63:1
The watchman asks who is coming. Someone is approaching Israel from Bozrah in Edom.
Bozrah was the capital of Edom. Edom was Israel’s southern enemy.
“It is I” or simply “I” and is the word used by God to identify himself. See (43:25)
“Speaking” is the character of the LORD. Throughout scripture God speaks:
“Righteousness” - His speech is done from the character of righteousness.
“Mighty” – He is strong
“Save” – He can deliver
It is clear that he will be able to deliver his people from their enemies because:
- He is present
- He is active and speaking. He is not an inactive, mute idol.
- What he says is right, true or based in reality. This is not the case of his enemies.
- He is the strong one
- He has the power to save and deliver.
When he appears he brings salvation to his people. The antithesis of salvation for his people is destruction of the enemies.
63:2
The watchman can see the returning warriors garments are stained red.
63:3-6
The Servant/Warrior answers the watchmen from verses 63:1-2.
Four things are made clear:
- He has been treading a winepress (63:3) and the nations are being trampled (63:6)
- He trampled them in anger and in wrath for it was the day of vengeance. (63:3-4)
- He did the work alone (63:3, 5)
- He did it for redemption (63:4) and salvation (63:5)
God has emotions. His love for his people is balanced by his anger for his (and their) enemies.
We can see in Isaiah 53 (the defeat of our inner enemy sin) and 63 (the defeat of the outer enemies the nations) that without a Messiah we would never be able to overcome.
“To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God.” - Isaiah 61:2
Who could help? No one.
Notice the anger of God and the vengeance of God are not to get even but to work his plan of salvation.
Verse 4 indicates that this act involved planning and waiting through the years:
- “. . .was in my heart” indicates his plan and purpose that he has been working on
- “the year of my redemption has come” shows many years and seasons have gone before but not it is time for redemption.
- Redemption and Vengeance are opposites in this case. Redemption for his people, Vengeance for his enemies.
63:6
The winepress image of “made them drunk” and “poured their blood on the ground” is a picture of the enemies being so deep in blood that they drown.
In 49:26 the oppressors of God’s people “will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.”
Isaiah 53:12 describes the Servant shedding his own blood (“pouring out his soul”) to save these enemies from themselves and their world by making them righteous. They refuse to be changed by the gift and so now die in their own blood.
“For if, when we were God’s enemies we were reconciled to him. . .”
- Romans 5:10
Israel now reflects on what Isaiah has just promised (63:7-14)
Israel’s obvious question is “If 63:1-6 are true, why are we still in this mess?
- God is Good
- We have sinned
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