Isaiah 63

God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption

1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.”
2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?
3 “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.
4 It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come.
5 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.
6 I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”

Praise and Prayer

7 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.
8 He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior.
9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.[a]In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
10 Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.
11 Then his people recalled[b] 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,
12 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,
13 who led them through the depths? Like a horse in open country, they did not stumble;
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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.
18 For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called[c] by your name.

Isaiah 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.

Cross References 58

  • 1. S 2 Chronicles 28:17; S Isaiah 11:14
  • 2. S Genesis 36:33; Amos 1:12
  • 3. Revelation 19:13
  • 4. S Job 9:4; S Isaiah 45:24
  • 5. ver 5; Isaiah 46:13; S Isaiah 51:5; Jeremiah 42:11; Zephaniah 3:17
  • 6. S Genesis 49:11
  • 7. S Judges 6:11; S Revelation 14:20; Revelation 19:15
  • 8. S Job 40:12; S Psalms 108:13; S Isaiah 5:5
  • 9. S Isaiah 22:5
  • 10. Revelation 19:13
  • 11. S Isaiah 1:24; S Jeremiah 50:15
  • 12. S 2 Kings 14:26; S Isaiah 41:28
  • 13. S Psalms 44:3; S Psalms 98:1; S Isaiah 33:2
  • 14. Isaiah 59:16
  • 15. S Job 40:12; S Psalms 108:13
  • 16. S Isaiah 29:9; Lamentations 4:21
  • 17. S Isaiah 34:3
  • 18. S Isaiah 54:8
  • 19. S Exodus 18:9
  • 20. S Psalms 51:1; Ephesians 2:4
  • 21. S Psalms 100:3; S Isaiah 51:4
  • 22. S Exodus 14:30; S Isaiah 25:9
  • 23. S Exodus 14:19
  • 24. S Exodus 33:14
  • 25. Deuteronomy 7:7-8; S Ezra 9:9; S Isaiah 48:20
  • 26. S Deuteronomy 1:31; S Psalms 28:9
  • 27. S Deuteronomy 32:7; S Job 37:23
  • 28. S Psalms 78:17; Ezekiel 20:8; Acts 7:39-42; Psalms 78:40
  • 29. S Psalms 51:11; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30
  • 30. Psalms 106:40; S Isaiah 10:4
  • 31. S Joshua 10:14
  • 32. S Exodus 14:22,30
  • 33. S Psalms 77:20
  • 34. S Numbers 11:17
  • 35. S Genesis 49:24; S Exodus 3:20
  • 36. Exodus 14:21-22; Isaiah 11:15
  • 37. S Psalms 102:12; S Isaiah 55:13; S Jeremiah 13:11
  • 38. S Deuteronomy 32:12
  • 39. S Exodus 14:22
  • 40. S Psalms 119:11; Jeremiah 31:9
  • 41. S Exodus 33:14; S Deuteronomy 12:9
  • 42. S Deuteronomy 26:15; Psalms 80:14; Lamentations 3:50
  • 43. S 1 Kings 22:19; S Psalms 123:1
  • 44. S Isaiah 9:7; S Isaiah 26:11
  • 45. S 1 Kings 3:26; S Psalms 25:6; Jeremiah 31:20; Hosea 11:8
  • 46. S Genesis 43:31; Isaiah 64:12
  • 47. S Exodus 4:22; S Jeremiah 3:4; John 8:41
  • 48. S Job 14:21
  • 49. Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 44:6; S Isaiah 59:20
  • 50. S Genesis 20:13; Lamentations 3:9
  • 51. S Exodus 4:21
  • 52. Isaiah 29:13
  • 53. S Numbers 10:36
  • 54. S Exodus 34:9
  • 55. Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 11:17
  • 56. S Isaiah 28:18; Daniel 8:13; S Luke 21:24
  • 57. S Leviticus 26:31; S 2 Kings 25:9; Psalms 74:3-8
  • 58. S Isaiah 43:7; S Jeremiah 14:9

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or "Savior " 9"in their distress." / "It was no envoy or angel" / "but his own presence that saved them"
  • [b]. Or "But may he recall"
  • [c]. Or "We are like those you have never ruled," / "like those never called"

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.

Isaiah 63 Commentaries

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