Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: FLOW:

God seems distant 63:15-19 Cry for Him to come near 64:1-4 Reason He was distant 64:5-12 sin...

Lord seems far away in his glorious, exalted place in heaven.

Thus the one praying does not doubt God’s existence, his holiness, or his sovereignty; he just wants to see God act on behalf of his people now.

Later it will become evident that sin (64:5–7) has caused a separation (cf.

59:1–2) between a holy God and his sinful people; thus, God cannot act on behalf of his people.

Don’t hold back!

We see it in 63:15 and 64:12… Don’t hold back, we want more of you...

Have you ever had something good and you just want more of it?

(Fish Shanna made the other night)

Are you ready to say God, don’t hold back with me… give me yourself?

If so what exactly are we asking for?

You can’t handle the truth...

There is a clue here to Isaiah’s message.

The Hebrew words translated “are held back” reappear in 64:12, the last verse in the passage, as “restrain yourself.”

The same Hebrew word lies behind the two English translations.

This prayer begins with Isaiah agonizing over the way God is withholding his compassion from his people, and it ends with Isaiah asking God to stop restraining his love and power.

The whole prayer is for God to visit us without holding himself back at all.

Who is He?

Transition:

Isaiah 64:1 is as good a description of revival as we’ll find: God comes down to us

He’s talking about God shaking up this world and changing his enemies into his worshipers.

But Isaiah isn’t just talking about this.

He’s longing for it.

The most important word in the whole passage is the first word in 64:1: “Oh.”

The most important punctuation mark in the passage is the exclamation point at the end of that sentence (v.

2).

Isaiah isn’t theorizing.

He’s praying, and with passion.

CONTEXT:

Instead, it appears that the problem is made up of three aspects: (a) God is not doing what some Hebrews want him to do for his people (63:15–17, 19); (b) because of some enemy, which is not named by country, ethnicity, or location, some sacred cities and sanctuaries in Judah are defiled and trampled (63:18; 64:10–11); and (c) the lamenter(s) admit that “we” have sinned and made God angry (64:5b–7).

The setting of Isaiah’s message shifts to the time of the exile, which earlier passages of the book assumed (11:11–12, 15–16; 14:1–2; 27:12–13; 35:10) and prophesied (5:13; 6:12; 27:8; 39:5–7).

This final section of the book begins on an extremely positive note, as God affirmed His commitment to His servant nation and promised them deliverance from exile in seemingly unconditional terms.

As the section progresses, it becomes apparent that total restoration would not be automatic.

Covenantal renewal, mediated through a special servant viewed as an ideal Israel and a second Moses, was necessary.

Anticipating that some would reject God’s offer of reconciliation, the books’ final chapters foresee a final, purifying judgment, out of which a holy community would emerge.

So the prophet Isaiah declares that righteous, covenant-keeping foreigners are more pleasing to Yahweh than unrighteous purebred returnees.

But the people of Israel declare themselves unable to be righteous.

In response, Yahweh reveals his righteous Warrior (59:15b–21; 63:1–6), who will defeat sin and graciously empower Israel to live righteously and thus become the promised light to the nations.

Chs.

56–66 seem to address yet another situation.

Deliverance from captivity is not the issue; rather, the people cannot live righteously and consequently fail their national mission to bring light to the nations.

Again, there would be a message here for corrupt Jerusalem during Isaiah’s lifetime, yet it seems more likely to be describing the situation after the return of the exiles, as represented in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi.

V. Righteousness: The Character of Servanthood (56:1–66:24)

A. Righteous Foreigners and Eunuchs (56:1–8)

B. Israel’s Inability to Do Righteousness (56:9–59:21)

1. God’s Accusation Against the Wicked (56:9–57:13)

a. Blind Watchmen (56:9–12)

b.

A Righteous Generation Quietly Disappears (57:1–2)

c.

A Diatribe Against Worshipers of Idols (57:3–13)

2. Comfort for the Contrite (57:14–21)

3. Declare Their Rebellion (58:1–59:15a)

a.

The Sin of Hypocrisy (58:1–2)

b.

False Versus True Fasting (58:3–12)

c.

Sabbath-Keeping (58:13–14)

d.

Failure to Do Righteousness (59:1–15a)

4. The Divine Warrior, Solution to the Problem (59:15b–21)

C. Light to the Nations (60:1–62:12)

1.

The Lord’s Light Shines on the Nations (60:1–22)

2. The Messiah Announces Good News of Deliverance (61:1–3)

3. The Lord’s Righteousness Is Displayed to the Nations (61:4–62:12)

a.

The People Whom the Lord Has Blessed (61:4–11)

b.

Zion’s New Name (62:1–12)

D. Israel’s Inability to Do Righteousness (63:1–66:17)

1.

The Divine Warrior (63:1–6)

2. A History of Redemption and Rebellion (63:7–65:16)

a.

A Résumé of Redemption and Rebellion (63:7–14)

b.

A Cry for Yahweh to Intervene (63:15–64:12)

c.

Yahweh’s Response (65:1–16)

3. New Heavens and a New Earth (65:17–25)

4. Unrighteousness and Redemption (66:1–17)

E. Righteous Gentiles (66:18–24)

The present section gives us the lament proper, which is addressed directly to God.

We may divide these verses into four sections: 63:15–19; 64:1–5; 64:6–7; and 64:8–12.

It is usual to claim that these verses must be post-exilic, describing the return to a devastated sanctuary (2 Kgs 25:8), but post-exilic experience is against this view: the return was itself proof that the Lord was active in love on behalf of his people.

READ

One of the ultimate displays of God’s power, presence and deliverance was the crossing of the Red Sea.

Often we think of just that moment when Moses raises his staff, but think of all that led to that moment… (prayers, God sees, God hears (tell people god sees you, hears you)… Plagues, battling false gods… battle with Pharoah… then getting trapped in what seemed to be an impossible circumstance… Isn’t it interesting that Isa says ACTS for those who WAIT for Him

Isaiah was writing for the exiles in Babylon who would view their situation as somewhat hopeless.

They would not be able to sense how God could possibly help them in their distress.

The people are in distress, God has worked in the past but where are you today?

The prophet looks up and calls on God to bare His arm and display His power (Isa.

63:15–64:12).

For Abraham’s sake, for Israel’s sake, because God is their Father, he pleads for a demonstration of power just as God did in the ancient days.

The people are in distress, God has worked in the past but where are you today?

There is a clue here to Isaiah’s message.

The Hebrew words translated “are held back” reappear in 64:12, the last verse in the passage, as “restrain yourself.”

63:15–16 The initial complaint is against God.

The lamenter does not accuse God of some wrong but simply calls for God to “look, take notice” from his distant heavenly abode (as in Ps 80:1–2) in order to find out what is really happening on earth.

Your Father… 63:15-17

The lamenter questions where God’s zeal and might have gone?