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The Lord's Victory
1 Who is this coming
from Bozrah in Edom
with clothes stained red?
Who is this hero marching
in his glorious uniform?
“It's me, the Lord!
I have won the battle,
and I can save you!”
2What are those red spots?
Your clothes look stained
from trampling on grapes.
3 “I alone trampled the grapes!
None of the nations helped.
I trampled nations in my anger
and stained my clothes
with their blood.
4I did this because I wanted
to take revenge—
the time had come
to rescue my people.
5 No one was there to help me
or to give support;
my mighty arm won the battle,
strengthened by my anger.
6In my fury I trampled on nations
and made them drunk;
their blood poured out
everywhere on earth.”
The Lord's Goodness
7I will tell about the kind deeds
the Lord has done.
They deserve praise!
The Lord has shown mercy
to the people of Israel;
he has been kind and good.
8The Lord rescued his people,
and said, “They are mine.
They won't betray me.”
9It troubled the Lord
to see them in trouble,
and his angel saved them.
The Lord was truly merciful,
so he rescued his people.
He took them in his arms
and carried them all those years.
10Then the Lord's people
turned against him and made
his Holy Spirit sad.
So he became their enemy
and attacked them.
11But his people remembered
what had happened
during the time of Moses.
Didn't the Lord bring them
and their leaders
safely through the sea?
Didn't he give them
his Holy Spirit?
12 The glorious power of the Lord
marched beside Moses.
The Lord will be praised forever
for dividing the sea.
13He led his people across
like horses running wild
without stumbling.
14His Spirit gave them rest,
just as cattle find rest
when led into a valley.
The name of the Lord was praised
for doing these things.
A Prayer for Mercy
15Please, Lord, look down
from your holy and glorious
home in the heavens
and see what's going on.
Have you lost interest?
Where is your power?
Show that you care about us
and have mercy!
16 Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob
have both rejected us.
But you are still our Father;
you have been our protector
since ancient times.
17Why did you make us turn away
from you, our Lord?
Why did you make us want
to disobey you?
Please change your mind!
We are your servants,
your very own people.
18For a little while,
your temple belonged to us;
and now our enemies
have torn it down.
19We act as though you
had never ruled us
or called us your people.
Reflect
Recently I read a dissertation that explored why men in the Caribbean are reluctant to attend church. The author argued, quite convincingly, that the traditional portrayal of Jesus as a blue eyed, fair skinned man with a gentle spirit contrasts too sharply with that culture’s masculine ideal.
Verses 1 to 6 in this chapter remind me that, while I may choose to focus more on Christ’s sacrificial love, he is also a mighty Saviour. He and he alone was able to achieve complete victory over sin and death.
Alexander McLaren, one of the great Scottish preachers of the early 20th century, provided a rich description of this strength in his commentary:
In Him was all strength of manhood – inflexible, iron will, unchanging purpose, strength from consecration, strength from righteousness. In Him was the heroism of prophets and martyrs in supreme degree.
In Him was the strength of indwelling Divinity. He fought and conquered all man’s enemies, routed sin, and triumphed over Death.
In the Cross we see divine power in operation in its noblest form, in its intensest energy, in its widest sweep, in its most magnificent result. He is able to save, to save all, to save any.
He is mighty to save, and is able to save unto the uttermost, because He lives forever, and His power is eternal as Himself.
Just as we can experience Christ’s love today, we can also tap into his power. We need not fear because his power to overcome sin and death is mighty and eternal.
Respond
Gracious Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to be our mighty Saviour. It’s through his loving and powerful sacrifice that I am reconciled to you. Help me to never take this precious gift for granted. Amen.
Arnie Cole
DR. ARNIE COLE (Pepperdine) is the CEO of Back to the Bible—an international radio and internet ministry—and Director of Research and Development for the Center for Bible Engagement. He has spent much of his professional life tracking trends of human behavior. Dr. Cole is the co-author of seven books, including Seven Secrets of Worry-Free Living (BroadStreet Publishing). He and his wife, Char, are parents of adult children and operate an equestrian center in Nebraska.