“Vengeance is Mine, and recompense... (Deuteronomy 32: 35)
“Because My sword has been bathed and equipped in heaven, behold, it shall come down upon Edom [the descendants of Esau], upon the people whom I have doomed for judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood [of sacrifices], it is gorged and greased with fatness -with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams.
For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah [capital of Edom] and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. And the wild oxen shall fall with them, and the [young bullocks with the [old and mighty] bulls; and their land shall be drunk and soaked with blood, and their dust made rich with fatness.
For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense, for the cause of Zion.
And the streams [of Edom] will be turned into pitch and its dust into brimstone, and its land will become burning pitch. [The burning of Edom] shall not be quenched night or day; its smoke shall go up forever.” (Isaiah 34:6-10a)
The clock reads 3:33 pm.
Smoke from burning ascending speaks of God's judgment. Over and over in the bible, it is used for this purpose. Genesis 19:28 says, “And he [Abraham] looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward the land of the valley, and saw, and behold, the smoke of the country went up like the smoke of a furnace.”
And in Revelation when Babylon the great, the “great harlot” (the mother of idolatresses), is judged, smoke arises from her for eternity. Revelation 19:2b-3 says, “And He has avenged (visited on her the penalty for) the blood of His servants at her hand. And again they shouted, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! The smoke of her [burning] shall continue to ascend forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities).”
Eternal judgment is represented by fire, brimstone and smoke ascending for eternity. In Revelation 14:10-11 it says, “He [the one who pays homage to the beast and takes his mark] shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall me tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night -these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him.”
Edom, meaning red, was the name of the land that was given to Esau, Jacob's brother. The Edomites refused to let the Israelites pass through their land. Edom represents Israel’s enemies. Ps. 137:7 says, “Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites, that they said in the day of Jerusalem's fall, Down, down to the ground with her!” [1]
Another commentary notes, “Edom is representative of all those who hate Israel. The Edomites were descendants of Esau (Gen 36:1, 8–9), and throughout the history they practiced hostile intent toward Israel (Amos 1:11–12). The destruction of all those who oppose God and His people is implied in the destruction of Edom. It is interesting to note that when Jerusalem was destroyed, the Edomites sided with the captors and applauded the destruction of Israel.” [2]
One commentary notes that Edomites “were a particular illustration of Gentile self-sufficiency during the days of Isaiah, when their Nabataean Petra was thriving. (See J. I. Lawlor, The Nabataeans in Historical Perspective.)” [3]
Jeremiah 49:17-18 says about Edom, “And Edom shall be an astonishment and a horror; everyone who goes by it shall be astonished and shall hiss with horror at all its plagues and disasters. As [it was] in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, says the Lord, no man shall dwell there; neither shall a son of man live in it temporarily.”
Bozrah was the capital city of Edom. [4] Bozrah translates as sheepfold. Micah prophesies about the Lord delivering His people from figurative Borzah (a sheepfold that is in the midst of the land of Isreal's enemies).
Micah 2:12-13 (Darby) says, “I will surely assemble, O Jacob, the whole of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. One that breaketh through is gone up before them: they have broken forth, and have passed on to the gate, and are gone out by it; and their king passeth on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.”
Commentary notes about this, “Bozrah was an area that had very rich pasture, and the sheep which grazed upon it must have been exemplary. God will ultimately restore His nation, now wracked by its sin; and great joy will be the lot of the restored and redeemed people.” [5]
Isaiah 14:30a says, “And the firstborn of the poor and the poorest of the poor [of Judah] shall feed on My meadows, and the needy will like down in safety;"
Commentary goes on to note about the verses in Micah 2:12-13, “The breaker is come up before them. The breaker of verse 13 is a reference to Israel’s Messiah (Jesus, our Lord) who will break down every obstacle between the people and their God. He will restore them, forgive them of their sins, and implant within them a new heart.
He will lead them to glorious restoration, and He will rule over them. No one will be able to hinder His messianic millennial work, for He is the Lord (Jehovah)! To date, this promise of restoration has not been realized; but there is coming a day when it will. What a glorious future lies ahead of Israel!” [6]
Isaiah paints a picture of the Lord coming victoriously out of Bozrah with crimson-stained garments.
Isaiah 63:1-7 says, “Who is this Who comes from Edom, with crimson-stained garments from Bozrah [in Edom]? This One Who is glorious in His apparel, striding triumphantly in the greatness of His might?
It is I, [the One] Who speaks in righteousness [proclaiming vindication], mighty to save!
Why is Your apparel splashed with red, and Your garments like the one who treads the winepress?
I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples there was no one with Me, I trod them in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I stained all my raiment. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption [the year of My redeemed] has come.”
Commentary notes, “When the Lord returns to set up His kingdom, He must first destroy His enemies. That destruction takes place at different times and in different places. One stage occurs in the Valley of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16), another in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12), and still another in Edom. The latter is what we have here in chapter 63." [7]
In all three examples - Armageddon, the Valley of Jehoshaphat and Edom -the Lord was executing judgment against Isreal's enemies on thier behalf.
Commentary goes on to note, "The Messiah is marching up from Bozrah, a metropolis of Edom, in glorious garments that are red with the blood of Israel’s foes. When asked why His apparel is red, He uses the figure of a winepress to describe His trampling of His enemies. The time had come for Him to wreak vengeance on them and to redeem His people. In the absence of any merely human deliverer, He stepped in and won the victory.” [7]
It was by His own arm that Christ executed judgement and won the victory. Commentary notes, “The Lord answers the prophet’s question: I have trodden the winepress alone. The word used here for winepress is different and occurs only in this passage and in Haggai 2:16. It designates the place where the grapes were crushed or broken (Isa 53:5). Although the description of Christ in this passage refers to His coming in judgment, this opening statement implies the Crucifixion. Because Christ did go through the winepress alone, He has the legitimate right to return in righteous judgment upon the earth. This mighty deliverer now comes in vengeance.” [8]
Both the verses in Isaiah 34:6-10 and Isaiah 63:1-7 speak of the day of the Lord's vengeance and year of His recompense against His enemies (year of redemption in Is. 63:1-7).
Commentary notes about the day of the Lord's vengeance: “The word ‘vengeance’ is of crucial importance. It does not mean getting even with someone, as we use it. It refers to God’s action in carrying out the sentence which He as Judge.” [9]
The day of the Lord's vengeance is a day of reckoning and justice coming forth. Isaiah 59:14-20 also speaks of a time of a day of vengeance and recompense where God's own arm brought Him the victory.
“Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) stands far off; for truth has fallen in the street (the city's forum), and uprightness cannot enter [the courts of justice]. Yes, truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. And the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.
And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought Him victory, and His own rightousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him.
For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealously] as a cloak. According as their deeds deserve, so will He repay wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; on the foreign islands and coastlands He will make compensation.
So [as the result of the Messiah's intervention] they shall [reverently] fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him and put him to flight [for He will come like a rushing stream which the breath of the Lord drives].
He shall come as a Redeemer to Zion and to those in Jacob (Israel) who turn from transgression, says the Lord.”
Revelation 19 also speaks of an ultimate day of the Lord's vengeance against His enemies where he wages war and treads the winepress in His wrath.
Rev. 19:11-16 says , “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
The day of the Lord's vengeance and year of recompense is not something to be afraid of. God's wrath and judgment are not directed toward His children but towards the enemy of His people. It is to be welcomed with great joy as He is mighty to save and deliver His people.
Isaiah 35:3-7,10 says, “Say to those who are of a fearful and hasty heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with recompense of God He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
And the burning sand and the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes... And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Commentary notes, “The prophet recognizes that his people, persecuted over these many centuries, will need to encourage themselves in the knowledge of the coming fulfillment of God’s promised blessings to them. To his downtrodden, elect nation the prophet urges valiance and vigilance, because your God will come with vengeance (naqam, revenge). Again, it should be noted that ultimately God’s acts of judgment are acts of mercy. For the great judgment of the Tribulation Period shall cut off the unrighteous and usher in a time of unparalleled blessing and prosperity on the earth for all mankind. The blind … deaf … lame … dumb shall all be restored.” [10]
The ultimate day of the Lord's vengeance refers to the Battle of Armageddon according to some sources. The Wikipedia notes about the Battle of Armageddon: “Armageddon … according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location. The term is also used in a generic sense to refer to any end of the world scenario.
The word Armageddon appears only once in the Greek New Testament, namely in Revelation 16:16. The word may come from Hebrew har məgiddô, meaning "Mountain of Megiddo"....
According to one premillennial Christian interpretation, the Messiah will return to earth and defeat the Antichrist (the "beast") and Satan the Devil in the Battle of Armageddon. Then Satan will be put into the "bottomless pit" or abyss for 1,000 years, known as the Millennial Age.” [11]
One viewpoint is that Armageddon is not a single battle but a series of battles that extend the tribulation period where God brings his judgment on His enemies. The Wikipedia quotes Dwight Pentecost who writes:
Going back to the original scripture in Isaiah 34:6-10, one commentary notes that it is really referring to the Battle of Armageddon. They write, “The day of the Lord’s vengeance refers to the Battle of Armageddon. Though this particular name is only found in Revelation 16:16, throughout the Bible it is certainly descriptive of the final devastation that culminates at the end of the Tribulation Period (cf. “day of the Lord”: Joel 2:2; Zeph 1:15; Zech 14:1; Mal 4:5; “time of trouble”: Dan 12:1; “time of Jacob’s trouble”: Jer 30:7; “hour of his judgment”: Rev 14:7; “the wrath to come”: I Thess 1:10; “the wrath of the Lamb”: Rev 6:16–17). The fiery nature of this judgment is such that it cannot refer to any historic battle in ancient Israel. Pitch … brimstone … smoke are mentioned as lasting for ever. Attempts to view this as a local destruction in past history are futile in light of the severe, universal description given in this passage.” [13]
This ultimate day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of reckoning where the hour of great judgment comes is described in Revelation 14:6-20,
“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, with an eternal Gospel (good news) to tell to the inhabitants of the earth, to every race and tribe and language and people. And he cried with a mighty voice, Revere God and give Him glory (honor and praise in worship), for the hour of His judgment has arrived. Fall down before Him; pay Him homage and adoration and worship Him Who created heaven and earth, the sea and the springs (fountains) of water.
Then another angel, a second, followed, declaring, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She who made all nations drink of the [maddening] wine of her passionate unchastity [idolatry].
Then another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a mighty voice, Whoever pays homage to the beast and his statue and permits the [beast's] stamp (mark, inscription) to be put on his forehead or on his hand, He too shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night--these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him.
Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God's commandments and [their] faith in Jesus.
Then I heard further [perceiving the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, Write this: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are the dead from now on who die in the Lord! Yes, blessed (happy, to be envied indeed), says the Spirit, [in] that they may rest from their labors, for their works (deeds) do follow (attend, accompany) them!
Again I looked, and behold, [I saw] a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud One resembling a Son of Man, with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp scythe (sickle) in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple sanctuary, calling with a mighty voice to Him Who was sitting upon the cloud, Put in Your scythe and reap, for the hour has arrived to gather the harvest, for the earth's crop is fully ripened.
So He Who was sitting upon the cloud swung His scythe (sickle) on the earth, and the earth's crop was harvested. Then another angel came out of the temple [sanctuary] in heaven, and he also carried a sharp scythe (sickle).
And another angel came forth from the altar, [the angel] who has authority and power over fire, and he called with a loud cry to him who had the sharp scythe (sickle), Put forth your scythe and reap the fruitage of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are entirely ripe.
So the angel swung his scythe on the earth and stripped the grapes and gathered the vintage from the vines of the earth and cast it into the huge winepress of God's indignation and wrath. And [the grapes in] the winepress were trodden outside the city, and blood poured from the winepress, [reaching] as high as horses' bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia (about 200 miles).”
Lord, we are so grateful that your acts of judgment are ultimately acts of mercy. You demonstrated what your justice looks like when You died on the cross for our sins. We long to see Your judgments on earth. Come with vengeance against your enemies. With recompense come and save Your people. Open the eyes of the blind, open the ears of the deaf, let the lame leap, and the tongue that was stopped due to oppression sing for joy.
1. Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1997, S. Is 63:1
2-6, 8, 10, 13. KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1994
7, 9. MacDonald, William ; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. Is 63:7, S. Is 34:5
11-12. Wikipedia. Armageddon. Located at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armageddon Last Accessed: 2/28/12.
For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah [capital of Edom] and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. And the wild oxen shall fall with them, and the [young bullocks with the [old and mighty] bulls; and their land shall be drunk and soaked with blood, and their dust made rich with fatness.
For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense, for the cause of Zion.
And the streams [of Edom] will be turned into pitch and its dust into brimstone, and its land will become burning pitch. [The burning of Edom] shall not be quenched night or day; its smoke shall go up forever.” (Isaiah 34:6-10a)
The clock reads 3:33 pm.
Smoke from burning ascending speaks of God's judgment. Over and over in the bible, it is used for this purpose. Genesis 19:28 says, “And he [Abraham] looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward the land of the valley, and saw, and behold, the smoke of the country went up like the smoke of a furnace.”
And in Revelation when Babylon the great, the “great harlot” (the mother of idolatresses), is judged, smoke arises from her for eternity. Revelation 19:2b-3 says, “And He has avenged (visited on her the penalty for) the blood of His servants at her hand. And again they shouted, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! The smoke of her [burning] shall continue to ascend forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities).”
Eternal judgment is represented by fire, brimstone and smoke ascending for eternity. In Revelation 14:10-11 it says, “He [the one who pays homage to the beast and takes his mark] shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall me tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night -these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him.”
Edom, meaning red, was the name of the land that was given to Esau, Jacob's brother. The Edomites refused to let the Israelites pass through their land. Edom represents Israel’s enemies. Ps. 137:7 says, “Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites, that they said in the day of Jerusalem's fall, Down, down to the ground with her!” [1]
Another commentary notes, “Edom is representative of all those who hate Israel. The Edomites were descendants of Esau (Gen 36:1, 8–9), and throughout the history they practiced hostile intent toward Israel (Amos 1:11–12). The destruction of all those who oppose God and His people is implied in the destruction of Edom. It is interesting to note that when Jerusalem was destroyed, the Edomites sided with the captors and applauded the destruction of Israel.” [2]
One commentary notes that Edomites “were a particular illustration of Gentile self-sufficiency during the days of Isaiah, when their Nabataean Petra was thriving. (See J. I. Lawlor, The Nabataeans in Historical Perspective.)” [3]
Jeremiah 49:17-18 says about Edom, “And Edom shall be an astonishment and a horror; everyone who goes by it shall be astonished and shall hiss with horror at all its plagues and disasters. As [it was] in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, says the Lord, no man shall dwell there; neither shall a son of man live in it temporarily.”
Bozrah was the capital city of Edom. [4] Bozrah translates as sheepfold. Micah prophesies about the Lord delivering His people from figurative Borzah (a sheepfold that is in the midst of the land of Isreal's enemies).
Micah 2:12-13 (Darby) says, “I will surely assemble, O Jacob, the whole of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. One that breaketh through is gone up before them: they have broken forth, and have passed on to the gate, and are gone out by it; and their king passeth on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.”
Commentary notes about this, “Bozrah was an area that had very rich pasture, and the sheep which grazed upon it must have been exemplary. God will ultimately restore His nation, now wracked by its sin; and great joy will be the lot of the restored and redeemed people.” [5]
Isaiah 14:30a says, “And the firstborn of the poor and the poorest of the poor [of Judah] shall feed on My meadows, and the needy will like down in safety;"
Commentary goes on to note about the verses in Micah 2:12-13, “The breaker is come up before them. The breaker of verse 13 is a reference to Israel’s Messiah (Jesus, our Lord) who will break down every obstacle between the people and their God. He will restore them, forgive them of their sins, and implant within them a new heart.
He will lead them to glorious restoration, and He will rule over them. No one will be able to hinder His messianic millennial work, for He is the Lord (Jehovah)! To date, this promise of restoration has not been realized; but there is coming a day when it will. What a glorious future lies ahead of Israel!” [6]
Isaiah paints a picture of the Lord coming victoriously out of Bozrah with crimson-stained garments.
Isaiah 63:1-7 says, “Who is this Who comes from Edom, with crimson-stained garments from Bozrah [in Edom]? This One Who is glorious in His apparel, striding triumphantly in the greatness of His might?
It is I, [the One] Who speaks in righteousness [proclaiming vindication], mighty to save!
Why is Your apparel splashed with red, and Your garments like the one who treads the winepress?
I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples there was no one with Me, I trod them in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I stained all my raiment. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption [the year of My redeemed] has come.”
Commentary notes, “When the Lord returns to set up His kingdom, He must first destroy His enemies. That destruction takes place at different times and in different places. One stage occurs in the Valley of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16), another in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12), and still another in Edom. The latter is what we have here in chapter 63." [7]
In all three examples - Armageddon, the Valley of Jehoshaphat and Edom -the Lord was executing judgment against Isreal's enemies on thier behalf.
Commentary goes on to note, "The Messiah is marching up from Bozrah, a metropolis of Edom, in glorious garments that are red with the blood of Israel’s foes. When asked why His apparel is red, He uses the figure of a winepress to describe His trampling of His enemies. The time had come for Him to wreak vengeance on them and to redeem His people. In the absence of any merely human deliverer, He stepped in and won the victory.” [7]
It was by His own arm that Christ executed judgement and won the victory. Commentary notes, “The Lord answers the prophet’s question: I have trodden the winepress alone. The word used here for winepress is different and occurs only in this passage and in Haggai 2:16. It designates the place where the grapes were crushed or broken (Isa 53:5). Although the description of Christ in this passage refers to His coming in judgment, this opening statement implies the Crucifixion. Because Christ did go through the winepress alone, He has the legitimate right to return in righteous judgment upon the earth. This mighty deliverer now comes in vengeance.” [8]
Both the verses in Isaiah 34:6-10 and Isaiah 63:1-7 speak of the day of the Lord's vengeance and year of His recompense against His enemies (year of redemption in Is. 63:1-7).
Commentary notes about the day of the Lord's vengeance: “The word ‘vengeance’ is of crucial importance. It does not mean getting even with someone, as we use it. It refers to God’s action in carrying out the sentence which He as Judge.” [9]
The day of the Lord's vengeance is a day of reckoning and justice coming forth. Isaiah 59:14-20 also speaks of a time of a day of vengeance and recompense where God's own arm brought Him the victory.
“Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) stands far off; for truth has fallen in the street (the city's forum), and uprightness cannot enter [the courts of justice]. Yes, truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. And the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.
And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought Him victory, and His own rightousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him.
For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealously] as a cloak. According as their deeds deserve, so will He repay wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; on the foreign islands and coastlands He will make compensation.
So [as the result of the Messiah's intervention] they shall [reverently] fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him and put him to flight [for He will come like a rushing stream which the breath of the Lord drives].
He shall come as a Redeemer to Zion and to those in Jacob (Israel) who turn from transgression, says the Lord.”
Revelation 19 also speaks of an ultimate day of the Lord's vengeance against His enemies where he wages war and treads the winepress in His wrath.
Rev. 19:11-16 says , “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
The day of the Lord's vengeance and year of recompense is not something to be afraid of. God's wrath and judgment are not directed toward His children but towards the enemy of His people. It is to be welcomed with great joy as He is mighty to save and deliver His people.
Isaiah 35:3-7,10 says, “Say to those who are of a fearful and hasty heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with recompense of God He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
And the burning sand and the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes... And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Commentary notes, “The prophet recognizes that his people, persecuted over these many centuries, will need to encourage themselves in the knowledge of the coming fulfillment of God’s promised blessings to them. To his downtrodden, elect nation the prophet urges valiance and vigilance, because your God will come with vengeance (naqam, revenge). Again, it should be noted that ultimately God’s acts of judgment are acts of mercy. For the great judgment of the Tribulation Period shall cut off the unrighteous and usher in a time of unparalleled blessing and prosperity on the earth for all mankind. The blind … deaf … lame … dumb shall all be restored.” [10]
The ultimate day of the Lord's vengeance refers to the Battle of Armageddon according to some sources. The Wikipedia notes about the Battle of Armageddon: “Armageddon … according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location. The term is also used in a generic sense to refer to any end of the world scenario.
The word Armageddon appears only once in the Greek New Testament, namely in Revelation 16:16. The word may come from Hebrew har məgiddô, meaning "Mountain of Megiddo"....
According to one premillennial Christian interpretation, the Messiah will return to earth and defeat the Antichrist (the "beast") and Satan the Devil in the Battle of Armageddon. Then Satan will be put into the "bottomless pit" or abyss for 1,000 years, known as the Millennial Age.” [11]
One viewpoint is that Armageddon is not a single battle but a series of battles that extend the tribulation period where God brings his judgment on His enemies. The Wikipedia quotes Dwight Pentecost who writes:
“It has been held commonly that the battle of Armageddon is an isolated event transpiring just prior to the second advent of Christ to the earth. The extent of this great movement in which God deals with "the kings of the earth and of the whole world" (Rev. 16:14) will not be seen unless it is realized that the "battle of that great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14) is not an isolated battle, but rather a campaign that extends over the last half of the tribulation period. The Greek word "polemo", translated "battle" in Revelation 16:14, signifies a war or campaign, while "machē" signifies a battle, and sometimes even single combat. This distinction is observed by Trench, (see Richard C. Trench, New Testament Synonyms, pp.301-2) and is followed by Thayer (see Joseph Henry Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 528) and Vincent (see Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, II, 541). The use of the word polemos (campaign) in Revelation 16:14 would signify that the events that culminate in the gathering at Armageddon at the second advent are viewed by God as one connected campaign.
—Pentecost, p.340” [12]
Going back to the original scripture in Isaiah 34:6-10, one commentary notes that it is really referring to the Battle of Armageddon. They write, “The day of the Lord’s vengeance refers to the Battle of Armageddon. Though this particular name is only found in Revelation 16:16, throughout the Bible it is certainly descriptive of the final devastation that culminates at the end of the Tribulation Period (cf. “day of the Lord”: Joel 2:2; Zeph 1:15; Zech 14:1; Mal 4:5; “time of trouble”: Dan 12:1; “time of Jacob’s trouble”: Jer 30:7; “hour of his judgment”: Rev 14:7; “the wrath to come”: I Thess 1:10; “the wrath of the Lamb”: Rev 6:16–17). The fiery nature of this judgment is such that it cannot refer to any historic battle in ancient Israel. Pitch … brimstone … smoke are mentioned as lasting for ever. Attempts to view this as a local destruction in past history are futile in light of the severe, universal description given in this passage.” [13]
This ultimate day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of reckoning where the hour of great judgment comes is described in Revelation 14:6-20,
“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, with an eternal Gospel (good news) to tell to the inhabitants of the earth, to every race and tribe and language and people. And he cried with a mighty voice, Revere God and give Him glory (honor and praise in worship), for the hour of His judgment has arrived. Fall down before Him; pay Him homage and adoration and worship Him Who created heaven and earth, the sea and the springs (fountains) of water.
Then another angel, a second, followed, declaring, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She who made all nations drink of the [maddening] wine of her passionate unchastity [idolatry].
Then another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a mighty voice, Whoever pays homage to the beast and his statue and permits the [beast's] stamp (mark, inscription) to be put on his forehead or on his hand, He too shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night--these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him.
Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God's commandments and [their] faith in Jesus.
Then I heard further [perceiving the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, Write this: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are the dead from now on who die in the Lord! Yes, blessed (happy, to be envied indeed), says the Spirit, [in] that they may rest from their labors, for their works (deeds) do follow (attend, accompany) them!
Again I looked, and behold, [I saw] a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud One resembling a Son of Man, with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp scythe (sickle) in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple sanctuary, calling with a mighty voice to Him Who was sitting upon the cloud, Put in Your scythe and reap, for the hour has arrived to gather the harvest, for the earth's crop is fully ripened.
So He Who was sitting upon the cloud swung His scythe (sickle) on the earth, and the earth's crop was harvested. Then another angel came out of the temple [sanctuary] in heaven, and he also carried a sharp scythe (sickle).
And another angel came forth from the altar, [the angel] who has authority and power over fire, and he called with a loud cry to him who had the sharp scythe (sickle), Put forth your scythe and reap the fruitage of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are entirely ripe.
So the angel swung his scythe on the earth and stripped the grapes and gathered the vintage from the vines of the earth and cast it into the huge winepress of God's indignation and wrath. And [the grapes in] the winepress were trodden outside the city, and blood poured from the winepress, [reaching] as high as horses' bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia (about 200 miles).”
Lord, we are so grateful that your acts of judgment are ultimately acts of mercy. You demonstrated what your justice looks like when You died on the cross for our sins. We long to see Your judgments on earth. Come with vengeance against your enemies. With recompense come and save Your people. Open the eyes of the blind, open the ears of the deaf, let the lame leap, and the tongue that was stopped due to oppression sing for joy.
1. Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1997, S. Is 63:1
2-6, 8, 10, 13. KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1994
7, 9. MacDonald, William ; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. Is 63:7, S. Is 34:5
11-12. Wikipedia. Armageddon. Located at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armageddon Last Accessed: 2/28/12.
Comments