‏ Isaiah 63

* Christ's victory over his enemies. (1-6) His mercy toward his

church. (7-14) The prayer of the church. (15-19)

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, #Re 14:19; 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." 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. 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.