Isaiah 63-64
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Isaiah 63
Isaiah 63
Good evening Saints, blessed to be with you this evening. Open your Bibles with me to the book of Isaiah as we are approaching the end of this awesome prophecy. Now if you remember last week, prior to celebrating communion together, we ended on a bit of a high note. Chapter 62 began with, Isa 62:1
1 For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns.
We then read about Jerusalem rising to the attention of the world. With the righteous and just rule and reign of Jesus Christ in the Millennium. But I said that the Scriptures reveal to us that prior to that, there will be a time of reckoning, that was literally going to be a blood bath. That is basically what we are picking up with tonight. Remember, as a prophecy, Isaiah basically experienced a series of visions and what we are going to talk about next is what the Lord had revealed to Him.
Let’s pray.
1 Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?— “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Edom south of Isreal, Came from Esau. Remember the sons of Issac were Jacob and Esau. Jacob was renamed Isreal and from Esau came the people of Edom or the Edomites. Sometimes they are used in the Bible to represent the world. So in this vision, Isaiah sees one coming from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah. Now in Bible times, dyes were generally expensive, especially purple, so it was often used by royalty. Bozrah was the capital city of Edom, so at first glance one would assume that the died garments were a sign of wrath or authority.
As we read on, we see that something was wrong with these clothes. But first there these questions, who is it? Who is this one who comes from Edom? I mentioned Bozrah being the capital city, but there is another significance to this, in that the name itself means grape gathering, and we will see that there is a parallel or a comparison made with the to the issue with the garments. There is also this mention of this one traveling in the greatness of His own strength.
No we know from my comments last week and even tonight reminding you that there is this reckoning coming that we are going to be dealing with judgement, but even in judgement, this one who comes, identifies Himself in that He speaks righteousness, and again, even though a judge, He is mighty to save. It is God’s will that none should perish, but that all would be saved.
Remember, that for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. I don’t know how much you have thought about that. I was thinking about it this morning. Watching a news article on the capture of an escaped murderer. In my flesh, there was something in me that rejoiced a bit, pun intended when I found out that he got bit, by one of the k9’s that had been tracking him.
Then in my thought process, I reflected upon this and remembered that there is none that the Lord does not look down upon in love, with a desire that they would believe, that they would place their faith and trust in Jesus, His Son who He sent because He loves them. Have you ever thought about how different God’s ways are than our ways? Again, He desires that non should perish.
Are there some that we wish would perish? Or maybe perish, or get a little bit of Hell, before He saves them? Like the worst among us. I mean shouldn’t they get like 5 years in Hell before they could ever be allowed into Heaven? There is something inside of us that make that appeal to our flesh. Our own twisted sense of justice. I say twisted, because it shows we have no understanding of how horrible Hell really is.
Nor do we fully understand what the cross cost Jesus, and How much it grieves Him when that perfect sacrifice is rejected by men, men that He loves. Isaiah continues in verse 2 with more questions...
2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
3 “I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes.
So the question is asked and also answered here. And maybe when you first read this, if you’re older like me, you pictured Lucille Ball. Or perhaps an old concrete outdoor cylinder used for mashing grapes and extracting the juice. But this quickly tells us it is not grape juice that has made the stains. For He says I have trodden them in My anger...
Now just because we haven’t yet seen this day doesn’t mean that we won’t. In fact it could be as soon as seven years from tonight. You can read about it more in another vision given from the Lord in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. First at the end of chapter 14 and then in more detail in Revelation 19. In fact, lets look at that together. Starting in verse 11.
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,
18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
In chapter 14 it tells us that the blood will be up to the horses bridals.
So we know how the garments will be stained.
Back in Isaiah 63:4
4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come.
We see this incredible mix of the mercy of God, the Love of God, the justice of God, and the wrath of God, all rolled out in Jesus. I don’t know if we ever really think about Jesus killing someone, or vengeance being in His heart, vengeance at the same time that He rejoices in the redeemed and what His own blood has accomplished. Verse 5
5 I looked, but there was no one to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me.
6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger, Made them drunk in My fury, And brought down their strength to the earth.”
Another thing that is so difficult for us to understand, and I don’t really know why, other than that we can’t fully comprehend the Holiness of God. I mentioned that if we desired that someone else go to Hell, we have no true understanding of Hell, yet as we read these descriptions of what is to come, they are completely just. For lack of a better description, they deserve it…and so do we.
Even those in the tribulation, will hear the truth. God will have these radical witnesses, angels even that will tell the whole earth. Paul tells us in Romans that all are without excuse.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
Suppressing the truth.
1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Now we have the voice of Isaiah, probably expressing from the position of one of those later in the captivity.
7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord And the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, “Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie.” So He became their Savior.
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 bore them and carried them All the days of old.
10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.
11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: “Where is He who brought them up out of the sea With the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,
12 Who led them by the right hand of Moses, With His glorious arm, Dividing the water before them To make for Himself an everlasting name,
13 Who led them through the deep, As a horse in the wilderness, That they might not stumble?”
14 As a beast goes down into the valley, And the Spirit of the Lord causes him to rest, So You lead Your people, To make Yourself a glorious name.
And now we have this prayer, crying out to the Lord.
15 Look down from heaven, And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?
16 Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
17 O Lord, why have You made us stray from Your ways, And hardened our heart from Your fear? Return for Your servants’ sake, The tribes of Your inheritance.
18 Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.
19 We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, Those who were never called by Your name.
1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
2 As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil— To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned— In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.
9 Do not be furious, O Lord, Nor remember iniquity forever; Indeed, please look—we all are Your people!
10 Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful temple, Where our fathers praised You, Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12 Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O Lord? Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?
Speaking of their sinful condition. Need the prayers of a righteous man, that is Jesus our High Priest.