Isaiah Chapter 63
The Great Pageant
Prophecy and Reality can be likened to a great play or pageant. There exists
an overall plot interwoven with subplots. Variations on the theme are possible.
For every role exist several potential players who are suited to that role.
In every generation or at least periodically some version or other of
the pageant is played out. Even so, there exists a Classic Primary Version
of the Play and Master Players who are the most suited to their tasks and
for whom the Pageant was mainly written. Eventually there will be a Grand
Finale in which it will become apparent that everything that went beforehand
was preparatory to what will be.
[Isaiah 63:1] WHO IS THIS THAT COMETH FROM EDOM, WITH DYED GARMENTS FROM
BOZRAH? THIS THAT IS GLORIOUS IN HIS APPAREL, TRAVELLING IN THE GREATNESS
OF HIS STRENGTH? I THAT SPEAK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, MIGHTY TO SAVE.
EDOM: Who is Edom? Rome? Germany? Europe in general? Europe and Japan? And Elsewhere??
BOZRAH? There was a place in Jordan named Bozrah. There is a place in Iraq
of that name. IN ancient times Bozrah (Batsra) was a city of Edom.
In Early Medieval Hebrew “Bozrah” was the name applied to Byzantium. Byzantium
(Constantinople) is now known as Istanbul. It is in Turkey. Constantine the
Emperor of Rome made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.
He divided the Empire into two: a Western half based on Rome and an eastern
half based on Constantinople (Byzantium). The eastern half was Greek in language
and culture. The Church in Byzantium refused to acknowledge the authority
of the Pope in Rome. Though considered in error it was not condemned by Rome
to the same degree that Protestantism later was. It became known as the Greek
Orthodox Church. This was the religion accepted by Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia,
the Ukraine, Greece, and some other places. Eventually Byzantium was conquered
by the Turks. The rulers of Russia had intermarried with the rulers of Byzantium
and considered themselves the rightful successors of Byzantium. They used
the title “Czar” i.e. Caesar which title was that of the ruler of the Roman
Empire. Russia could be considered “Bozra” OR IT COULD BE SOMEPLACE ELSE.
[Isaiah 63:2] WHEREFORE ART THOU RED IN THINE APPAREL, AND THY GARMENTS LIKE HIM THAT TREADETH IN THE WINEFAT?
In Ancient Israel Grape gathers would gather together bundles of grapes and
put them in a square hole cut in rock in the ground. They would then tread
the grapes with their feet. Juice from the grapes would run off in conduits,
placed in receptacles, and be stored away to ferment and become wine. Those
who trod the grapes would have red juice splattered all over them.
[Isaiah 63:3] I HAVE TRODDEN THE WINEPRESS ALONE; AND OF THE PEOPLE
THERE WAS NONE WITH ME: FOR I WILL TREAD THEM IN MINE ANGER, AND TRAMPLE
THEM IN MY FURY; AND THEIR BLOOD SHALL BE SPRINKLED UPON MY GARMENTS, AND
I WILL STAIN ALL MY RAIMENT.
[Isaiah 63:4] FOR THE DAY OF VENGEANCE IS IN MINE HEART, AND THE YEAR OF MY REDEEMED IS COME.
[Isaiah 63:5] AND I LOOKED, AND THERE WAS NONE TO HELP; AND I WONDERED
THAT THERE WAS NONE TO UPHOLD: THEREFORE MINE OWN ARM BROUGHT SALVATION UNTO
ME; AND MY FURY, IT UPHELD ME.
Who is speaking?
God?
The Messiah?
Judah?
All Israel?
The spirit of God entering into them and speaking through them?
[Isaiah 63:6] AND I WILL TREAD DOWN THE PEOPLE IN MINE ANGER, AND MAKE
THEM DRUNK IN MY FURY, AND I WILL BRING DOWN THEIR STRENGTH TO THE EARTH.
“THE PEOPLE”: in Hebrew “amim” = peoples.
[Isaiah 63:7] I WILL MENTION THE LOVINGKINDNESSES OF THE LORD, AND
THE PRAISES OF THE LORD, ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE LORD HATH BESTOWED ON
US, AND THE GREAT GOODNESS TOWARD THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, WHICH HE HATH
BESTOWED ON THEM ACCORDING TO HIS MERCIES, AND ACCORDING TO THE MULTITUDE
OF HIS LOVINGKINDNESSES.
[Isaiah 63:8] FOR HE SAID, SURELY THEY ARE MY PEOPLE, CHILDREN THAT WILL NOT LIE: SO HE WAS THEIR SAVIOUR.
“CHILDREN THAT WILL NOT LIE” also renderable as saying: Children that will
not do falsely i.e. they will act according to their parentage. They will
fulfill the task they were destined to fulfill.
[Isaiah 63:9] 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;
AND HE BARE THEM, AND CARRIED THEM ALL THE DAYS OF OLD.
“IN ALL THEIR AFFLICTION HE WAS AFFLICTED”: God Himself suffered when HIS people were persecuted and suffered.
[Isaiah 63:10] BUT THEY REBELLED, AND VEXED HIS HOLY SPIRIT: THEREFORE
HE WAS TURNED TO BE THEIR ENEMY, AND HE FOUGHT AGAINST THEM.
[Isaiah 63:11] THEN HE REMEMBERED THE DAYS OF OLD, MOSES, AND HIS PEOPLE,
SAYING, WHERE IS HE THAT BROUGHT THEM UP OUT OF THE SEA WITH THE SHEPHERD
OF HIS FLOCK? WHERE IS HE THAT PUT HIS HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN HIM?
Even though they sin and turn away from HIM, HE will remember and return to HIS people at some stage- no matter what.
WHERE IS HE THAT PUT HIS HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN HIM? If God puts HIS spirit in
us or in His prophet we can be led onto the right track.
[Isaiah 63:12] THAT LED THEM BY THE RIGHT HAND OF MOSES WITH HIS GLORIOUS
ARM, DIVIDING THE WATER BEFORE THEM, TO MAKE HIMSELF AN EVERLASTING NAME?
[Isaiah 63:13] THAT LED THEM THROUGH THE DEEP, AS AN HORSE IN THE WILDERNESS,
THAT THEY SHOULD NOT STUMBLE?
[Isaiah 63:14] AS A BEAST GOETH DOWN INTO THE VALLEY, THE SPIRIT OF
THE LORD CAUSED HIM TO REST: SO DIDST THOU LEAD THY PEOPLE, TO MAKE THYSELF
A GLORIOUS NAME.
[Isaiah 63:15] LOOK DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND BEHOLD FROM THE HABITATION
OF THY HOLINESS AND OF THY GLORY: WHERE IS THY ZEAL AND THY STRENGTH, THE
SOUNDING OF THY BOWELS AND OF THY MERCIES TOWARD ME? ARE THEY RESTRAINED?
[Isaiah 63:16] DOUBTLESS THOU ART OUR FATHER, THOUGH ABRAHAM BE IGNORANT
OF US, AND ISRAEL ACKNOWLEDGE US NOT: THOU, O LORD, ART OUR FATHER, OUR REDEEMER;
THY NAME IS FROM EVERLASTING.
“THOUGH ABRAHAM BE IGNORANT OF US, AND ISRAEL ACKNOWLEDGE US NOT”:
We do not act as our forefathers would have wanted us to do and we do not
merit to receive the blessings promised to them neither do we fulfill the
tasks they accepted upon themselves on our behalf. They would be in their
rights to disown us BUT even so God will not disown us.
Also we may not be recognized as the physical descendants of Abraham and
Israel even though that is what we feel ourselves to be and probably are.
Even s, God will help us.
God is our redeemer.
Another point:
Even though we are or well may be the physical descendants of Abraham and
Israel that is not enough. We have to ask God for His mercy and forgiveness.
[Isaiah 63:17] O LORD, WHY HAST THOU MADE US TO ERR FROM THY WAYS,
AND HARDENED OUR HEART FROM THY FEAR? RETURN FOR THY SERVANTS' SAKE, THE
TRIBES OF THINE INHERITANCE.
We are the tribes of Israel. We need to feel the Divine Presence and return.
THE TRIBES OF THINE INHERITANCE: The twelve Tribes of Israel: both “Joseph” and “Judah”.
Return to acknowledge us and our Tribal ancestry.
[Isaiah 63:18] THE PEOPLE OF THY HOLINESS HAVE POSSESSED IT BUT A LITTLE
WHILE: OUR ADVERSARIES HAVE TRODDEN DOWN THY SANCTUARY.
The Holy Mountain and site of the Temple is in the effective possession of
the Muslims. Jewsare not allowed to go up there or pray there. The enemy
possesses the Temple Mount and defiles it. The Muslims dig up the temple
Mount, they have a childrens school up there and public lavoratories, they
dig it up and destroy remnants of the First and Second Temples. All the world
backs them up in these contemptible acts.
OUR ADVERSARIES HAVE TRODDEN DOWN THY SANCTUARY
[Isaiah 63:19] WE ARE THINE: THOU NEVER BAREST RULE OVER THEM; THEY WERE NOT CALLED BY THY NAME.
Israel is the people of God. The physical descendants of the Israelites are the chosen people. There is none other.
Chapter Sixty-Four
HOme