Isaiah
63 reminds me of what detectives call “a crime of passion”. The
powerful emotions of love, hate, jealousy and revenge fuel the furry
of the attack. The powerful feelings are clear to the observer in
the aftermath of violence. Investigators always suspect the spouse
first because only that level of intimacy can produce such an
unrestrained reaction. In today’s chapter, Isaiah looks ahead to
describe the coming judgment and we clearly see the God’s very
personal passion. He begins, “Who
is this coming… with His garments stained crimson? …robed in
splendor, striding forward in the greatness of His strength“.
I believe he is describing Christ in His holy judgment as described
in Revelation 19. Isaiah says He is “proclaiming
victory, mighty
to save“. After a quick
inspection, Isaiah asks, “Why
are your garments red?”.
Listen to the reply, “I
trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My wrath; their blood
spattered My garments, and I stained all My clothing“.
Who is He referring to? Who could arouse such pain? I believe He
is describing the “adulterous people” of God and their tempters.
He describes it as, “It was for
Me the day of vengeance” and
at the same time, “so My own
arm achieved salvation“.
There are few things in life that compare to the depth of pain from
the betrayal of marital infidelity. The Lord will not hold back, “I
trampled the nations in My anger“.
Did you know that God expects exclusivity from His people?
Exodus 20:5 explains, “You
shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord
your God, am a jealous God“.
Isaiah
recalls all that God has done, “I
will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to
be praised“. And Isaiah lists
the compassion that God is extending even now, “In
all their distress He too was distressed… In His love and mercy He
redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them… His presence
saved them“. God repeatedly
rescued the nation of Israel, and ultimately gave His Son to pay the
debt of sin for all of us, “Yet
they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit“.
Today we mistake God’s patience for indifference, but Romans 2:4
asks, “Do you show contempt for
the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing
that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?“.
The
chapter closes with a prayer for all of us that have turned our
hearts away from our Holy God and those yet to receive His covenant
proposal of salvation. “Look
down from heaven and see… Your tenderness and compassion are
withheld from us… You, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer“.
Isaiah pleads on behalf of the founders of the nation of Israel,
“Return
for the sake of Your servants“.
Isaiah perhaps even describes the happy home that once was, “For
a little while Your people
possessed Your holy place, but
now our enemies have trampled down Your sanctuary“.
Today, there is no temple in Jerusalem. It was destroyed shortly
after the resurrection of Christ. The cross of Christ was the once
and for all sacrifice. By faith, we too are made perfect before God.
Ephesians 5 explains the new relationship. “Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up
for her to
make her holy, cleansing
her by the washing with
water through the word, and
to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or
wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless“.
Friend, you too are invited to partake in celebration of salvation.
Today is the day of grace, but the day of judgment is coming. God
loves you with more passion than you can understand. It would be a
crime if you did not respond to His invitation.