Jesus stood to read in the Synagogue in Nazareth and He was handed the scroll of Isaiah. This was not unexpected for this was part of the prescribed reading for that day. This was set up by the priests for the year and on this day the expected reading was Isaiah 61:1-63:9 followed by Deuteronomy 29:10-30:20. Jesus must have shocked them all when he got half-way through the 2nd verse and stopped, closed the book and returned it to the one responsible for the scrolls. It furthermore angered them when He said: “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Our subject is the last thing that He read that was part of the portion “fulfilled” at that time: to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. What did He have in mind with this statement? What is the acceptable year of the; Lord?
There are two possibilities. I held that this was speaking of the Jubilee of Leviticus 25, the restoration of all things (Acts 3:19-21), but I have changed my view since this was not fulfilled at that time. This is still prophesy that will yet be fulfilled in the future.
The other possibility which I think is correct is that the dispensation of Grace had arrived. The church age and the taking out a people for His name was acceptable to God. The other evidence for this view is what follows in Isaiah 61:2 – “And the day of vengeance of our God.” Jesus stopped just short of this in His reading, setting up a contrast between the acceptable year (fulfilled) and the day of vengeance (not yet fulfilled). The day of vengeance is after this present age and it will last for seven years, the last week (of years) of Daniel’s 70 weeks. The present dispensation of grace will last until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19b) The vengeance of God is described many times in the Bible as His judgment against His enemies. (See Is. 34:1-4, Zeph. 1:14-18, Jer. 30:5-7) It is called vengeance in Isaiah 34:8, 61:2, and 63:4. Many people know the verse above but do not really believe it because they can see for themselves that the wicked prosper and get away with murder. God will repay! Payday; is not here yet but it is coming. It is called the day of vengeance. We are still living in the acceptable year of the Lord and will until God is finished calling out a bride and brings the Church Age to a close. After that the wrath of God and the rod of iron will be displayed. Let us be thankful for the age in which we live. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18) and leave vengeance to the Lord.