Isaiah: The King and His Robes (Pt 1)

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Is 9:6–7, ESV)

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Is 53:4–6, ESV)

Its hard to read that one without tears

It is also the most quoted book in New Testament.

To say this is a very important test is to agree with the apostles.

I say all that simply to remind us that out of the vast ocean store of beautiful language about our Lord we are only taking, to quote John Piper[1] “a Thimbleful”

If you are a young whippersnapper and don't know what a thimble is, google it.

Context for this passage

Who was Isaiah

When was Isaiah

Some say it was not written by Isaiah

Why is that important.

Heresies in the church

Most of the famous passage from Isaiah about Christ redemption and not about his wrath.

Let’s Read

Isaiah 63:1–3 ESV

1 Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” 2 Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? 3 “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel.

May God Bless the reading of His Holy, Infallible, and Sufficient Word.

Let’s Pray

Transition

Even though some, well many, have tried to make the passage less about wrath and more about redemption they are wrong, lets look at verse 1-3, of Isaiah 63

Body

Royal Blood Bath

Isaiah 63:1 ESV

The Title for this section in my sermon is Blood Bath.

Lets expand the Scene laid out before us

Edom (used in scripture to speak of the ungodly nations nations)[2] Lam. 4:21, 22; Ezek. 35; Joel 3:19; Obad. 14, 15; Mal. 1:2–5

Crimson garments

Not his blood

Calvin “This chapter has been violently distorted by Christians, as if what is said here related to Christ, whereas the Prophet speaks simply of God himself; and they have imagined that here Christ is red, because he was wet with his own blood which he shed on the cross. But the Prophet meant nothing of that sort. The obvious meaning is, that the Lord comes forth with red garments in the view of his people, that all may know that he is their protector and avenger; for when the people were weighed down by innumerable evils, and at the same time the Edomites and other enemies, as if they had been placed beyond the reach of all danger, freely indulged in wickedness, which remained unpunished, a dangerous temptation might arise, as if these things happened by chance, or as if God did not care for his people, or chastised them too severely. If the Jews were punished for despising God, much more the Edomites, and other avowed enemies of the name of God, ought to have been punished.” [3]

We we work though this we will see Calvin is exactly right.

An assault on man centered doctrine.

Its make us uncomfortable.

You have to be submitted to the word the whole Bible.

Glorious Garments

“he who is splendid in his apparel”

The Hebrew word translated Splendor, הָד֣וּר(Hadar), “glory, splendor, majesty. Can be used to describe the majesty of God in its terrifying and awe-inspiring aspects.” [4]

Marching in Greatness

“of his strength”

No his army, not anyone else but himself.

“It is I, mighty to save”

“speaking in righteousness”

Proverbs 8 and the consistence of the picture we get of the King.

Proverbs 8:6–7 ESV

6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, 7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

“mighty to save”

Jesus saves by concurring.

Have you heard “just accept Jesus”

No you come before the king and you surrender unconditionally.

Transition

Isaiah Looks are this king coming had he has some questions. Verse 2 helps our minds see the salient points of the vision.

Why is He Red?

Isaiah 63:2 ESV

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

Wine-press

The wine-press is the odd man out.

A king is royal attire is usual

A God that is all mighty it expected

But royal robes dripping with red liquid?

Transition

The King Answers the question. And up until this point a person might and have said, well this is Jesus right and the reason he cloths are red is because he died for sinner. But that interpretation simply will not do with verse 3.

The Life Blood of His Enemies

Isaiah 63:3 ESV

3 “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel.

Its a historical relative that Women like Christianity more then men.

“the winepress alone”

He is the only one righteous and God has proven his right to judge by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:31)

He is the one found worthy to open the seals and send of the destruction of this world (Revelation 5:5)

He is the one that comes with robes dipped in blood in the blood of is enemies (Revelation 19:13)

There is something very important here and in Rev 19 that he robe is already covered in blood before he comes.

Christ is not sitting up in heaven right now while his enemas are in control down here.

Short explanation of that is that those enemies are being crushed right now and they will continue to be crushed until he comes back and the last enemy, death itself will be crushed on his return. (1 Corinthians 15:25–26)

We see that both in the depiction in revelation and here of a king that isn’t coming with clean robes that he then gets dirty in battle. No, the robes are already red.

The enemies are already being crushed.

He is dancing on his enemies as we speak.

And that what he says in “their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel.”

This is where we cannot pretend to take the interpretation he the King Robes are red by his own blood. He literally said otherwise.

Jesus is literally crushing all of his enemies like grapes. Dancing over them as they are put under his feet.

And its not like this is a fight, think about the winepress metaphor, how much of a threat are those grapes to the person pressing them out?

Nothing, this isn’t a battle, its a massacre

Not the forces of good and evil in this cosmic struggle.

No the king is dancing on his foes crushing the life blood out of them and he is doing it all be his own power.

Do you think you give God anything?

Do you think that Jesus needs your help to win spiritual warfare?

No, and that it, we get a view of Christ we are emboldened. He does need us and yet he has graciously included us.

What is it you are afraid of Saint.

The Gospel conversation you have been to scared to have?

The economy?

The Left?

Angles Demons Satan?

You thought I was going to say go out there and don't be afraid well yes, don’t be afraid of economics, the left, or satan.

But DO BE AFRAID of this king.

Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mt 10:28, ESV)

Come to him, kneel before him, confess your total inability to save yourself, fall on his mercy.

Jesus said “And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” (Mt 21:44< ESV)

Conclusion

Fall on the Rock every day or this Rock, this King will crush you like a grape.

Benediction

Revelation 22:12–17 ESV

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Jesus said come and we go. All the people of God said, Amen.

References

[1] https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-calvinist

[2] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 1242.

[3] John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, vol. 4 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 337.

[4] Gregory R. Lanier, “Glory,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

Bibliography

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.

Calvin, John, and William Pringle. Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

Mangum, Douglas, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, and Rebekah Hurst, eds. Lexham Theological Wordbook. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014.

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