A Message to the Watchmen (Isaiah 63:1-6)
Rev. Myung-Sin Choi
“1 Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?— ‘I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.’ 2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? 3 ‘I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes. 4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me. 6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger, Made them drunk in My fury, And brought down their strength to the earth.’ ”
Introduction
Last week, we received a lot of grace from Rev. Hae-jae Lee. Also, from his RU lectures, we received a lot of grace. On Wednesday service, we listened to the 1st headquarters (HQ) message. While listening to the 1st HQ message, I realized something big. When the message was given, I realized that there is no original language and there is no wrong interpretation of the Bible. After listening to the message, I realized a huge difference. I realized that the word of God is living and alive. While listening to the message, I was able to gain more faith. I wondered what this feeling was and I listened to the RU lectures by Rev. Lee. While listening to the lectures, I realized that this was the feeling that I was having. The feeling that I had was. We need to dedicate our lives to the gospel. While we live our walk of faith, through the pulpit message and messages we received, we need to realistically enjoy that God is with us; not just know it by knowledge or what you hear. When you hear the word of God, you need to have assurance and gain faith. At this time, we are not researching something while reading the Bible but we are hearing and listening to the word of God. The works that arose from 2,000-3,000 years ago, the same works of God are occurring right now. Even now, Jesus Christ is sitting on the right side of the throne of God and is with us. He is also with us as we are giving worship to God right now. We read the main Biblical scripture, God was speaking about the prophecy that God showed prophet Isaiah. Just like watching a movie, we can see the works of God arising. When you read today’s scripture, think about it and realize that this word is being given to us. Not just the word that God gave to Isaiah and the Israelites.
1. The Powerful One Seen From the Bartizan
1) A watchman's question
Verse 1 - Last week, we spoke about the mission of a watchman. On a high watchtower, the watchmen are able to see a person approaching the watchtower. But that person approaching them was wearing dyed garments. This dyed garments means that this person was from a royal family. But, something important is written here. It is the fact that this person was from Edom. This means that we can think that it is an Israelite if they were coming from Babylon but it was not an Israelite. This means that this person from Edom was actually their enemy. Edomites were enemies of the tribe of Jacob. This person was wearing dyed garments and was glorious in His apparel. This shows that this person was glorious and had great power. So the watchman called out and asked this person who he was. This person replied in verse 1. This means that this person was God. God was saying that He was who He was, He was God. He was the one who spoke in righteousness. The God who speaks righteousness and seeks after those who are righteous, and seeks out those who are wicked. He is also mighty to save. He possesses the power to save. He is the Messiah who will save His people. From the watchtower, they saw Jesus Christ approaching them.
2) The answer for the watchman
The watchman asked again in verse 2. Verse 2 - When this person was walking towards them, it looked like this person was wearing a dyed garment but up close, it looked like this person was wearing clothes trodden in winepress. It looked like clothes that were soaking in wine.
Jesus replied in verse 3 - Jesus was saying it was correct that He was covered in red, in the color of wine. Jesus was saying that He rode this journey alone as He was pressing the winepress. As He was pressing and trampling on the winepress, He was doing it with anger. This winepress was referring to blood. Jesus’ clothes were covered in blood. The people of this world and darkness that was covering the entire world, Jesus was angry because of all that. Jesus was covering and trampling on this anger.
2. The Messiah's Voice
1) The day of vengeance
Verses 4-5 - People of this world became deceived by Satan and fell into corruption. Jesus saw all of the agony and suffering of mankind because they were captives of Satan.
We can see people of God praying to God in Revelation 6:10 “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ ” - There are so many people in this world who are being tormented, persecuted, and suffering. Jesus looks at all of our sufferings and agony, and He keeps it in His heart. Jesus knows everything that is going on.
Jesus finally responded in verse 4. He ends the suffering mankind by dying on the cross. When Jesus came to Earth, He saw His children but He also saw that everyone was turning away from God. They were forsaking God and living as slaves of Satan.
Matthew 27:22-23 "Pilate said to them, 'What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said to him, 'Let Him be crucified!' 23 Then the governor said, 'Why, what evil has He done?' But they cried out all the more, saying, 'Let Him be crucified!' " - Even Pilate couldn’t see what was wrong with Jesus but everyone was commanding Pilate to kill Jesus. They couldn’t see who Jesus really was. And, Jesus does end up dying on the cross.
Verse 4 - This means when Jesus Christ died on the cross. What saved mankind was when the word of God was fulfilled on the cross. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He cried out to God.
Mark 15:34 “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” - This was when Jesus Christ was taking on all of the curses of mankind. He was taking all of the sins and curses of mankind on our behalf. All of the curses of mankind, Jesus took all of it and this turned to God’s fury.
Luke 23:34 “Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided His garments and cast lots.” - This was the lament of Jesus Christ. This shows the fury of darkness that caused all of the suffering and agony. Jesus was praying to God for the people to realize the darkness that is making them do this. When we live our lives, there may be many events and incidents that come upon our lives. We may wonder why these things are happening to us. We may wonder why God is giving us hardships and problems in your life. But, the Lord God knows all of that. We can see the great love of God that He has for His children.
2) The victory of the cross
Verse 6 - Our Jesus was filled with so much anger that He trampled on the darkness that caused the suffering and agony of mankind. It says that Jesus was so drunken by His anger and fury towards the darkness.
Revelation 1:14-15 “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters.” - The feet of Jesus are like fine brass, refined in a furnace. With His feet, He was trampling on Satan.
Revelation 19:15 “Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” - When God shows His judgment, He will show His vengeance for His children. The judgment of God and the second coming of Christ will come upon this earth. When Jesus comes for His second coming, He will show His judgment on this earth.
Hebrews 2:14 “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” - When Jesus died on the cross, what does it represent? It was when the power of Satan was absolutely crushed and demolished. That was when the prophecy of the Messiah coming to earth was fulfilled. Because Jesus finished all of our problems on the cross, we are able to experience peace and grace.
3. Grace and Peace to You
1) Satan's bartizan
Matthew 12:29 “Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” - When we enjoy Christ and hold onto the bartizan of Christ, then we can plunder the strong man’s house. When we enjoy the bartizan of the Triune God and the heavenly throne, then we can plunder the strong man’s house, the bartizan of Satan. When we break down darkness, we can enjoy grace and peace.
2) Satan's bartizan
And, we also need to break down the bartizan of darkness within our family line.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” - All of the darkness within our family lines, there is darkness of inheritance that comes upon us. But that was all finished on the cross. The only way to break down that is through the power of Christ that was shown on the cross. When we do this, then God will work through us and in our lives. Then, we can have the 7 journeys and gain the spiritual power to win the spiritual battles.
3) Grace and peace
Ephesians 1:2 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” - When we hold onto the 7 guideposts, then we can enjoy peace and grace.
Conclusion
Ephesians 1:6 “To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” - Because Jesus loved us and died on the cross for us, He has given us His eternal grace. May the glory of God come upon you.
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