This part of Isaiah's lament consists of a review of Israel's relationship with the Lord (vv. 7-10) and a call for Israel to remember who He is (vv. 11-14).
63:7 The poetic prophet announced that he would reflect on the loyal love (Heb. hesed) of Yahweh toward His people Israel. The Lord had been super-abundantly good and compassionate in blessing them.
63:8 God had elected Israel as His son. This was not due to anything in Israel but totally due to God's loving selection of Abraham and his descendants for special blessing (cf. 1 Cor. 15:9-10). God had a right to expect that the nation, so chosen, would respond with loyalty and integrity toward Him. This mutual commitment would have resulted in God delivering His people whenever they needed salvation. Note that the result would not be God insulating the Israelites from difficulties but delivering them from them.
63:9 The Israelites had responded to God's grace in electing them by committing themselves to Him (Exod. 19:8). Consequently, Yahweh had participated in their afflictions with them and rescued His people from them throughout their history.
The identity of "the angel of His presence"is the messenger who came from the Lord's presence to deliver His people.708This may refer to an angel, but it probably refers to the second person of the Trinity, the primary agent of salvation in the New Testament.
"Verse 9 is one of the most moving expressions of the compassionate love of God in the OT, reminding the reader of some of the great passages in Hosea, Isaiah's older contemporary."709
63:10 Even though the Israelites pledged themselves to follow the Lord faithfully, they rebelled against Him and so grieved His Holy Spirit.710
"Most commentators recognize that the understanding of the Holy Spirit here and in v. 11 is close to the fully developed NT concept of the third person of the Trinity. Here he is clearly a person who is capable of being hurt by human behavior, and in v. 11 he is the empowering and enabling presence in the human spirit. As Delitzsch says, He is the Spirit who is both holy in himself and capable of producing holiness.' In v. 12, although the adjective holy' is not used, the same Spirit is the one who guides and provides for the people of God."711
The Israelites' rebellion led God to oppose them by fighting against them, resisting them. It was not God who changed but His people. He consistently resists sin.
63:11 Having experienced the chastening of the Lord for some time, the Israelites then reflected on former times when God had fought forHis people rather than againstthem. The Exodus is the occasion in view, and Israel's shepherds were Moses and Aaron. Then God's Holy Spirit was obviously among His people.
63:12 Then God had manifested His power through Moses, His right-hand-man in the Exodus. The Lord had divided the waters of the Red Sea and had divided the waters of the Jordan River. He had thereby earned an everlasting reputation among His people and even among the nations.
63:13 He had led them through every obstacle as their deliverer, and made them as sure-footed as a horse traversing open country.
"God's power enables His people to go in confidence and nobility, not being overcome or falling because of any obstacles in the way."712
63:14 The Lord had also given His people rest in Canaan, as cattle go down into a valley and there find rest and refreshing provisions. He had done all this for them to demonstrate His character to them and to the whole world.
God's commitment to His people had led Him to discipline them for their sins as well as to deliver them in their need. Consequently a change in Israel's rebellious attitude toward God was the key to their experiencing His blessing again. He did not need to change; they did.
