Why are the garments of the figure in Isaiah 63:1 stained red? Text (Isaiah 63:1–3) “Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? He who is glorious in His apparel, marching in the greatness of His strength? ‘It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.’ Why are Your garments red, and Your clothes like one who treads the winepress? ‘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 all My clothes were stained.’” Immediate Literary Setting Isaiah 63 opens the climactic “day of the LORD” section within chapters 58–66, where salvation for Zion is coupled with judgment on her oppressors. The dialogue of verse 1 introduces a majestic Figure; verses 2–6 explain His blood-splattered appearance; verses 7–14 transition into Israel’s prayerful response. Historical and Geographical Background: Edom and Bozrah Edom (“red,” Genesis 25:30) lay south-east of Judah. Bozrah (modern Buseirah, Jordan) served as a fortified capital; its Iron-Age citadel, unearthed by Nelson Glueck in 1937 and later by Piotr Bienkowski (1989-1994), confirms an 8th- to 6th-century BC occupation—exactly the period Isaiah addresses. Throughout Scripture Edom epitomizes persistent hostility toward God’s people (Obadiah 1-14; Psalm 137:7). Identity of the Figure The speaker identifies Himself: “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” The Hebrew grammar and divine prerogatives (judgment, salvation, omnipotence) mark Him as Yahweh in warrior-king form. New Testament writers apply the same imagery to the risen Christ (Revelation 19:11-16). Thus conservative exegesis recognizes the Person as the pre-incarnate Son, the Angel of Yahweh, fulfilled in Jesus’ second-advent role. Why the Garments Are Red: Primary Explanation The red stains are the blood of Yahweh’s defeated enemies. Verse 3 states, “their blood spattered My garments.” Ancient Near-Eastern viticulture provides the metaphor: trampling grapes in a stone vat splashed juice up to the waist; likewise, divine judgment saturates the warrior’s robe. The color matches both Edom’s name and the crimson dye (Heb ṣāḥ edôm) exported from Bozrah, intensifying the wordplay. Winepress Imagery Across Scripture • Lamentations 1:15—“…the LORD has trodden the virgin Daughter of Judah as in a winepress.” • Joel 3:13—“Come, trample, for the winepress is full…” • Revelation 14:19-20—angel throws grapes “into the great winepress of God’s wrath.” • Revelation 19:13—Christ’s robe is “dipped in blood.” These echoes confirm the motif: corporate guilt meets divine retribution. Blood of Judgment vs. Blood of Atonement Isaiah 63 depicts punitive blood, not sacrificial blood. The same Messiah who shed His own blood to pardon believers (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 26:28) will shed His enemies’ blood if they reject that atonement (John 3:36). Justice and mercy converge at the Cross; vengeance and consummated salvation converge at the Parousia. Canonical Connections Genesis 49:11 (Messianic prophecy) pictures the ruler washing garments “in the blood of grapes,” anticipating Isaiah 63. Psalm 58:10, Psalm 68:23, and Deuteronomy 32:42 portray the righteous rejoicing when God’s feet are bathed in the blood of the wicked. These intertexts validate a consistent biblical theology of retributive justice. Theological and Evangelistic Implications 1. God’s holiness demands judgment; the same love that provided a Substitute demands reparation from those who spurn Him (Romans 2:5-8). 2. Assurance for believers: the Warrior is “mighty to save,” guaranteeing final deliverance (Hebrews 9:28). 3. Warning for unbelievers: “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). The crimson garments foreshadow the irreversible outcome of refusing Christ’s blood as cleansing (Hebrews 10:26-31). Practical Application Believers proclaim both grace and coming judgment, modeling Isaiah’s twin themes of intercession (63:15 – 64:12) and confident hope. Worship must balance reverence with gratitude, obedience with evangelism. Answer in Brief The garments are stained red because the divine-warrior Messiah has trodden the nations in judgment; the blood of His defeated foes splashes His robes, fulfilling the winepress imagery of God’s wrath and prefiguring Christ’s future return. |
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