Isaiah 63:1-10
Isa 63:1
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.
Then Isaiah asks two questions which are about the
Messiah. The first one is who comes
from Edom? Edom was the descendants
of Esau whose line became the enemy of Israel which was the line of Jacob.
It is also known as Idumea and Bozrah was the capital city.
Edom represents the enemies of God’s people because many times when the
Israelites were being attacked by outside forces, Edom would take the side of
the attackers. This person who
comes from Edom is not coming as a frightened or vanquished person but is coming
in the greatness of his strength.
The word “greatness” carries with it the meaning of “abundant.”
This person exudes abundance of strength.
Then the LORD answers those two questions that it is he and he speaks in
righteousness which means he does not speak as worldly men speak but speaks of
the salvation which imputes righteousness.
Then he states that it is “mighty to save” which means he alone has the
power to save his Elect. His
salvation can overcome any situation such as a person being in a cult or false
church or even atheism and can replace those false beliefs with the real
teachings of the LORD by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit,
Isa 63:2
Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy
garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
Then another question is asked concerning why is he red
in his apparel? This would point to
the fact that Christ bled and died for his people and his death caused his Elect
to overcome the false teachings which they were steeped in before they knew
Christ plus his death brought forth their salvation.
Then it speaks of the garments treading in the winefat.
The winefat refers to the winepress.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he
should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he
treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation
19:15)
The first point of judgment in this verse is the Lord Jesus Christ is going to
smite the nations with the sharp sword. Isaiah had recorded this very prophecy
in his book. But with righteousness
shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and
he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his
lips shall he slay the wicked. (Isaiah 11:4) The words of Christ are going
to be the criteria in which an unsaved person will be judged.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not
my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall
judge him in the last day. (John 12:48) John
also records this principle in his gospel that the words of the Lord Jesus are
going to judge the unbelievers at the last day. Matthew 25:31-46 tells us that
all the nations will be gathered before Him and it will be at that time that He
shall smite the nations as He judges the unbelievers.
Then we are told that He will rule with a rod of iron. One of the things that a
shepherd does is to destroy the enemies of the sheep which he is guarding. In
Revelation 17 & 18 we see the judgment of the kingdom of Satan. Christ has now
come to destroy the enemies of the sheep of His pasture which here is spoken of
as Edom. The words “shall rule” in the Greek means “shall shepherd.” Not only
will He rule with that rod of iron, but He will also execute the winepress of
the fierceness of the wrath of God. The word “fierceness” in the Greek carries
with it the meaning of “fury, great anger, or rage.” The second coming of Christ
will be anything but joyful to the unbelieving world, it will be devastating.
Isa 63:3
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.
Before the end of the world when all unbelievers will
suffer the winepress of God, the Lord Jesus Christ suffered the winepress of the
wrath of God for the people he came to save.
He faced that winepress alone on Calvary and all his disciples had fled
except John who was about to receive the ministry of caring for Mary.
And said to the mountains and
rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne,
and from the wrath of the Lamb: (Revelation 6:16)
Then in that section of Revelation 6, the day of the wrath of the Lamb
has come which is judgment day and it will be a day of horror for the
unbeliever. We all see Christ as
the weak man walking the dusty roads of Palestine but that is only one aspect of
him because he will judge the unbelievers with anger and fury because of their
opposition to the gospel and the people of God along with opposition to him.
Then just as a person who treads grapes in a winepress and gets their
clothes all filled with purple from the grapes, their blood shall be upon the
garments of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he
was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)
In other words, he takes full responsibility for their judgment and
sentence. The fact that their blood
is upon the garments of the Lord Jesus Christ does not mean they are become
saved instead it means they have been judged.
Isa 63:4
For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the
year of my redeemed is come.
Then the day of judgment is referred to as the day of
vengeance which the LORD reserved for himself.
When someone does us wrong because they know we are a Christian, we are
not to take any personal vengeance but allow the LORD to exact vengeance on the
enemies. God can do a more thorough
job than we can do simply because he knows everything about every situation.
This teaching is found both in the Old and New Testaments.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather
give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will
repay, saith the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their
foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at
hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. (Deuteronomy 32:35)
Then right on the heels of the day of vengeance comes the
year of the Lord’s redeemed. This
would refer to the fact that all the believers have now been saved and they have
been granted everlasting life.
And he shall set the sheep on his right
hand, but the goats on the left. (Matthew 25:33)
Geographically speaking verse 4 can also be applied to
the fact that God will destroy the Babylonians by Cyrus and the year of the
redeemed can refer to the fact that Judah will be reinstated back in the land
after 70 years.
Isa 63:5
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.
Then the Lord refers back to the fact that salvation was
wrought by him alone because there was none worthy among the angels or the
inhabitants of earth to bring salvation.
Then none of the people of the world would have been able to uphold or
maintain their salvation.
Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5)
The salvation of the true believer is upheld by Christ himself because
saved man still possesses the sinful nature in his body and many times it
overtakes us. If Christ did not
maintain our salvation, we would be in a world of hurt.
Therefore, Christ’s own power initiated it and sustains it in the lives
of all the Elect. Then the fury of
Christ also upheld him as he will bring an end to his enemies especially the
final fury on Judgment Day.
Isa 63:6
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.
Then all the enemies of God will be dealt with in a final
manner as they face the wrath of God on the last day.
Then they will be made drunk in the fury of God and that refers to the
fact that they will drink the judgment of God as a drunk drinks alcohol.
For in the hand of the LORD
there is a cup, and the wine is
red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs
thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring
them out,
and drink
them. (Psalm 75:8)
Many times in scripture the wrath of God is symbolized by a cup or its
contents.
Saying, Father, if thou be willing,
remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke
22:42) The Lord Jesus Christ was made to drink from that cup for the sake of
all the Elect. Then bringing their
strength down to the earth means everything that man has placed his faith and
security in will be brought to total destruction and judgment.
Isa 63:7
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.
Then Isaiah shifts focus and now extols the LORD for
bringing the lovingkindness to Israel which is his kindness and favor.
He mentions the fact that the LORD is to be praised for all the goodness
he has brought to Israel over the many years by freeing them from bondage and
protecting them from enemies over the last 700 years and the coming freedom from
Babylonian captivity. This mention
also includes God’s blessing upon them by giving them the scriptures and
blessing their agricultural efforts.
Then the redeemed Christian can claim the same thing that God has
bestowed upon them such mighty favor and one of the meanings of the word “grace”
is favor. The house of Israel can
also be looked upon as the body of believers or the spiritual Israel.
Isa 63:8
For he said, Surely they are my people, children
that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
Then when a person becomes saved and indwelt with the
Holy Spirit, their manner of life will change.
If they were liars, then they will no longer lie.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him,
and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (John 1:47)
The Lord Jesus Christ saw Nathanael as a true child of God in which there
was no guile which can be understood as deceit and within deceit there is always
lying as it is a necessary evil to deceive someone.
These people are the children of God and Christ is their Savior as
evidenced by the changed life that Christ gives them.
They will also keep the law of God and not embellish it with
extra-biblical requirements to keep people in bondage.
Isa 63:9
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.
Whenever a child of God faces persecution, whether it be
on an individual basis or corporately, that persecution is felt by the Lord
Jesus Christ as he made it known to Saul of Tarsus.
And he fell to the earth, and
heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:4)
It also points to the fact that God was the one who freed and protected
Israel over the last 700 years and when they rebelled against him, he felt their
rebellion as an affliction. Yet he
did not forsake them.
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to
keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
(Exodus 23:20) The angel
signified the presence of God in their lives at all times and because there was
much Elect among the nation of Israel he showered his love upon them and
redeemed them from the hands of their enemies and led them as if he carried them
upon his back going back to the days of old which would probably be from the
time he called Abraham to the time of the coming of Messiah.
Isa 63:10
But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore
he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.