Read Isaiah 63:15–64:12
Questions from the Scripture text: What does Isaiah 63:15a–b ask YHWH to do? What is Isaiah concerned seems to be the case (verse 15c–d)? But what must be the answer—what two familial terms does Isaiah 63:16 use about YHWH? Even over-against whom? What has YHWH given them over to (Isaiah 63:17)? What is the hope for their returning? What does Isaiah call Israel in verse 17d, laying hold of that inheritance? And Isaiah 63:18a? What pitiful circumstance does Isaiah 63:18 plead? What even more pitiful circumstance does Isaiah 63:19 describe? For what solution does Isaiah 64:1 plead? In what sort of power, and to what end (Isaiah 64:1-2)? What precedent was there for this (Isaiah 64:3, cf. Exodus 19:18)? From forever to forever, what has only YHWH been and done (Isaiah 64:4)? What does God do for whom (Isaiah 64:5a–b)? And against whom (verse 5c)? What does this mean for Israel; what are they doing, and what do they need (verse 5d–e)? What is their condition (Isaiah 64:6a)? What is the quality of all their righteousnesses (verse 6b)? With what result in them themselves (verse 6c–e)? What doesn’t anyone do (Isaiah 64:7a–b)? Why don’t/can’t they (verse 7c–d)? What does Isaiah 64:8 again ask Him to be? What does it freely admit, as it asks for His help (cf. Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9)? What do Isaiah 64:9a–b ask Him to do? Upon what grounds (verse 9c)? What circumstances do Isaiah 64:10-11 again repeat? With what hoped for (or hoped against) response (Isaiah 64:12)?
What hope is there for those whose sins carry them away like the wind? Isaiah 63:15–64:12 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seventeen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the only hope for sinners is the love and zeal and power of the Lord, their Redeemer.
Having preached and written about God’s coming salvation in Christ, Isaiah’s attention now turns to Israel’s present situation. How can he compare the promised forever-salvation to just a few hundred years in the land (Isaiah 63:18) in which the people hardly walked with the Lord at all (Isaiah 63:19)? If God’s love waxes hot for His people, how can it be that He has given them over to such straying and such sin (Isaiah 63:17)?
The reality is that even the people’s best righteousnesses are like “garments of menstruation” (Isaiah 64:6b). Their sin easily prevails over them (verse 6c–e). What believer has not felt this to be true about himself?
So the prophet draws his hope not at all from the people’s character or intentions, but from God. He has made Himself not only Father to them (Isaiah 63:16a, verse 16d, Isaiah 64:8b—even in Christ, cf. Isaiah 9:6), but especially Redeemer (Isaiah 63:16e). This has been one of the keywords in the prophecy that the Spirit has compelled Isaiah to proclaim, and now he clings to the Lord as next of kin.
The bookends of this prophecy look to the Lord not only as Father, but as Redeemer—the Husband Whose passionate heart for His bride is expressed with zeal and strength (Isaiah 63:15, Isaiah 64:12). Surely, He will not restrain His love! In the Hebrew, Isaiah 64:1-2 are in the past tense; the prophet is crying out for what he wishes had already happened. But this implies continued prayer that it might happen even now, even more urgently that it would happen immediately. “Oh if you had already torn open the heavens and You would have come down!” (Isaiah 64:1). Man could not have imagined what the Lord would do at the Exodus (Isaiah 64:3), and Isaiah is counting on the Lord continuing to be this Lord. He is counting on Him continuing to be the One Who delivers His people in ways that ear couldn’t hear or eye see (Isaiah 64:4). And indeed, the Lord has done this: the Lord of glory has been crucified (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9)!
Can the Lord do this? Surely He has the power and authority to do so. Isaiah 64:8 marshals the same illustration used against the unbelief of rebellion (cf. Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9) to ward off the unbelief that would think that granting repentance from sin is too tall an order. Belief, faith, now cries out, “we are the clay, and You our Potter, and all we are the work of Your hand”!
For what do you feel the need, in your own life, that the Lord would tear open the heavens and come down in power and love and deliverance? In your family’s life? In your church’s life? In the life of the church more broadly? In the life of the nation? What hope can there be of this?
Sample prayer: Lord, You are our Father and our Redeemer, but we have strayed from Your ways and hardened our hearts from fearing You. We so often act as if You do not rule over us, as if we are not called by Your Name. And even our righteousnesses are as polluted garments. Our sinfulness so easily carries us away like a tornado. We forget to call upon Your Name. We do not, indeed cannot, stir up ourselves to take hold of You. But You are full of love to Your Redeemed, and You are almighty in power and great in zeal. Come now, and display all of that toward us. Tear the heavens open, as it were, and come down by Your Spirit and revive us and reform us. Restrain Yourself no longer, and display that You have forgiven us our sins, as You cleanse us from our remaining unrighteousness, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP51A “God, Be Merciful to Me” or TPH434 “A Debtor to Mercy Alone”
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