The holy temple had been burned, and all the precious things associated with Yahweh worship in it were gone. Isaiah was speaking for the Israelites who lived after the Exile had begun. Thus the Israelites were ashamed as well as ruined. Would God not do something in view of a situation that reflected so negatively on Him and His promises? read more
1-3. The imagery is taken from the account of the divine manifestation at Sinai (Exodus 19:18).2. RV ’As when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth,’ etc. 4. O God, etc.] RV ’a God beside thee, which worketh for him that waiteth for Him.’ St. Paul (1 Corinthians 2:9) alludes to this passage to emphasise the fact that human wisdom cannot fathom the working of God. Meetest] i.e. as a friend.Art] RV ’wast.’ In those, etc.] RV ’in them’ (i.e. our sins) ’have we been of long time, and... read more
Past Deliverances and Present NeedsIsaiah 63:7-14. Commemoration of Jehovah’s mercies to Israel in the past. Isaiah 64:5 a. Prayer that He will interpose to deliver His people from their present calamities.Isaiah 64:5-12. Acknowledgment that these are due to their sins. Appeal to Jehovah that He will look upon the pitiable state of His people and sanctuary. read more
(10) Thy holy cities . . .—There is no other instance of the plural, and this probably led the LXX. and Vulg. to substitute the singular. It probably rests on the thought that the whole land was holy (Zechariah 2:12), and that this attribute extended, therefore, to all its cities, especially to those which were connected with historical memories. Possibly, however, Zion and Jerusalem—the former identified with the Temple, the latter with the people of Jehovah—are thought of as two distinct... read more
(11) Our holy and our beautiful house . . .—The destruction of the Temple, which, on the assumption of Isaiah’s authorship, the prophet sees in vision, with all its historic memories, comes as the climax of suffering, and, therefore, of the appeal to the compassion of Jehovah.All our pleasant things . . .—Probably, as in 2 Chronicles 36:19, the precincts, porticoes, and other “goodly buildings” of the Temple. read more
Isaiah 64:1 'A phantasmagoria of men and events floats before the historian,' says Mr. J. H. Shorthouse; 'men seem in history to have walked in a vain show; the more he inquires into men and creeds, the more he is perplexed he finds none which he can say is absolutely right, no one fully wrong; the course of Nature maintains its impartial calm, shutting out the sight of God from him, and his constant prayer is that ejaculation of Isaiah, "O that thou wouldest rend the heavens and come down! "'... read more
CHAPTER XXVA LAST INTERCESSION AND THE JUDGMENTIsaiah 63:7 through Isaiah 66:1-24WE might well have thought, that with the section we have been considering the prophecy of Israel’s Redemption had reached its summit and its end. The glory of Zion in sight, the full programme of prophecy owned, the arrival of the Divine Saviour hailed in the urgency of His feeling for His people, in the sufficiency of His might to save them, -what more, we ask, can the prophecy have to give us? Why does it not... read more
CHAPTER 63:7-19-64:12 The Great Intercessory Prayer 1. Jehovah’s loving kindness and power in the past remembered (Isaiah 63:7-14 ) 2. Their deepest need (Isaiah 63:15 ) 3. The cry of faith, Thou art our Father (Isaiah 63:16 ) 4. The increasing plea (Isaiah 63:17-19 ) 5. The prayer for Jehovah’s manifestation (Isaiah 64:1-4 ) 6. Confession and humiliation (Isaiah 64:5-7 ) 7. The cry for mercy and help (Isaiah 64:8-12 ) This is one of the greatest prayers in the Bible. The... read more
64:10 {l} Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.(l) Who were dedicated to your service, and to call on your Name. read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 64:10
Judah lay desolate. Jerusalem was in ruins. The holy cities of the holy God reflected nothing of His greatness. read more