Chapter 63

1 Christ sheweth who he is, 2 what his victory over his enemies, 7 and what his mercy toward his church. 10 In his just wrath he remembereth his free mercy. 15 The church in their prayer, 17 and complaint, profess their faith.

1. Edom. Edom here stands for the enemies of God and His people (see on ch. 34:5). The Edomites were descendants of Esau (Gen. 25:30), the twin brother of Jacob (Gen. 25:24–26). They had taken an attitude of persistent hostility toward Israel (see Gen. 27:41; Num. 20:14–21). Later, during the reign of Ahaz, in Isaiah’s day, the Edomites had raided Judah and had carried away captives (2 Chron. 28:17). In Amos 1:6–11 Edom is accused of associating itself with Gaza and Tyre in inhuman treatment of captives. In Isa. 63:1–6 the prophet discusses Messiah’s victory over all opposition.

Dyed. Heb.chamus, from a root meaning “to be leavened,” “to be sour,” and thought to mean garments of a dazzling color. The LXX reads “red.”

Bozrah. An important city of Edom about 24 mi. (38.5 km.) south by east from the Dead Sea. Isaiah has already mentioned “a sacrifice in Bozrah” (see on ch. 34:5, 6).

To save. Isaiah points out the dual nature of the work Messiah was to do. He would reveal Himself “in the greatness of his strength” to destroy His enemies, but “mighty to save” His children.

2. Winefat. Heb. gath, “wine press.” In ancient times grapes were placed in large vats, where men stamped upon them, thus treading out the juice. The garments of such men became stained red with the juice. The same figure is employed by John (Rev. 14:19, 20; 19:15).

3. Winepress. Heb. purah, more particularly the trough of the wine press. Poetically purah is synonymous with gath (v. 2).

Alone. Or, “by himself.” When the Messiah came He went through His bitter agony in Gethsemane alone. His disciples, who should have comforted Him, had fallen asleep (Matt. 26:36–45). His humanity shrank from the terrible ordeal He was about to pass through. Beholding the impending fate of a doomed world, He accepted “His baptism of blood, that through Him perishing millions may gain everlasting life” (DA 693). On the cross, enshrouded by the supernatural darkness, He felt even more alone (Matt. 27:46; DA 754).

For. Better, “and.” On the nature of divine anger see on 2 Kings 13:3. Messiah would gladly have brought salvation to all. But they refused the divine offer and thereby chose death (see GC 36, 37).

4. The day. See on chs. 34:2–10; 35:4.

The year. Compare ch. 34:8. The time when the wicked will be destroyed is the time when the righteous will be saved.

5. None to help. Literally, “no helper.” Instead, the Dead Sea scroll 1QIs reads “no man.”

Wondered. Heb. shamam, translated “astonished” in Dan. 8:27. The figure here employed heightens the desperateness of the situation. Messiah took notice of the pitiful situation in which man found himself and determined personally to rescue him from his desperate plight.

Mine own arm. See on chs. 40:10; 51:9; 52:10.

Fury. Heb.chemah, a common OT word used 81 times to describe divine indignation. On the nature of God’s wrath see on 2 Kings 13:3.

6. Tread down. The wicked are represented as grapes to be trodden in the wine press of God’s wrath.

Make them drunk. The nations are often represented as drinking a cup of fury that is poured out by the Lord (Job 21:20; Ps. 75:8; Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15; Rev. 14:10).

7. I will mention. This verse begins a new section, which extends to the end of ch. 64. The section constitutes a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. Zion remembers the loving-kindness and tender mercies of God that have been extended in spite of Israel’s ungratefulness and rebellion. This poem opens with a statement of determination to think upon the kindness and goodness of God and to make His mercies known to others (cf. Ps. 89).

8. For he said. Doubtless a reference to the time when God intervened to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage.

Lie. Heb. shaqar, “to deceive,” “to deal falsely.” Surely, it seems to us today Israel would keep God’s covenant. It hardly appeared likely that anyone would be so foolish as to break the terms of such a covenant and thus forfeit the promised blessings. Compare Zeph. 3:7, where a similar assurance was expressed regarding the conduct of Israel, but where again they were disobedient.

Saviour. Heb. MoshiaФ, from the root yashaФ, “to help,” “to save,” the root from which the name Jesus is derived (see on Matt. 1:21). Christ was the Saviour of His people in OT times as well as in NT times (see PP 366). In spite of Israel’s repeated transgressions, Christ intervened again and again on their behalf.

9. He was afflicted. Literally, “He was not an adversary,” or, “He did not afflict.” The reading, “He was afflicted,” is based on a number of Hebrew manuscripts and on the Masoretic tradition. As a kind, loving parent suffers when suffering comes upon his children, so does God. The Lord saw the affliction of His people in Egypt (Ex. 3:16) and saved them when they cried to Him in their oppression. Today He is our great high priest, who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb. 4:15).

The angel of his presence. This was the angel in whom God’s presence dwelt (Ex. 14:19, 24; 23:20–23; 32:34; 33:14, 15; Deut. 1:32, 33), and was none other than Christ Himself (see PP 366). It was Christ who was ever with His people, guiding them by day, protecting them by night, and leading them on to the Promised Land against all enemy opposition. When the tabernacle was set up, Christ manifested His presence in the holy Shekinah, above the mercy seat and between the cherubim (Num. 7:89).

Bare. Heb.natal, “to lift,” “to pick up.” Christ is here pictured as a father, tenderly caring for His beloved children (see Ex. 19:4; Deut. 1:31; 32:11, 12; 33:27; Isa. 46:4).

10. But they rebelled. The faithlessness of Israel is placed in striking contrast with the loving-kindness and faithfulness of God (see Ps. 106).

Vexed his holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was known and was active in OT times as well as in NT times. Paul admonished the church to “grieve not the holy Spirit” (Eph. 4:30). In the days of Noah, God had said that His Spirit would “not always strive with man” (Gen. 6:3). The murmurings and complaints of Israel in the wilderness were directed not so much against Moses as against God (Ex. 16:8, 9).

Their enemy. That is, He appeared to be their enemy. Actually the judgments that befell the people had a merciful design. God was seeking the ultimate salvation of the individual.

11. Then he remembered. It is not entirely clear to whom the “he” refers. Some think it is God who recollects what He had done in the days of old, and who determines to repeat His glorious acts. Others think it is the people who recall the glories of the past.

Where is he? It is the people who are speaking. This becomes clear when the reading of the Dead Sea scroll 1QIs, the LXX, and the Syriac is adopted, “Where is the one having brought up from the sea the shepherds of his flock?” For “shepherds” several manuscripts and the LXX support the reading, “shepherd.” The singular would refer to Moses, the plural probably to Moses, Aaron, and other prominent leaders.

Within him. The reference is either to Moses with his special spiritual gift (Num. 12:1–8), or to the people (Neh. 9:20).

12. The right hand. This hand was regarded as the hand of strength and of action (see Ps. 20:6).

His glorious arm. Compare chs. 40:10; 53:1. This was the arm by which God had wrought such mighty acts for the deliverance of His people from Egypt (Ex. 6:6; 15:6, 12; Deut. 4:34; 7:8).

Dividing the water. The reference is to the miraculous parting of the waters of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:21; Ps. 106:9).

An everlasting name. The fame of Jehovah’s name had spread throughout the ancient East because of His mighty deeds in delivering the people from their Egyptian bondage (see Joshua 2:10; 2 Sam. 7:23).

13. Through the deep. That is, through the waters of the Red Sea (see Ps. 106:9).

As an horse. In an area normally covered by water, the Hebrews made their way as easily as a horse would cross a wide, even plain, without tripping.

14. As a beast. Literally, “as cattle.” As a herd of cattle is brought into a quiet, fertile valley where it can find rich pasturage and refreshing rest after a long, hard journey, so the children of Israel after their 40 years of wandering were brought into the land of Canaan, their promised home.

15. Look down. This is a prayer to God for help. In ancient times God had wonderfully guided and blessed His people. Had He now forgotten them? Where now are the zeal and strength that in former times were so gloriously manifested in behalf of His children?

Thy bowels. The bowels were regarded as the seat of emotion and compassion (see Gen. 43:30; 1 Kings 3:26; Isa. 16:11; Jer. 4:19; Lam. 1:20).

16. Doubtless. Heb. ki, “for.” Inasmuch as God was the Father of Israel, the people could look to Him for help and guidance. The ground of their appeal was that God as their Father would feel a responsibility toward them and that His heart would really yearn for them. Abraham, their earthly father, was dead and was in no position to help them, but that was not the case with God.

Our father. Compare 1 Chron. 29:10; Isa. 64:8 for other uses of “our father” in OT prayer. On the fatherhood of God see Deut. 32:6; Jer. 3:4; Mal. 1:6; 2:10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Gal. 4:4–6; Eph. 4:6.

Our redeemer. The last sentence may be translated, “Our redeemer is thy name from of old.” From ancient times, God was known to His people as the one who broke their bonds (Jer. 2:20) and redeemed them.

17. Made us to err. In the nontechnical language of the Bible, God is often represented as doing that which He does not prevent (see on 1 Sam. 16:14; 2 Chron. 18:18). The question may be understood permissively, “O Lord, why have you permitted us to err?” etc. Since God never coerces the will, He does not prevent men from following the evil course of their choosing. In one sense of the word men actually do not have God’s permission to do evil. They have God’s permission to do right (Deut. 30:19), but because they are free moral agents God does not prevent them from following the way of evil if they so choose. We would hardly say of our children, if some of them grow up and leave the path of rectitude, that they have our permission to do evil. Because of their maturity we simply no longer interfere with their choice.

The request in the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation,” should be similarly understood. God does not tempt men to sin (James 1:13), but permits trial only if it is for our good (see on Matt. 6:13). The words are a figurative way of requesting that we may not fall into evil.

Hardened. See on Ex. 4:21.

Return. Compare Ps. 80:14; 90:13.

18. A little while. To Abraham the promise was given that the land of Canaan would be given to him and to his seed for an eternal inheritance (Gen. 13:14, 15; 17:8). In comparison with eternity the time from Joshua to Isaiah was but “a little while.” God’s promises are conditional. Because of their wickedness the Jews forfeited the promises made to Abraham.

Trodden down thy sanctuary. At the time of Isaiah the Assyrians had overrun most of the Holy Land (chs. 36–38), although they abandoned the attempt to take Judah. A century later the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, put an end to the nation of Judah and destroyed Jerusalem, together with its Temple and walls (2 Kings 25:8–16). The Temple was still standing when Isaiah spoke these words. However, he was looking forward prophetically to the time when the Temple would be no more (see ch. 64:11; see Vol. I, pp. 27, 28).

19. We are thine. “Thine” is supplied. It is possible to translate the passage, “We are as those over whom thou hast never ruled, as those upon whom thy name has not been called.” The basis of Israel’s plea is that they had sunk to the level of the heathen, who had never acknowledged God. Was that right? Should God allow the children of Abraham, those who had acknowledged Him as their Father (v. 16), to be in the same condition as others whom He had never recognized? Isaiah’s confession on behalf of the people (see on ch. 59:12, 13) here reaches its lowest depth of anguish. They feel themselves to be deeply humiliated in that God has seemingly rejected them, and they beg humbly that they may not be cast off utterly. It is this spirit of utter dejection and despair that causes them to lift up their eyes to Heaven in the prayer that opens the following chapter. For the background of this situation see on ch. 40:1.

Ellen G. White comments

1    CT 262

3     DA 693, 746, 754; SR 222

7     MYP 424

9     CH 455; DA 356; Ed 263; MB 13; PK 312, 545; PP 407; 5T 195

10   PK 576