23. The church prays for the presence of God: Isaiah 64:1-12
The church prays for the presence of God
Isaiah 64:1-2. ‘O that thou would rend the heavens and come down.’ The church prays for the triumphant and glorious return of her Lord to the earth, as promised in John 14:2-3; Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (a) to accomplish his purpose, covenant, and redemption of his people, and (b) to vindicate his church and expose and destroy the antichrists.
‘That the mountains may flow down at thy presence.’
1. Kings, kingdoms, and evil powers so dominate this earth that, like mountains, they seem to be firm and stable and overwhelming.
2. But they shall melt like wax, flow like water, and disappear at the coming of the King of kings. He will consume them in wrath (Isaiah 63:3-4).
3. The wrath of God against all enemies is compared to ‘the melting fire’ (that melts metal), to extreme heat ‘which makes water to boil.’ The fire of God described in 2 Kings 1:6-15 illustrates the fierceness of his wrath.
Isaiah 64:3. The Prophet may refer to the judgments of God upon Egypt, which were unexpected and not looked for, or the giving of the law at Sinai, or other mountains which ‘flowed down at his presence’ (Judges 5:4-5; Psalms 68:7-8).
Isaiah 64:4. Here is a passage quoted by Paul, the apostle, in 1 Corinthians 2:9. The fearful judgments of God against sin and the enemies of God are unheard of, unseen, and beyond the understanding of men. Even so, the glorious, eternal, unspeakable blessing of his grace in Christ to those who love him and wait for him are neither heard by the outward ear, nor seen by the eye of flesh, nor understood by any son of Adam! These include:
1. The present peace of God of sin forgiven that is ours in Christ (Romans 5:1).
2. The joy and fellowship of the church with Christ now (1 John 1:3).
3. The future glory and perfect holiness when we are conformed to his likeness (1 John 3:1-3).
These things are purposed by the Father, prepared by the Son, and revealed by the Spirit to those who love him, who certainly will wait for him! And unless the Lord gives men ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand, divine truth will remain unknown to them (1 Corinthians 1:10-14). By his sovereign grace and will the Lord has been pleased to reveal Christ in us (Galatians 1:15).
Isaiah 64:5. This verse and the ones which follow flow from the heart of God’s prophet in Israel and from God’s preachers in the church today; for the conditions which existed in Israel (who professed to be God’s people) exist today! Some know the Lord, rejoice in him, and long for his presence; but most in religion are strangers to grace and workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:22-23).
1. The Lord meets those who rejoice in the person and work of Christ. He meets us at the mercy-seat (Exodus 25:21-22) ‘who worketh righteousness.’ Our sanctification and righteousness are not ours, but his! Yet those who are righteous before God in Christ do delight to do works of righteousness by faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
2. The Lord communes with those who ‘remember thee in thy ways.’ They remember him in his ways of grace and mercy (1 Corinthians 11:24 - his death for men). They remember him and rejoice in his ways of providence (Romans 8:28). ‘Known unto God are all his ways and works from the beginning’ and we rejoice therein!
3. ‘Thou art wroth; we have sinned.’ We sinned in Adam, by birth and choice, and yet do sin each day; but there is forgiveness with God and we shall be saved from all our sins in Christ (Hebrews 10:14-17). There is ‘continuance in his ways’ of grace and mercy. His love is everlasting and endures forever (Php 1:6).
Isaiah 64:6. We are not unclean now; but we have been, as all men, unclean and impure before God. Even our righteousnesses and so-called good works are as filthy rags in his sight. The only righteousness acceptable to God is Christ’s righteousness; and any duty, work, or goodness done by men in the best manner possible are filthy rags before God. Without Christ ‘we fade as a leaf falls from the tree;’ in Christ ‘his leaf also shall not wither (fade) and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper’ (Psalms 1:3). Without Christ ‘our iniquities have taken us away’ and separated between us and God (Isaiah 59:2). In Christ our sins are all put away (Isaiah 53:4-6).
Isaiah 64:7. This was true of most of Israel (Hebrews 3:15-19) and is true today. ‘There is none that call upon thy name, none that seek thy face’ (Romans 3:9-12).
1. There are and always have been men who are religious and pray, but few who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only mediator between God and men, the only way of access to God, the ‘only name given among men whereby we must be saved.’
2. None stirreth himself to lay hold of Christ; as Paul declared in Php 3:8-14; as JACOB who said, ‘I will not let thee go except thou bless me.’
3. Because men will not call upon his name nor seek his face, the Lord has turned away, left them to themselves, and will consume them in his wrath (Romans 1:19-24).
Isaiah 64:8. ‘But now, O Lord, thou art our Father!’ There is a remnant according to the election of grace (Romans 11:3-7; Romans 8:14-17). He is the potter and we are the clay (Romans 9:16-23). Out of every tribe and nation he has chosen a people, given them to Christ, and adopted them into his family.
Isaiah 64:9. ‘Be not wroth, neither remember iniquity forever.’ Not to remember sin is to forgive it (Hebrews 10:17). ‘We are thy people,’ not only by creation but by covenant. All whom God gave to Christ are his redeemed people (Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 1 Peter 2:9-10).
Isaiah 64:10-12. The cities of Judah and of David are in ruins, the temple is destroyed, Israel is a wilderness. Almost every remembrance of the true God is gone from Israel, and religion today is a wasteland without a true message! The question! ‘How long will the Lord be silent, hold his peace, and not plead his own cause and the cause of his people?’