Tuesday - Isaiah 63 - When God Wears Red

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HE pain and misery that pervades our lives on this planet demonstrate well enough that God is serious in His hatred of evil. Here in Isaiah 63 we have an even more certain proof of God's disdain for evil. Who is the one in garments dyed red in Isaiah 63:1? It is God. Why are His garments red? They are red with the blood of rebels. If you don't believe it, then just read Isaiah 63:3. Vengeance against the unbelieving, as well as redemption for the believing, are both sure purposes in God's heart (Isaiah 63:4). Both salvation and fury are in His words (Isaiah 63:5). It seems strange to find loving-kindness, goodness and mercy in Isaiah 63:7 after so many references to God's just wrath in the earlier verses, but somehow both perspectives are necessary to get a complete view of who our God is. He loves and saves His children with extravagant grace. And, He obliterates His perpetual enemies in holy anger.

God is afflicted by the affliction of His children. His presence is our salvation. With love and pity He brings us forth from our cocoon of rebellion (Isaiah 63:9-10). Although we have vexed His heart like His lasting enemies have, He has heard our prayers of faith and repentance. And, more importantly, He has remembered His own plans, purposes and promises (Isaiah 63:11 & 15). We melt with amazement when we recognize the thorough generosity of God's unmerited favor demonstrated in His gracious rescue of sinners. And, we bow in humble amazement when we see both of those things on Calvary's cross. On that day, God wore a red robe of rage against sin as He executed His own Son in our place. And, if a man isn't covered by what happened on that day, he will certainly be destroyed by what will happen on the day when He dons a white robe and then turns it red with blood as He executes justice in this earth (Rev. 19:11-16).