This chapter has very descriptive pictures of Christ Jesus as the judge of creation Who metes out punishment. Once more, we cannot keep from seeing John Apocalypse in our minds as we read Isaiah's words. The first part of this chapter has Isaiah asking questions of Christ, getting answers that reveal it is He.
Isaiah
63:1 (HCSB) Who is this coming from Edom in crimson-stained garments from
Bozrah— this One who is splendid in His apparel, rising up proudly in His great
might? It is I, proclaiming vindication, powerful to save.
In
chapter 34 we read of YHWH's judgment on Edom (verses 4 & 5 speak of the
sword used therein) as well as in Ezekiel 24:12-14. When this One comes from
Edom in crimson-stained garments, this judgment is in view. Amos 1 tells of the
judgment that fell on Bozrah (verses 11 &12). In Rev 19:13 we read, "And
he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word
of God." None but Christ Jesus is this warrior, in garments that are
splendid, representing the righteous judgement of the One Who created all
things. No man other than Christ can be proud of His accomplishments and His
might, because only His works are free from sin.
So when
Isaiah asks, "Who is this?" Jesus answers, "It is I, proclaiming
vindication, powerful to save." In the New Covenant passages we read,
"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:5); "Now unto him that is able
to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of
his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 1:4); and "This ⌊Jesus⌋ is the
stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is
salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to
people, and we must be saved by it.” (Acts 4:11-12). He is the answer to the
only question that really matters: how can mortal man be reconciled to eternal
God?
Isaiah
63:2-4 (HCSB) Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads a
winepress? I trampled the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with
Me. I trampled them in My anger and ground them underfoot in My fury; their
blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. For I planned the
day of vengeance, and the year of My redemption came.
Isaiah
can't seem to comprehend why the conquering One has red-stained clothes; white
is the color of victory. Jesus' answer echoes again from what was later written
(Rev 19:13-15): "He wore a robe stained with blood, and His name is the
Word of God. The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses,
wearing pure white linen. A sharp sword came from His mouth, so that He might
strike the nations with it. He will shepherd them with an iron scepter. He will
also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty." His
robe is red because He has trampled the winepress of God's fierce anger. Note
that His armies wear white. This trampling of the winepress is spoken of in
Lamentations 1:15; Malachi 4:3; and Revelation 14, where we read (verse 20),
"the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the
press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles." As when the number
of goats and bulls that the Levitical religion required to be sacrificed each
year was astounding, so is the residue of the wicked on that great and terrible
day when the Lord of Glory has His vengeance. This is what the rest of the
answer in our passage reveals. The garments of Christ Jesus are stained by the
blood of those who would not repent, could not believe. And their doom was
sealed long ago as His day of vengeance was planned - as was the time of His
redemption of His people. This we read in the jubilee chapter, 61 and verse 2:
He came "to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of our
God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn."
Isaiah
63:5-6 (HCSB) I looked, but there was no one to help, and I was amazed that no
one assisted; so My arm accomplished victory for Me, and My wrath assisted Me. I
crushed nations in My anger; I made them drunk with My wrath and poured out
their blood on the ground.
The
victor, the judge of all flesh laments that no one came to help Him - this was
amazing! I think was written for our benefit - as we can be of no help to
Christ in our redemption, so we can be of no help to Him as He metes out
judgment. What's amazing is that we would think we are worthy to participate in
either! All of His help came from Himself, just as the Father and Spirit helped
Him in His earthly ministry. He crushed the nations in anger, made them drunk
with His wrath, and He poured out their blood on the ground. Recall the
astounding volume of blood that flowed from His winepress. There is no hope at
this point for anyone who has not found a refuge in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah
63:7-9 (HCSB) I will make known the LORD’s faithful love ⌊and⌋ the LORD’s praiseworthy acts, because of all the LORD has done for us— even
the many good things ⌊He has
done⌋ for the
house of Israel and has done for them based on His compassion and the abundance
of His faithful love. He said, “They are indeed My people, children who will
not be disloyal,” and He became their Savior. In all their suffering, He
suffered, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. He redeemed them because of
His love and compassion; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of the
past.
The
prophet responds to His Lord. He will declare the faithful love and powerful
acts that YHWH has done for them - his kinsmen of the flesh. A detailed review
of how the Lord God had been compassionate to national Israel is found in
several places, including Psalms 78:11-72 and 105:5-45. It was not due to their
status as a nation or their moral character that God had compassion on them.
His compassion on them was due entirely to His covenant to keep them as a
unique people to Himself - until the appointed time, when the promised seed
would come. In our passage here, the language of YHWH as Savior points us to
the New Covenant, wherein He saved us according to the covenant He cut, not
because of our status as a people apart from Him or any goodness He saw in us.
We are redeemed because of His love - read Ephesians 1:3-10 and 2:4-7 to see
the eternal nature of the love God has poured out upon His elect people. We are
lifted up and carried by the One Who cannot fail!
Isaiah
63:10-14 (HCSB) But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He became
their enemy ⌊and⌋ fought against them. Then He remembered the
days of the past, ⌊the days⌋ of Moses ⌊and⌋ his
people. Where is He who brought them out of the sea with the shepherds of His
flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit among the flock? He sent His
glorious arm to be at Moses’ right hand, divided the waters before them to
obtain eternal fame for Himself, and led them through the depths like a horse
in the wilderness, so that they did not stumble. Like cattle that go down into
the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. You led Your people this way
to make a glorious name for Yourself.
We switch
back to the covenant people led by Moses. Even in that covenant, rebellion
against God grieved the Holy Spirit, for He is always attending to the people
of God. Here is one difference between the old and new covenants: Rebellion
against God by those in the New Covenant do not become enemies of God; He does
not fight against us but for us. Rebellion against God by those in the Mosaic
Covenant became enemies of God, against whom He fought. For a time. For then He
thought about the covenant He made with them, as we read in Exodus 32:11-13 and
Lev 26:40-45.
In our
passage, we read of YHWH's glorious triumph over the Egyptians, with several
word pictures to show His kindness towards them, giving them rest from their
enemies on every side (Josh 21:44). All of this was done by God for the sake of
His glorious name. Not for our sake did He sacrifice Himself for us, but for
the sake of the Father's name.
Isaiah
63:15-19 (HCSB) Look down from heaven and see from Your lofty home—holy and
beautiful. Where is Your zeal and Your might? Your yearning and Your compassion
are withheld from me. Yet You are our Father, even though Abraham does not know
us and Israel doesn’t recognize us. You, Yahweh, are our Father; from ancient
times, Your name is our Redeemer. Why, Yahweh, do You make us stray from Your
ways? You harden our hearts so we do not fear You. Return, because of Your
servants, the tribes of Your heritage. Your holy people had a possession for a
little while, ⌊but⌋ our enemies have trampled down Your
sanctuary. We have become like those You never ruled over, like those not
called by Your name.
This
passage begins a prayer of lament by ethnic Israel which stretches through
chapter 64. It begins with a petition for God to look down from heaven and see
them, wanting pity and compassion (see Deut 26:15; Psalms 33:14; and 102:19). They
realized His habitation was holy and beautiful; they yearned to see His zeal
and might in defending and lifting them up. Their appeal is partially based on
Psalms 25:6 - "Remember, LORD, Your compassion and Your faithful love, for
they ⌊have
existed⌋ from
antiquity." His Word is the surest guide to what pleases Him; our emotions
are not, our circumstances are not.
Notice in
this passage that everything is of and from God - 17 times "You" and
"Your" is used, reflecting the basis of the appeal is YHWH: His
character, His might, His name. As God hardened Pharaoh's heart when he
rebelled, so He has done so with national Israel when they rebelled. They
realize this and know He must act if they are to repent and enjoy His
compassion again. Without His active, positive engagement with them, Israel knows
they will cease being His possession - trampled down and no different from
those who were not His people, those not called by His name.
Saints -
we have much in common with these souls that were in national Israel so long
ago. If God pulled back from holding us up, we would fall. If we live in and
enjoy our sin, He will harden our hearts. There is a line that cannot be
crossed: those who were made His people and reconciled to the Father by the
death of Christ CANNOT become "no longer His people." If you are in
Christ, do not harden your heart like they did in the wilderness. When you and
I grow weak and burdened by sin, the only effective recourse is to cry out God,
draw close the Christ, plead for renewed love, repentance, humility, and joy. There
is no other course that can restore us. There is nothing else that would please
God.
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