Isaiah 63:19

God may seem to have cancelled his choice of the *Israelites as his special people. But God has not changed. If his people return to him, he will return to them (see Malachi 3:6-7).

Lord ~ God’s name in the Bible. In the original language, God’s names mean ‘head over all’ and ‘God always’.
grapes ~ small sweet fruit of the vine; the fruit makes wine.
vine ~ plant whose fruit makes wine.
Messiah ~ Old Testament title for Christ.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible. It contains 39 books, all from the time before Jesus was born.
covenant ~ special agreement that God made with Israel (see Exodus chapter 24).
Israelites ~ Jews; people who belong to the 12 tribes of Israel.
Jew ~ a person who belongs to the 12 tribes of Israel.
tribe ~ group of the later family of one father.
glory ~ the splendid beauty and wonderful light of God’s most holy character.
Jerusalem ~ at the time of David and Solomon, the capital of the country called Israel. During the time of Isaiah, Jerusalem was the capital of the country called Judah.
Temple ~ special building in Jerusalem where Jews praised God and offered him prayers and gifts.
Jerusalem ~ at the time of David and Solomon, the capital of the country called Israel. During the time of Isaiah, Jerusalem was the capital of the country called Judah.
Jew ~ a person who belongs to the 12 tribes of Israel.
tribe ~ group of the later family of one father.
ancestor ~ member of one’s family in the past.
ancestor ~ member of one’s family in the past.'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible. It contains 39 books, all from the time before Jesus was born.

1. Isaiah: New *Heavens and a New Earth

God’s *Messiah Beats God’s Enemies

Isaiah Chapter s 56 to 66

Gordon Churchyard

The words in square brackets, […], are not in the *Hebrew Bible. They make the book easier to understand in English. Isaiah wrote his book in the *Hebrew language. The words in round brackets (…) are explanations.

Chapter 63

(The Song)

v1 Who is this that is coming from Edom and from Bozrah? A bright colour stains his clothes. Who is this that is wearing splendid clothes? He marches forward with great strength. [He says], ‘I am speaking [to you]. I am very, very good. I am strong enough to save you.’

v2 Why are your clothes red? They are like [the clothes] of somebody that has worked in a winepress (place to squeeze juice for wine).

v3 ‘I have worked in the winepress (place to squeeze juice) alone. From [all] the nations, nobody was with me. I walked on them because I was angry. And I put them under my feet in my anger. Their blood went all over my clothes and I stained all my clothing.

v4 [I did that] because the day of *vengeance was in my heart. Also, the year of the people that I have *redeemed had come.

v5 I had looked, but there was nobody to help. And I was very anxious because nobody supported [them]. Therefore my own arm did the work to save them and my own anger supported me.

v6 I walked on the nations in my anger. I was so angry that I made them [seem] *drunk. Then, I poured their blood onto the ground.’

(The Prayer)

v7 I will tell [people] about the kind things [that] the *LORD [has done]. [I will talk about] how people praise the *LORD, because of all that the *LORD has done for us. He has done many good things for the family of Israel. [He did them] because of his great pity. And [he did those things because of] his great kindness [towards those people].

v8 And he said, ‘Certainly, they are my people. [They are] sons, who will be loyal to me.’ So he became the one that saved them.

v9 In all their trouble, he shared their trouble. And the *angel, that was present with him, saved them. And because of his love and because of his *mercy, he *redeemed them. Also, he lifted them up and he carried them. [He looked after them,] as he had done in former times.

v10 But they did not obey him and they made his Holy Spirit angry. So, he turned against them and he became their enemy. He fought against them.

v11 Then he remembered the former times. [He remembered] Moses and his people. [He said] ‘Where is he that brought them up out of the sea, with the leaders of his group? Where is he that put his Holy Spirit on him?

v12 [Where is he] that made his beautiful arm to go at Moses’ right hand? [Where is he] that divided the waters [of the River Jordan] in front of them, to make his name always famous?

v13 [Where is he] that led them through the deep places?’ As a horse [runs] in open country, so they did not fall.

v14 The Spirit of the *LORD gave them rest, as cows and sheep that go down to their fields. This is how you guided your people. [This is how] you made for yourself a famous name!

v15 Look down from your *holy and wonderful house in heaven and see [us]. Where is your desire [to do what you have promised] and your strength? [Where is] the love that is inside you and the pity? You are not giving them to us!

v16 But you are our father, even if Abraham does not know us. [You are our father] even if Israel does not recognise us. You, *LORD, are our father. Your name is our *redeemer, from days long ago.

v17 *LORD, why did you let us wander from your ways? [Why did you let us make] our hearts so hard, so that we do not respect you? Come back to us, on behalf of your servants. [We are] the families that belong to you!

v18 Your *holy people will possess [their land] for a short time. Our enemies will walk all over your *holy place.

v19 For a long time, we are as people that you have not governed. [People] did not call us by your name!

17. heavens ~ another word for ‘skies’. It can also mean the place where God lives and the skies above us.
    messiah ~ a leader such as a king. With a capital M (that is, ‘Messiah’), it means Jesus for Christians.
    Hebrew ~ the language that Isaiah spoke.
    vengeance ~ when someone does to people the bad things that they have done to other people.
    redeem ~ a member of your family buys you from an enemy.
    drunk ~ the state of someone who has drunk too much alcohol.
    LORD ~ LORD is a special name of God. In the Hebrew language, it is YHWH. It may mean ‘always alive’. So LORD is a sign that the Hebrew word is YHWH.
    lord ~ master. When it has a capital L (that is, ‘Lord’), it is a name for God.
    Hebrew ~ the language that Isaiah spoke.
    angel ~ a special servant of God in heaven.
    Heaven ~ the home of God.
    mercy ~ kindness when you do not have to be kind.
    holy ~ very, very good. Only God is really holy. He is so holy that he is separate from everybody else.