Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Isaiah Ch.63 / 66 Ch.s
ISA:63
* Christ's victory over his enemies. (1-6) His mercy toward his
church. (7-14) The prayer of the church. (15-19)
#1-6 The prophet, in vision, beholds the Messiah returning in
triumph from the conquest of his enemies, of whom Edom was a
type. Travelling, not as wearied by the combat, but, in the
greatness of his strength, prepared to overcome every opposing
power. Messiah declares that he had been treading the wine-press
of the wrath of God, #Re 14:19; 19:13|, and by his own power,
without any human help, he had crushed his obstinate opposers,
for the day of vengeance was determined on, being the appointed
season for rescuing his church. Once, he appeared on earth in
apparent weakness, to pour out his precious blood as an
atonement for our sins; but he will in due time appear in the
greatness of his strength. The vintage ripens apace; the day of
vengeance, fixed and determined on, approaches apace; let
sinners seek to be reconciled to their righteous Judge, ere he
brings down their strength to the earth. Does Christ say, "I
come quickly?" let our hearts reply, "Even so, come; let the
year of the redeemed come."
#7-14 The latter part of this chapter, and the whole of the
next, seem to express the prayers of the Jews on their
conversation. They acknowledge God's great mercies and favours
to their nation. They confess their wickedness and hardness of
heart; they entreat his forgiveness, and deplore the miserable
condition under which they have so long suffered. The
only-begotten Son of the Father became the Angel or Messenger of
his love; thus he redeemed and bare them with tenderness. Yet
they murmured, and resisted his Holy Spirit, despising and
persecuting his prophets, rejecting and crucifying the promised
Messiah. All our comforts and hopes spring from the
loving-kindness of the Lord, and all our miseries and fears from
our sins. But he is the Saviour, and when sinners seek after
him, who in other ages glorified himself by saving and feeding
his purchased flock, and leading them safely through dangers,
and has given his Holy Spirit to prosper the labours of his
ministers, there is good ground to hope they are discovering the
way of peace.
#15-19 They beseech him to look down on the abject condition of
their once-favoured nation. Would it not be glorious to his name
to remove the veil from their hearts, to return to the tribes of
his inheritance? The Babylonish captivity, and the
after-deliverance of the Jews, were shadows of the events here
foretold. The Lord looks down upon us in tenderness and mercy.
Spiritual judgments are more to be dreaded than any other
calamities; and we should most carefully avoid those sins which
justly provoke the Lord to leave men to themselves and to their
deceiver. "Our Redeemer from everlasting" is thy name; thy
people have always looked upon thee as the God to whom they
might appeal. The Lord will hear the prayers of those who belong
to him, and deliver them from those not called by his name.