Isaiah Chapter 63 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Isaiah 63:1
Who is this, coming from Edom, from Botzrah with clothing stained crimson, so magnificently dressed, so stately in his great strength? "It is I, who speak victoriously, I, well able to save."
This prophecy opens with Yeshua Messiah marching from the capitol city of Edom which was the first of three locations that he will appear at his second coming. In the prophecy of Obadiah, we see an explanation of the reasons that Messiah has appeared there to bring judgement to Edom.
Isaiah 63:2–4
Why is your apparel red, your clothes like someone treading a winepress? "I have trodden the winepress alone; from the peoples, not one was with me. So I trod them in my anger, trampled them in my fury; so their lifeblood spurted out on my clothing, and I have stained all my garments; for the day of vengeance that was in my heart and my year of redemption have come.
We see that the clothes of Messiah are stained red from trampling the Edomites like grapes in a winepress. We also see that he alone has done this and none of the people that were left on the earth after the rapture of the church have joined him in this righteous judgement.
Isaiah 63:5–6
I looked, but there was no one to help, and I was appalled that no one upheld me. Therefore my own arm brought me salvation, and my own fury upheld me. In my anger I trod down the peoples, made them drunk with my fury, then poured out their lifeblood on the earth."
This passage speaks of the fact that, even as the wrath of God was being poured out, there was still no repentance from the people of the earth. In order to establish the kingdom, evil must first be dealt with.
Isaiah 63:7–9
I will recall the grace of ADONAI and the praises of ADONAI, because of all that ADONAI has granted us and his great goodness toward the house of Isra'el, which he bestowed on them in keeping with his mercy, in keeping with the greatness of his grace. For he said, "They are indeed my people, children who are not disloyal." So he became their Savior. In all their troubles he was troubled; then the Angel of His Presence saved them; in his love and pity he redeemed them. He had lifted them up and carried them throughout the days of old.
Isaiah causes us to remember the grace of God and the praises that flowed because of the favor that Messiah showed towards his people. Messiah said that they were his people because they believed the truth and would not lie. The trouble that his people went through also afflicted him but his message saved and redeemed them bringing them through the troubles that they faced.
Isaiah 63:10
However, they rebelled, they grieved his Holy Spirit; so he became their enemy and himself fought against them.
We see that prior to this redemption, these people had rebelled against God by rejecting his message and this grieved the Holy Spirit. This rebellion caused God to become their enemy for a time and brought misery upon them.
Isaiah 63:11–14
But then his people remembered the days of old, the days of Moshe: "Where is he who brought them up from the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put his Holy Spirit right there among them, who caused his glorious arm to go at Moshe's right hand? He divided the water ahead of them, to make himself an eternal name; he led them through the deep like a sure-footed horse through the desert; like cattle going down into a valley the Spirit of ADONAI had them rest. This is how you led your people, to make yourself a glorious name."
This passage speaks of a remnant of the Jewish people that remember the history of their people and the fact that God had used Moshe to redeem them from Egypt. We see a change in this group as they come to realize that it is their sin that is giving the power to their enemy and robbing them of the victory that comes from Yeshua Messiah. This group of Jewish people will repent and follow Yeshua Messiah.
Isaiah 63:15–16
Look down from heaven; and see from your holy, glorious dwelling. Where are your zeal and your mighty deeds, your inner concern and compassion? Don't hold back, for you are our father. Even if Avraham were not to know us, and Isra'el were not to acknowledge us, you, ADONAI, are our father, Our Redeemer of Old is your name.
Messiah saw God's plan for his people to dwell in his kingdom and the fact that they would have to go through this troubling period in order to bring them to repentance. We see that, even though Avraham and Ya'akov would not recognize this remnant, God knew them and the fact that they would eventually be redeemed.
Isaiah 63:17–19
ADONAI, why do you let us wander from your ways and harden our hearts, so that we do not fear you? Return, for the sake of your servants, the tribes who are your possession. Your holy people held your sanctuary such a short time, before our adversaries trampled it down. For so long we have been like those you never ruled, like those who were not called by your name!
We see that this rebelious people had been led astray by their rejection of the truth of Messiah but God was bringing about this change in their hearts. The people of Israel had the temple in Jerusalem for a relatively short period of time before it was trampled by their enemies and for a long period of time they had been like the rest of the people of the world.