Returning this evening to Isaiah chapter 63, we'll look at the verses that we read in verse 1 through to verse 14. I can't resist verse 7 as a focal point or text this evening, so we'll begin by reading 63 and verse 7. I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us and the great goodness toward the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. Well it's very difficult to unite the first six verses with the second eight verses in this chapter But there is a theme, I believe, that runs through both sections and that is the tragedy of resisting God. In the first six verses the tragedy is that we resist a God who is a mighty judge and saviour, whereas in the second eight verses it is a tragedy to resist a God of such loving kindness. there is a case for suggesting that the first six verses really belong to the previous chapters and some commentators regard these six verses as forming a conclusion to a whole section in Isaiah's prophecy from chapter 40 right through here to 63 verse 6 and certainly you can see the argument here In these chapters the Prophet has outlined and declared the death of Christ at Calvary. He has set forth the extension of the Church. In chapter 54 he's spoken of the message of the Gospel that will be preached with the coming of the Messiah. In chapter 55 He's foretold the engathering of the Gentiles the conversion of the lost in chapter 61 and he's spoken in chapter 62 of Christ's present intercession in heaven on behalf of his people on behalf of his church for Zion's sake Christ says I will not hold my peace He even now in heaven is the orchestrator of the advance of his kingdom. He is the one that holds the seven stars, the spiritual leaders, the pastors, the teachers in the church. He is the one that gives those spiritual gifts to his people, that they may further the gospel, that they may be labourers in his vineyard. And then here in chapter 63, these first six verses, the prophet identifies or portrays Christ in one more picture, but here he is portrayed in his work as judge and victor over every enemy of God, over everyone, every force, every individual that would hinder the furtherance and the interests of his kingdom. There are many parallels, really, in these first six verses to Revelation. We could have looked at chapter 14 in Revelation that speaks of the winepress, of the wrath of God, as well as chapter 19. But here, what do we see in these verses? We see one coming from Edom in verse 1. Edom was an inveterate enemy of the ancient people of Israel. Of course Edom were the descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. Bozrah was the chief city in Edom. And so chapter 1 pictures one who returns from the enemy of Israel victorious, glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength. Here is a returning monarch who returns as a warrior in great victory. And he announces himself to Isaiah, who pictures this scene, I that speak in righteousness, the one who speaks the truth, whose words, whose purposes, whose intentions will always hold good, mighty to save. There's a reminder here that our salvation could not be complete while there were any threats remaining. to our eternal security but Christ here is portrayed as one who has gained the victory and will gain the victory over all the enemies of the church this verse would be particularly encouraging if we were living in days of persecution if we lived in the era of the Puritans or the Reformers burned at the stake for their testimony or if we lived in lands like North Korea or even Sri Lanka or in parts of Africa like I read a report yesterday of a little boy in Nigeria I think it was, it didn't say 3 year old and he was holding a Bible and one of these Boko Haram terrorists were making a bonfire of Christian books and they kicked the Bible out of this little toddler's hand and threw it on the fire and the toddler ran to the fire in order to retrieve his Bible and he got a stick and he tried to flick it out of the fire and this terrorist held his head down and said you stubborn infidel and he's got a burnt head. If you live in situations like that then what encouragement verses like this are. is not only mighty to save because he hung upon the cross bearing our punishment but he's mighty to save and defend us from every foe because ultimately as the prophet says here he will gain the victory over satan over death but over all the enemies of Christ in this world too Look at verse 2, Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? Here is this man, he's coming back from the enemy and he's coated in red, looks like he's been in the wine-fat. Now the wine-fat or the wine-press was usually a hollowed out rock in which they would throw in all the grape and then someone would tread those grapes to crush them to release the juice and those that did so would be spurted and splattered with all the red grape juice and so their clothes would be completely dyed red and Isaiah says in his vision here that's what he sees and he says why do you look like that? and the answer comes from the one in verse 3 I have trodden the winepress alone and of the people there was none with me for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury and their blood literally in the original it's their juice playing on the figure that is before us of the wine and the grapes their juice shall be sprinkled upon my garments and I will stain all my raiment here is a picture then of the fury of Christ who will crush, ultimately crush his enemies verse 4 adds for the day of vengeance is in my heart and the year of my redeemed is come this verse is looking forward surely to that ultimate day of judgement when the Lord will have put down all authority and all principality and power and he will completely overrun the nations and all that have opposed him and hindered the gospel and in that hour will be the full redemption of those who are his people the year of my redeemed is come some notice the contrast here the day of vengeance and the year of the redeemed Christ will make swift work of his enemies but it will bring in a glorious era of redemption and blessing to the people of God. Others say that these they and here here just represent an appointed time. Well I'm no expert on that but there is a thought there for sure look at verse 5 and I looked and there was none to help and I wondered that there was none to uphold therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me and my fury it upheld me the overarching thought here is that Christ alone will judge he doesn't need help and he will not require anyone to stand with him but at the beginning of this verse there's also something that is portrayed as astonishing or a wonder and it literally means that among the nations there were none that stood with Christ all the nations were against him but be that as it may Christ would overcome And he adds, verse 6, and I will tread down the people in mine anger and make them drunk in my fury and I will bring down their strength to the earth. Christ's final judgment and victory portrayed here. It's a fitting end to this section in Isaiah's prophecy that has presented the Gospel and the Christ and the extension of his kingdom. If we go to the New Testament, we can see many verses that confirm the picture that Isaiah has brought to our attention there. For example, in Colossians chapter 2 and verse 15, we read of Christ's work upon the cross. that having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." This work of Christ in his mighty victory and triumph over the enemies of his kingdom and his name, it begins at Calvary. But it's not completed at Calvary. Here, principalities and powers means the devil and his hosts above everything else there was a glorious triumph at the cross the serpent's head was bruised he became from that hour a chained lion and his powers within the earth were limited there was a great victory achieved but the fullness of that victory would wait until the end of time. Then look at Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 20 and 21. The Apostle prays that we as believers should come to know, verse 19, the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, or in the interests of the church perhaps we could say and so you see here Christ exalted on the cross there was a victory accomplished but now he is raised to the heavenly heights he is already supreme over all the forces of evil and the mighty nations but the fullness of that victory must await the end of time and so if we go to Revelation chapter 19 and we haven't time this evening to look at all of the detail of these verses but these verses help us to understand Isaiah 63 particularly because in verse 11 we are told of one who is called faithful and true one who in righteousness does judge and make war that's similar to that phrase in verse 1 I that speak in righteousness mighty to save then verse 13 he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood a bloodstained vesture not because he is on the cross and he is stained with his own blood but because he here is triumphing over his enemies and so you've got verses 14 and 15 that speak of him smiting the nations ruling them with a rod of iron treading the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God this is Christ seen in a different light and guise to what we see Him in the Gospels. This is John encouraging the persecuted church of the first century that their Lord is ultimately the Supreme Monarch. This is John given this vision by Christ knowing of that full triumph which is yet to come. And so in verse 17 and 18, come gather yourselves together the angels say to the flowers and to the supper of the great God, not the marriage supper of the Lamb, that's not what's being referred to here. but here is the gathering of all the mighty men of the earth, the flesh of kings, the captains, captains of the media, captains of industry, captains of all different eras and walks of life, the flesh of mighty men, of their horses, those things that they use to advance their interests and pursue their life of hostility to God, the flesh of men both free and bond, small and great. Here is Christ ultimately crushing all that resist his rule. It's a solemn picture. but Isaiah glimpsed it in this chapter many years before Christ came as that little baby in Bethlehem friends we must never forget that that babe of Bethlehem became the one mighty to save who would gain victory over all his enemies oh are we an enemy of Christ what a solemn thing if we are or if we prove to be to be a part of this present world how dreadful that's what's being taught here in these verses it's a dreadful thing to be found on the opposite side to Christ at the end of time but to be amongst the redeemed to have our name in the Lamb's Book of Life that's what Revelation 19 ends with it's what Revelation 20 ends with to be in such condition amongst the redeemed then for them. Isaiah says this will be the year of my redeemed that is come. So here's the first section and here we are reminded of the tragedy of resisting Christ because ultimately he will be the judge of all the earth. But then we come to verse 7 and we need to think of this verse I'm sure and those that follow as beginning the final section in Isaiah's prophecy chapter 64 could almost begin here and let me give you a little overview of the remainder of chapter 63 and the beginning of chapter 64 because many of us will know the first verse in chapter 64 Oh that thou would rend the heavens and come down here is the prophet pleading with the Lord to return to pour out revival blessings upon his people but actually this verse is not the beginning of his prayer those who formed the chapter breaks did a disservice really putting it here because the prayer begins in verse 15 of chapter 63 look down from heaven behold from the habitation of thy holiness and thy strength Verse 17, O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways? And then he comes, O that thou wouldst render heavens and come down. The foundations to this great and famous utterance are laid at the end of chapter 63. So what are verses 7 to 14? Well, they're almost a preface to that outpouring prayer of the Prophet he reflects before he prays and that's good for us to do learn from him before we pray then we ought to reflect and here from verse 7 to verse 14 he reflects upon the loving kindness of God and the ingratitude of Israel I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the commentators love to point out that this is a plural. He doesn't say I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord, rather the loving kindness is. Our Lord is a God whose blessings, whose tenderness toward us is in the plural. There are so many great and varied favours that he shows us so many times when he has been forbearing with us despite our coldness and indifference and folly and sinfulness, so many times when he displays loving kindness in one way or another, either to check us when we are proud or to lift us up when we are despondent. The loving kindnesses of the Lord. It's translated here, I will mention, and we might ask, well, who? And we mention, who is this being mentioned to? Well it could be translated, I will call to remembrance the loving-kindnesses of the Lord. If you look at verse 6 in chapter 62, we looked at this a few weeks ago, Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence. It's the same type of phrase and the margin says, you that are the Lord's remembrances And so here, the beginning of verse 7 is called to remembrance the loving-kindnesses of the Lord. Some suggest that it's almost a plea to the Lord to remember his own loving-kindnesses. Lord, in the past, you've been a God who's shown such tenderness, such loving-kindness. Will you not rend the heavens and come down again? But I prefer to see it here as something that we reflect amongst ourselves. Remember the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, the multitude of his loving-kindnesses at the end of this verse. And then in verses 8 and 9 he lists two loving-kindnesses if you like. Firstly in verse 8 he refers to God's sovereign choice of Israel. he said surely they are my people and so he was their saviour what loving kindness was Abraham? was Jacob? were the children the descendants of this particular family any better than the other nations? God says not you are a stiff-necked people you are no different or better it was an act of sovereign choice It was an act of amazing grace, loving kindness displayed from heaven to the sons of men. And if the Lord has chosen you and me, do we deserve it? Are we any better? Do we distinguish ourselves before the Lord by some particular gifts or grace or tendency? Certainly not. We are chosen according to God's good pleasure what loving kindness we must never forget that the choice of a nation was one thing the choice of our souls whilst we were yet enemies is something far superior we have advantages Israel never had as such in the middle of this verse it says surely they are my people children that will not lie This is a difficult phrase to understand, but it's actually a command. I have chosen them, therefore they ought not to deal falsely with me. That seems to be the sense. How could Israel, subject to such divine choice and favour, how could they deal treacherously or falsely or deceitfully with God? they ought not to and yet of course they did and the same is true of us if the Lord in his mighty grace has chosen and called us to himself will we deal treacherously with him? unfaithfully? disobediently? we ought not to but then look at verse 9 there's a second loving kindness that is expressed here in all their affliction he was afflicted primarily this is a reference to the beginning of Exodus almost certainly where the Lord speaks to Moses and says I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people their anguish their cries here in the land of Egypt in bondage and he felt it in his heart but there is a general expression here of God's loving kindness whenever his ancient people had misfortune whenever they were oppressed whenever they came into difficulty he felt it too and we see that in the New Testament we see the heart of Christ when Martha and Mary weep over the loss of Lazarus he came to the grave and we read Jesus wept and the Jews said behold how he loved him Christ had a sympathy with his people and still does Hebrews chapter 2 tells us that we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities chapter 2 portrays him as one who was tempted like we are and therefore he sympathizes with us chapter 4 says something very similar And the second phrase in verse 9 is a reference to Christ, the angel of his presence saved them. In the Old Testament there was that angel. Exodus 33, God comes and says, when Moses says, except your presence go with us, carry us not up hence, the angel of the Lord goes with him. The angel of his presence here is not any old angel. the word literally is messenger but it's Christ Christ with his ancient people in their affliction sympathizing with them feeling fully upholding them guiding them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them he bared them and carried them all the days of old here is a picture of God in the person of Christ coming into the very midst of his people feeling for their needs and nurturing them and upholding them and that is our God that is our Christ his loving kindness is the loving kindness of his providential care for us each in our lives when we suffer misfortune or illness or bereavement or as one commentator puts it when we suffer misfortunes, afflictions, troubles anything that comes upon us particularly as we try to be what the Lord would have us be He fills for us when we try to be patient in trouble because we know that's how the Lord would have us live when He would have us filled with zeal despite discouragements when He would have us lay before Him and we see no fruit when we are criticized or buffeted by the world around us when we partake of just the normal sorrows of life weakness of body despondency of mind He is with us He feels for us because we are His children we are those whom He has chosen and He will be our Saviour but then we must come to verse 10 they rebelled and vexed or grieved his Holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them I'm going to come back to that in a moment but I want to complete the picture here of Isaiah's reflection from verse 11 to verse 14 and the experts tell us that the beginning of verse 11 is very difficult to establish the sense then he remembered the days of old does that mean God remembered the days of old? and he was moved despite their rebellion to show them kindness? it could mean that because despite their rebellion the Lord remembered the old personalities like Abraham, like Moses and for Moses sake he continued to lead Israel it could mean that but this verse could also be translated slightly differently and it would mean something like this and the days of old were remembered by one those who reflect like Isaiah he reflected upon the days of old he thought of how Moses was raised up how the Lord brought them out of the sea, the Red Sea like a shepherd he put his Holy Spirit within them particularly within Moses and Miriam and Aaron and other leaders God graciously looked after Israel to guide them, to teach and instruct them these were loving kindnesses then verse 12 he led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm dividing the water before them to make himself an everlasting name this is what the Lord did he became famous by the way he dealt with Israel his name was known amongst the nations but it was also an advertisement of God's redeeming power that pointed forward to Christ. And then verse 13, let's just look at these two verses and what they mean. He led them through the deep as a horse in the wilderness. The picture here is of a plain, a wilderness, stretching out and you let the horse loose and it can run and run with no hindrance. It can progress with ease and they Prophet is saying, when they were in great straits, up against the Red Sea with the Egyptians behind them, at Piraeus, there the Lord parted the Red Sea by the hand of Moses and the people went through as easy as a horse running through the wilderness. That's the sense. And then verse 14, as a beast goes down into the valley the spirit of the Lord caused him to rest this is the other end of the wilderness journey where God brought the people into the land of Canaan and he said it was like animals and you let them out perhaps if you think of it in Englishman's terms animals that have perhaps been kept in a yard but the spring has come and the valley and the meadows are before them and you let them out and the animals go in and they find the pasture and they are at rest so happy to be in a new summer home well the picture wasn't quite that because this is Israel but the idea is of the cattle coming down into a fertile valley and being at rest and the prophet says that's how the Lord provided for Israel he delivered them into the wilderness and then he brought them to rest but of course it's a picture of redemption of how the Lord redeems his people from the bondage of sin he guides them through the wilderness giving them his presence ultimately he will bring them to rest not in Canaan but in heaven but verse 10 they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them. This is the other aspect of Isaiah's reflection before he turns to prayer and he's going to say in verse 17, Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways and hardened our heart from thy fear? Isaiah's not here blaming God for the situation the sense is Lord this is what you've permitted because of our rebellion but we long that you would rend the heavens and come down and bless us once more. But we must look at verse 10 and I want to close just by exploring this verse for a moment. How did the friend of Israel become the enemy? How does God, our redeeming saviour and friend, become as it were an enemy to us? Why does it lead to a withholding of blessing? Why does he set his face against his people? Because of their rebellion. And there are three things we could perhaps apply this verse to. It says they vexed his Holy Spirit or grieved it. And Paul perhaps thinking of this verse writes to the Ephesians in Ephesians 4 verse 30 and says grieve not the Holy Spirit you New Testament believers you have the Holy Spirit in a far more precious and open and powerful way than ever Israel did in the Old Testament if they grieve the Holy Spirit and God set his face against them then don't grieve the Holy Spirit don't forfeit his tender help and care Well how may we grieve the Holy Spirit? Well it was because they rebelled, verse 10. And so we could say part of that rebellion was distrust, an alienation of heart. Someone said this, open rebellion is the result of secret disloyalty. It begins in here. Are we still loyal to God in our affections? or have we transferred our affections to other things many people at this time of the year their affections, their thoughts, their interests will be all the razzmatazz and the presents and the indulgence and the entertainments of Christmas but the believer will not do that the believer must retain that inward loyalty to the Lord to love Him, to be devoted to Him, beyond all the earthly and material things. Coldness, self-interestedness, a lack of appreciation for Christ. That's what's suggested here, that people had been saved, the angel of His presence had been amongst them, but they became disloyal. They failed to appreciate that. Do we appreciate Christ? We'll sing his names, all those different names that he holds, those titles that reflect his glorious work. But do we still appreciate the wonder of that work? Ever we must be kept from coldness of heart, murmuring mistrust. That was part of Israel's rebellion. They questioned the Lord. can he furnish a table in the wilderness? we're thirsty what are you going to do Moses? we don't believe God can help us and so they murmured and complained if we murmur and complain about our circumstances that's disloyalty it's rebellion and it will grieve the Holy Spirit if Israel ought to trust God in the wilderness then how much more we ought to trust God in the various wanderings of our life we need the Lord to uphold us but that's what he calls us to secondly it's implied here in verse 10 when we resist the influences of his spirit the spirit of God within inclines us to holiness he alerts us to sin and to the friendship of the world and says don't go there don't allow those worldly things to draw your mind and your attention don't allow the way the world thinks and the way the world draws its enjoyment and gains its joy and pleasure don't let those things be your source of joy and pleasure don't put the newspaper ahead of your devotions the Spirit of God prompts us within and when we just ignore those promptings then we are in danger of grieving the Holy Spirit when He prompts us to service, to serve Him, to do things for Him, to encourage others, to engage in labours for the Gospel. And we say, oh no, I'd rather do something else. We're in danger of grieving the Holy Spirit. And the third thing that we could say from this verse is when we neglect the means of grace, You know what I mean by the means of grace? It's the phrase that has been used for years to describe those resources, those means that God has given whereby he gives grace and help to our faith and to our souls and so attending and gathering for worship is a means of grace. It's one of those measures that the Lord has provided whereby we will be helped in our faith, stirred in our love, encouraged in our Christian walk when we neglect those things we mustn't be surprised if the Spirit of God withdraws because he's provided it as a means of grace, of help when we neglect our prayer life or our Bible reading and we put it and relegate it to below other responsibilities and commitments in our daily diary that we are neglecting a means of grace we will be in danger of falling foul just in the way the Israelites did here when we fail to examine ourselves and to confess our sin then that's a means of grace really and we must be watchful of that the Lord's day is not exactly a means of grace but it's the day upon which the means of grace are most widely blessed to our souls and when we casually waste the Lord's Day hours then we may well be grieving the Holy Spirit He's given us that day as a market day for the soul as the Puritans would say when just as the other days of the week we get the things that we need for our bodies on the Lord's Day we go to get those needs for our soul, it's our market day and if we stop at home on market day if we do not trade and do heavenly business then we will forfeit many of these blessings so here's a brief look at the first half if you like or the first two-thirds of this chapter Isaiah is the mouthpiece an example probably these verses were written for Israel when they had then been carried into Babylonian captivity they needed to reflect and then cry to the Lord and he gives them the means of reflection reflect upon God's loving kindness reflect upon how your fathers rebelled reflect upon the tenderness and the kindness and the goodness that the Lord displayed and let that prompt and stir your hearts to cry unto him in prayer and so verse 15 look down from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory and so on it's as if Isaiah here pictures God having withdrawn from Israel and he's now in heaven of course he's always been in heaven but this verse seems to suggest well Lord you are up there and we don't feel your presence down here look down upon us because then he's going to say at the beginning of the next chapter rend the heavens come down again as you did in the past when terrible things were done you weren't just aloof and in heaven you were in our very midst and that's what we are to pray for May God bless His Word to us. Amen.