THE HEART CRY TO GOD THAT BRINGS RESULTS

ISAIAH 64

As the tribulation period comes to an end, the remnant of the people of Israel cry out to God in great distress.  Tear the heavens apart and come down is the plea of those faced with the destruction of Jerusalem by the armies of the world who have surrounded them. The prophet is thinking of the Theophany at Mount Sinai with all its terrifying phenomena when he refers to mountains melting away and fire burning the desert.  The nation of Israel finds itself once more needing divine intervention to save her from her enemies.  Just as fire makes water to boil, so the presence of God will make the nations of the world to tremble one day.  The Apostle John in Rev. 6:16 saw this when the enemies cry for the mountains to hide them from “The wrath of the Lamb.”  Isaiah 64:4 and I Corinthians 2:9 reveal Isaiah and the Apostle Paul expressing the same thought about two different events.  Isaiah is looking for Messiah to come down and establish His earthly kingdom.  Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4 in I Corinthians 2:9, but then he goes on to say in I Corinthians 2:10, “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things yea, the deep things of God.  The child of God today is looking for the Lord Jesus Christ to return and take us out of this world. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18)  Both Isaiah and Paul express this faith in what Jehovah will yet do for those who wait for Him.

As we move into Isaiah 64:5-7, we have an acknowledgement of sins and an expression of confidence in the redemption of the Savior.  One of the more familiar verses of Isaiah establishes the fact that man has no righteousness in him.  Both Jew and Gentile have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  In the sight of a Holy God, even so-called righteousness is nothing but a filthy castaway rag.  You cannot bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing.  A lost sinner is unable to do anything that is acceptable to God; we must come to God in His way, which is through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In Acts 4:12; we read, “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” 

In Isaiah 64:8-12, the prophet offers a prayer to God for compassion in view of all of the problems and trials which had befallen the people of God.  “We are the work of thy hand” finds the prophet casting himself and his people onto the mercy of God.  As a prodigal son, Israel is still a member of the family of God and mercy is needed.  The fact that the Temple was and is in ruin was a sign Jehovah had abandoned His people.

Will God not be moved by the extreme calamity of His people?  Isaiah closes this chapter with a plan for divine mercy for Israel.  God’s reply is found in the next two chapters