Introduction

‘Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendour, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.” Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come. I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.” Isaiah 63:1-6

GOD’S DAY OF VENGEANCE AND REDEMPTION

This chapter speaks of Jerusalem in her desolate state.

De Hoff, in his commentary, says the following.

‘In this chapter, in highly figurative speech we have a picture of the warrior returning from the conflict with Edom, Israel’s perpetual foe. He returns as a conqueror with the battle over and the victory won. This poem briefly pictures the dream of divine vengeance.’

Edom, Isaiah 63:1, is used figuratively because the ancient enemies of Israel dwelt there, Isaiah 45:19-24 / Hebrews 12:16. Bozrah, Isaiah 63:1, is Edom’s capital. The destruction of Zion’s enemies, Isaiah 63:1, is the work of the Messiah, Isaiah 63:1. The words, ‘red garments’, Isaiah 63:2, suggest one who had trod the winepress, Isaiah 63:2, would have his garments stained with the juice of grapes, Isaiah 51:17 / Psalm 75:8 / Jeremiah 25:15 / Revelation 14:18-20. Here, Christ is pictured as having overcome His enemies but shedding His blood in the process, Isaiah 63:3. The ‘year’ of redemption, Isaiah 63:4, shows the purpose of the bloodstained garments.

Pett, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Isaiah 63:4.

‘We can compare this with the acceptable year of Yahweh and the day of vengeance of our God in Isaiah 61:2. The Anointed One and the Bloodstained One are one and the same and He is involved in both those scenarios. The ‘year of my redeemed’ confirms that we are dealing with the Redeemer as well as the Judge, Isaiah 59:20.’

No man had a part in making atonement for our sins, Isaiah 63:5. Christ fought this battle alone but those who refuse to repent will be punished, Isaiah 63:6. The trampling of Edom was representative of all those nations who had fought against Israel throughout her history, Isaiah 63:6. Jesus, the King over all things, has trampled down the nations for the sake of the church, John 16:11 / Revelation 19:11-16.

Archer, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Divine judgment will be executed upon the world-power. Edom here, as in Isaiah 34:5-15, typifies the rebellious world as implacably hostile to God’s people. Christ’s garments stained with blood are red by the blood of God’s enemies to be slain at Armageddon, Revelation 19:13. The scene here is the same as in Revelation 14:18-19. A Christ-rejecting, Gospel-spurning world leaves the Lord no other alternative but to send terrible and fearful destruction when the time of his longsuffering is past.’

PRAISE AND PRAYER

‘I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Saviour. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.’ Isaiah 63:7-10

God has been faithful to His people despite their unfaithfulness. Isaiah pictures the great love which God has for those people whom He had blessed so much in the past, Isaiah 63:7-8 / Exodus 6:7. When God’s people are distressed, so is God Himself, Isaiah 63:9 / Genesis 15:13 / Exodus 1:8.

Notice that the angel of his presence saved them, Isaiah 63:9. The Hebrew word for presence is literally face, which pictures the entire Person. This same Hebrew word is used in a parallel passage, Exodus 33:14-15. Remember the word ‘angel’ in Hebrew is ‘malak’ and it simply means messenger. Who is this angel?

Oswalt, in his commentary, says the flowing.

‘Most commentators recognize that the understanding of the Holy Spirit here and in Isaiah 63:11, is close to the fully developed NT concept of the third person of the Trinity. Here he is clearly a person who is capable of being hurt by human behavior, and in Isaiah 63:11, he is the empowering and enabling presence in the human spirit. As Delitzsch says, ’He is the Spirit who is both holy in himself and capable of producing holiness.’ In Isaiah 63:12, although the adjective ’holy’ is not used, the same Spirit is the one who guides and provides for the people of God.’

Coffman, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the angel, Isaiah 63:9.

‘Inasmuch as Christ accompanied Israel in the wilderness, 1 Corinthians 10:4, and is the ‘image of God’, 2 Corinthians 4:4 / 2 Corinthians 4:6 / Colossians 1:15, and ‘the effulgence of his glory’, Hebrews 1:3, the angel of God’s presence here is probably the Word of God that became flesh, John 1:1.’

God is the enemy of those who work against His work, Lamentations 2:3-5 / Hebrews 10:31. It also discusses the lovingkindness of the Lord in the past, Isaiah 63:9, as proof that He will extend such mercy in the future if sinners will repent, Deuteronomy 6:3 / Jeremiah 7:23 / Ezekiel 11:20. Notice they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit, Isaiah 63:10 / Numbers 14:43-45 / Judges 3:8 / Judges 3:12 / Judges 4:2 / Ephesians 4:30.

Pett, in his commentary, says the following, concerning he Holy Spirit.

‘The holy Spirit’ refers to the Spirit of God in His holiness, where God had worked regularly through chosen men in distinctive power so that what they accomplished was seen to be of God. But God could be grieved within His Spirit, and then His powerful effects were withdrawn, Saul, 1 Samuel 16:14. The thought is of times when there were no Spirit-empowered leaders to lead Israel. We note that in these references to Yahweh, to the Angel of Yahweh and to His holy Spirit there is already a hint of distinctiveness and Threeness within the Godhead, yet a working of total unity.’

The Bible clearly teaches that wicked people will be punished. Israel rebelled and was punished, Isaiah 63:10. God worked against them with discipline, Isaiah 63:10, in order to preserve a remnant that would remain in the land until the coming of the Messiah.

‘Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people—where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown, who led them through the depths? Like a horse in open country, they did not stumble; like cattle that go down to the plain, they were given rest by the Spirit of the LORD. This is how you guided your people to make for yourself a glorious name.’ Isaiah 63:11-14

God, who led Moses out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, will lend aid to all who trust Him, Isaiah 63:11. When people remember what God has done in the past, it makes it easier to repent.

Moses and Aaron were Israel’s shepherds, Isaiah 63:11 / Psalms 77:19-20 / Micah 6:4, and when God delivered Israel by bringing them out of the Red Sea and He sustained them by the Holy Spirit who worked within them, Isaiah 63:11 / Numbers 11:17 / Numbers 11:25.

Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.

‘In these chapters, we have the angel of God’s presence, the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and God Himself, the three persons of the Godhead, all working on behalf of Israel, their rebellion, therefore, was against the total Godhead.’

He defended them by bringing the waters of the Red Sea upon the Egyptian army, Isaiah 63:12. He did all this in order to give evidence to the world that He was the only God and that Israel was His people, Exodus 9:16. God led Israel safely through the wilderness for forty years in order to bring them to the land of promise, Isaiah 63:13. Israel was to be His glory, Isaiah 63:14 / Isaiah 46:13.

Pett, in his commentary, says the following.

‘When they arrived in Canaan, it was He Who had caused them to be able to rest and graze like cattle loosed into a fertile valley, quiet and content, granted such rest because of the Spirit of Yahweh at work as their protecting herdsman. Canaan is seen as being like a lush valley where the Spirit’s activity gave them rest, Exodus 33:14 / Deuteronomy 3:20 / Deuteronomy 12:9-10 / Deuteronomy 25:19 / Joshua 1:13 / Joshua 21:44 / Joshua 23:1.’

‘Look down from heaven and see, from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us. But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. Why, LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance. For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary. We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called by your name.’ Isaiah 63:15-19

Here read of a call for God’s mercy. The call is for God to behold the condition of His children, Isaiah 63:15 / Psalm 33:13-14. As in the days when God with a strong arm delivered Israel out of Egyptian captivity, he asked that God deliver them again out of the danger in which they were at the time these words were written.

As fathers, we may forget our children, especially those who go off the rails but God won’t forget His children of Israel, Isaiah 63:16. God redeemed Israel out of Egyptian captivity, He was their Father, and so, the closest relative who would have the responsibility to redeem them, or purchase them out of slavery, Isaiah 63:16 / Job 19:25 / Psalm 19:14 / Psalm 73:35.

The words, ‘why do you make us wander from your ways’, Isaiah 63:17, literally means, ‘why did you permit us to wander from your ways’, Psalm 119:10. Man hardens their own heart when they rebel against the will of God, Isaiah 63:17.

Garner and Howes, in their commentary, say the following, concerning Isaiah 63:18-19.

‘The holy people possessed the land of inheritance but a very short time, their enemies treading down the sanctuary of the Most High, Isaiah 64:10-11 / Psalms 74:6-8. Since the adversary has never accepted the Lord’s rule, or been called by His holy name, the holy remnant ask Him to recognize them as His own, and to come to their deliverance! Deuteronomy 4:20 / Deuteronomy 9:26 / Deuteronomy 9:29 / Psalms 2:8 / Isaiah 65:9 / Psalms 94:14, etc. When the Lord answers they will heartily proclaim: ‘Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord’! Matthew 23:39.’

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