God keeps His Promises

Read Isaiah 63.

Not every promise in the Bible is one we want to claim.  God in His faithfulness has or will fulfill every one of them.  This chapter contains three promised messages.

1.  The Promised Punishment of Enemies. (vv.1-6)
Not everyone will be glad when Jesus comes the second time.  Israel will experience a spiritual revival and national restoration.  But the enemies of God will experience His vengeance.  The passage describes the Messiah having come from a bloody battle, where He alone fought against the opposition.  The awesome appearance of Jesus in Revelation 19 states, "He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God....From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations..." (Revelation 19:13-15)

2.  The Promised Punishment of Judah. (vv.7-14)
Isaiah wrote this about a hundred years in advance to help those who would be experiencing the Babylonian captivity to understand what happened to them.  He reminded the southern kingdom of Judah of God's "steadfast love," His "great goodness," His "compassion," and His "pity" for them.  The LORD consistently provided deliverance for the nation during their times of trouble and affliction.  But despite all that He had done, "they rebelled" (v.10).  This was not an organized demonstration against God, but a rebellion of the heart displayed in their disobedient life.  They "grieved his Holy Spirit."  This is the only time that phrase appears in the Old Testament.  The Apostle Paul warned believers not to "grieve the Holy Spirit of God" by speaking in an unkind and unforgiving manner (Ephesians 4:29-32).

3.   The Prophesied Prayer of Judah. (vv.15-19)
The prayer for the nation begins here and continues into chapter 64.  It is a cry for God to show His power.  Their petition is based upon the unconditional promise God made to Abraham in Genesis 12 (v.16).  The LORD is referred to as "our Father" and "our Redeemer" (v.16).  Though this was written far in advance, Isaiah mentioned that Solomon's beautiful Temple will be "trampled down" by the Babylonians.  With all their losses, the nation will appear as if they never had a relationship with God.

Gratefully, for us, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)  Live according to that promise today.