ISAIAH 63

THE ARRIVAL OF THE LORD FROM EDOM

The prophet’s message from chapter 62 continues.
At 62:11, we were shown the arrival of Jesus to deliver Israel.

This refers to the SECOND STAGE of the second coming of the Messiah, which is His physical descent to the earth.

At 63:1, we are shown that when He arrives to rescue Israel, He will come FROM EDOM.

Verse 1
“Who is this who comes from Edom”

There are four phases to the PHYSICAL descent of Jesus to the earth.

(A) The Edom phase. Isaiah 34:6; 63:1-6; Hab. 3:3
    (B) The Jerusalem phase. Isaiah 63:1; Zech. 14:4; Joel 3:16.
    (C) The Megiddo or Armageddon phase. Joel 3:9-16;
    (D) The separation phase: when all unbelievers will be removed from the earth and only
          believers will be left alive to dwell on the earth in Christ’s kingdom.
          Ezek. 34:17-22; Mat. 25:31-46.

The Old Testament teaches that Jesus will go to Edom to destroy the unbelievers of that area and rescue the Israelites who are hiding in the mountainous wilderness, having fled the oppression of the beast at the midpoint of the 70th week.

It seems that the best TIMING for this arrival to Edom will be the first of the three phases.

(1) The Lord descends first to Edom: This is because Isaiah 63:1 shows us the Lord coming FROM Edom when He comes to deliver the Jews in Jerusalem and Judah.
And because Joel 3:16 shows the Lord coming FROM Jerusalem when He goes to confront the world’s armies at Armageddon.
(2) Thus, from Edom He descends to Jerusalem and stands on the Mount of Olives to motivate the Jews to wage the battle of Jerusalem. This serves as a catalyst for the clans of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to fight the invading army. Zechariah 12, 14.
(3) And from there He goes to the valley of Megiddo for the battle of Armageddon.

This passage describes that first phase.
He goes to Edom and enters into judgment with the armies who have assembled there.

THE BATTLE OF EDOM is described at Isaiah 34:5-15.

“For My sword is satiated in heaven,
Behold it shall descend for judgment upon Edom,
And upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction.”

Isaiah 63:1-6 shows us the Lord coming to Jerusalem AFTER that battle.
But this chapter still describes the NATURE of that battle in Edom.

Here, we find a specific focus on Edom. Edom comes under a special judgment from God because of its historical oppression of Israel and its allegiance to the beast in the end-times.

The great tribulation will begin at the midpoint of the 70th week, when the beast places the abomination of desolation in the holy place of the re-built Jewish temple.

Because of this oppressive reign of this “man of lawlessness” (2Thes. 2:4), who will be empowered by Satan (Rev. 13:4-7), a remnant of “fundamentalist” Jews (those faithful to their religious culture) will leave Judea and find shelter in the mountainous wilderness of Edom, south-east of Jerusalem (modern-day Jordan).

These are not ones who have trusted in Jesus, but ones who are loyal to their Jewish heritage. If they were ALREADY believers, they would not NEED to be protected for the remaining 1260 days, because they would be removed at the rapture prior to the end of the week.

Revelation 12:6
“And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for 1260 days.”

Verse 13-14
“And when the dragon (Satan) saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
And two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”

It seems likely then that Jesus has this in view at Matthew 24:15-26. Although this warning to flee is directed to ALL who read or hear it, it will have special import to the Jews IN THE LAND who refuse to accept the authority of the beast. We learn from Revelation 12:6, 13-14, that the “woman,” who represents the Jews of the land during the time of the great tribulation, will be given protection in the wilderness for the duration of the last half of Daniel’s 70^th week.

Also at Isaiah 26:20-21
“Come, My people, enter into your rooms,
And close the doors behind you;
Hide for a little while,
Until indignation passes over.
For behold, Yahweh is about to come out from His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
And the earth will reveal her bloodshed,
And will no longer cover her slain.”

As the Jews are fleeing and even once they are located in the wilderness “fortress,” there will be false prophets who say, “behold, He is in the wilderness or behold He is in the inner rooms.”
It is very probable that the “false prophets” include the peoples of Edom who will be trying to get the Jews to come down out of the mountains so they can kill and/or imprison them.

The people of Edom will be in league with the world dictator and be allowed to “plunder” Jerusalem for themselves.
In addition, on the trip to this “shelter,” the Arab people of the land will seek to kill these fugitives and imprison any they can capture.
It will all be done with an arrogant attitude of hatred toward the Jews.
This is indicated by the details of the warning that was given to the people of Edom in about 860 BCE by the prophet Obadiah.

         A. Verses 10-11 review the past history of the Edomites in oppressing Israel.
         B. Verses 12-14 give the warning.
         C. Verses 15-18 announce the arrival of the Day of the Lord to judge the nations.
         D. Verses 19-21 describe aspects of the Messiah’s earthly kingdom.

THE PAST OPPRESSION OF ISRAEL BY EDOM

Verse 10
“Because of violence to your brother Jacob,
You will be covered with shame,
And you will be cut off forever.”

Verse 11
“On the day that you stood aloof,
On the day that strangers carried off his wealth,
And foreigners entered his gate
And cast lots for Jerusalem –
You too were as one of them.”

WARNING FOR THE DISTANT FUTURE
They are warned that they should not participate in oppressing Israel during the time of her great “distress” (tribulation).

(1) Do not gloat.
(2) Do not rejoice.
(3) Do not boast.
(4) Do not enter their gate.
(5) Do not loot their wealth.
(6) Do not kill them as they flee.
(7) Do not take them captive.

Obadiah 1:12-14
“Do not GLOAT over your brother’s day,
The day of his misfortune.
And do not REJOICE over the sons of Judah
In the day of their destruction;
Yes, do not BOAST
In the day of {their} distress.
“Do not ENTER the gate of My people
In the day of their disaster.
Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity
In the day of their disaster.
And do not LOOT their wealth
In the day of their disaster.
“And do not stand at the fork of the road
To CUT DOWN their fugitives;
And do not IMPRISON their survivors
In the day of their distress.”


DAY OF THE LORD JUDGMENT
If the people of Edom do not heed the warning, but instead participate in this hostility toward Israel, they and their land will be judged by God during the Day of the Lord when the Messiah will pour out God’s wrath upon the world.

Obadiah 1:15-16
“For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.
“Because just as you drank on My holy mountain,
All the nations will drink continually.
They will drink and swallow,
And become as if they had never existed.

FUTURE FAILURE
However, failure to heed the warning is also prophesied, as is the resultant judgment from God upon the land area of Edom; Mount Seir.

Ezekiel 35:2-9.
“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it -
And say to it, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,
Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir,
And I will stretch out My hand against you,
And I will make you a desolation and a waste.
“I will lay waste your cities,
And you will become a desolation.
Then you will know that I am the LORD.

THE REASON FOR JUDGMENT

“Because –

(1) You have had everlasting enmity: Ezek. 35:5a

This refers to the conflict that has ever existed between Edom and Israel. But the emphasis here is placed on what Edom has done to Israel all throughout the years.
This was first demonstrated when Israel requested passage through the land of Edom, as recorded at Numbers 20:40-21. (Amos 1:11; Psalm 137:7; Ezek. 25:12).

(2) And have delivered the sons of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of the punishment (punishment for iniquity) of the end: Ezek. 35:5b

This indicates that the inhabitants of Edom did not heed the warning given to them at Obadiah 10-14.
Furthermore, this is referring to something that takes place in an end-times context.

THE TIME OF THE INIQUITY OF THE END
    A. This term is used earlier in Ezekiel (21:25,29), to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (Ezek. 21:18-32). The word, iniquity can also be used to indicate punishment FOR iniquity.

    B. However, Edom did not participate in harassing Israel during the Babylonian captivity. 2 Kings 24:2 tells us what groups aided Babylon, and Edom is not included in that list.

    C. It is true that in 738 BC, Edom invaded Judah “and carried away captives” (2 Chron. 28:17), but our context seems to be looking at a still future event.

    D. In addition, the context of Ezekiel 35 indicates a final or “total” destruction of Edom which has never happened historically.

    E. Edom was indeed indicted and judged historically, but not for the activity indicated at Ezekiel 35:5.

    F. Based on this, it seems that this term, “time of the iniquity of the end,” in Ezekiel 35, refers to a yet future time period of discipline on Israel, during which Edom will have participated in oppressing Israel.

(3) “Because you have said, These two nations and these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them.” Ezek. 35:10.

This expresses blatant arrogance and aggression toward God and God’s people, Israel. It is a claim that they will possess the physical land-area and resources of Israel - EVEN THOUGH God is there.
In other words, they are speaking and acting against God Himself.
This is amplified in verses 11-15.
   A. Anger, envy and hatred toward Israel: Ezekiel 35:11
   B. Reviling against Israel: Ezekiel 35:12
   C. Spoken in arrogance against God: Ezekiel 35:13

   D. Rejoiced Israel’s land when it was desolate: V. 15.

As a result of this, Edom will come under a very special judgment from God when the Messiah physically descends to the earth. We already saw a summary statement of this judgment at Isaiah 34:5 and Obadiah 1:15-16.

Ezekiel gives much more detail.
The result will be total destruction of the land area of Edom through the Day of the Lord judgments.

Ezekiel 35:6-9

(6)“As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will give you over to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you; since you have not hated bloodshed, therefore bloodshed will pursue you. (7) And I will make Mount Seir a waste and a desolation, and I will cut off from it the one who passes through and returns. (8) And I will fill its mountains with its slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines those slain by the sword will fall. (9) I will make you an everlasting desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

This is the same quality of future judgment that Isaiah describes as Isaiah chapter 34 continues.

Isaiah 34:6-8

"The sword of the LORD is filled with blood,
It is sated with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats,
With the fat of the kidneys of rams.
For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah,
And a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

Wild oxen shall also fall with them,
And young bulls with strong ones;
Thus their land shall be soaked with blood,
And their dust become greasy with fat.
For the LORD has a day of vengeance,
A year of recompense for the cause of Zion."

Edom will be destroyed just before Jesus descends to Jerusalem. Notice, this is "for the cause of Zion." Edom will be in the process of oppressing the refugees of Judah who have fled the reign of the beast and taken shelter in the mountainous wilderness of Edom (Mat. 24:15-21; Rev. 12:6, 13-16).

Isaiah 34:9-10
"And its streams shall be turned into pitch,
And its loose earth into brimstone, 
And its land shall become burning pitch. 
It shall not be quenched night or day; 
Its smoke shall go up forever; 
From generation to generation it shall be desolate; 
None shall pass through it forever and ever."

The judgment on the land area of Edom will be total. During Messiah's kingdom, it will be a desolation with no population.

HOWEVER, the destruction will not be worked by any kind of nuclear or chemical weapons.  The context indicates that the land area will be filled with a massive wildlife population. However, I will concede the possibility that even IF such destructive weapons were to be used, the land could be CLEANSED before the kingdom begins and still be the home of all the wildlife mentioned.

 Isaiah 34:11-15
11 But pelican and hedgehog will possess it,
And owl and raven will dwell in it;
And He will stretch over it the line of desolation
And the plumb line of emptiness.
12 Its nobles -there is no one there
Whom they may proclaim king –
And all its princes will be nothing.
13 Thorns will come up in its fortified towers,
Nettles and thistles in its fortified cities;
It will also be a haunt of jackals
And an abode of ostriches.
14 The desert creatures will meet with the wolves,
The hairy goat also will cry to its kind;
Yes, the night monster will settle there
And will find herself a resting place.
15 The tree snake will make its nest and lay eggs there,
And it will hatch and gather them under its protection.
Yes, the hawks will be gathered there,
Every one with its kind.
16 Seek from the book of the LORD, and read:
Not one of these will be missing;
None will lack its mate.
For His mouth has commanded,
And His Spirit has gathered them.
17 He has cast the lot for them,
And His hand has divided it to them by line.
They shall possess it forever;
From generation to generation they will dwell in it.

ARRIVAL FROM EDOM

ISAIAH 63 AND 34 SUMMARY

Isaiah 63:1b
“With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
This One who is majestic in His apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His strength?”

The bright colors are described as RED in verse 2 and stained with blood in verse 3.

       Isaiah 34:6-7, “The sword of Yahweh is filled with blood.”

Isaiah 63:1c
"It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."
Verse 4, “For My year of redemption has come.”

        Isaiah 34:8, “A year of recompense FOR THE CAUSE of Zion.”

He is coming to deliver Israel from the nations that are gathered around Jerusalem.
Zechariah 14:1-7.

Isaiah 63:2
”Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?”
I have trodden the wine trough alone.”

The question is asked and answered.
“And from the peoples there was no man with Me.”

There was no one in Edom on His side; no one to help defeat the enemy and rescue the Jews hiding in the mountainous wilderness area.

"I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,
And I stained all My raiment.”

This associates the battle with the day of God’s wrath as at Isaiah 34:1-8

        Verse 2, “Yahweh’s indignation is against all the nations,”

        Verse 5, “Judgment upon Edom,”
        Verse 8, ”For Yahweh has a day of vengeance,”

Isaiah 63:4
“For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come.”

       Isaiah 34:8, “For Yahweh has a day of vengeance,
                           A year of recompense for the cause of Zion.”

He came to Edom in order to bring deliverance for Israel
Thus, the battle of Edom is directly related to Israel’s deliverance.

This helps me conclude that through this battle the Jews who will be hiding in the mountainous wilderness of Edom will be able to leave and return to Judah.

Isaiah 63:5
"I looked, and there was no one to help,
And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;
So My own arm brought salvation to Me,
And My wrath upheld Me.”

There will be no assistance from anyone in the land area of Edom (modern day Jordan).
It is not as though Jesus will NEED any “help.” But the point of the prophecy is to show the total rebellion of the Arab peoples in that area.

Thus the result will be TOTAL ruin of the land area in contrast to what is predicted for Ammon and Moab.

Isaiah 63:6
"I trod down the peoples in My anger
And made them drunk in My wrath,
And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."

         Isaiah 34:8, “For Yahweh has a day of vengeance.”

As noted above, we find identification with the Day of the Lord and the day of wrath with this specific judgment on the land area of Edom (modern day Jordan).

HABAKKUK’S PROPHECY

THE ARRIVAL FROM EDOM

The progress of the Messiah FROM Edom to do battle with the nations is envisioned by Habakkuk. Habakkuk 3:3a
“God comes from Teman, 
And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah.”

At first glance it appears that this may simply be saying that the Messiah comes from the SOUTH EAST. However, in view of Isaiah 34 and 63, it is clear that He comes from this area AFTER judging it.

Teman is a region in Edom named after an early prince of the Edomites.
And Paran is a mountain and wilderness area directly south of Jerusalem in the Sinai Peninsula.
The area of the Edomites embraces generally the area South and East of Judah.

There is great SPLENDOR evidenced in the sky when He comes to Jerusalem from Edom.

Verses 3b-4
“His splendor covers the heavens, 
And the earth is full of His praise.
{His} radiance is like the sunlight; 
He has rays {flashing} from His hand, 
And there is the hiding of His power.”

Isaiah describes this at 63:1.
“This One is majestic in His apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His strength.”

One might be tempted to associate this SPLENDOR with the “great glory” that attends Christ’s arrival in the clouds of the sky, as described at Matthew 24:29-30. But since THIS splendor is given a specific context of arriving FROM Edom, it cannot be the same.

Whenever Christ will move from one phase of His second coming agenda to the next, there will be great glory and splendor manifested to the earth dwellers.

Habakkuk 3:5
"Before Him goes pestilence, 
And plague comes at His feet."

This seems to be a direct statement to the effect that He has first judged Edom and now AFTER Him, comes the judgments on the nations that are surrounding Jerusalem.

The use of the preposition, lepenay, indicates either physical presence (as, “in front of”) or a chronological factor.

In this case, in connection with AT HIS FEET (after Him), it is clear that the idea presented to us is that the LORD brought pestilence to Edom and will THEN bring plague with Him to confront the rest of the nations. But before the plague HITS the armies, Jesus will first stand on the Mount of Olives.

When Jesus arrives from Edom, it is to confront ALL the armies that have assembled in Palestine, and the first item on the list is the Northern alliance that has invaded the city of Jerusalem.

Habakkuk 3:6a
“He stood and surveyed the earth;
He looked and startled the nations.”

It seems that the prophet has in mind the general judgment on the rest of the nations.
He does not mention the battle of Jerusalem specifically as Zechariah does at chapters 12 and 14.
But Zechariah also begins with a GENERAL focus on the gathering of the nations into Palestine using the terminology “all the nations.”

Zechariah 12:3
“And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it (Jerusalem).”

Zechariah 14:2
“For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle.”

Those nations first assemble in the land in order to gain material resources, including control of Jerusalem. But it seems that it is the king of the North that will invade Jerusalem.
However that Northern ALLIANCE includes MANY nations. Joel 2 and Ezekiel 38.

Zechariah 14:3
“And Yahweh will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.”

Zechariah first gives us a GENERAL look at the many nations gathered into Judah, “in the vicinity of” Jerusalem – looking to Jerusalem as their ultimate destination. But he then focuses just on the battle of Jerusalem.

Habakkuk does the same thing except that he does not mention Jerusalem specifically.

The judgment on “the nations” at verse 3:6 includes the battle of Jerusalem FIRST, and then the battle of Armageddon.

This is a valid understanding of the discourse since we have the specific mention of the earthquake and the effect it will have far to the south of Jerusalem in “cushan” and “Midian.”

It seems that, comparing the other passages, the great earthquake occurs only in this context of Christ’s standing on the Mount of Olives. There is no earthquake that occurs when Jesus confronts and destroys the armies in the final battle of Armageddon.

From Christ’s perspective, when He first arrives at Jerusalem, He will “survey” the situation and then set foot on the Mount of Olives.

This arrival onto the Mount of Olives will split the mount down the middle and cause a great earthquake. He will thus, “startle” the nations; the invading armies of the Northern alliance. Zech. 12:4 and 14:12-13.

Jesus will then begin His personal judgment on these armies by bringing some kind of death-producing plague that seems to disintegrate the flesh form the bones. This would be caused by some kind of extreme HEAT, but probably not nuclear. Jesus would not need to use such a weapon as that, but would simply produce the heat that causes the plague.

Habakkuk 3:5
“And plague comes after Him.”

Zechariah 12:4
“In that day I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness.”
Zechariah 14:12-13, 15
“Now this will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike all the people who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. And it will come about in that day that a great panic for Yahweh will fall on them; and they will seize one another’s hand, and the hands of one will be lifted against the hand of another.
So also like this plague, will be the plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey, and all the cattle that will be in those camps.”

Habakkuk just mentions this plague without providing any details.  He then “backs up” and describes the great earthquake that will occur when Jesus descends to the Mount of Olives.

The arrival of Christ in Jerusalem will be with great splendor and power. It will be both the spectacular physical arrival and the great earthquake that will startle and shock all the nations. 

Habakkuk 3:6b-7
“Yes, the perpetual mountains were shattered, 
The ancient hills collapsed. 
His ways are everlasting.
I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, 
The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling."

This earthquake is also described at Zechariah 14:4-5, in direct association with Christ’s descent to the Mount of Olives. At that time, the mountain will be split down the middle from east to west, which is what causes the great earthquake. The splitting of the mountain will create a huge valley extending about 6 miles west of Jerusalem to Azel.

Cushan will feel the great earthquake. We know nothing about this form of the word. Speculation suggests it to be another form of CUSH, the Ethiopian area, south of Egypt.

Or it could refer to the Sinai Peninsula area inhabited by nomads from Cush. Today, that is an area controlled by Egypt.
And Midian also will feel it. Midian is the land area south of Judah, below the Edomite area, and encompassing basically the Arabian peninsula, which is modern day Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

In both cases, the general land area to the distant south of Israel is in view as it was at that time, inhabited by nomads who dwell in “tents.”

It seems that this particular earthquake will be felt from Jerusalem, as far south as Ethiopia, below Egypt, and as far south and east as Saudi Arabia.

This goes further south than the land area of Edom, which will have already been totally judged.

The earthquake is also described at Revelation 16:17-20 in connection with the final bowl judgment. There it says that “the great city” (Jerusalem) was split into three parts. This is not inconsistent with the splitting of the mount of Olives down the middle. Zechariah’s facts do not require a two-part division of the city. John’s vision simply adds an additional detail to the results of the earthquake that will occur when Jesus stands on the mount.

The next section of this chapter (verses 3:8-15) is separated from the previous verses by a natural break in the Hebrew. It describes in more detail the judgment on the nations that are gathered in Palestine and extends beyond Jerusalem to the battle of Armageddon.

The last section, verses 16-19, occur after another natural break in the text. These verses SPECIFICALLY describe the attitude of the prophet as he anticipates the national judgment that is coming at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar as shown in the first two chapters. These thoughts of Habakkuk are personal and contemporary and do not have any end-times focus.

Thus, as seen in so many other passages, WHEN the Messiah arrives on the earth, He will begin to express God’s wrath upon the unbelievers (the earth-dwellers) through many NON-MILITARY judgments (the trumpets and bowls) That judgment will culminate with the physical destruction of the world’s armies that are gathered into Palestine. But it will be in three phases as Jesus descends first to Edom, then to Jerusalem and finally to Megiddo for the battle of Armageddon.

The focus in the prophecies of Habakkuk is that the Messiah will come FROM Edom and initiate the battle of Jerusalem with earthquake and plague.

It seems that other than the plague, Jesus will be relatively inactive in the battle of Jerusalem. It seems that He will serve a catalyst for the people of Israel to fight back and successfully defend themselves against the invading armies. He will thus, OVERSEE the battle, as the nation’s commander-in-chief, and probably not too long after arriving there, He will continue on to Megiddo.

There appears to be a DELAY before Jesus arrives at Megiddo. It seems that there needs to be some kind of TIME FRAME for the battle of Jerusalem to play out, but I suppose it could be resolved in that same day. Thus, any “delay” would be a matter of hours only.

Revelation 19:19
“And I say the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him who sat upon the horse, and against His army.”

These are the same ones who will be gathered by the demon influence of the 6^th bowl judgment. Revelation 16:14 and 16.

“For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Mageddon.”

So Jesus will finish His work in Jerusalem probably AFTER the battle has been won by the forces of Judah and Jerusalem. He will then go to Megiddo and confront the bulk of the world’s armies who have assembled there. That will include the King of the East, the King of the West (the beast), and the remainder of the King of the North (who will have his forces split into two sections – Joel 2:20).

This will be THE battle of Armageddon.

See Topic: Armageddon – When Armies Move

However, Armageddon is NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.
It is only a LOCAL battle in the land of Palestine.

Furthermore, for clarification, the term Armageddon should never be used to describe the catastrophic events that are symbolized by the trumpets and the first 5 bowls.

For that matter, these events should not be viewed as any “end of the world” scenario.

Yes, they are serious and world-wide judgments that will result in much death and destruction. And ultimately they will result in the death and removal of ALL unbelievers.

But “they” and “it” are not the end of the world.

The Messiah’s kingdom will be established, and that will be a time of world-wide blessing and prosperity for all the peoples who have trusted in Christ as Savior.

The prophet changes focus at ISAIAH 63:7-14.
Here Isaiah gives some historical review that shows the divine favor and protection of the nation of Israel.

7 I shall make mention of the loving kindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, According to all that the LORD has granted us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has granted them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His loving kindnesses.
8 For He said, "Surely, they are My people,
Sons who will not deal falsely."
So He became their Savior.
9 In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the angel of His presence saved them;
In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,
And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit;
Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy,
He fought against them.
11 Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses.
Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock?
Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them,
12 Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses,
Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name,
13 Who led them through the depths?
Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble;
14 As the cattle which go down into the valley,
The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.
So You led Your people,
To make for Yourself a glorious name.

But at Isaiah 63:15-19, the prophet looks to a time of national discipline when the temple has been ruined and the nation has been destroyed.

And it also shows us the people STILL in rebellion against God, showing no humility or admission of their sinful ways. They do not express the proper response toward discipline.

They express humility toward God concerning their divine origin in verses 15-16.

But in verses 17-19, they show arrogance and no SIN humility. They fail to take responsibility for the discipline that has come upon them.

Verse 17
“Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You?

God does not CAUSE the people to stray. It is their own sinfulness and guilt.
They need to take responsibility for their past actions as seen at chapter 64:1-7, which shows us the PROPER response of the believer under discipline.

The proper response and prayer can also be seen at Daniel 9:4-11.

ISAIAH 64:1-12

This gives us the NATIONAL PRAYER during the time of national discipline prior to the second coming of the Messiah. It would be expressed AFTER the arrival of Jesus in the clouds of the sky, because it will be expressed by those who will be saved after that.

It is looking for NATIONAL deliverance through the physical descent of the Messiah in the context of verse 63:18,
“Your holy people possessed Your sanctuary for a little while,
Our adversaries have trodden it down.”

Revelation 11:2
“And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for 42 months.”

The prayer reflects proper humility toward God’s standards and their sinful ways.

In verses 8-9, they show proper CREATURE humility that recognizes that since God is the CREATOR (verse 8); He can do anything He wants. They thus appeal to Him for forgiveness and deliverance.

Verses 10-11 reflect the condition of the land after the national discipline of 70 AD when Rome totally destroys the temple, Jerusalem and all the surrounding cities.

It does not reflect any condition of the land in the time of Isaiah.
It COULD be looking to the end of the Babylonian captivity that lasted from 605 to 536 BCE, but the context of the surrounding chapters compels me to look to the end-times for fulfillment.

The last item in their prayer at verse 64:12 will be answered through the second coming of the Messiah IN GENERAL. But specifically it will be His physical descent to the earth via Edom, Jerusalem and Megiddo that brings complete deliverance.

“Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O Yahweh?
Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?”

Hosea 5:14-15
“For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear to pieces and go away.
I will carry away, and there will be none to deliver.
I will go away and return to My place
Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Again, this is the second coming IN GENERAL.
First He comes in the clouds of the sky and then LATER, He will descend physically to the earth. The Old Testament prophets did not envision a distinction between these two stages of the second coming. We learn the more specific details in the New Testament.

However, BEFORE their can be a second coming, there must be a first coming.

Isaiah chapters 65-66 predict the first coming of the Messiah; the failure of the nation to accept Him; national discipline on Israel; the establishment of a new priestly body; the promise of kingdom blessing; and the second coming of the Messiah.

See: Isaiah Chapter 65
See: Isaiah Chapter 66
 

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