God destroys Edom

ISAIAH   CHAPTER 63

The Lord announces that he is the people's salvation and Isaiah sees him come from Edom with his clothing stained red. The Lord says he has trampled the enemies as if they were grapes, but it is their blood which stained his clothes. He avenged his people and passed down judgment and crushed the nations with anger.

Isaiah tells of God's unfailing love and praises him for all he has done for Israel. The lord became their Savior and in their suffering, he also suffered. In his love and mercy, he redeemed them and lifted them up and carried them through all the years. But the people rebelled against the Holy Spirit and so he fought against them. Then the people remembered the days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt and they cried out for him.

The people asked that God look down from heaven and see how he could use passion to show on their behalf.  They believe he was still their Father even if Jacob and Abraham would disown them. They asked God why he let them turn from his path and why did he give them stubborn hearts. They asked why God acted as though the people have never been known as his people.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Edom was a constant enemy of Israel despite its common ancestry in Isaac. Edom rejoiced in any trouble Israel faced.
In this chapter the Holy Spirit is mentioned several times more than in any other Old Testament chapter.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? The people rebelled against God, yet he ended up showing mercy and compassion to them. Don't you agree that he does the same thing in our times? Haven't you see his mercy showered upon many individuals. It is always a thrill to see a "rebel" suddenly have a visit from the Holy Spirit and become a "believer".

The concept of the Holy Spirit is one that I always have a problem visualizing. Somebody once compared the Holy Spirit like this: you know the Michaelangelo painting in the Sistine Chapel that shows Jesus reaching out to touch God. The small space between their outstretched fingers is the Holy Spirit. I like the imagery!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.