Isaiah 63:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He remembered, He states, or recalled the days of eternity, meaning the days of remembrance, due to the many extraordinary wonders performed during that time. Who is He that remembered? Who is He that raised up the Shepherd of the sheep from the earth? These words resonate with the resurrection of Christ, the Savior of us all. Instead of saying He raised up from the earth the supreme Shepherd of all, it is emphasized that He was not only raised from the dead but was also distinguished among men; for the only begotten Word of the Father chose to dwell among us, being born of flesh from a woman. However, as I stated, the prophet recognized that Israel had forgotten the majestic works of God, and he was astonished and mourned for those who had sunk into such insensitivity, asking, Where is He that bestowed upon them the Holy Spirit, that is, shared His divine and saving Spirit with them? For the Spirit, he notes, came down from the Lord and guided them. And the divine David proclaimed, Send forth Your word and heal me. But the Lord is the Spirit, working through the unified Spirit. Therefore, where is the forgetfulness? It is clear that by remembering and loving Him, we seek Him. Where is He who exalted Moses with His right hand? Moses was great and renowned, high in glory. This is reflected in the phrase He who raised him up, for the right hand of God operated through him. The arm of glory triumphed over, or prevailed against the nature of the waters, hardening them, since it is said that it pushed them like a wall of water; or it overcame the waters themselves, so that they were rendered solid, even though they were liquid by nature. And He replenished it, creating an everlasting name for Himself; though it occurred through the wise Moses, it was ultimately for God's glory. Having solidified the waters, He led them as one would guide a horse or cattle, bringing them through the sea as through a pasture. The Psalmist teaches this too, noting, And He led His people like sheep; He guided me as a flock in the wilderness. And the Spirit of the Lord directed them, as I have mentioned. Thus have You led Your people, that You may be called glorious. Two remarkable things took place simultaneously: not only was Israel saved and liberated from their oppressors, but the culmination of these marvelous events was that God should be honored in the way He deserves.

As God commits to guiding His people, He promises not to send an angel, but rather His own Holy Spirit, who transcends the angels and shepherds them. This demonstrates that the Spirit is neither a creature nor an angel, but exists above creation and is united with the Godhead of the Father. Indeed, God Himself, through the Word and in the Spirit, provided guidance to the people, which is the reason He speaks throughout Scripture.

He brought His people out through the mighty waters before them to create an everlasting name for Himself. He led them through the abyss, as a horse runs through the steppe, and they did not grow weary; as cattle move across the plain, the Spirit from the Lord was their leader. Thus, You have guided Your people to establish a glorious name for Yourself. The Lord, who had turned from being a protector to an adversary of the Jewish nation, ignited His ire against His Holy Spirit and waged war against them, remembered the ancient days when Moses pleaded for them in the wilderness, saying, "Either forgive them this sin, or, if not, blot me out of the book that You have written" (Ex. 32). In this way, Isaiah reflects on the ancient story, asking, Where is that Moses who brought them through the Red Sea? Where is the shepherd of the flock? Where is he who labored alongside the other shepherds of the Lord's sheep? Who received the Spirit of God and instilled Him, through prayer and supplication, into the Lord's flock? Or perhaps it is to be interpreted this way: Where is the mercy of the Lord that once extended compassion to His people, granting them the grace of the Holy Spirit, who uplifted Moses, His servant, by the might of His glory, who divided the waters to create an everlasting name, that His strength may be heralded to this day? For He guided His people through the unfathomable depths of the sea, as a horse in the steppe and cattle in the field, with the Spirit of the Lord leading them, meaning, the flock of the Lord (Ex. 14). In this context, we must recognize the angel as the one guiding the people of Israel, as it is written: He makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire (Ps. 104:4), and in the epistle to the Hebrews: they are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). We should take note of what is stated in the Acts of the Apostles: the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and he was seen no more by anyone (Acts 8:39); should we not view this as an act involving an angel? Some suggest that it was an angel involved with the Holy Spirit. We often rush past clearer matters to linger on those which are more obscure.