Isaia 63

1 "Chi è questi che giunge da Edom, da Botsra, in vestimenti splendidi? questi, magnificamente ammantato, che cammina fiero nella grandezza della sua forza?" "Son io, che parlo con giustizia, che son potente a salvare".

2 "Perché questo rosso nel tuo manto, e perché le tue vesti son come quelli di chi calca l’uva nello strettoio?"

3 "Io sono stato solo a calcara l’uva nello strettoio, e nessuno uomo fra i popoli è stato meco; io li ho calcati nella mia ira, e li ho calpestati nel mio furore; il loro sangue è spruzzato sulle mie vesti, e ho macchiati tutti i miei abiti.

4 Poiché il giorno della vendetta, ch’era nel mio cuore, e il mio anno di redenzione son giunti.

5 Io guardai, ma non v’era chi m’aiutasse; mi volsi attorno stupito, ma nessuno mi sosteneva; allora il mio braccio m’ha salvato, e il mio furore m’ha sostenuto.

6 Ed ho calpestato dei popoli nella mia ira, li ho ubriacati del mio furore, e ho fatto scorrere il loro sangue sulla terra".

7 Io voglio ricordare le benignità dell’Eterno, le lodi dell’Eterno, considerando tutto quello che l’Eterno ci ha largito; ricorderà la bontà di cui è stato largo versa la casa d’Israele, secondo le sue compassioni e secondo l’abbondanza della sue grazie.

8 Egli aveva detto: "Certo, essi son mio popolo, figliuoli che non m’inganneranno"; e fu il loro salvatore.

9 In tutte le loro distrette egli stesso fu in distretta, e l’angelo della sua faccia li salvò; nel suo amore e nella sua longanimità ei li redense; se li tolse in ispalla, e sempre li portò nei tempi andati;

10 ma essi furono ribelli, contristarono il suo spirito santo: ond’egli si convertì in loro nemico, ed egli stesso combatté contro di loro.

11 Allora il suo popolo si ricordò de’ giorni antichi di Mosè: "Dov’è colui che li trasse fuori dal mare col pastore del suo gregge? Dov’è colui che metteva in mezzo a loro lo spirito suo santo?

12 che faceva andare il suo braccio glorioso alla destra di Mosè? che divise le acque innanzi a loro per acquistarsi una rinomanza eterna?

13 che li menò attraverso gli abissi, come un cavallo nel deserto, senza che inciampassero?

14 Come il bestiame che scende nella valle, lo spirito dell’Eterno li condusse al riposo. Così tu guidasti il tuo popolo, per acquistarti una rinomanza gloriosa".

15 Guarda dal cielo, e mira, dalla tua dimora santa e gloriosa: Dove sono il tuo zelo, i tuoi atti potenti? Il fremito delle tue viscere e le tue compassioni non si fan più sentire verso di me.

16 Nondimeno, tu sei nostro padre; poiché Abrahamo non sa chi siamo, e Israele non ci riconosce; tu, o Eterno, sei nostro padre, il tuo nome, in ogni tempo, è "Redentor nostro".

17 O Eterno, perché ci fai errare lungi dalla tue vie, e induri il nostro cuore perché non ti tema? Ritorna, per amor dei tuoi servi, delle tribù della tua eredità!

18 Per ben poco tempo il tuo popolo santo ha posseduto il paese; i nostri nemici han calpestato il tuo santuario.

19 Noi siam diventati come quelli che tu non hai mai governati, come quelli che non portano il tuo nome!

Isaia 63 Commentary

Chapter 63

Christ's victory over his enemies. (1-6) His mercy toward his church. (7-14) The prayer of the church. (15-19)

Verses 1-6 The prophet, in vision, beholds the Messiah returning in triumph from the conquest of his enemies, of whom Edom was a type. Travelling, not as wearied by the combat, but, in the greatness of his strength, prepared to overcome every opposing power. Messiah declares that he had been treading the wine-press of the wrath of God, ( Revelation 14:19 , Revelation 19:13 ) , and by his own power, without any human help, he had crushed his obstinate opposers, for the day of vengeance was determined on, being the appointed season for rescuing his church. Once, he appeared on earth in apparent weakness, to pour out his precious blood as an atonement for our sins; but he will in due time appear in the greatness of his strength. The vintage ripens apace; the day of vengeance, fixed and determined on, approaches apace; let sinners seek to be reconciled to their righteous Judge, ere he brings down their strength to the earth. Does Christ say, "I come quickly?" let our hearts reply, "Even so, come; let the year of the redeemed come."

Verses 7-14 The latter part of this chapter, and the whole of the next, seem to express the prayers of the Jews on their conversation. They acknowledge God's great mercies and favours to their nation. They confess their wickedness and hardness of heart; they entreat his forgiveness, and deplore the miserable condition under which they have so long suffered. The only-begotten Son of the Father became the Angel or Messenger of his love; thus he redeemed and bare them with tenderness. Yet they murmured, and resisted his Holy Spirit, despising and persecuting his prophets, rejecting and crucifying the promised Messiah. All our comforts and hopes spring from the loving-kindness of the Lord, and all our miseries and fears from our sins. But he is the Saviour, and when sinners seek after him, who in other ages glorified himself by saving and feeding his purchased flock, and leading them safely through dangers, and has given his Holy Spirit to prosper the labours of his ministers, there is good ground to hope they are discovering the way of peace.

Verses 15-19 They beseech him to look down on the abject condition of their once-favoured nation. Would it not be glorious to his name to remove the veil from their hearts, to return to the tribes of his inheritance? The Babylonish captivity, and the after-deliverance of the Jews, were shadows of the events here foretold. The Lord looks down upon us in tenderness and mercy. Spiritual judgments are more to be dreaded than any other calamities; and we should most carefully avoid those sins which justly provoke the Lord to leave men to themselves and to their deceiver. "Our Redeemer from everlasting" is thy name; thy people have always looked upon thee as the God to whom they might appeal. The Lord will hear the prayers of those who belong to him, and deliver them from those not called by his name.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 63

This chapter contains a prophecy of the vengeance of Christ upon the enemies of his church in the latter day, whereby complete salvation would be obtained for them; and this illustrated by the mercies of God to the people of Israel of old; and is concluded with the church s prayer to him. The account of the vengeance taken by Christ on his enemies is introduced by a colloquy between him and his church; who puts a question, in which he is described by the places from whence he came, by his apparel, and by his manner of walking; to which he returns an answer, Isa 63:1, then a second question is put, about the colour of his garments; for which he gives a reason, Isa 63:2,3 it being the time of his vengeance on his enemies, and of the redemption of his people, Isa 63:4 the manner in which he performed both is observed, Isa 63:5 and the thorough work he would make; and the entire riddance of all his enemies is determined upon, Isa 63:6, which puts the prophet, or the church, in mind of former mercies bestowed upon Israel of old, the peculiar people and children of God, the Lord had a great opinion of, and favour for, whom he dealt very tenderly with, and redeemed, and saved, and preserved, Isa 63:7-9 though they acted an ungrateful part to him, which is aggravated by the various kind steps of Providence, in leading them through the Red sea, guiding them in the wilderness, and bringing them to rest safely in Canaan's land, for his own glory, Isa 63:10-14 and all is closed with the church's prayer to God, imploring his grace and mercy; pleading relation to him; expostulating with him about their present case, and observing the difference between them and their enemies, Isa 63:15-19 and which prayer is continued in the next chapter.