Red Garments

Photo courtesy of askgramps.org

I was doing a little reading in the book of Isaiah this week--I am currently doing this study by Nancy Guthrie on my own and it is phenomenal (I'd highly recommend this entire series actually!).   But I came to a section that was particularly interesting to me in chapter 63.  What was so interesting about this passage is how graphic and unpleasant it was to read as it relates to our Savior.  Look at it with me, starting with verse 1...

"Who is this who comes from Edom,
    in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,
he who is splendid in his apparel,
    marching in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness,
    mighty to save.”

In this passage, Isaiah has a vision where he meets a man coming from Edom, dressed in red garments.  Now, throughout the Bible, Edom represents man in his rebellion against God and his antagonism towards God's people (Edomites were descendants of Esau).   And this man, who was coming from Edom, identifies himself as being righteous and mighty to save...namely, Christ himself.  Isaiah goes on to ask him why he is dressed in red...

2 Why is your apparel red,
    and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?
3 “I have trodden the winepress alone,
    and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
    and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood spattered on my garments,
    and stained all my apparel.
4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
    and my year of redemption had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
    I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
    and my wrath upheld me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
    I made them drunk in my wrath,
    and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."

Christ's answer is not a pleasant one, or a popular one, for that matter.  Basically, he is dressed in red because of all the blood that has splattered on him when he was exacting his vengeance upon the people who have sinned and rebelled against Him in Edom.  Yikes.  Not exactly what you would expect to see or hear from the limp-wristed, effeminate, hippie-like Savior we like to concoct and who only spoke of peace and brotherly love.  No, this is a divine and conquering King who is serious about sin and mighty and holy to judge it and punish it for what it is.  All of a sudden, this hippie dude doesn't seem so "cool."

But what was most astonishing to me is how similar this vision is to the revelation of John, seen and penned centuries later.  In fact, this passage is one that I have read and reread and it just NOW dawned on me that within it's description of "the rider on a white horse" (also Christ) he is not wearing white, as I've always pictured, but he is dressed in RED!  Look with me in Revelations 19:11-16....

"Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords."

Here we see it again--Christ Himself dressed not in white, the color of purity and holiness, but RED--covered with the blood of those against whom he is "judging and making war" (v 11).  You see, the SAINTS will be dressed in white robes, having washed them in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:9,14), but Christ Himself will be in RED.  And again, this picture is not pretty.  His eyes glow like fire, a sword comes from His mouth, and He will strike down the nations and rule with an iron rod.

So what is the take-home point of all of this?  Well, for one, I think that we as believers ought to be white-hot passionate about reading and heeding the whole council of God, and not just pick and choose those warm and fuzzy verses to camp out on.  Secondly, in so doing, I think we will have no choice but to get serious about our sin and confess it and repent from it, as we begin to conceptualize a Savior who not only loves us, but who is holy and just to judge and exact vengeance upon those who do not turn to Him for salvation.  And thirdly, I think we ought to never feel as though we should apologize for this red-garmented God before our culture and the unsaved world at large.  The Scriptures speak for themselves!  Let us never back down from its message, and yet, at the same time, let us be the first to heed its truth and do away with sin as His bride, the Church!