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Tim James

Who Inded?

Isaiah 63:1-6
Tim James June, 14 2026 Video & Audio
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He's in recovery and stabilized, but he has a rough time coming out of recovery. also and uh julie is doing okay got a long road ahead of her but she's doing okay let's begin our worship service this morning with hymn number 477. 477. They have a doctor just like the school.

He's down at the, he's down at Emory. What's wrong with him? Heart. Oh. They put a, put a machine on him to keep his heart beating all the time because he's lost about half of his left side. Oh, my goodness. And now it's affecting his right side. I'm trying to do this. This don't work with him at all. That was Joey Owl, too. He's got a mechanical thing in his heart. Who? Joey Owl. Is he the one in front of me? Yep, he's got a mechanical heartbeat. That's Joey? Yeah, Joey. Freeman Owl is his dad. Number 477, At Calvary.

Years of sin and vanity and pride, hearing of my Lord was crucified! Glory God, it was for me He died on Calvary! Mercy there was great and grace was free! God and there was love divine to me! There my murderous souls found liberty at Calvary! By God's Word, and as my sin I learned In a dream, O let the law I spurn Till my guilty soul and holy turn to Calvary Mercy there was great and grace was free! Pardon there was long to apply to me! There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary!

Now I'm able to do just everything! Now I live the only man's my king, now my rapture's over, only sin or faith. mercy there was great and grace was free there was my soul found liberty Oh, the grace that brought it down to man! Oh, the mighty love that got it spent! at Calvary After scripture reading and prayer, we'll sing hymn number 474, Only a Sinner Saved by the Grail. The Bible is turning me to the 63rd chapter of the prophet Isaiah. We'll read the first six verses. Isaiah 63.

What is this that cometh from Eden, with thy garments from Bolshevik? This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength. I that speak in righteousness, the mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel and thy garments, like him that treadeth in the wine path?

I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none of me. For I will tread them in my anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is mine in my heart, and the year of my redeeming is come. And I looked, and there was none to help. And I wondered that there was none to uphold. Therefore, mine own arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth when it's broken.

Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the clear representation of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout this book. Beginning in the very first book, he is the light that shines out of darkness. He is the lamb slain that Abel offered up for the beast slain to cover Adam and Eve. Throughout the scriptures, he has said forth over and over and over again. And here in this passage, Isaiah sees him in a new way, one he hasn't seen before, though he's described in numerous ways. We thank you, and we can see our Lord. as the victor and the one who accomplishes salvation. We praise you for mercy that's new every day, for grace that envelops us and keeps us safe until our day of dying.

We're immortal here until our work is done. We thank you, Father, that you are kind and merciful Because we know we need mercy. And we cherish your kindness and your pity. But we are frail preachers. We are but dust. We thank you for remembering our friend.

We pray for those who are sick and going through trials. We ask the Lord for these new ones to be added to the prairies. We pray you'll be with them and merciful to them. We pray for those who are away from us. We pray everybody saves their home to us. Help us, Lord, it would be pleasing to you to worship you this day. We call out in the name of Jesus Christ to honor him, who is worthy of all praise and honor. Salvation belongs to him in glory and power. Help us now to remember that and consider the great things that you've done.

Number 474, only a sinner, saved by Christ. Not am I God's one, but what I receive. Grace that resurfaces, I have believed. Those being excluded, me. This is my story, may God be the glory I'm only a sinner, saved by grace Once I was wounded and sin broke my heart causing my footsteps from God to depart.

Jesus, have found me! Have me, my case! I now am a sinner! Save my grace! Only a sinner! Save my grace! Only a sinner! Save my grace! This is my story! To God be the glory! I'm only a sinner! Save my grace! Here's my lady, O Mary, that I've heard she has saved me, or else I must die! sin had alarmed me, fearing God's place. But now I'm a sinner, saved by grace, only a sinner. This is my story Dear God, be your glory I'm only a sinner saved by grace Suffer a sinner whose heart overflows Loving his Savior to tell what he knows only a sinner saved by grace This is my story. To God be the glory. I'm only a sinner saved by grace.

I know it's the hearts of the people. You know it's all things. You know the number of hairs upon our head. We know that you love your children. Because you love them, you have given them everything they need, supplied every need by your grace. And we know that this sign of eternity, all we have is sin. And we are thankful that you have put our sin away by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Father, let our giving come from an understanding of what we've been given.

We pray in Christ's name, amen. We are the people of Israel. We are the sons of Israel. We are the people of Israel. We are the sons of Israel. perhaps like no other prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah sets forth Christ more often in so many different ways that many of the old theologians called Isaiah the gospel according to Isaiah.

Our Lord inspired Isaiah to write in a manner that tends to say that Isaiah was surprised at the vision the Lord had given him. Surprised to see Christ in this capacity. So he asked, who is this? Who is this? I believe he asked the question in a state of astonishment.

Because though he has written 62 chapters up to this point in Isaiah, he has not seen him in this way, in this most glorious capacity. In Isaiah's writing, he's called the rock. He alone shall be exalted. Tells the sinner to enter into the dust and hide yourself in the rock. Says, he alone shall be exalted.

In chapter 6 and verse 3, he's called the Holy One. Chapter 7, he's the virgin born. Chapter 9, he's the son born, the child given. Chapter 11, he's the root of Jesse, the ensign to whom the gathering of the people should be, and the Gentiles shall find rest. In Isaiah 52, 7, he's the reigning Lord. In Isaiah 53, 11, he's the satisfied substitute. In Isaiah 55, 11, he's the word that will not return unto God void.

And what he sees here is a bloody warrior. in this passage of scripture. A warrior returning from victory, but his appearance is not that of a knight in shining armor, or a lordly liege waiting for the obeisance of those who serve him. He does not see a general on a white horse, followed by a multitude of his army. He sees a bloody man, enrobed in garments of a servant, dyed garments from Boazra. What he does not know is that he is looking at a true hero, one who has gone forth into battle, and according to his own words of this passage, by himself, by himself, he's defeated the enemy by himself, and by himself he has saved his people.

Who is this is not a question that is sparring to those who have seen the Lord in Isaiah 24. It talks about the Lord having power over and owning all things in heaven and earth. And he sees someone marching down the halls of greatness and said, who is this? Who is this? He's the King of glory was the answer given, the King of glory.

Those who have received the gift of faith, when they see Him in the Word of God, still ask in wonder and astonishment as they consider what He has done, the magnitude of what He has done. They often say, who is this that can do such things? It would in this day seem a foolish question, because everybody seems to have a familiarity with the Lord Jesus Christ, some too familiar, I think. And I'm grateful that his name is declared, but it seems that it's become like a sentimental old song, so very familiar that little or no one is inspired by it.

But every description of the Lord Jesus Christ's inscription beginning with Genesis chapter one, when he said to be the light, let there be light. To him being the slain beast that covered Adam and Eve, the able sacrifice that eventuated in the first murder. to the archer, to Abraham offering up Isaac, to the messenger of the covenant immediately entering into his temple in Malachi, to the Lord our righteousness in Jeremiah chapter 23. Every instant the angel of God, he's called the angel of God, the angel of the covenant and the messenger of the covenant. The Passover lamb, the blood on the doorpost and lintel. Every instance sets forth Christ in an awe-inspiring way.

I'm grateful, however, that any time somebody says the name, if they say it with any modicum of reverence, I'll appreciate that, even though they might not even know who he is. It is expected of religious folk to put up crosses in their yards in front of the church buildings at least twice a year. And then they put the crosses in storage, and we'll gather dust and cobblestone the next time. Who is this?

One man said, if you want to understand the gospel, four questions must be asked. Who is Jesus Christ? What did he do? What he did accomplish, and where is he now? The first question is, who is this? We're studying in the book of John on Wednesday nights, and people were asking this all the time. Who is this? He did things nobody else could ever do.

But knowing who this is, is salvation. It's eternal life. Knowing who this is, is eternal life. He said that in his high priestly prayer. And this is the eternal life, that you might know God, even Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. If it is salvation, then seeing Him in this capacity, the way Isaiah sees Him, is paramount, because what He did, why He came to do what He did, is personified in this passage of Scripture.

Indeed, He was the virgin-born child. He was the Son of God given in incarnation, the child born in human flesh. There's no doubt about that. He is indeed the sovereign ruler. He's the one who suffered greatly according to Isaiah chapter 52. His vices was marred more than any man. He was the one who died in the room instead of his people.

To know him, to see him, to know who he is, is to be saved. And you and I will never know who He is unless the Spirit of God takes this blessing word and implants it in our heart and gives us new life in Him. If you see Him, you see Him. This will be part of how you see Him.

Now if you see Him today, you don't see Him drenched in blood. That's a past thing that took place 2,000 years ago that accomplished the salvation of His people. He ascended on high after rising from the grave. And now sits at the right hand of the Father, ever willing to make intercession for His people. But if you see Him today, you're going to see Him enthroned.

You're going to meet the Lord. He's not on a cross. Not on a crucifix. He's on the throne. And He's going to accomplish the salvation of His people. He's the Lamb who's earned the right to sit on the throne of the Lord. The Lamb, according to Scripture, as it had been slain. As it had been slain.

How he earned the right and merited all the accolades laid upon him in this book is understood as he is seen right here in Isaiah chapter 63. Who is this? What Isaiah sees is a warrior, a captain, a warrior returning from the battle. His clothing reveals that he's come from Edom. He understands this because of the clothes that the warrior is wearing. They're dyed or stained, dipped in blood, and garments of bozo, which was part of Edom.

The significance of him coming from Edom is that place being the site of the battle of Edom and Esau, the enemy of Jacob and a type of every enemy of Christ and his church, but also it speaks of humanity. Because Edom comes from the word Adam, which means red dirt man. Red dirt man. Every one of Adam's descendants is born an enemy of God.

Many tie this description to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, if that's what it's spoken of in Revelation chapter 19, because the same kind of language is used in verse 13. It says of him, there's a writing on the white horse in victory. He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called the Word of God, 1913.

Now I have no doubt that the comparison is viable, but rather this description is about the Savior and the salvation he wrought on Calvary's truth. Christ crucified and risen is the subject which all eschatological references is actually applied to. Christ and him crucified.

That's the message of this book. That's why Paul, when he addressed the Corinthian church, after setting forth the glories of the gospel in chapter one, after setting forth the depravity of the weakness of humanity, after setting forth the election of God and the kind of people he elected, he said to this people, I've determined, I've determined He said, this is what I set my goal as. This is what I put down on paper. This is what I'm going to do from here till the day I die. I determine to know nothing among you say Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Christ crucified and risen is the subject.

Though Isaiah sees this one's garments drenched in blood, he detects by his demeanor that the clothing of the servant is made glorious by the carriage of the one who wears it. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength. Glorious in his apparel, because he travels in the greatness of his strength. He's blood covered, but he's upright and powerful. He's the victor.

Well, Isaiah has yet to ask you about the bloody stains. He knows that he appears to have inflicted more damage than he's received. He may have a bruised heel, but his enemies have crushed heads, and his enemies are sin and Satan, death and self. Who is this? Christ answers for himself.

Our Lord answers, I that speak in righteousness, I that speak in righteousness, speak in equity. I say right things is what he's saying because he is himself the truth, the word of God. The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me. He is the truth because he's the word. Thy word is truth, and he is the word. In the beginning was the word. He's the truth. I that speak in righteousness, but he speaks in a particular righteousness himself as the righteousness of God revealed only in one place, and that's in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Men may talk about righteousness. I hear people talk about people doing a great thing, like somebody making a great basketball shot. Boy, that was righteous. They don't really know what it means, but they say it anyway. It sounds good. That was a righteous thing. He is righteousness. He is the only righteousness that God has ever accepted. And that righteousness was accomplished in humanity. Our Lord built a perfect life that He might be a perfect sacrifice. But He alone is righteousness.

And if you stand today before God, this is how you stand before God. There's no other way to stand before God. You can't stand on your own merits. You can't stand on your deeds. You can't stand on your personality. You can't stand on your character. You can't stand on your integrity because you have none of those things without sin. You stand before God by one thing, Jesus Christ, your righteousness, or you perish.

I that speak in righteousness, what righteousness is he speaking of? The righteousness revealed in the gospel. For the gospel is the power of God and the salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein, in that gospel, is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, the righteousness of God.

God declared, according to Romans chapter 3, that when He saved this rotten bunch of people, who just before He said if they're under the law, they're guilty. He also said who commits sin is worthy of death. He's already said that in Romans chapter 3. Then He said Christ is sent forth to be propitiation for their sins.

To declare His righteousness. To declare His righteousness. equity and righteousness in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. When Christ was made to appreciate his sin, God got what he required for himself. Justice was satisfied. The law was fulfilled. And for you, he got the righteousness.

He said he declared his righteousness that he is just now to save the sinner because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he also says, the Lord says, I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Read Zechariah, read Zephaniah. This is how our Lord, he that is in the midst of you, Zephaniah said, is mighty to save. Mighty to save. What does that mean? It means he saved. It means he has saved. It means he did save. And he will save. He is the Savior after all. The word mighty carries with it the sense of enumeration. This word mighty, and how it's used here, also has to do with numbers. Has to do with enumeration. And it speaks of a great number, a large number. Our Lord, through the prophet, describes it in Isaiah as greater than the stars of the sky and the sands of the sea.

He's mighty to save, because he saved everyone whom he came to save. And an innumerable company of sinners whom he has made sane. and also might be interpreted surely or utterly, utterly mightily or surely mightily. Those who are saved by Him are surely saved and utterly saved.

Who is this? He is the successful Savior revealed in the Gospel. I know that in the day in which we live, religion by and large presents Christ as somebody who really tried hard to do it. That's how he was presented. He wants to save you. He's made it possible for you to be saved. He's done all that needs to be done for you to be saved. Now it's just up to you to make that real. But that's not this one. This one comes with garments dyed from the garments of bozo dyed with blood. And this one, it says, I speak in righteousness. And if I speak in righteousness, what I say is truth. And this is the truth I am mighty to say. He is the successful Savior. He didn't try to do anything. God ain't never tried to do anything. He does as He pleases in heaven and earth and all the deep places, even under the sea. He does it all. He's a successful Savior.

Isaiah asks another question. Why are your garments stained as one who treads the wine-prick? Again, there is an element of astonishment here. Those who tread the winepress of the least of the laborers, the least of the laborers, they hold the lowest station. Because the winepress back then wasn't a press. It was an English translation. It was a big pot and people got on and stomped it with their feet. The poor people did that.

And this is how he sees Christ here. He's in the lowest station. He's lowly. Yet this one is laid plain to be a great Savior, yet he looks like one who's treaded the wine parade. Was it not his willingness and his lowliness even to be made sin for his people? That is their salvation? Christ said, I am meek and lowly and hard, and ye shall find rest into your soul. When he co-wrote in Jerusalem, he says that your king shall enter lowly on a lass's coat. He's lowly.

What does that mean? Our Lord described that prophet that would come, and speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, and get around meditating, and is like one of you. Like unto you. How is he like unto us? He was a man. A human being. God Almighty. What condescension occurred there, I can't imagine. I can't imagine. For God Almighty to become a human being, and dwell among men who hated him, and wanted to kill him, and despised him. Worked in a carpenter shop probably as a son. Never traveled more than 50 miles from his own hometown. Never more. It was Paul the Apostle that traveled everywhere. Christ never traveled more than 50 miles.

And everybody who saw him said, that's just Joseph's son. It ain't nothing to him. Why do people gather to him? That's just Joseph's son. Well, Joseph's son was not Joseph's son. He was the son of God. He was Mary's son and the son of God. There's an element of astonishment here. He's lowly. Our salvation was not a pristine rescue, but a bloody death to answer the law's demands. In the first part of verse 3 and verse 5, our Lord declares the glory and the offense of the gospel.

He said, I have trodden the winepress alone. I have trodden the winepress. You look like you've tread a winepress. Well, I've trodden the winepress alone. I've trodden the winepress. And then verse 5, it says, and I looked, and there was none to help. And I wondered, and there was none to uphold. Therefore, my own arm, my own power brought salvation unto me, and my fury, it upheld me. It upheld me. He accomplished the salvation of his people by himself. He didn't need no help, and he's still alone. I know religion says you've got to help everybody, but he don't need no help. He even said of his people, he said, if I was hungry, I wouldn't ask them for bread. God says, I wouldn't ask them for bread.

He can turn stones into bread. He accomplished the salvation of the people by himself. Read that in Hebrews. You'll find that used over and over again, that concept, by himself. In fact, the very first chapter of Hebrews said when he had by himself purged our sins, by himself, he did it all. Christ made it out that God the Father was sitting in heaven as the judge. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given. Jesus Christ traveled this earth.

His disciples didn't help him. His kinfolks didn't help him. Everybody that dealt with him just about wanted to kill him. And by himself, without any help from anybody, he went to that cross and accomplished salvation. This was an absolute success story. The only one in humanity that is an absolute success. Jesus Christ. There was none to help. There was no one else. He was an army of one. And he defeated that which is our enemy and our sufferer, sin and self and Satan. There's no cooperative ever. He only relied upon himself. And when his people heard about it, as Isaiah did, they heard about the battle. This is what you heard. When the gospel came to your heart, you heard about that. You wasn't in it. You wasn't wearing a sword. You didn't take up arms and stand to pose. You wasn't in it. The battle was won. This is what you heard about the battle. Look at what Isaiah chapter 4. Our Lord says, comfort ye, comfort ye my people. Speak to the heart of my people. That's what that word comfort means. Say it to your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that what?

Her warfare is accomplished. What? There's been a war. 2,000 years ago there was a war. A great war accomplished on Calvary's tree. But it's accomplished. And this is what you hear when you hear the gospel. You don't hear much of it. You've got to take up arms now. You've got to join the battle. You've got to defeat Satan. No, he's already been done in. What you hear in the gospel is good news. Something that's already happened and now is reported. This is good news. That her iniquity is pardoned. What?

You mean I don't have to ask? I don't have to beg? I don't have to plead? I don't have to approach in a certain way? I don't have to follow steps 1, 2, 3? I don't have to Read certain books. I don't have to sit in certain councils. I don't have to have people judge my character and integrity. My iniquity is forgiven.

That's what you hear when you hear the gospel. The war is over. There was a war. There was a war. It's over. Your iniquity is forgiven. I didn't even ask. That's comforting. Comfort you, my people. of the Lord's hand, double for all our sins. Our sins have been put away, and righteousness has been imputed. It is finished. This is the gospel. This is what Isaiah saw. There had been a battle, and it had been won by the Lord Jesus Christ. His army, he has an army. When was it born? After the battle was over. He has an army.

Why do they fight? They don't have a fight. They have a struggle within themselves, but they're not in to fight anybody else. Satan's fighting against them, but all the armor that God gives them is on the front, so they're moving right toward the gates of hell, and the gates of hell should not prevail against them. As we go into the world of the gospel, all our armor is on our front, none of it, there's no back plate, there's no calf plates, all the armor that he gives in Ephesians chapter 6 is for the front.

Why? Because we're going right into the battle with the Lord. That battle's already been won at Calvary. What we're doing with the gospel is going into a world that hates it. Armored with the gospel, with the word of God. Our feet shod with the boots of the gospel. The sword of the Lord, the word of God in our hand.

And the fiery darts of Satan will bounce off the armor. Because he's not behind us, he's right in front of us. And that army was formed after the battle was already won. There's no army with him here, but there is in the Revelation. It's called the Church of the Living God. It is finished. Here's an astonishing thing. It was his mighty arm that saved. and none other. His mighty arm.

In Isaiah chapter 52, when it talks about the sovereignty of God, when it sets forth that, that is the first message of the gospel. Chapter 52, verse 7. It says this in verse 10, how beautiful upon the mountains and the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that bringeth and publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation. that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice.

With the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye. when the Lord shall bring again Zion, break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem, the Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God."

He has a mighty arm that is saved. was unleashed against sin, the devil, and death. And they fell in battle that day, and he alone emerged victorious. The proof of their denials is that his garments is stained with their blood. Those who oppose him will be utterly destroyed. That's why it says in verse 6, I will tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk with my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. To oppose him is a fool's error. His enemies, according to scripture, are his footstool. His enemies are chaff or darnel.

When wheat is grown, chaff and darnel grow up along with it. It looks just like the wheat. It's not until the harvest comes, when it's put on the threshing floor, and the fan is in the hand of the thresher, that it begins to fan that wheat. And that darn ale is not wheat.

And so it's life. It's a chaff. It's nothing to it. And it just floats away. Wheat stays on the ground. It's like manning for gold. Sometimes I watch these guys pan for gold on the internet, just because it's fascinating to me. They'll get a bunch of mud and put it in the pan, start swirling it around, put water in it, swirl it around, The dirt keeps flowing off of me, and then they finish up and bury me.

All of that thing is what was unimportant. The gold. The gold. What's important? The chaff is not important. The wheat is important. Our Lord said this. He that hath a dream, let him have his dream. He that hath my word, let him preach my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? What is the chaff to the wheat? They are chaff cast to the breeze with the winnowing fan. They are potsherds cast by the potter upon Gehenna's garbage heap.

Here's another astonishing thing, the final destruction of the enemy is held off. But all this great war that took place and our Lord conquered was not vengeance, it was mercy. And it was grace, for he says in our faith, Verse 4, for the day of vengeance is in my heart.

That's coming. That's stored up. That's coming when he makes the final trump to sound and winds this whole thing up and destroys everything that's not his. That doesn't belong to him in salvation. Everyone is destroyed and everything is destroyed. He makes the whole thing new.

And he does it by the word of his mouth. That's the day of his vengeance. It's described in Scripture in many ways. But he said, That's awesome. That's in my heart. It's coming. The year of my redeemed is coming. That's what we're in right now. The acceptable year of the Lord is spoken of in Isaiah chapter 61. Who is this?

This is the Lord of glory. The accomplishing sovereign substitute who saved his people. Satisfied the law's demands, now sits at the right hands of God on high, waiting till that day when his vengeance reaches glory. And he ends it all up, takes all of us for glory, and then gives us a new place to live, a new heaven and a new earth.

What does that mean? Now, according to Isaiah, the earth was made for man. It was made to be inhabited and dominated by man. That's what the scripture said. What's the new heaven and new earth? I reckon it's going to be made for man too. Who is this? Do you know? Father, bless us to understand and pray Christ's name. Amen.
Tim James
About Tim James
Tim James currently serves as pastor and teacher of Sequoyah Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Cherokee, North Carolina.

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