Study notes

Isaiah 63

Introducing IsaiahWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

54:1–66:24 Section

The last chapters in Isaiah described what would happen to people who did things God hated. God hated it when his people only acted as if they worshipped and obeyed him. But what they actually did was commit murder. They told lies and treated needy people badly. God hated it when people made evil plans and worshipped false gods. God longed for his people to stop sinning and to obey him. God described his longing like holding out his hands to welcome a stubborn nation.

God promised to bring judgement against his people for their sins. They would suffer and would be put to shame. He also invited them to change so that they could live. He described this like buying food and drink from him at a market. But God gave the food and drink for free. That showed how deeply God wanted them to turn back to him and be forgiven.

The last chapters in Isaiah also described what would happen to people who obeyed God. People who obeyed were humble, trusted God and wanted to be taught by him. They would be blessed and would be welcome in God’s house. That was another name for the temple. God promised to live with anyone who turns away from their sins. This promise applied to people from Jacob’s family line, to outsiders and to people from all nations. They would possess God’s holy mountain of Zion. This meant that they could live in the land where God ruled as King.

God described the light and brightness and new day of Jerusalem. He was talking about something more than the time when people returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. God described a completely new work that he would do. He would create new heavens and a new earth. In the new heavens and new earth, everyone would honour God. This was described as people from all over the world coming to Jerusalem. They would worship God there. This Jerusalem that God described would be full of joy. There would be no more crying. No one would cause harm or destroy anything or anyone. Everyone would do what was right and fair. God would do this new work when it was the right time.

Many years later Jesus said that God was starting that new work through him. Jesus used the words of Isaiah 61:1–2 to describe the work he was doing on earth (Luke 4:14–21). In Revelation, John also described the new heavens and new earth. The city where God ruled for ever as King was called the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1–5).

63:1

  • The Lord’s robes are red with blood (Isaiah 63:3; compare Revelation 19:13).

  • The name Bozrah (Hebrew botsrah) is a play on the verb batsar, which means “gather grapes.”

63:2

The term red (Hebrew ’adom) is a wordplay on the name Edom.

63:6

made them drunk: This phrase describes God’s judgment. The wicked nations are pictured as people who drink strong wine and cannot stand straight.

They are forced to drink from the cup of God’s wrath (his anger against sin). This image shows that they cannot escape his punishment (Isaiah 49:26; 51:17, 21).

63:7

loving devotion … His praiseworthy acts … the many good things: The whole history of God’s care for his people demonstrates his compassion, provision, and protection.

63:7–14

The prophet reflects on Israel’s past, how God showed his unfailing love and how his people alternatively rebelled against him, suffered hardship, returned to the Lord, and experienced his blessing.

63:8

  • They are surely My people: God's ownership and commitment to his people were central to the agreement (see Isaiah 43:1).

  • who will not be disloyal: The Lord expected his people to honor their relationship with him, unlike other nations, whose history is full of betrayal (Genesis 3–11). But Israel also betrayed their God (Isaiah 63:10).

  • their Savior: God saved and protected his people (see Isaiah 43:3).

63:9

  • He too was afflicted: God felt the pain of his suffering people, and their suffering caused him grief. Later, Jesus suffered for all humanity.

  • He redeemed them: For example, see Exodus 12:25–33; 14:10–31; 23:20–23.

63:10

  • But they rebelled: See also Isaiah 1:2, 4; 59:1–15; Psalms 78, 106.

  • Persistent disobedience and unbelief grieved God's Holy Spirit (Psalm 106:33; Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:29).

  • became their enemy: Examples include Israel’s period of wandering in the wilderness (see the book of Numbers), the period of the judges (see the book of Judges), and the period leading up to the exile (see the book of Jeremiah).

63:15–64:12

The prophet’s reflections on the past (Isaiah 63:7–14) inspire him to pray that God would now rescue his people as he has done before.

63:17

  • The prophet understands that God has the power to keep his people faithful and asks why God has allowed them to stray from His path.

  • Return, for the sake of Your servants: God also has the power to bring his people back to him (Ezekiel 36:25–27) and to defeat all their enemies.

63:18

  • The people were supposed to be holy, but their lack of holiness had led to destruction.

  • The holy place was the temple, which the Babylonians destroyed in 586 BC (Isaiah 64:11; 2 Kings 25:1–21).

63:19

Israel was constantly turning from God and then being punished by him.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources