the beauty of trees that we commonly encounter. and the everyday sight of leaves on trees. Leaves not only serve as visual markers for the change of seasons as we're now coming into the spring season, but also as a diverse source of beauty throughout the year. In the spring, the leaves erupt into a sea of vibrant green, while autumn transforms them into a brilliant array of crimson and gold.

And then there's the simple joy of reading a good book under the shade of a tree. And we see in that same instance that trees were used for material to construct the book. And their roots hold together the soil underneath the grassy seat below the tree. And the tree provides a cool place to rest on a sunny day.

But now, in respect to the metaphor of a tree in our text, we see that the Lord God is its source of life. As Kyla and Dalich comment at this place, the gifts of God are the sap and strength, the marrow and impulse of a new life. And the redeemed possess all the firmness and fullness of these trees with their strong trunks, their luxuriant greenery, and their perennial foliage. But let us now turn to our second head and dig a little deeper into the metaphor of our text.

And we ask this question, why are those whom Christ has redeemed called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord. Well, first, I think we need to take a step back and ask ourselves, what do we mean by righteousness? Because in our text, we read trees of righteousness. In our innocency in the garden, we were made in the true righteousness and holiness of God.

We're taught this in Ephesians 4, verse 24, where we read that we are to put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. But tragically, we lost our original righteousness by our sin. As we sinned in and fell with Adam, when he ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As we read in our Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter six, section two, by this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body. This is also what we are taught in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7, verse 29, where we read, truly this only have I found, that God has made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions. God made us upright, that is, he made us with dignity, being made in his own divine image, without any sin or guilt, but rather in perfect righteousness. But because of this original sin in the garden, our nature was radically changed from a state where we had the freedom to choose between good and evil. But now, now we've been changed to a corrupted state where we can't help but to sin. What is more, because of our total inability to do good, we are powerless to restore our original righteousness.

But the good news of the gospel Is that Lord the Lord Jesus Christ is the second Adam obeyed God and confirmed his own righteousness and as our covenantal head his righteousness is credited to us. Even as if we perfectly obeyed the Lord as Jesus did. My brothers and sisters, you and I are not able to fully comprehend how marvelous this is.

And so in our text this morning, we learn that due to the redemptive work of the Messiah, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called trees of righteousness. Edward J. Young comments and says, The figure, this figure in this text is applicable to the redeemed because through the righteousness of God, they have been made strong and durable like a tree.

Now, we must also speak on the second phrase of our text here, the planting of the Lord, the planting of the Lord. And although this phrase is put in parallel to the first, which typically in a Hebrew style, the second phrase is identical in meaning, but different with wording, and it helps to explain the first phrase. Here, it may not be doing exactly that same thing, but as they are put in parallel with one another, they are talking about something which is closely related. That is, to be called trees of righteousness is the result of being the planting of the Lord. And we see this same imagery in the previous chapter of Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 60, verse 21. We read, also your people shall all be righteous. They shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting.

The work of my hands that I may be glorified. The Lord speaks. My brothers and sisters, I want you to see how wonderful this truly is. How wonderful. For. As as young also as they have been planted by him for his own beauty. for the Lord's beauty. The planting of the Lord represents new life, which God has made. The planting is a new creation. It is to be born again.

As we read in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17. Therefore, if any, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, a new creation. old things are passed away and behold all things are become new as Matthew Henry writes the Lord was to be a planter for the church is God's husbandry and the word Lord here is the so-called tetragrammaton which literally in the Greek it means a word of four letters for in the Hebrew this name for God is a word which consists of four Hebrew letters and this word is typically translated as Jehovah or Yahweh. And so to be the planning of the Lord in the original is saying to be the planning of Jehovah. And it also means to be engrafted into Christ by faith.

In the 11th chapter of the book of Romans we see a metaphor used where the church is an olive tree. And its natural branches, which represent the Jews, have been broken off because of their unbelief. But then branches from a wild olive tree, which represent the Gentiles, like I think most of us here this morning, are grafted in. And once the fullness of the Gentiles have come in, there will be a great revival among the Jews, and many will turn in faith to Christ. This is the teaching of that 11th chapter of Romans.

And so those natural branches will be grafted once again into the covenant community of God, into the church. However, in our passage in Isaiah 61, it's not talking so much about engrafting into the church as engrafting into Christ. And for this reason, perhaps we can look to a different metaphor from scripture, which may be even more fitting. One found in a different place, such as what we see in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of John.

In John chapter 15 verse 5, the Lord Jesus says, I am the vine. You are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit. For without me, you can do nothing. To be the branches abiding in Christ is the true vine means that those in Christ have a dear and close union with him.

And when we speak about our union with Christ, theologians typically refer to Romans chapter six, verses three through five, where we read, or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death. that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also should walk in newness of life for if we have been united together in the likeness of his death certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection now remarkably in this fifth verse here in Romans When we read the words united together with Christ, in the original language it actually says that we are planted together, that we are planted together with Christ, which reminds us of our text this morning in Isaiah.

But let us turn now to our third head, our third head, and that is that we see the purpose statement of Christ's work of redemption. The purpose statement of Christ's work of redemption here in our passage. And I think this is one intriguing aspect of our text, is that it appears to be a purpose statement. For again we read, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. That He may be glorified.

And at this point in the passage, Christ is spoken of in the third person. But at the beginning of this 61st chapter of Isaiah, Christ speaks in the first person. And again, we know that Christ is the speaker of this prophecy because the Lord Jesus himself tells us that he is. So Jesus is the anointed one. of this text. He is the Christ whom his Heavenly Father sent to do all the works that he was appointed to do. Jesus was the one to come. For there's no other one appointed to come after him to fulfill this prophecy. Jesus was the one to come.

To preach good tidings to the meek and to heal the brokenhearted. To proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God. And the words go on to say that he is the one, Christ is the one, who was sent to comfort all who mourn. and to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. And then we come to our text, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. The Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished all of these things for those for whom he was anointed and sent. And they will be called by this name, or you might say will be known as trees of righteousness and the planting of the Lord. And the reason for this is simple, because that is who they will be. They will be all of what is represented by this language, the trees of righteousness and the planting of the Lord.

And this is what I mean by a purpose statement. This is the why to the what of our text. But my friends, I want you to see that this is not the only purpose for our text speaks in terms of a twofold reason. Not only Are they to be called trees of righteousness, the planning of the Lord, but also Christ our Redeemer was sent so that he may be glorified. Now, instead of seeing these as two distinct purposes, perhaps you might prefer to look at them as one purpose flowing into the other.

In other words, because of the fruit of the Lord's work of redemption, in creating trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. Because of that, then Christ will be glorified. As Matthew Henry explains at this place, all that Christ does for us to make us God's people and some ways serviceable to Him as living trees planted in the house of the Lord and flourishing in the courts of our God and all this that he may be glorified, that he may be brought to glorify him by a sincere devotion and exemplary walk with the Lord. And Christ is glorified in this messianic work because it will be evident that he is the one who has accomplished redemption for them.

It will be evident that they are His handiwork. This is what it means when we read in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10. We are His workmanship. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Christ will be glorified because we are His handiwork, the work of His own hands, not our hands, but the hands of Christ. Therefore, we will have no place for boasting because it is Christ's work, not ours. As it says also in that same place in Ephesians in the second chapter, For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

And what is more, we have this sure promise from him that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians chapter 1 verse 6. And so all things including the fruit of Christ's work of redemption will redound to the glory of God.

But let us turn now to our fourth and final head. Our fourth and final head and that is that we see how a tree was used to crucify Our Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we spoke about all the benefits of trees and how the Lord God said that they are good for food and for beauty. But we also see that the trees have been used as instruments of death. For our Lord Jesus Christ was put to death on a tree on the hill of Golgotha, which means the place of the skull. We see the Bible actually refer to the cross of Christ as a tree.

In Acts chapter 5 verse 30, Peter and the other apostles answered the council and the chief priest and said to them, The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. And in Galatians chapter three, verse 13, the apostle Paul writes, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. Do you see what this means? My brothers and sisters, listen again to what Paul says here. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. In other words, for all the sins we have committed, we should have been the ones who were cursed by hanging on a tree.

For when Christ was accursed for hanging on a tree, it was not for any sin that he had committed. Jesus was perfectly sinless. He was perfectly innocent. The thief who was converted while hanging on his own cross next to the Lord of Glory testified and said that his own condemnation was just, and he was just receiving the due reward for his deeds. But then he turns to the Lord Jesus and says, but this man, this man, that is Jesus, has done nothing wrong. Luke chapter 23 verse 41.

The holy wrath of God should have been poured out on us, Because that's what justice demanded. But Jesus took our place. If you are in Christ, Jesus took your place. And so by dying on the cross, justice for our own sins was satisfied in Christ Jesus. We understand then from the scripture that the fact that Jesus was cursed by hanging on a tree in his crucifixion was actually part of the Lord God's predetermined plan for the atonement of God's people. And as we think about Christ dying on a tree, I want you to think about this. I want you to think about this.

All of the persons of the Godhead took their part in the work of creation. This is the teaching of scripture. And in respect to the Son, the second person of the Trinity, we read in John chapter 1 verse 3, all things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made. Therefore the Son, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, made all things in creation, including trees.

And so here's the point. Christ made The very trees from which one was later used to make the cross on which he was crucified. Do you see this divine irony? What an irony. The Lord Jesus knew this would be the outcome. For his crucifixion was predetermined. As we also read in Acts in the second chapter in verse 23, Him, that is Christ, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you, that is the Jewish community of Peter's day, have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death.

Trees were made, as we read, to be pleasant to the sight. Trees magnify their maker and reflect his majesty. There's a certain quality about a tree, it's majestic, that reflects the majesty of its maker. Yet nonetheless, the tree of Calvary displayed the ugliest sight ever to be witnessed by man, the crucifixion of the Lord of glory. And yet Christ's loving act of sacrifice on the cross was the most beautiful sight that could ever be seen.

In conclusion, I would like to tell you a short story. Perhaps you've heard it before and maybe not. The house of a family caught on fire. They thought that everyone got out safely, but when they discovered the baby was missing, the mother ran back into the house. She saved her daughter, but the mother was badly burned on her hands.

And for years, she wore gloves to hide the scar tissue. Now, the daughter didn't know why her mother always wore the gloves, and she felt embarrassed by them when her mother would pick her up at school. But one day, she saw her mother's bare hands for the first time. They were rigid and looked leatherly and shiny. And without thinking, the girl said that they were the ugliest hands she had ever seen. And so for the first time, her mother explained to her about the house fire and how she had been burned while reaching the crib. And the daughter finally understood. She realized her mother's hands looked that way because she had saved her life. The daughter would never see her mother's hands in the same way again. And she asked her for forgiveness and told her that she can now see the great beauty in her mother's hands.

Let us pray together. Blessed Eternal God, You who abides in all eternity and has decreed all these things to come to pass according to Your purposes from eternity and how You work them out in Your own works of creation and providence. O God, we praise You for things that we only have a glimpse of in our understanding and how they are too wonderful for us And though your Holy Scripture reveals truth to us and so much that we are in desperate need to understand, and yet we will never know all things as you know them in and of yourself, O Lord. Even all of eternity will not be long enough for us to unfold the glorious work of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We will never run out of things to praise Him for and to praise the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever and ever.

Oh Lord, help us not to take these things lightly, but to meditate on these things, these wonderful truths that you revealed to us. May they encourage us. May they strengthen our faith. Oh Lord, we cry out like the man in the gospels. Lord, we do believe, but increase our faith. And the increase of faith comes from the hearing of your holy word.

And we pray, oh Lord, as it was opened up before not only the people, but the preacher this morning, for I am also a student like the rest. We pray, O Lord, that you may be pleased to use it, that we may grow not only in knowledge, but that we may grow more closely to you, even through the union that we have in Christ, and that we may draw closer to you, that we might have even a sense of your presence with us. Here's now, O Lord, we do pray that you would Be with us in the remainder of this worship service this morning and throughout this Christian Sabbath day. For we do pray all these things in Christ's name. Amen.

• Why does Scripture frequently use tree imagery to describe the righteous?

• What does the phrase “planting of the Lord” teach us about God’s role in salvation?

• How does Christ’s righteousness become ours according to Scripture?

• What kinds of spiritual fruit should appear in someone who is planted in Christ?

• Why is the cross described as a tree, and what theological significance does that carry?

• How can believers actively live for God’s glory in daily life?

• Messiah / Christ – The anointed Savior promised in the Old Testament.

• Righteousness – Right standing before God, fulfilled perfectly in Christ.

• Justification – God declaring sinners righteous through faith in Christ.

• Union with Christ – The spiritual connection between Christ and believers through which salvation benefits flow.

• Imputation – The crediting of Christ’s righteousness to believers.