Isa 64: A mighty theophany, reminiscent of that in
Sinai.
REND THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN: "Mount Sinai was
covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed
up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently...
The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the
mountain" (Exo 19:18,20).
NT: At the baptism of Jesus, the heavens were torn
apart, and the Spirit like a dove descended (Mar 1:10). Cp, at crucifixion, the
veil in the Most Holy (the heavenly place) was torn from top to bottom (Mat
27:51), as by a divine hand.
Isa 64:2
AS WHEN FIRE SETS TWIGS ABLAZE: The Glory of God
appearing in the burning bush (Exo 3:2-4).
TO MAKE YOUR NAME KNOWN TO YOUR ENEMIES: "But I have
raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my
name might be proclaimed in all the earth" (Exo 9:16).
Isa 64:4
NO EAR HAS PERCEIVED, NO EYE HAS SEEN ANY GOD BESIDES
YOU...: At the wonders they saw in Sinai, the people removed far off and hid
themselves (Exo 20:18,19). "Thereafter the divine revelation which Israel
refused at Sinai became the special privilege of those who saw the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ. But the wisdom of God in him was shut to Israel's
leaders -- ' "Eye did not see, nor did ear hear, what things God prepared for
them that love him." BUT GOD revealed them by His Spirit' (1Co 2:8-10)" (WIsa
538).
THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIM: Moses going up into the mount
to wait for a revelation from God.
Isa 64:5
YOU WERE ANGRY: Poss ref to incident of golden
calf.
Isa 64:6
FILTHY RAGS: "Menstruous rags" (NET); "polluted
garment" (RSV; ASV). Cp idea of "rubbish" in Phi 3:8. Also cp Mat 23:25; Luk
11:39,40.
Isa 64:7
YOU HAVE HIDDEN YOUR FACE FROM US: "The LORD saw this
and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters. 'I will hide
my face from them,' he said" (Deu 32:19,20).
Isa 64:8
Vv 8-12: Once again (as in Isa 63:15-19), Isaiah breaks forth
into an impassioned prayer of intercession for the nation as a whole: note the
"we... all", etc.
OUR FATHER: Along with Isa 63:16, the only refs to God
as "our Father" in the OT.
WE ARE ALL THE WORK OF YOUR HAND: Cit Eph
2:10.
Isa 64:11
A ref to Assyrian soldiers garrisoned in the Temple area:
"Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal
palace and from the princes and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that
did not help him" (2Ch 28:21). 2Ch 28:21. Lit, "divided up a portion of the
temple" -- giving it to the Assyrian soldiers as a place to rest and reside. (A
similar policy was followed by the Assyrians with other vassal nations; cp also
the Roman garrison next to the Temple in NT times). Cp idea, Isa 63:18; 64:11;
Psa 74:3-8; 79:1; Isa 7:13; 11:9; 52:1; Mic 5:5.
HAS BEEN...: Or "will be"? Does Isaiah speak of the
plans and threats of Sennacherib and Rabshakeh as though they had already
happened?