Connect Isaiah 63:3 with Revelation 19:15; how do they portray divine justice? Seeing the Same Judge in Two Moments • Isaiah 63:3 – “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My wrath; their blood spattered My garments, and I stained all My robes.” • Revelation 19:15 – “From His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which to strike down the nations; and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” Both scenes show the same Person—Messiah—stepping forward as the sole Executor of God’s final judgment. Isaiah sees Him first; John sees Him at the climactic return. Shared Imagery: The Winepress and the Garments • Winepress – Ancient winepresses crushed grapes underfoot, producing juice that splashed on the worker’s clothes. – Scripture adopts this picture to convey the intensity and completeness of judgment. No partial verdicts; all sin is fully “pressed.” • Garments Stained – Isaiah records robes already splattered. – In Revelation, the conquering King’s robe is “dipped in blood” (19:13), echoing the same earlier vision. – The stains are not from His own suffering here but from the defeat of the wicked. Divine Justice Revealed 1. Personal Execution – “I have trodden the winepress alone” (Isaiah 63:3). – No angelic delegation. The Lord Himself acts, underscoring that justice is inseparable from His character. 2. Righteous Wrath – Anger and wrath appear in both passages, not as impulsive rage but as holy response to persistent rebellion (cf. Nahum 1:2–3). 3. Universal Scope – Isaiah speaks of “the nations” (63:6). – Revelation says He will “strike down the nations” (19:15). – Every tribe and power structure faces the same standard (Acts 17:31). 4. Finality – The treading leaves nothing undone. “Their lifeblood splattered” (Isaiah 63:6). – Revelation follows with the supper of the birds (19:17–18), a vivid sign that judgment is complete and irreversible. Why Two Visions? • Prophetic Certainty – Isaiah’s vision occurred centuries before Christ’s first advent, yet aligns precisely with the end-time picture in Revelation. God’s plan never shifts (Isaiah 46:9–10). • Encouragement for the Faithful – Believers suffering injustice can rest in God’s promise of ultimate vindication (Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30–31). Justice Perfectly Balanced with Salvation • Same chapter in Isaiah celebrates mercy: “In all their distress, He too was distressed” (63:9). • Revelation 19 shows the bridal celebration immediately after the judgment (19:6–9). • At the cross, wrath and grace met (Isaiah 53; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Those who refuse the grace face the wrath depicted in both passages. Living in Light of Certain Justice • Stand in awe of Christ’s holiness (Hebrews 12:28–29). • Trust that evil will not slip through unpunished (Psalm 11:7). • Share the gospel urgently, knowing judgment is real and near (2 Peter 3:9–10). |
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