Isaiah Sixty Four

by Dr. Henry M. Morris

(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)

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Isaiah 64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

Isaiah 64:2 As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

Isaiah 64:3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

the beginning of the world. From “the beginning of the world” there have been men on earth, but they have not understood God's great plan for them. This verse is cited and applied by Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, where he indicates that some of this, at least, has been revealed by the Holy Spirit to those who love Him.

Isaiah 64:5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

filthy rags. There is no salvation for one trusting in his own acts of righteousness to commend him to God, for such acts (without repentant faith in Christ's death for our sins) are like (literally) “menstrous cloths” in the sight of a holy God. “Not by works of righteousness” are we saved, but only by “His mercy” (Titus 3:5).

Isaiah 64:7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

thou our potter. This figure of God as the divine Potter who fashions His people, made out of clay (Genesis 2:7) according to His own perfect will, appears also in Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:21; etc.

Isaiah 64:9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

Isaiah 64:10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

Isaiah 64:11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Isaiah 64:12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?