Yes — Christ's red apparel in Isaiah 63 pictures His role in executing judgment on the gathered armies at His return, using the winepress imagery of blood splattering on His garments.
Les Feldick identifies the One in Isaiah 63 as Christ, who is 'mighty to save' and comes to bring judgment. The prophet sees Him with red garments and compares them to those of someone who has been treading grapes in a wine vat. Christ answers that He has trodden the winepress alone, and the blood that stains His clothing is the blood of those He judges in anger and fury, not His own blood.
Isaiah 63:1-3 — This passage directly describes Christ's red garments and explains them with the winepress imagery.
Isaiah 63:4 — This verse clarifies that the red apparel is connected to the day of vengeance and the year of His redeemed.
Isaiah 63 opens with a question about a figure coming from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah — glorious in apparel, traveling in the greatness of strength. The figure answers, "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save" (Isaiah 63:1). The next verse asks why the apparel is red, like one who treads in the winefat (Isaiah 63:2). The reply is direct: "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment" (Isaiah 63:3). Verse 4 then connects this red clothing to the "day of vengeance" and the "year of my redeemed."
Les identifies the One in Isaiah 63 as Christ at His return, bringing judgment on the gathered armies. He explains the red garments using the ancient wine vat practice: in Bible times people crushed grapes by walking on them in a vat, and the juice would spurt and soak their clothing. Christ's reply, "I have trodden the winepress alone," means no one else was worthy to execute this particular judgment. Les is careful to say this is not the blood of Calvary; the blood on His garments is the blood of His victims — those He treads in His anger and fury. Thus, the red apparel pictures divine vengeance, not the grace emphasized elsewhere.
Les explains that in Bible times there were no hydraulic presses. Grapes were placed in hewed-out stone vats, and people walked on them — sometimes two or three at a time — until all the juice ran out. The juice would spurt and soak their clothing from head to foot. That is the picture behind Isaiah 63: Christ appears red like a worker who has been treading the wine vat, because He has been treading the winepress alone.
No. Les explicitly says the passage is not talking about the blood of Calvary; it is talking about the blood of the wrath poured out on His victims. The red stain is the blood of those He judges — the peoples He treads in His anger and fury — not His own blood.
Les connects Christ's answer — "I have trodden the winepress alone" — to the Revelation 5 scene where no one was found worthy to open the scroll except the Son of God. Here it comes to fruition: no one else was worthy, and no one else is worthy, to bring this particular judgment. It is a task reserved for Christ alone.
Les reads "the day of vengeance" as pointing directly to the Second Coming of Christ, when He executes wrath on His enemies. This is the judgment aspect of the red clothing: the day of vengeance is in His heart, while the year of His redeemed has come.
Ancient Wine Vat Practice
Les explains that in Bible times people crushed grapes by walking on them in a wine vat, causing the juice to spurt all over their clothing — the background for the winepress imagery.
Christ Coming from Edom in Judgment
Les identifies the One in Isaiah 63 as Christ, returning to bring judgment on the gathered armies and answering 'I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.'
Treading the Winepress Alone
Les shows that the prophet's question about red apparel is answered by Christ: 'I have trodden the winepress alone' — no one else was worthy to execute this judgment.
The Blood Is Not Calvary's Blood
Les clarifies that the red on Christ's garments is not the blood of Calvary but the blood of His enemies, splattered on His garments as He treads them in anger and fury.
The Wine Vat Picture and Megiddo
Les uses the image of a wine-vat worker covered with grape juice from head to foot to picture God's wrath on the gathered millions of troops at Megiddo.
What the Bible Really Says About God's Righteousness — Romans 3
And they all three mean the same thing. That when He clothed Adam, when He clothed Isaiah, and when He clothes a believer in Romans 3, it's all the same thing. The imputed righteousness of God. Now look at it. Isaiah 61, verse 10. Isaiah 61, verse 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, the prophet writes.
Why Jesus Forbade Mary to Touch Him: The High Priest & His Blood
Now I pointed out, and we were talking about this the other night, go back, keep your hands here. I think we can leave Romans now, but keep your hand in John, and go back with me to Isaiah chapter 52, and there's a couple of verses back here. I guess there are a lot of people don't know they're in here.
Why Israel Failed to Evangelize the World — Isaiah to Acts
And He says, "...Behold My servant, who I uphold, Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth, I have put My Spirit upon him." Now these are pronouns, so who are we talking about? We're talking about Christ, the Messiah. "...I shall put My Spirit upon him, and he shall bring forth judgment.
Isaiah 63:1: Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
This verse introduces the One whose garments are red and identifies Him as righteous and mighty to save.
Isaiah 63:2: Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
The question compares the red apparel to the clothing of someone treading grapes in a wine vat.
Isaiah 63:3: I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
This verse gives the direct answer: the red comes from treading the winepress of God's wrath, and the blood on the garments belongs to those He judges.
Isaiah 63:4: For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
This verse connects the red apparel to the day of vengeance and the year of redemption, pointing to judgment at the Second Coming.
It symbolizes the judgment He brings at His return. Les Feldick explains that Christ is pictured as one who has trodden the winepress alone, and the red is the blood of those He judges, not His own.
Christ. The passage calls Him 'mighty to save,' and Les identifies Him as the returning Savior bringing judgment on the gathered armies.
No. Les explicitly says the passage is not about Calvary; it is about the blood of His victims as He treads them in anger and fury.
In ancient times people crushed grapes by walking on them in a wine vat, so the juice splattered and stained their clothing. This familiar picture explains why His garments appear red.
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