Isaiah 63 · The Lantern

Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.”

Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress?

“I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained.

And does not also the Holy Spirit, speaking in Isaiah, testify the same thing concerning the passion of the Lord, saying, "Why are your vestments red and your garments as from treading the wine press full and well-trodden?" For can water make vestments red, or is it water that is trodden by the feet in the winepress or forced out by the press?

(Verse 3 and following) I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples there was no man with me. I have trodden them in my anger, and trampled them in my fury: and their blood has stained my garments, and all my clothing is polluted. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come.

1102. Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he tells of his victory alone: the winepress, namely, the cross on which he was pressed by the weight of his passion, I have trodden, my enemies, alone, suffering and conquering; and of the Gentiles there is not a man with me, to help me, because everyone fled, abandoning him.

For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redemption had come.

I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled that no one assisted. So My arm brought Me salvation, and My own wrath upheld Me.

I trampled the nations in My anger; in My wrath I made them drunk and poured out their blood on the ground.”

I will make known the LORD’s loving devotion and His praiseworthy acts, because of all that the LORD has done for us—the many good things for the house of Israel according to His great compassion and loving devotion.

(Verse 7) I will remember the mercies of the Lord; I will praise the Lord for all the good things the Lord has done for us, and for the abundance of blessings to the house of Israel that he has bestowed upon them according to his mercy, and according to the multitude of his mercies.

I, wretched one, cast myself into the pit and the mud of the abyss of shameful thoughts and deeds, and once I had come there, I fell into the hands of those who were concealed by the darkness.

1105. I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord. Here the prophet offers a petition to the judge, who comes to speak and fulfill justice. And first, he inclines him to compassion; second, he offers his petition, O that you wouldst rend the heavens (ch. 64).

For He said, “They are surely My people, sons who will not be disloyal.” So He became their Savior.

In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

We say that these human things are his by an economic appropriation, along with the flesh all the things belonging to it. We recognize no other Son apart from him, for the Lord has saved us, giving his own blood as a ransom for the life of all.

For the grace of the incarnation is of mercy and good will. Aquila translates, instead of "virtues," "hymns"; Theodotion and Symmachus render it "songs of praise." For "make retribution," Symmachus has "work benefits." But the Septuagint is more accurate in putting "make retribution," since we deserved punishment but received salvation instead of punishment.… He switches us to…

And as to his diligent protection: in all their affliction; and he himself was troubled, from compassion; or he was not troubled, right away, but he delayed even now, that they might be corrected; and the angel of his face, that is, the angel that sees my face, saved them, as their leader in the desert: lead this people whither I have told you: my angel shall go before you (Exo…

But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.

Then His people remembered the days of old, the days of Moses. Where is He who brought them through the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is the One who set His Holy Spirit among them,

who sent His glorious arm to lead them by the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to gain for Himself everlasting renown,

who led them through the depths like a horse in the wilderness, so that they did not stumble?

There can be no doubt that in refusing the accompaniment of an angel Moses was inviting God to lead them himself. God was making this promise, "This word that you have just spoken I shall accomplish, since you have found favor with me and I know you in preference to all the others." It is also said in Isaiah, "the one who made the shepherd of the sheep to ascend the earth?

Just as with Pharaoh and the Egyptians chasing them, the people led by Moses crossed the sea, so, too, as the devil and the demons were waging war, Christ the master shattered the gates of death, was first to go through them and took with him human nature in its entirety!

And where is he that led them out as a horse that stumbles not, namely, without hindrance.

Like cattle going down to the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. You led Your people this way to make for Yourself a glorious name.

Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation. Where are Your zeal and might? Your yearning and compassion for me are restrained.

(Verse 15) Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and glorious habitation. Where is your zeal and your might? The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion are held back from me. LXX: Return from heaven and see, from your holy dwelling and your glory. Where is your zeal and your might? Where is the multitude of your mercies and the compassions you have shown us?

Here onwards the prophet prays for every nation, and in the person of the Israelites he presents his supplication. He prays that God will withhold his wrath from them and cease rebuking them and in a forgiving manner subdue Israel's desertion; for there was no one on earth for them other than the true God, one having a glorious home in heaven, their father.

1110. Second, he inclines the judge to affection. And first, he seeks a hearing: look down from heaven: you will hear from your holy heaven (1 Kgs 8:32). Second, he provokes him to mercy: where is your zeal with which you loved us. Lord, where are your ancient mercies? (Ps 88:50[89:49]); if he withhold the waters, all things shall be dried up (Job 12:15).

Yet You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.

For Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Sarah travailed not with us, need we inquire further on this point?

(Verse 16) For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. LXX: For you are our Father, because Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. But you, Lord our Father, free us: from the beginning your name is upon us.

Third, he sets out a cause for having mercy: for you are our father, and Abraham has not known us, when he was still alive, because we did not then exist; or, even now, he is unwilling to pray for us, because we do not call upon him; or, according to Augustine, because the dead, even the saints, do not know what is to be done for the living: but this is to be understood as to t…

Why, O LORD, do You make us stray from Your ways and harden our hearts from fearing You? Return, for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.

Is not sin also punishment for sin?… We can recount many other events clearly showing that perversity of heart comes from a hidden judgment of God, with the result that a refusal to hear the truth leads to commission of sin, and this sin is also punishment for preceding sin.

Behold how a person is hardened if he does not merit to be chastised by the Lord for his correction? Moreover, what is written concerning those whom God's mercy does not even allow to become hardened?

1111. Why have you made us to err? Here he sets out the evils which they met. And first, as to the evils of their fault: you made us to err, permitting, not sending grace and not correcting, from your ways, commands; you hardened, permitted: he has mercy on whom he will. And whom he will, he hardens (Rom 9:18). 1112. Second, he sets out the evils of their punishment.

For a short while Your people possessed Your holy place, but our enemies have trampled Your sanctuary.

We have become like those You never ruled, like those not called by Your name.

And you did this on account of our turning away from you. For we are now a desert untended by your careful attention. We are now like we were in the beginning. For there was a time when we had neither prophet nor priest not king nor any of your gifts of grace—in like manner we have now come back to the desert.

The holy of holies of the sanctuary, which it was forbidden to touch and to which access was reserved for priests alone, has been despoiled and trampled by impious enemies.

As to the loss of their former honor: we are become, without a king, without the temple, as in the beginning, in Egypt, or even before the calling of Abraham: but you, O Lord, are among us, and your name is called upon by us, forsake us not (Jer 14:9).

Isaiah63