Verse 1
Isaiah described a watchman observing a Warrior coming from the southeast, the direction of Edom (red) and its capital Bozrah (vintage; cf. Isaiah 52:8). Edom was Israel’s perennial enemy, but here it quite clearly represents, by synecdoche, all of Israel’s enemies.
"Babylon and Edom are always to be taken literally, so far as the primary meaning of the prophecy is concerned; but they are also representative, Babylon standing for the violent and tyrannical world-power, and Edom for the world as cherishing hostility and manifesting hostility to Israel as Israel, i.e. as the people of God." [Note: Delitzsch, 2:444.]
This Warrior was coming to Israel, having defeated Israel’s enemies. He was a mighty man, strong and majestic, wearing vivid garments. The Warrior identified Himself as someone who speaks (cf. John 1:1-2; John 1:14). This is the outstanding characteristic of God from Genesis 1:3 to Revelation 21:5. His words were right and His strength was for salvation. Watts viewed this warrior as follows.
He is "a symbol of Persian imperial power fighting Jerusalem’s and Yahweh’s battles for them. Perhaps he is best thought of as Megabyzus, the redoubtable Persian general who served as satrap of Beyond the River during this period [i.e., the post-exilic period] . . ." [Note: Watts, Isaiah 34-66, p. 321.]
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