The Warrior from Edom
Study note
A watchman sees someone approaching from Edom, specifically from the city of Bozrah, with red-stained clothing. He asks, 'Who is this, so majestic and powerful?' God himself answers: 'It is I, who speaks in righteousness, mighty to save.' When asked why his clothes are red, God explains that he has trampled the winepress of judgment alone. No one from among the nations helped him. The day of vengeance was in his heart, and the year to set his people free had arrived. He looked for someone to help but found no one, so his own arm brought victory. The imagery of treading a winepress, where grapes are crushed and their juice stains everything, is used to describe God's victory over the enemies of his people.
1 Who is this marching in from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with clothes stained deep red? Who is this, dressed in majesty, striding forward with tremendous power? "It is I — the one who speaks what is right and has the might to save." Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
2 Why are your clothes red, like someone who has been stomping grapes in a winepress? Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
3 "I stomped the winepress completely alone. Not a single person from any nation was with me. I crushed them in my anger and trampled them in my fury. Their blood splattered all over my clothing and stained everything I was wearing." I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
4 "The day for getting even was burning in my heart, and the year for setting my people free had arrived." For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
5 "I looked around, but nobody was there to help. I was stunned that nobody stepped forward to assist. So my own arm achieved the victory, and my own fury kept me going." And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
6 "I trampled nations in my anger and crushed them in my fury. I spilled their blood on the ground." And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
Remembering God's Faithful Love
Study note
The prayer shifts to remembering God's past kindness. The speaker recalls the many good things God has done for Israel out of his compassion and love. God said, 'Surely they are my people, children who will not be false to me.' In all their suffering, he suffered too. The angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy, he redeemed them and carried them through the ancient days. But then they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit, and he became their enemy. The people then remembered the days of Moses and asked, 'Where is the God who brought them through the sea? Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit among them and led them with his glorious arm through the waters?'
7 Let me tell about all the loving things the Lord has done. I will praise the Lord for everything he has done. He has shown great goodness to the people of Israel through his kindness and his deep, steady love. I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
8 He said, "Surely they are my people — children who will stay loyal to me." So he became their Savior. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
9 Whenever they suffered, he felt the pain too. The angel of his presence rescued them. Driven by his love and mercy, he set them free. He scooped them up and carried them through all the long-ago years. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled and broke the heart of his Holy Spirit. So he became their enemy and fought against them himself. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
11 Then his people thought back to the ancient days, the days of Moses. They asked, "Where is the one who brought them safely through the sea, along with the shepherd of his flock? Where is the one who placed his Holy Spirit among them?" Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?
12 "Where is the one who sent his great power to be at Moses' right hand? He split the water before them. He did it to make a name that would last forever." That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
13 "Where is the one who led them through the depths of the ocean? Like a horse running through open country, they passed through without stumbling." That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble?
14 Like cattle heading down into a valley to rest, the Spirit of the Lord brought them to a place of peace. That is how you led your people and built an incredible reputation for yourself. As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.
A Prayer for God to Act
Study note
The prayer becomes intensely personal. The people look to heaven and cry out, 'Where are your passion and your power? Where is your compassion for us?' They declare that God is their Father, even if their ancestors Abraham and Israel would not recognize them. They ask God why he allowed them to stray from his paths and harden their hearts. They beg him to come back for the sake of his servants. They lament that their enemies have trampled God's holy temple and that they feel forgotten, as if God had never ruled over them.
15 Look down from heaven and see us from your holy and glorious dwelling. Where is your fierce devotion and your power? Where is the compassion and mercy you used to show us? Are you holding it all back? Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
16 You are truly our Father. Even if Abraham would not recognize us and Israel would not claim us, you, Lord, are our Father. Your name from the beginning has been "Our Redeemer." Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
17 Lord, why did you let us stray from your ways? Why did you allow our hearts to become hard, so that we no longer honor you? Please come back for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are yours. O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.
18 Your holy people held the land for just a short time. Now our enemies have stormed in and trampled your sanctuary. The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.
19 We have become like people you never ruled over, like people who never carried your name. We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name.