Isaías 63

Isaías 63:1-6

Wiersbe has a good word on prophecies like Isaiah 63... Whenever a prophet foretold the future, it was to awaken the people to their responsibilities in the present. Bible prophecy isn’t entertainment for the curious; it’s encouragement for the serious. So one practical application of Isaiah 63:1-6 is that it should stir a Spirit given and Spirit sustained hope, recalling that Biblical "hope" is not a "hope so" but a "hope sure." The event described in the conversation between a finite, mere mortal and the infinite Majestic Messiah is truth that is given to saints of all ages in a "hopeless" (secular sense), devolving (not evolving) world, so that we might have hope, the absolute assurance that God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit, will do good to us in the future. Dear saint, you may be in the slough of despond like Bunyan's Pilgrim, and yet the Spirit inspired truths such as those in Isaiah 63:1-6 which are calculated to lift your head toward the clouds in the Eastern sky, from whence one day will surely come our Redeemer, the One Who Paul says is Himself "our Hope," the literal personification of the Hope (1Ti 1:1) promised even before the world began (Titus 1:1-2-note), yea, even before Adam fell into sin (Ro 5:12-note). What a Mighty God we serve! Isaiah 63:1 Who is this Who comes from Edom (map), this One Who is majestic in His apparel, marching in the greatness of His strength? "It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." is this: Ps 24:7-10, Song 3:6, 6:10 8:5 Mt 21:10 from see map Am 1:11,12 marching: Ps 45:3,4 Rev 11:17,18 speak: Isa 45:19,23 Nu 23:19 mighty: Jn 10:28-30 Heb 7:25 1Pe 1:5 Jude 1:24,25 JEHOVAH THE AVENGER OF HIS PEOPLE Who is this Who comes from Edom - H. Van Dyke Parunak observes that "The exchange is what one might expect from a watchman on the city wall (Ed: cf Isa 21:11-12, see also Ezek 3:17, 33:7), interrogating someone who approaches the city. The first question has to do with the identity of One Who approaches. The second asks an explanation for the striking appearance of His garments." (Isaiah 63:1-6: The Redeemer Speaks) Triumphant and victorious he appears, And honour in his looks and habit wears. How strong he treads! how stately doth he go! Pompous and solemn is his pace, And full of majesty, as is his face Who is this mighty hero--who?-- -Norris From Edom (red) - Yeshua is coming from Bozrah in Edom which is to the southeast of Jerusalem (see discussion of proposed sequence of End Times events). Fruchtenbaum explains that "While the general conception is that when the Messiah initially returns, He will return to the Mount of Olives, the Bible actually puts the Second Coming elsewhere. Four passages definitely place the Second Coming at the city of Bozrah or Petra and a fifth may refer to this event." (Isaiah 34:1-7, Isaiah 63:1-6, Habakkuk 3:3, Micah 2:12-13). Messiah's Path to Victory Edom was the land originally inhabited by Jacob's older twin brother Esau. Recall that Jacob (= heel-catcher, supplanter, Ge 27:36) tricked Isaac into bestowing the blessing on him rather than Esau who was the rightful heir by birth order (Ge 25:24-30, 31-34, 27:6-26, 27, 28, 29). Jacob's trickery led to life long enmity between the offspring of the twins (Ge 27:41, cp He 12:15-17). And so when Israel (Jacob) had been released from Egyptian bondage and was seeking safe passage through Edom, the king of Edom would not allow it, instead attacking Israel (Nu 20:14-17, 18, 19-21, cp Dt 2:1-8). Later the Edomites opposed King Saul (1Sa 14:47), fought against King David (1Ki 11:15-17), opposed King Solomon (1Ki 11:14, 18-25), opposed King Jehoshaphat (2Chr. 20:22), and rebelled against Jehoram (2Chr 21:8) (see also Isaiah 34:5ff-see discussion.; Ps 137:7; Ezek 35:10-15; Amos 1:6, 11). Buksbazen - Edom, although a brother nation, personifies the unrelenting hostility of the pagan world toward Israel (see Isa 34:5ff, Jer 25:22ff, Jer 49:17ff, etc) In later rabbinical literature Edom became symbolic of Rome and all oppressive, pagan power....the name Edom, the other name of Esau (Ge 36:8) comes from "adom" -- "red," suggesting blood. Bozrah is related to the word "Bazir" -- "a vintage." Obadiah (Obad 1:1-21) records a prophecy of doom against Edom who would finally reap the years (even centuries) of enmity (Obadiah 1:10-14) sown against Jacob/Israel (cf Gal 6:7-8-note), recording that “the Day of the Lord draws near on all the nations. As you (Edom) have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head." (Obadiah 1:15) This prophecy was fulfilled in part in the Fifth Century BC when the Nabataeans dislodged the Edomites from their territory, causing them to withdraw to Idumea in southern Palestine. Indeed, the sibling rivalry that had begun in Rebekah's womb would be seen in the birth of Jesus, who was from Jacob's line through his son Judah. Julius Caesar had appointed Antipater, an Idumean, as Procurator of Judea in 47BC. His son Herod became king of Judea in 37BC. And so we see Herod the Great, an Edomite, continued the enmity against Jacob (Israel) by slaying "all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi." (Mt 2:16) The Lord extracted vengeance by killing King Herod shortly thereafter in 4BC, which was a preview of coming attractions when the Lord would finally and fully extract vengeance on all His enemies (typified by "Edom"). MacDonald sums the significance of Edom: "Edom personifies the unrelenting hostility of the pagan world toward Israel." With this historical background, one can see why many commentators see this reference to Edom as representative of all who hate Israel, and ultimately all who hate God. Note that the use of "peoples" in Isa 63:3, 6, also supports the interpretation that Edom is used as an "archetype (Ed: archetype = the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies) for the Lord's enemies." (NET Bible Note). Delitzsch - Babylon and Edom are always to be taken literally, so far as the primary meaning of the prophecy is concerned; but they are also representative, Babylon standing for the violent and tyrannical world-power, and Edom for the world as cherishing hostility and manifesting hostility to Israel as Israel, i.e. as the people of God. John