Blood-stained King

"The Rider on the White Horse" by Gérard JOLLAIN,

 TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 63:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "'Why is your apparel red,

And Your garments like one who treads in the wine press?'

'I have trodden the winepress alone,

And from the peoples no one was with Me.

For I have trodden them in my anger,

And trampled them in My fury

Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,

And I have stained all My robes.'" - Isaiah 63:2,3

What a startling picture Isaiah paints of God, in glorious robes, returning from battle. It is as if the writer first sees Him approaching from a distance and all he notices are the gorgeous "dyed garments of Bozrah."

But when the warrior King gets nearer, the writer sees the red stains. Has he been trampling grapes in His kingly clothes?

The returning victor explains. He has raided the enemy. It is not the spatter of grape juice but blood on His robes.

The symbolism in this scene points to Jesus.

• He speaks of conquering the enemy—Satan—in Matthew 12:22-29 when the Pharisees accuse Him of casting out a demon from a man by Satan's power. Jesus insists He is fighting satan by the Spirit of God and asks, "How can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house" - Matthew 12:29.

• Paul, in describing all the benefits of trusting Christ, describes Jesus' victory of Satan and the hosts of evil: "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" Colossians 2:15.

• But the Apostle John witnesses the closest likeness to this scene in Revelation: "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse... He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God" - Revelation  19:11-21; see also John 1:1,14.

Se we see that the baby Jesus "meek and mild" whose birth we have just celebrated, is really a conquering warrior, involved in serious battle. We conquer through Him, as Paul reminds us, because through Him the requirements of the law are satisfied, our sins are forgiven, we are made alive, and our enemy is left weaponless  (Colossians 2:13-15).

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for this scene of victory, for which You paid the ultimate price. Help me to live in victory because Satan is a defeated foe. Amen.

MORE: "Ride on King Jesus" by Steve Bell



Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.