Isaiah 63:7 says, 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. Isaiah said he would speak of the loving kindness of the Lord toward Israel after He entered into a covenant relationship with them. We know many examples of this, from bringing them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land and culminating with sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that we can enter into a covenant relationship with Him. In our own life as Christians, we should be able to cite examples of His acting in loving kindness towards us.
Verse eight adds, For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. Isaiah said that God had proclaimed that the people of Israel were His people and were children who would not lie. Because of this, He was their Savior. If we are to be a part of God’s family, we must not lie about Who He is and who we are and the only Way to become a part of His family, which is by putting our faith in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. After we become a part of His family, we should always speak His truth, no matter how the world may view us when we do.
Verse nine continues, 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. Isaiah said that when the people of Israel were afflicted that God was afflicted with them. He also said that the angel of God’s presence saved them and out of His love and pity, or compassion, He redeemed them. Though some people understand this as being a real angel, I believe as does Matthew Henry that it ultimately refers to Jesus Christ, the only One Who can bring everlasting salvation to anyone.
Verse ten states, But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Isaiah then said that since the people then rebelled against God and vexed His Holy Spirit that He became their enemy. This was not because God changed but because the people of Israel did. They were chosen by God, but they weren’t choosing to obey Him. If we are saved, we are chosen by God, but we can still rebel against Hiim and invite His wrath. The people of Israel were God’s people because He had chosen them and entered into a covenant relationship with them, but this didn’t give them the right to then fall back into sinful ways. Once we are redeemed by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, we are not free to continue to sin, and if we fall back into sinful habits, we will vex the Holy Spirit.
Verse eleven adds, 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? This verse calls on the people of Israel to look back to the days of Moses when they questioned who God was and remember that God was the one Who worked through Moses to bring them out of bondage in Egypt. They needed to realize that He was the same God. If we begin to rebel against God as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to look back to the day He redeemed us and remember that He is still the same God Who saved us.
Verse twelve continues, That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? The people of Israel were asked to remember how God through Moses had led them through the parted waters of the Red Sea out of captivity and towards the Promised Land. We were just as captive to sin until God sent His only begotten Son, Jesús Christ to redeem us by paying the death sentence of sin for us. If we are straying away from God, we need to remember that we are in a covenant relationship with Him, and He will never fail in His part of the covenant.
Verse thirteen concludes, That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? Isaiah said they needed to remember that God had provided a way for them to travel without stumbling. If we are faithful to God as Christians, He will lead us through life so that we don’t stumble spiritually, if we will allow Him to. If we do stumble back into sin, we just need to remember that God is ready to restore us and put us back on the path of righteousness if we will repent and turn to Him again. We also need to realize that even if we are off the path of righteousness that if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior that we are forever saved even if we have failed to make Him Lord for a time.
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