Isaiah
Chapter 63
Isaiah 63:1-6
1 Who is this that cometh
from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in
the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness,
mighty to save.
2 Wherefore art thou red in thine
apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in
the winefat?
3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there
was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in
my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain
all my raiment.
4 For the day of vengeance is
in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I
wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought
salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make
them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
We begin
this chapter with a question. “Who is
this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?
Bozrah is a location/city in Edom, modern Jordan. The
city is thought to be place of refuge for Israelis during the apocalypse. It is also thought to be a place of
deliverance and therefore represents Christ in the final days.
Who is “glorious in His apparel,
which” travels “in the greatness of His strength? Here we find Christ in His second coming!
When Christ Jesus returns there
shall be no mistaking His appearance!
Rev
19:16 And he hath on his vesture
and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Christ speaks in righteousness, and
He is mighty to save. However, some do not accept that description as being
Christ Jesus because it speaks of wrath, and they think that Christ Jesus works
only from a position of mercy and grace.
In verse 2, we find that He treads
the winefat, or winepress. In verse 3, He works alone in the winepress
with none to work with Him.
Also verse 3 tells us, “I will tread
them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be
sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” Many forget that
Christ acted in righteous indignation when He drove the money lenders from the
Temple.
Verses 4-6 are more graphic, “For
the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is
come. I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there
was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and
my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make
them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.”
In His return, none shall escape the
vengeance planned for those who refuse Christ Jesus!
Isaiah 63:7-14
7 I
will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and
the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us,
and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on
them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
8 For he said, Surely they are
my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
9 In all their affliction he was
afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his
pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled, and vexed his
holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought
against them.
11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his
people, saying, Where is he that brought
them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where
is he that put his holy Spirit within him?
12 That led them by the right hand of Moses with his
glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting
name?
13 That led them through the deep, as an
horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble?
14 As a beast goeth
down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou
lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.
However, no matter how ferocious
His vengeance may seem, for those who have trusted in Christ Jesus mercy is
ever-present.
Verse 7 speaks of the loving-kindnesses (Heb ḥesed-חֶסֶד) and the singing of praises (Heb tehillâ-תְּהִלָּה) of the LORD (Heb yhwh-יהוה). The loving-kindness and praises that are bestowed on us, are in accord with the goodness also given to the house
of Israel! In this time of what seems to be terror, we will not experience it
because of His mercies.
Some may find fault with the Lord singing praises, but
singing has been a normal response to God’s goodness, mercy and grace since man
was created.
We are the people of God!
We are His adopted children. And, He is our Savior!
In verse 9 we find an interesting comment, “In all their affliction He was afflicted!”
That is saying that when we are afflicted Christ is also
afflicted?
Do you recall what Christ said to Saul on the road to
Damascus?
When
Saul fell to the ground as the risen Christ appeared to him, Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me?” (Acts 9:4)
Whenever
anybody persecutes you, they are actually persecuting Christ Jesus! You are part of His body, and therefore any
affliction you suffer is affliction against Christ Jesus!
Through all the adversity we have experienced, the angel of
His presence is with us. In His pity, He has redeemed us and shall carry us
through adversity.
Israel rebelled and “vexed” His Holy Spirit. At times, He
seemed to turn away from Israel, but always with a plan for His return!
In due time, all His children cried out for His mercy! In those
times, He always issued a positive response! However, that cry must come from
the heart! When we, as sinners, reach
the bottom and cry out for His mercy and grace, He gives it!
Isaiah 63:15-19
15 Look
down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy
glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels
and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant
of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our
redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and
hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.
18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a
little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.
19 We are thine: thou never
barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name.
This is a prayer of Christians in
the midst of difficult times. “Look down from heaven, and behold from the
habitation of Your holiness and glory! Where is Your zeal
and strength? Where is your compassion for us? Why are they undemonstrated?”
Those who cry out to God continue,
“Doubtless thou are our Father,
though Abraham did not know us personally, and Israel does not acknowledge us!
You, O Yahweh, are our Father,
our Redeemer, Your name is from everlasting.
Verse 17 may seem at odds with the Gospel, however we must remember that Paul told us that God
works all things according to His will!
Eph
1:11 In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will:
Beginning in verse 17 and running
through Isaiah 64:2, and perhaps through all of chapter 64, we have a very
intense prayer for the return of Christ and the vindication of those who
believe in, trust Him.
This opening of the prayer asks, “O
LORD, why hast You made us to err from Your ways, and
hardened our heart from thy fear?”
Isaiah reflects that thought!
Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create
evil: I the LORD do all these things.
When you admit that God is
omnipotent, you will have a better understanding of His plan for the ages!
Christians ask for the “return” of
Christ! Gentiles, not Israel, are Christ’s inheritance!
Psalms
2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee
the heathen (Heb. Goyim-Gentiles) for thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
The people of God, Christians,
remind the Father that Jews have been driven from their Sanctuary in Jerusalem
and the heathen of the world, Muslims, have trampled the Temple!
Christians are now the Temple of
God! But, Satan in the form of lying liberal preachers of humanistic thought have tried to usurp God’s authority among Christians! There
is no Truth in those false leaders!
In response to the growth of
anti-Christian, humanistic churches (lower case c),
Christians cry out to the Father, “We are Yours!
“You have never ruled over them!
They are not called by Your name!”