Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 64

Verses 1-7

Isa 64:1-7

Isaiah 64:1-4

This chapter is a continuation of the previous one, containing a prayer, which McGuiggan called, "a half-hearted confession and prayer,” which Cheyne identified as the "prayer of the prophet in the name of” the captive nation, and which Barnes criticized as being concerned more with, "God’s execution of wrath upon his foes, rather than with his conferring blessings upon his people.” The fact of this prayer having been composed in the times of the prophet Isaiah would, it seems to us, favor the view of Cheyne. That being the case, we should understand the prayer as altogether sincere.

"All this is seen in vision; and, though a hundred fifty years would occur before it would be realized, yet, according to the prophetic manner, he described the scene as actually passing before him.”

Isaiah 64:1-4

"Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence, as when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence? When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence. For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him."

Isaiah’s prayer here calls for nothing less than a recurrence of the great wonders that accompanied the Exodus from Egypt. It could be that the prophet supposed God would require the same type of wonderful miracles in the deliverance of the captives from Babylon. At any rate, that is exactly what he requested here.

"That the mountains might quake ..." (Isaiah 64:1). This is a reference to what happened at Sinai.

"When thou didst terrible things ..." (Isaiah 64:3). The last two words here are, "A standing phrase, as in Deuteronomy 10:21,2 Samuel 7:23, and Psalms 106:22, for the wonders of the Exodus."

Isaiah 64:4 stresses the unique nature of God’s care for Israel and the scope of the wonders God wrought upon her behalf. "Nowhere else among men had there ever been such blessings imparted, such happiness enjoyed, or so many proofs of love and affection, as for the benefit of Israel."

"Neither hath the eye seen ..." (Isaiah 64:4). Lowth noted that commentators generally suppose that Paul was quoting from this passage in 1 Corinthians 2:9, adding that, "It seems very difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile them."

All such suggestions, implying that Paul garbled, misquoted, or otherwise erred in such alleged quotations are based upon a common error, noted frequently in comments on Paul’s writings. As an inspired, plenary apostle of Christ, Paul was not "quoting" Scripture at all here, he was "writing" Scripture. What was more natural than that some of the phraseology of earlier prophecies should also occur in his own? The purpose of Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:9 was utterly unlike that of Isaiah here. Isaiah was saying that "eye had not seen," etc. and the things God had already done for Israel. Paul was speaking of the wonderful things that "eye had not seen," etc. the wonderful things that God had laid up in the future for them that love him. There also are a number of instances of this same error on the part of commentators which we have cited in the New Testament. It would be well to keep this in mind every time one encounters an allegation that Paul "misquoted" some passage of Scripture!

Isaiah 64:5-7

"Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou wast wroth, and we sinned, in them have we been of long time; and shall we be saved? For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 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 by means of our iniquities."

Isaiah 64:5 in the very oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew text is damaged to the point of its being impossible to know exactly what is meant by it. There is little or no reason to trust the emendations that have produced the various statements printed here in recent versions as the last half of the verse. The first part of the verse is clear enough. God will accept and bless those who work righteousness.

"All our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment ..." (Isaiah 64:6). This is inferior to the KJV which has, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." "The word rendered `garment’ or `rags’ here has the literal meaning of "vestis menstruis polluta", that is, a soiled cloth of the type used by women in their monthly periods.” The reference could not be to "garments," but to "rags."

"There is none that calleth upon thy name ..." (Isaiah 64:7). "This is hyperbole, emphasizing the general apathy that had come over all the people.”

Isaiah 64:1-3 CRY: The complaint of the preceding passage begins to turn toward a cry of desperation which leads to a confession. The remnant is gradually coming to the attitude God is able to use in His messianic program. Now the cry is that Jehovah will tear an opening in the impenetrable black cloud that is standing in the way of His seeing their predicament and come down to help them. They are begging God to come in direct intervention as He did for their ancestors. God presented Himself as directly as He dared to Isaiah in His theophany in the temple (cf. Isaiah 6:1 ff). Why could the people not accept Isaiah’s testimony to that direct appearance and trust Him to deliver them from the impending captivity? For the same reason men and women today demand a physical appearance from God before they will believe when there is sufficient testimony to His incarnation in the New Testament!

The anticipation of Jehovah’s appearance is couched in the experiences of their ancestors—mountains quaking, fire burning, waters boiling, nations trembling, (cf. Exodus 19:16 ff; Psalms 144:5; Deuteronomy 32:22; Judges 5:4-5; Micah 1:3-4; Hebrews 1:4-6; Hebrews 3:3; Hebrews 3:15; Psalms 18:8-16, etc.). Should God appear directly He would consume the whole material universe (cf. Hebrews 12:18-21; 18:25–29). Instead of coming in His consuming Presence, He sent His Son to give the world a saving Presence. So when the people give more thought to what such a direct intervention of Jehovah would bring, they are moved to cry, “O, Jehovah, if You came down thus You would do awe-inspiring deeds and wonders that not even we could anticipate!” Should Jehovah appear on earth it would be overwhelming—no human language could express it, no human being could guess what it would be like! The great apostle Paul was caught up “into the third heavens” and saw things it was impossible for human language to describe (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:1-4).

Isaiah 64:4-7 CONFESSION: At last, the remnant, after contemplating the awesome holiness of Jehovah and His unsearchable power, confesses its sin and prepares to be clay in the Potter’s hand (cf. Isaiah 64:8). First, there is the confession of the uniqueness of Jehovah’s revelation of Himself and His relationship to those who “wait” (or trust) in Him. The people are at last testifying that Jehovah is quite unlike the idols. In fact, no one in all the world is able to know the mind, Spirit, deeds, person-hood of Jehovah unless Jehovah chooses to reveal Himself. And even then, man can know only as much of God’s mind as He chooses to reveal through His appointed spokesmen (prophets and apostles, etc.). This is the sense in which the apostle Paul quoted Isaiah 64:4 in 1 Corinthians 2:9. The nature of the living God is such that the human mind is incapable of discovering Him or inventing Him—man must humbly “wait” until God reveals Himself and man must humbly accept both the instrumentality by which and the extent to which God reveals Himself.

The uniqueness of Jehovah stands out in contrast to all pretended gods most apparently in His faithfulness to be constantly present with those who seek righteousness and “remember” (walk in) His ways. The holiness of Jehovah was unique in contrast to all the gods of the heathen. At last the people are admitting that Jehovah requires men to “rejoice” in and “work” righteousness to enjoy His presence. They have come confessing as Hosea (Hosea 14:1-9) instructed their northern countrymen to do. This remnant of Isaiah’s disciples has been brought to its confession through the preaching of the prophet concerning the atoning suffering of the Servant and the future glory of Zion. They will produce a progeny of faithful servants (by implanting Isaiah’s message in their offspring) which will, in turn, bring the Messiah into the world (cf. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:24-56; Luke 1:67-80; Luke 2:1-52; Luke 4:14-30, etc.).

Once man has been confronted with a revelation of Jehovah’s holiness and admits it, then he sees himself as he truly is, a sinner in need of Jehovah’s saving grace (cf. Isaiah 6:5-6). The remnant here acknowledges it has been “a long time” in its sin and in need of God’s grace; else, how shall it be saved? They see their uncleanness. They now realize they are spiritually cut off from Jehovah because He is absolutely holy and they have defiled themselves and are no longer worthy to stand in His presence—even if He should come in answer to their prayer. This is quite different from the attitude expressed by some in Judah when they haughtily dared the Lord to come down and be present with them (cf. Isaiah 5:19). They see their uncleanness as a “polluted garment” using the figure of the ceremonial uncleanness of a woman at the time of her monthly period (cf. Ezekiel 36:17; Leviticus 18:24-28). The Hebrew word tame’ is translated unclean and is the same word the leper is to cry out (Leviticus 13:45-46) indicating the confession here is a recognition of having been cut off from covenant relationship by their sin.

Not only are they experiencing the legal condemnation of their sin, they are also experiencing the psychological and social consequences of it. They are all withering and dying like leaves on a tree and their sin is tossing them about and blowing them away like the wind blows the fallen leaves. The tragedy of the situation is that sin is so pervasive in the nation, no one seems concerned enough to call upon the name of the Lord which involves “taking hold” of His word. Perhaps the “none” would be qualified by the fact that a few were calling on the Lord (Isaiah and the remnant). But there were so few Jehovah must still withhold His direct intervention (“hid thy face from us”) until the captivity comes and the nation is chastened and purified and a larger remnant is formed. The Hebrew word khazak is translated take hold but is usually more intense and translated hold fast as when Hagar was told to hold fast to Ishmael (Genesis 21:18) or when Pharaoh was holding on to the Israelites (Exodus 9:2). So now their sin is consuming them—they are suffering the due penalty of their sins (cf. Romans 1:28), and the nation as a whole does not turn to God and hold fast to Him for strength—it is going to be blown away into captivity.

Verses 8-9

Isa 64:8-9

Isaiah 64:8

"But now, O Jehovah, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."

This is the third time in this prayer (See Isaiah 63:16) that the appeal has been directed to God as the Father of his people. Isaiah did not presume to plead any merit on Israel’s part, but appealed only to God’s gracious covenant promises.

Douglas has pointed out the following correspondences between this chapter and the early chapters of the prophecy. "Isaiah 64:4 is like Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 30:18. Isaiah 64:6 is like Isaiah 30:22; Isaiah 28:1; Isaiah 27:8. Isaiah 64:7 is like Isaiah 27:5; Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 19:25; etc."

We have called attention here, once again, to the inimitable work of Douglas, the great scholar who so many years ago wrote that remarkable book, "Isaiah One; His Book One." A full account of all that he did cannot be included in a work of this kind. But this little excerpt here is given as an example of what he has done for practically every portion of the whole prophecy. It exposes the shallowness and the inefficiency of those critical advocates of multiple authors for Isaiah.

Yes, Jehovah was the Creator and Father of Israel; but, "He is the Father of only his spiritual people. It should be remembered that a potter can mold a vessel only as the clay yields to his hands; if he is unable to make a vessel unto honor, then he makes one unto dishonor.” Paul’s comment on this fact as applied to Israel is that, "God, willing to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath (Israel) fitted unto destruction" (Romans 9:22). Also, in this connection, John Locke wrote, "By the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction (Romans 9:22) God manifestly means the nation of the Jews.”

Isaiah 64:9

"Be not wroth very sore, O Jehovah, neither remember iniquity forever: behold, look, we beseech thee, we are all thy people."

Isaiah’s great prayer here is a model in many respects; but like all language, there is a line in it that might have been misunderstood, especially by the wicked majority of Israel. That line is the last clause of Isaiah 64:9.

"We are ALL thy people ..." (Isaiah 64:9). While true enough if understood as an assertion that all of us are created by God, it is a serious error for it to be construed that "all of the nation of the Jews" were God’s people. That, however, was exactly the way the Jews took it. This was the fundamental error of the whole nation, for they believed that the total population, regardless of their ungodliness, were heirs of the promises to Abraham; but this was never the case at all. The great New Testament principle that, "They are not all Israel who are of Israel," (Romans 9:6), seems never to have been comprehended by the Jews. Only those of like faith and character of Abraham were ever, in any sense whatever, the chosen people.

Isaiah 64:8-9 OWNERSHIP: This last section of the petition of Zion, born of her restlessness, is a plea for Jehovah to verify His relationship to her. She offers two motives she thinks should move Jehovah to act and intervene directly to relieve her circumstances. First, the Lord should act immediately and supernaturally, on her behalf, because they have no other Father than Jehovah. The emphasis is on His exclusive Fatherhood. The literal Hebrew syntax would read, “And, even so, Father of us You are, we are clay and You are former of us, and work of Your hand all of us are.” Despite their uncleanness and their sin, Jehovah formed them like a potter forms clay. They now fall back upon that relationship as a last resort. This was not always their attitude. Once they refused to admit the potter-clay relationship (cf. Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9-10)! That was when they thought they needed no help. But now it is a different story! Now they plead for His mercy and His immediate and direct help because they have suddenly realized He is the only Father they have!

Before we thank God that we are not like those people, let us remember that we have undoubtedly been as arrogant and then as helpless as they at one time or another in our Christian walk. All of us have tried, with Peter, to walk on the stormy sea of life by ourselves at one time; all of us have probably cried out as we began to sink, “Lord save me!” (cf. Matthew 14:29-31). But actually, this is where God wants us! This is where He wanted Zion! He could not save them until they allowed Him to do so. Of course, most of us want Him to save us right now, and according to our human program. But Jehovah is not only omnipotent, He is omniscient. His knowledge of what we need and when we need it is perfect. He is indeed our perfect Father.

A literal translation of verse nine would read, “Do not be angry, Jehovah, unto strength, and do not eternally remember our sin.” In other words, they are pleading that Jehovah not carry out His anger as strongly as He is capable of doing. That would obliterate them! Their plea is that they are His people. Their appeal is that Jehovah verify their status as His chosen people by intervening and saving them from impending captivity. Jehovah will deliver them from captivity and verify their election as His children when they do their part to verify their relationship to Him by obedience to His will as children should. Will Jehovah claim them as children? Yes, when they claim Him as Father! Will He verify they are His? Yes, when they verify He is theirs! Will He deliver them! Yes, when they allow Him to do so and when it is best for Him to do so! Ezekiel (Ezekiel 20:1-49) predicts this very thing! God does have a remnant and He will verify His ownership!

Verses 10-12

Isa 64:10-12

Isaiah 64:10-12

"Thy holy cities are become a wilderness, Zion is become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned with fire; and all our pleasant places are laid waste. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Jehovah? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?"

"Thy holy cities ..." (Isaiah 64:10). Only Jerusalem was ordinarily honored with the title of "Holy City"; but here the term is extended to include all the cities of Judah. This is not out of keeping with the rest of the Old Testament, because in Zechariah 2:12, the whole land of Judah is called the Holy Land.

"Our beautiful house (the Temple) is burned with fire ..." (Isaiah 64:11). As Hailey noted, believers in the multiple authorship of Isaiah, "Ascribe this portion of the book to the times after the exile," according to the critical dictum that God could not have prophesied the burning of the temple until after the event. It is high time the critics invented another "dictum." The Old Testament prophesied the birth of Christ in Bethlehem about 800 years before the event! Furthermore, Isaiah authored hundreds of prophecies that are even far more wonderful than foretelling the burning of the temple, centuries, and even millenniums before they happened; and some of those events have not even happened yet! "The Bible abounds in declaring events long before they occur, speaking of them as though they had already taken place." The burnt temple in this passage is an example of this. We have often mentioned Isaiah’s prophecy of the two graves of Jesus (Isaiah 53:9).

"Wilt thou refrain thyself ...?" (Isaiah 64:12). The prayer closes with a series of questions, "Wilt thou refrain thyself?, wilt thou hold thy peace? wilt thou afflict us sorely? wilt thou refuse to come to our aid? wilt thou decline to come to us? wilt thou not save us from our calamities? Not all of these are formulated into words, but all of them are implied. The prayer closes with these questions, which, on the face of things required negative answers to all of them. That answer was forthcoming from God Himself in the next chapter. Moreover, God gave the reasons for his answer.

Isaiah 64:10-12 OMNIPOTENCE: The second motive Zion thinks should move Jehovah to act immediately on her behalf is the continuing plunder of Judah’s cities and villages by the Assyrians. This continuing plunder portends an even more disastrous day when the Temple may be put to the torch and the holy city itself, beautiful Jerusalem, may be overrun and ruined by the heathen hordes. It was evidently so imminent that the prophet spoke of it as if it were already happening! Jerusalem and the Temple were not completely destroyed and burned until 586 when Nebuchaddnezzar razed the whole city (cf. Jeremiah 52:13). Isaiah is not writing after the fact but using the “predictive present.”

The statement in Isaiah 64:12 sums up and presses home the point Zion is pleading—need for immediate, direct intervention by Jehovah to deliver her from her enemies. God must not allow the land and the people who bear His name to be profaned lest His name be profaned throughout the world. Jehovah has acted in the past to vindicate His power and glorify His name; will He now remain silent? The Hebrew word khesheh is translated peace in Isaiah 64:12, but more literally means silence. The usual Hebrew word for peace is shalom. The phrase ‘ad-me’od which means, “. . . unto strength . . .” is repeated in this verse. In view of the continued plundering of the cities and the imminent razing of Jerusalem and the Temple, will Jehovah continue to keep silent and continue to afflict Judah so severely? Indeed He will so long as Judah keeps on walking in sin. One has only to read Jeremiah and Ezekiel to know that Judah not only continued but worsened in her sin and rebellion (cf. Ezekiel 5:5-6; Ezekiel 8:7-18) until finally Jehovah withdrew His glory from her altogether (Ezekiel 11:22-25).

For the sake of His name and the faithfulness of a small remnant, Jehovah delivered His people from their captivity and rebuilt their city and their temple. However, the rebuilt Jerusalem and Zerubbabel’s temple were temporary edifices used by the Lord to the ultimate end He sought and that was a “dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22), the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the church the presence of the Lord dwells now and forever more. An earthly Jerusalem and an earthly temple are now of no consequence to God and His people. Those who worship Him now and forever more worship in Spirit and in truth (cf. John 4:19-26).