Yes, Christ's red apparel in Isaiah 63 symbolizes His return in judgment, stained with the blood of His enemies.
The red apparel depicts Christ coming from Edom, with garments stained like those of someone treading a wine vat. This imagery represents His wrathful judgment upon gathered armies, not His own blood, as He tramples them in anger and fury.
Isaiah 63:1-4 — This passage directly answers why Christ's apparel is red, describing it as stained from treading the winepress of God's wrath.
Isaiah 63:1-4 records a prophetic vision of a figure coming from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah, glorious in apparel, and mighty to save. When asked why his apparel is red, he replies, '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.' The passage concludes, 'For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.'
Les Feldick explains that the red apparel symbolizes Christ's judgment at His Second Coming, not His sacrificial blood. He uses the analogy of workers treading grapes in a wine vat, whose clothes become stained with juice. Similarly, Christ's garments are stained with the blood of His enemies as He tramples them in wrath. This judgment is executed alone, as no one else is worthy, paralleling Revelation 5 where only the Son of God is worthy to open the scroll. This is a depiction of God's wrath, contrasting with His grace.
The winepress imagery illustrates the severity of God's judgment. Just as grapes are crushed and trodden in a vat to extract juice, so Christ will crush His enemies in wrath, and their blood will splash onto His garments. Les Feldick emphasizes that this is a 'day of vengeance,' not a time of grace.
Les Feldick explains that Christ treads the winepress alone because no one else is worthy to bring this judgment. He correlates this with Revelation 5, where only the Son of God is worthy to open the scroll. This emphasizes His unique authority and the exclusivity of His role in executing divine wrath.
No. Les Feldick clarifies that the blood staining Christ's garments is not His own blood from Calvary, but the blood of His victims—those He tramples in judgment. This is a crucial distinction, showing that the imagery is about wrath, not sacrificial atonement.
Wine Vat Imagery Background
Les describes how grapes were trodden in a wine vat, with workers walking on them to extract juice, setting the stage for the symbolic picture of judgment.
Christ Coming from Edom
Les directly connects Isaiah 63:1 to Christ's return, asking who this is coming from Edom with dyed garments, and identifies it as a picture of His judgment.
Trodden Winepress Alone
Les emphasizes that Christ treads the winepress alone, linking this to Revelation 5 where only He is worthy to open the scroll, showing His sole authority in judgment.
Trampling in the Wine Vat
Les vividly describes the grapes being trodden, with juice spurting over the workers, to illustrate how Christ's garments are stained as He tramples the gathered armies.
Blood of His Victims
Les clarifies that the blood splattered on Christ's garments is not His own, but that of His victims, and that this is a day of vengeance, not grace.
God of Wrath
Les contrasts this portrayal as a 'God of wrath' with the 'God of grace,' emphasizing the severity of the judgment.
Symbolic Picture of God's Judgment
Les explains that the wine vat symbolism shows God's judgment on the peoples of the world, tying the Old Testament imagery to the broader revelation.
Vesture Dipped in Blood
Les connects Isaiah 63 to Revelation 19, where Christ is clothed in a vesture dipped in blood, again emphasizing it is the blood of His enemies, not His own.
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.
Identifies the figure as Christ coming in judgment.
Isaiah 63:2: Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
The question that leads to the explanation of the red apparel.
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.
Directly answers why the apparel is red: the blood of His enemies.
Isaiah 63:4: For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Confirms that this is a judgment of vengeance.
Revelation 19:13: And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
New Testament parallel to Christ's blood-stained garment at His return.
Christ's apparel is red because it is stained with the blood of His enemies as He executes judgment. Isaiah 63:3 says He treads the winepress alone, trampling them in His anger, and their blood splatters on His garments.
No. Les Feldick clarifies that the blood is not Christ's own, but that of His victims. This is a picture of judgment, not atonement.
The winepress analogy refers to the ancient practice of treading grapes in a vat to extract juice. Just as workers' clothes became stained with juice, Christ's garments are stained with the blood of those He tramples in judgment.
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