In the previous chapter, watchmen were placed on the walls of Jerusalem (62:6). At the start of Isaiah 63, they see a frightening figure approaching in the distance. “Who is this?” they inquire. He’s coming from Edom, with its capital city of Bozrah, so we might assume this is no friend. The Edomites were ancient enemies of Israel, symbolic of a world in hostility toward God. Yet this mighty warrior marches toward Jerusalem with triumphant confidence, as one who speaks in righteousness and is “mighty to save” (v 1). The watchmen follow up with a second question: “Why is your apparel red?” The answer given is that His clothing is blood-spattered from victorious battle. He has trampled “the peoples” in the winepress of His wrath, taking fierce vengeance on all who had opposed Him. No one helped Him triumph; the victory is His alone, achieved by His own arm. This is a picture of Christ at His second coming, when He will judge this world in perfect righteousness. On the day when God’s patience runs out, He will put on His clothes and weapons of war. The resulting blood bath described here is the most graphic picture of divine wrath in Scripture, one that is repeated in the book of Revelation (v 2-6). To stabilize us as we wait for the last day, Isaiah invites us to look back at the faithful love of God throughout history. The grand story of His salvation brings meaning to our own lives today. God chose us. He became our Savior in Jesus Christ. He has shared in our afflictions. He has given us His presence. He has redeemed us and carried us every step of the way (v 7-9). But when our lives grieve His Holy Spirit, God will turn on us to become our enemy. He loves us too much to support our stupidity, so He will impose His discipline. Again and again, Israel experienced this reality. But when God’s people forget Him, He still remembers them and keeps returning to them. Though we do not deserve it, for the glory of His own name, the LORD will graciously lead us to a place of peace and rest (v 10-14). But this does not mean we can become passive or indifferent to our spiritual condition. When we have wandered from God’s ways, we must pray with Isaiah that the LORD would return to us. He is not to be blamed if our hearts have been hardened by sin. But if we no longer fear God or stay near Him, He may teach us a lesson by handing us over to the power of sin, further hardening us. So we must pray for mercy. He is our Father and our Redeemer. Will God now stand by and do nothing for us when we call upon Him? If we do not feel His passionate love for us, let us plead with God to visit us afresh (v 15-19). For further meditation: