Year 2, Week 9, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 9, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Isaiah 63-65.

Today’s reading continues Isaiah’s prophecy to Judah. Isaiah 63 promises salvation to God’s people: “For he said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.” And he became their Savior. 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; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old” (Isaiah 63:8-9). But the LORD’s compassion toward His children is coupled with vengeance upon His enemies: “I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth” (Isaiah 63:6). Isaiah 64 is Isaiah’s personal prayer for the LORD to do all that He has revealed He would do: “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence!” (Isaiah 64:1-2). Isaiah 65 is the LORD’s immediate response to Isaiah’s prayer, for the LORD want’s Isaiah to know that He is more eager to hear than people are to seek Him: “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually” (Isaiah 65:1-3a). For those who do not seek the LORD—even within Israel—there will be judgment; but salvation and blessing for those who do seek the LORD: “I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of my mountains; my chosen shall possess it, and my servants shall dwell there. Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who have sought me” (Isaiah 65:9-10).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was a continuation of the theme of judgment from the previous day’s reading: “Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel” (Isaiah 63:1-3). These verses of fierce vengeance by the LORD resume the language from Isaiah 61 concerning the Year of Jubilee: “to proclaim the year of the LORD’S favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn” (Isaiah 61:2). While the Year of Jubilee is a time of release and redemption, it is also a day of vengeance. Isaiah 61 focuses more on the positive elements that come from the Year of Jubilee; Isaiah 63 picks up on the notions of vengeance and develops them more fully. What is quite interesting is what we noted about Jesus reading from Isaiah 61; particularly where He stopped in Isaiah 61. Jesus ended with, “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus stopped short of reading, “and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2b). The first coming of Jesus was to secure and provide release and redemption; Jesus laid down His life to rescue people from the guilt and power of sin.

But Jesus will come again. And His Second Coming, while it will usher in the final installments of His people’s salvation, it will inflict much vengeance: “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath.” In fact, the description of vengeance from Isaiah 61:2b as well as the language of Isaiah 63:1-6 fills itself in descriptions of the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again: “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (Revelation 19:13-15). Isaiah’s description of, “I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth,” is found in John’s description of the Lord’s future work: “The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath” (Revelation 16:19).

Jesus’ first coming was to obtain salvation: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1); Jesus’ second coming will involve judgement: “But you who forsake the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in” (Isaiah 65:11-12).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe