THE MESSIAH COMES WITH POWER AND GLORY

ISAIAH 63

The coming of Messiah in Isaiah 53 revealed Him as the suffering Servant who died for sins of mankind, and “There was no beauty that we should desire Him.”  In our present study there is majesty and beauty as He comes the second time in power, and His feet stand on the Mount of Olives according to Zechariah 14:4.  This is the Day of Vengeance from Isaiah 61:2 which Jesus did not read as He began His earthly ministry.

We covered this from Luke 4:18-19 when He stopped in the middle of the sentence and sat down in Luke 4:20, for the Day of Vengeance and Judgment were to come. This is taken up in our present study.  The Messiah of Israel, our Lord Jesus Christ, comes at His second coming as a warrior King.  The picture is of an avenger and redeemer who is treading the winepress of the wrath of God against those who have oppressed the nation of Israel during the tribulation period.  The popular thinking of our day is that the Old Testament deals with God’s judgment and that the New Testament only reveals a God of love.  That is the reason so many reject the Book of the Revelation saying it cannot be understood.  This portion of Isaiah 63 is linked closely with Revelation 14:15-20 which also deals with God’s judgment on the earth.  The sharp sickle of God’s wrath comes to earth and gathers the godless nations and cast them into the winepress of the wrath of God.  Here in Isaiah 63:1-4, the speaker introduces Himself as Jehovah, the perfectly righteous God, who is able to save and accomplish His righteous purpose.  The Messiah is now seen not riding a lowly donkey but as a powerful warrior coming in great strength.  His apparel is red because He has trampled in His fury the winepress of the wrath of God.  The people of Isaiah’s day understood this because they gathered grapes, put them into the hallow of large rocks with small holes to allow the juice to run out, and walked on the grapes thus staining their garments.  It is important to note in Isaiah 63:4 that the Day of Vengeance is a short period of time and that His redemption is for a year, indicating a long or indefinite period of time.

The loving care of God is seen in Isaiah 63:5-9. As a father picks up his little child and carries it when the child is weary and unable to walk on its own any longer, so Jehovah will act toward Israel and all His children who suffer in the last days.  In I Peter 5:7, we have this same expression, “Casting all your care upon Him, for it matters to God about you.”  Following the purging of the dross, God’s glorious arm of strength and mercy will once more be experienced.  In Isaiah 63:5-19, we see the cry to God to renew His favor and personal protection.  Isaiah pleads with God as the Father of Israel to deal more gently with His people.  This all points to Revelation 19:11-21 when heaven is opened and the Messiah of Israel comes with power and glory to establish His Kingdom and take control with the Sanctuary or Temple of God once more established in Jerusalem.  What a glorious future awaits the nation of Israel who will experience God’s salvation as promised in the Word of God.