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Isaiah 63:7 – 64:12
“Rend the Heavens & Come Down”
Introduction: From chapter 40–66 God has made repeated promises of his return to be enthroned as King over his people and bring them salvation by releasing them from bondage. We read this easily and rejoice in it because we have received so much of what was promised. But what about the original readers? How were they supposed to have encouragement to wait for the King’s return? As 63:1-6 presents, how were they to wait for this one arrayed in crimson garments to come and trample the winepress of God’s wrath against the enemies? Of course, we can even ask the same question. We are still waiting for the complete fulfillment of Isaiah when the King comes in final judgment and we receive our eternal victory. How do we stay encouraged and wait for him? Thus we are constantly reminded that all will happen in God’s time frame, not ours. The answer begins in verse 7: We are called upon to trust in the steadfast love of the Lord.
Recounting the Steadfast Love of the Lord
Verse 7 begins the answer and a prayer: “I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord…” The key to our hope is to recount the steadfast love of the Lord. One of the truly great themes of scripture that is often overlooked is the steadfast love of the Lord. This is the name God proclaimed to Moses when Moses asked to see his glory. In other words, his steadfast love is embedded in his very nature.
Before we detail God’s steadfast love we need to see the big picture of what is happening in this section that goes through chapter 64. Do you remember 62:6-7 where God placed watchmen on the walls who would not be silent day and night reminding the Lord that he would make Jerusalem (his people) a praise in the earth. Therefore, what we are looking at in 63:7 – 64:12 is the prayer of these watchmen who will not let the Lord rest and who cry to him day and night. This truly is an exciting prayer and one of the most emotional prayers you will see in scripture.
Verses 7-9 begin the recounting of the Lord’s steadfast love by describing his character.
7: “the praises of the Lord” refer to the deeds for which he should be praised.” These are the attributes of God that we should always keep before our minds. This explains the reason why we stick with the Lord and will not turn away from him.
Notice twice the reference to what the Lord has “granted” us. The idea in the Hebrew is that God had acted in every way to fully meet every need. This is because he is a compassionate God and is abundant in his steadfast love.
This counters every claim of Satan that God holds out on us and that Satan can provide things God refuses to give us. We should always be reminded of the words of the Preacher concerning this earth life: “There is nothing better than for a person to eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. This I saw, is from the hand of God. For apart from him, who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” (Eccl. 2:24-25). God will provide it all once we have passed through this “wilderness.” But until then, Satan’s offer that he has more to give us than God, is a lie.
Verses 8-9 describe God’s love for us.
It began by God choosing us to be his people. The text implies that this choosing was not because we deserved it. In fact, we see the words, “he became their Savior,” and “in his love and pity he redeemed them.” What a blessing that he chose us anyway.
Notice also the heart of God in the words of the CSB: “In all their suffering, he suffered.” Did you ever think of God suffering when we suffer? He is afflicted when we are afflicted, and therefore he sent the angel of his presence to save them.
And it was not just “saved them,” “he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” Have you thought of God carrying you?
What was God’s expectation from his people whom he chose? He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.” That is, since he has cared for them in this way with an abundance of faithful love, surely they will not be disloyal to his covenant. Example: no one has greater ability to hurt a parent than the parent’s children. Every day parents pour their lives into their children. A parent makes a hundred sacrifices a day because of their great love for their children. What parent does not rejoice when his child rejoices and deeply hurt when his child is hurt. After all that, nothing is worse than for the child to reject the parent. Yes, earthly parents can act poorly, but our heavenly Father has never acted poorly and does not deserve us to be disloyal to him.
Just to add to the above thought, 9c, in his love…he redeemed them.” The word “love” here is used only this time in Isaiah. It refers to the love which delights in the companionship of the one loved. This exemplifies true love. It isn’t just an emotion. It is loving the togetherness. Without the desire to be with the one loved, how can it be called love?
Verses 10-14
The character and love of God for his people are highlighted by the words, “But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit.” Grieving the Spirit is mentioned a number of times in the NT warning us of what we are doing to God when we rebel. We really need to ask ourselves, “Do we care?” Do we choose to sin knowing that God is grieved and not care? (Cf. Heb. 10:29)
Verse 11 sets up the rest of the chapter. As translated by the NIV, NET, & NASB, “Then his people recalled the days of old…” As God encouraged them to do in Deuteronomy 30, when they realize their condition without God and they remember him and turn to him, God promised to answer them and come to their rescue. Therefore, the “watchmen on the walls” are reminding God of this promise and pleading with him to remember what he had done for them in the past in order to call upon him to again rise up in deliverance. The key through verse 14 is, “Where is he…” who delivered the people from the bondage of Egypt? You did this “to make for yourself a glorious name.” The idea is, do that again!
Verses 15-19
Verse 15 is a continued plea for mercy. Such a beautiful plea: Where is your zeal [for your people] and your might, “your yearning” (CSB) and your compassion?” We might answer this question for those who are praying – what did you expect! You turned away and rebelled after he did so much for you, and now you are wondering where he is? But then it hits us deep and hard, it is not just Israel, we are the ones who also rebelled. As Paul said in Ephesians 2, we also were dead in our sins and lived according to the course of this world, according to the spirit that works in the sons of disobedience.
The reminder continues in verse 16: even though Abraham and Israel would not even recognize us because of how rebellious we have become, “you are still our Father.” “Your name is Our Redeemer from Ancient Times” (CSB).
Verse 17 can be confusing, but it isn’t that God forced them to wander from his ways or harden their hearts any more than he did that to Pharaoh. The meaning is that as they turned from him, God kept pushing them harder and punishing them more to turn them back to him. His judgments on them were intended for repentance and to vindicate his name. But the more he pushed them with the prophets, the more they rebelled until God completely abandoned them. Now they were hopeless and helpless.
Rend the Heavens!
We will connect verses 18-19 with 64:1-12 because it fits in the context of the final plea of the prayer. Therefore the plea is for God to return. This plea continues through 64:12. Let’s quickly walk through the text and then come back to a few key points in conclusion.
18-19 summarize the appeal. Because of the nation’s wickedness, they have never received the permanent blessings that God had promised. They held possession for only a little while and have now come to the point that they are unrecognizable as the Lord’s people. Obviously, it was their fault as it is our fault, but what can they do now? What can we do? We are helpless. God must do it!
Therefore, the cry is to tear the heavens open and come down just as God had done at Sinai with earthquake and fire, just as he had done when he delivered them from Egypt and all the nations.
The cry for deliverance is also for the purpose of God making his name known to the adversaries and to the nations.
A recognition that God is unique among all other gods. He is a God who “welcomes” (CSB) the one who joyfully does what is right; they remember your ways. What a great statement of who God welcomes! Emphasis on “joyfully” & “remember.”
Verses 5c–7 In contrast to God’s righteousness and faithfulness is the faithlessness of man. Indeed, the text is not just emphasizing our sins, but the fact that we have given up. We cannot find a way out. It reminds us of Romans 7:13-24. “What we will to do, we do not do.”
Verses 8-12 is the final appeal based on God being our Father and our Creator. As Father and Creator, will you be “so terribly angry with us?” “Will you remember our iniquity forever?” Will you be “silent and afflict us so terribly?” Look at our condition! Our nation has become a wilderness. The temple has been burned with fire. Will you restrain yourself when you see this?
God’s Answer
64:1 –– Mark 1:9-11 God came down! In Mark 1:10, “the heavens being torn asunder…” This is the same word used in the LXX in Isaiah 64:1. The “watchmen,” (righteous people of all ages), reminded the Lord night and day that he would bring restoration. And then, the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet,” the Son of God came up out of the water, “and the heavens were torn open.” God answered the prayer and came down!
Back to our original question: How do we persevere? How do we keep our hopes up and not get discouraged especially in light of seeing wickedness prevail? How do we look heavenward and not allow ourselves to get stuck in the mire of this world? We remember the steadfast love of the Lord. We remember that God tore the heavens open and came down!
Berry Kercheville