Isaiah Chapter 63 — God’s Vengeance and Mercy
This chapter describes a divine warrior returning from Edom after executing judgment and transitions into a communal prayer reflecting on God's historical mercy and current silence.
1Who is this who comes from Edom,
2Why is your clothing red,
3“I have trodden the wine press alone.
4For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
5I looked, and there was no one to help;
6I trod down the peoples in my anger
7I will tell of the loving kindnesses of the LORD
8For he said, “Surely, they are my people,
9In all their affliction he was afflicted,
10But they rebelled
11Then he remembered the days of old,
12Who caused his glorious arm to be at Moses’ right hand?
13Who led them through the depths,
14As the livestock that go down into the valley,
15Look down from heaven,
16For you are our Father,
17O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways,
18Your holy people possessed it but a little while.
19We have become like those over whom you never ruled,
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Isaiah 63:3
“I have trodden the wine press alone.”
This line emphasizes the solitary nature of the divine warrior's work in executing judgment.
Isaiah 63:9
“In all their affliction he was afflicted,”
It highlights God's deep empathy and personal involvement in the suffering of His people.
Isaiah 63:16
“For you are our Father,”
This passage contains a significant Old Testament affirmation of God's role as Father to His people.
Chapter Summary
Isaiah 63 opens with a dialogue between a watchman and a figure coming from Edom with blood-stained garments. This figure explains he has trodden the winepress of divine vengeance alone, executing judgment because no one was found to help him. The narrative then shifts to a prayer of remembrance and lament. The speaker recounts God's past 'loving kindnesses' toward Israel, noting how God shared in their afflictions and led them through the wilderness via Moses. Despite God's faithfulness, the people rebelled, leading God to become their adversary. The chapter concludes with an urgent plea for God to look down from heaven and intervene. The people acknowledge God as their Father and Redeemer, questioning why they have been allowed to wander and expressing grief over the desolation of the holy sanctuary and the people's current status as those over whom God no longer seems to rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
The figure is depicted as a divine warrior returning from executing judgment on Edom. He is described as wearing red garments, stained like someone who has been treading grapes in a winepress.
The speaker recalls God's past acts of mercy and the leadership of Moses to remind God of His previous commitment to His people. This historical reflection serves as the basis for a plea for renewed intervention.
This expression indicates that God shares in the pain and suffering of His people rather than being a distant or indifferent observer. It underscores His compassion and personal identification with His chosen nation.
Study Note
The reference to Edom often serves in prophetic literature as a representative for all nations or forces that oppose God's people and His justice.
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