YOU ARE OUR FATHER AND OUR REDEEMER

Passage: Isaiah 63:1-64:12

Key verse: 63:16b

NIV

God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption

63 Who is this coming from Edom,(A)
    from Bozrah,(B) with his garments stained crimson?(C)
Who is this, robed in splendor,
    striding forward in the greatness of his strength?(D)

“It is I, proclaiming victory,
    mighty to save.”(E)

2 Why are your garments red,
    like those of one treading the winepress?(F)

3 “I have trodden the winepress(G) alone;
    from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled(H) them in my anger
    and trod them down in my wrath;(I)
their blood spattered my garments,(J)
    and I stained all my clothing.
4 It was for me the day of vengeance;(K)
    the year for me to redeem had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one(L) to help,
    I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm(M) achieved salvation for me,
    and my own wrath sustained me.(N)
6 I trampled(O) the nations in my anger;
    in my wrath I made them drunk(P)
    and poured their blood(Q) on the ground.”

Praise and Prayer

7 I will tell of the kindnesses(R) of the Lord,
    the deeds for which he is to be praised,
    according to all the Lord has done for us—
yes, the many good things(S)
    he has done for Israel,
    according to his compassion(T) and many kindnesses.
8 He said, “Surely they are my people,(U)
    children who will be true to me”;
    and so he became their Savior.(V)
9 In all their distress he too was distressed,
    and the angel(W) of his presence(X) saved them.[a]
In his love and mercy he redeemed(Y) them;
    he lifted them up and carried(Z) them
    all the days of old.(AA)
10 Yet they rebelled(AB)
    and grieved his Holy Spirit.(AC)
So he turned and became their enemy(AD)
    and he himself fought(AE) against them.

11 Then his people recalled[b] the days of old,
    the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,(AF)
    with the shepherd of his flock?(AG)
Where is he who set
    his Holy Spirit(AH) among them,
12 who sent his glorious arm(AI) of power
    to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters(AJ) before them,
    to gain for himself everlasting renown,(AK)
13 who led(AL) them through the depths?(AM)
Like a horse in open country,
    they did not stumble;(AN)
14 like cattle that go down to the plain,
    they were given rest(AO) by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is how you guided your people
    to make for yourself a glorious name.

15 Look down from heaven(AP) and see,
    from your lofty throne,(AQ) holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal(AR) and your might?
    Your tenderness and compassion(AS) are withheld(AT) from us.
16 But you are our Father,(AU)
    though Abraham does not know us
    or Israel acknowledge(AV) us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
    our Redeemer(AW) from of old is your name.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander(AX) from your ways
    and harden our hearts(AY) so we do not revere(AZ) you?
Return(BA) for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes that are your inheritance.(BB)
18 For a little while(BC) your people possessed your holy place,
    but now our enemies have trampled(BD) down your sanctuary.(BE)
19 We are yours from of old;
    but you have not ruled over them,
    they have not been called[c] by your name.(BF)

64 [d]Oh, that you would rend the heavens(BG) and come down,(BH)
    that the mountains(BI) would tremble before you!
2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name(BJ) known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake(BK) before you!
3 For when you did awesome(BL) things that we did not expect,
    you came down, and the mountains trembled(BM) before you.
4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,(BN)
    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.(BO)
5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right,(BP)
    who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
    you were angry.(BQ)
    How then can we be saved?
6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,(BR)
    and all our righteous(BS) acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,(BT)
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.(BU)
7 No one(BV) calls on your name(BW)
    or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden(BX) your face from us
    and have given us over(BY) to[e] our sins.

8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father.(BZ)
    We are the clay, you are the potter;(CA)
    we are all the work of your hand.(CB)
9 Do not be angry(CC) beyond measure, Lord;
    do not remember our sins(CD) forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
    for we are all your people.(CE)
10 Your sacred cities(CF) have become a wasteland;
    even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation.(CG)
11 Our holy and glorious temple,(CH) where our ancestors praised you,
    has been burned with fire,
    and all that we treasured(CI) lies in ruins.
12 After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back?(CJ)
    Will you keep silent(CK) and punish us beyond measure?

Footnotes
  1. Isaiah 63:9 Or Savior 9 in their distress. / It was no envoy or angel / but his own presence that saved them
  2. Isaiah 63:11 Or But may he recall
  3. Isaiah 63:19 Or We are like those you have never ruled, / like those never called
  4. Isaiah 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1 is numbered 63:19b, and 64:2-12 is numbered 64:1-11.
  5. Isaiah 64:7 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew have made us melt because of
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Lord's Day of Vengeance

63 Who is this who comes from (A)Edom,
    in crimsoned garments from (B)Bozrah,
he who is splendid in his apparel,
    (C)marching in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness,
    mighty to save.”

2 Why is your (D)apparel red,
    and your garments like his (E)who treads in the winepress?

3 (F)“I have trodden the winepress alone,
    (G)and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
    and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood[a] spattered on my garments,
    and stained all my apparel.
4 (H)For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
    and my year of redemption[b] had come.
5 I looked, but (I)there was no one to help;
    I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
    and my wrath upheld me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
    (J)I made them drunk in my wrath,
    and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

The Lord's Mercy Remembered

7 I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
    the praises of the Lord,
according to all that the Lord has granted us,
    (K)and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
    children who will not deal falsely.”
    And he became their Savior.
9 (L)In all their affliction he was afflicted,[c]
    and the angel of his presence saved them;
(M)in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
    (N)he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

10 (O)But they rebelled
    (P)and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
    and himself fought against them.
11 Then he remembered (Q)the days of old,
    of Moses and his people.[d]
(R)Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
    with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
    his Holy Spirit,
12 who caused his glorious arm
    to go at the right hand of Moses,
(S)who divided the waters before them
    (T)to make for himself an everlasting name,
13     who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
    they did not stumble.
14 Like livestock that go down into the valley,
    (U)the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So you led your people,
    (V)to make for yourself a glorious name.

Prayer for Mercy

15 (W)Look down from heaven and see,
    (X)from your holy and beautiful[e] habitation.
Where are (Y)your zeal and your might?
    The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
    are held back from me.
16 For (Z)you are our Father,
    though Abraham does not know us,
    and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
    (AA)our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways
    and (AB)harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
(AC)Return for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes of your heritage.
18 (AD)Your holy people held possession for a little while;[f]
    (AE)our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 (AF)We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
    like those who are not called by your name.

64 (AG)Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
    (AH)that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 [g] as when fire kindles brushwood
    and the fire causes water to boil—
(AI)to make your name known to your adversaries,
    and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 (AJ)When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
    you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 (AK)From of old no one has heard
    or perceived by the ear,
(AL)no eye has seen a God besides you,
    who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
    those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
    in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?[h]
6 (AM)We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
(AN)We all fade like a leaf,
    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 (AO)There is no one who calls upon your name,
    who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
    and have made us melt in[i] the hand of our iniquities.

8 (AP)But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
    (AQ)we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    (AR)we are all the work of your hand.
9 (AS)Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
    (AT)and remember not iniquity forever.
    Behold, please look, we are all your people.
10 (AU)Your holy cities have become a wilderness;
    Zion has become a wilderness,
    Jerusalem a desolation.
11 (AV)Our holy and beautiful[j] house,
    where our fathers praised you,
has been burned by fire,
    and all our pleasant places have become ruins.
12 (AW)Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord?
    Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?

Footnotes
  1. Isaiah 63:3 Or their juice; also verse 6
  2. Isaiah 63:4 Or the year of my redeemed
  3. Isaiah 63:9 Or he did not afflict
  4. Isaiah 63:11 Or Then his people remembered the days of old, of Moses
  5. Isaiah 63:15 Or holy and glorious
  6. Isaiah 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while
  7. Isaiah 64:2 Ch 64:1 in Hebrew
  8. Isaiah 64:5 Or in your ways is continuance, that we might be saved
  9. Isaiah 64:7 Masoretic Text; Septuagint, Syriac, Targum have delivered us into
  10. Isaiah 64:11 Or holy and glorious
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. God has done many good things according to his compassion (63:1-19) The LORD carries out his judgment on earth, saving by defeating our enemies. He has done many good things for his people according to his compassion. In all their distress he too is distressed. He delivered them from Egypt in the time of Moses, even though they grieved his Spirit. So he is known as Redeemer. When they turned away, he handed them over to a hard heart, to help them cry out again to Him. 2. Oh, look on us, we pray (64:1-12) In supplication, we recognize that unless God comes down and does his awesome work that no one expects, unless he makes a way of salvation, how can anyone be saved? We are all unclean and even our righteous acts are like filthy rags. But God is our Father; we are clay, he is the potter. He is able to help. Let's cry out in repentance and call on our Father and Redeemer again.

Prayer: Father, you are Mighty to Save. Remember our sins no more. We put our trust in you, for we are your people and we have no hope but you.

One Word: God acts on behalf of those who wait