15Look down from heaven, and see from the habitation of your holiness and of your glory. Where are your zeal and your mighty acts? The yearning of your heart and your compassion is restrained toward me.
16For you are our Father, though Abraham doesn’t know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, Yahweh, are our Father. Our Redeemer from everlasting is your name.
17O Yahweh, why do you make us wander from your ways, and harden our heart from your fear? Return for your servants’ sake, the tribes of your inheritance.
15 Look down from heaven, and see from the habitation of your holiness and of your glory. Where are your zeal and your mighty acts? The yearning of your heart and your compassion is restrained toward me.
16 For you are our Father, though Abraham doesn’t know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, Yahweh, are our Father. Our Redeemer from everlasting is your name.
17 O Yahweh, why do you make us wander from your ways, and harden our heart from your fear? Return for your servants’ sake, the tribes of your inheritance.
KJVKing James Version
15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.
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JPSJPS Tanakh (1917)
15 Look down from heaven, and see, even from Thy holy and glorious habitation; Where is Thy zeal and Thy mighty acts, the yearning of Thy heart and Thy compassions, now restrained toward me?
16 For Thou art our Father; for Abraham knoweth us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us; Thou, O LORD, art our Father, our Redeemer from everlasting is Thy name.
17 O LORD, why dost Thou make us to err from Thy ways, and hardenest our heart from Thy fear? Return for Thy servants' sake, the tribes of Thine inheritance.
Isaiah 64:8(v16)But now, Yahweh, you are our Father. We are the clay and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand.
Isaiah 6:10(v17)Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears,…
Deuteronomy 26:15(v15)Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our…
Joshua 11:20(v17)For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no…
Jeremiah 31:20(v15)Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I still earnestly remember him. therefore my heart…
Show all 57 cross-references
Ezekiel 14:7-9(v17)“ ‘ “For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me, and takes his idols into…
Malachi 2:10(v16)Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant…
Psalms 80:14(vv15, 17)Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,
Deuteronomy 2:30(v17)But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might…
Deuteronomy 32:6(v16)Is this the way you repay Yahweh, foolish and unwise people? Isn’t he your father who has bought you? He has made you and established you.
Psalms 123:1(v15)I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens.
Jeremiah 3:19(v16)“But I said, ‘How I desire to put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the armies of the nations!’…
Hosea 11:8(v15)“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart…
Psalms 33:14(v15)From the place of his habitation he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,
Isaiah 29:13(v17)The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from…
Isaiah 41:14(v16)Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says Yahweh. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 44:6(v16)This is what Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Armies, says: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there…
Malachi 1:6(v16)“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect…
Numbers 10:36(v17)When it rested, he said, “Return, Yahweh, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.”
1 Chronicles 29:10(v16)Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and…
Job 14:21(v16)His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.
Psalms 90:13(v17)Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on your servants!
Isaiah 43:14(v16)Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives,…
Jeremiah 31:9(v16)They will come with weeping. I will lead them with petitions. I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which…
John 12:40(v17)“He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would…
Philippians 2:1(v15)If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and…
1 John 3:17(v15)But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain…
Exodus 4:22(v16)You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘Yahweh says, Israel is my son, my firstborn,
1 Kings 8:27(v15)But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house that I…
2 Chronicles 30:27(v15)Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to…
Psalms 25:6(v15)Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.
Psalms 77:7-9(v15)“Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favorable no more? Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for…
Psalms 89:49(v15)Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?
Psalms 102:19-20(v15)For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth; to hear the groans of the prisoner; to free…
Psalms 113:5-6(v15)Who is like Yahweh, our God, who has his seat on high, Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?
Ecclesiastes 9:5(v16)For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is…
Isaiah 9:7(v15)Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold…
Isaiah 26:11(v15)Yahweh, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people, and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume…
Isaiah 49:15(v15)“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not…
Isaiah 51:9-10(v15)Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh! Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in…
Isaiah 54:5(v16)For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the…
Isaiah 57:15(v15)For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a…
Isaiah 59:17(v15)He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head. He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad…
Isaiah 63:9(v15)In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. He bore…
Isaiah 63:12(v16)Who caused his glorious arm to be at Moses’ right hand? Who divided the waters before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
Isaiah 66:1(v15)Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build to me? Where will I rest?
Lamentations 3:50(v15)until Yahweh looks down, and sees from heaven.
Zechariah 1:12(v17)Then Yahweh’s angel replied, “O Yahweh of Armies, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which…
Matthew 6:9(v16)Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Luke 1:78(v15)because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
Romans 9:18-20(v17)So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who…
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12(v17)Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the…
1 Peter 1:18-21(v16)knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your…
Psalms 74:1-2(v17)God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture? Remember your congregation, which you…
Psalms 119:10(v17)With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don’t let me wander from your commandments.
Psalms 119:36(v17)Turn my heart toward your statutes, not toward selfish gain.
Psalms 141:4(v17)Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.
57 distinct cross-references across this passage (58 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (21 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Meaning, from the whole body of the Church.
Meaning, from the whole body of the Church.
Having declared God’s benefits showed to their forefathers, he turned himself to God by prayer, desiring him to continue the same graces toward them.
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Thy great affection, which thou barest towards us.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Isa 63:15 Look down from heaven, and behold from…
Isa 63:15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where [is] thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
Ver. 15. Look down from heaven.] Affectus dolentium atque ardenter petentium scite exprimuntur, a pathetic and pithy prayer.
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And behold from the habitation of thy holiness, &c.] They pray otherwise now than when the temple stood; {Psa 121:1} now they look higher, and oh that they would do so! The modern Jews pray thus daily; but because not from a right principle, they are not heard.
Where is thy zeal?] Thine ancient fervour and forwardness in vindicating thy people, and being avenged of their enemies.
The sounding (rumbling or yearning) of thy bowels, &c.] Sometimes God seemeth to lose his mercy, and then we must find it for him, as here; sometimes to sleep or delay, and then we must waken, quicken him. {Psa 40:17 Isa 62:7}
Are they restrained?] Chrysostom {a} exhorteth people, whether God grant or not, to pray still; for when God denies, it is as good as if he grants. And if we pray for any temporal mercy, the very ability to pray is better than the thing we pray for; for "whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
{a} Hom. 30, in Genes.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Look down from heaven: now they, or the prophet,…
Look down from heaven: now they, or the prophet, begin to pray, and expostulate with God, and to argue both from the goodness of his nature, and from the greatness of his works that he had done. God sees every where and every thing, but he is said to
look down from heaven, because there is his throne, whereon he sits in great majesty and splendour.
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Behold is added to note that he would not only barely see and look on, but that he would behold with regard, and respect his poor people in captivity.
The habitation of thy holiness; a description of heaven by a periphrasis, frequently used and explained, Deu 26:15. W here is thy zeal? what is become of that love which of old would not let time suffer thy people to be wronged? Isa 37:32.
Thy strength; that power of thine manifested in those valiant acts which thou didst put forth for thy people, Psa 145:11,12; 150:2; see Jer 14:9.
The sounding of thy bowels: by the sounding thereof may be understood those sympathizing sighs and compassionate groans that proceed from the bowels when they are affected, which being thought the subject of pity are often by a metonymy put for compassion, and hence proceed those rumblings of the bowels occasioned by strong passions called yearnings: it is spoken of God after the manner of men. Is all this shut up from me? Thou art naturally so compassionate, dost thou lay a restraint upon thyself, that thy bowels shall not move towards me?
Are they restrained? or canst thou be thus straitened? Psa 77:7-9; Isa 64:12; an expostulation, that agrees very well with the next verse,
Doubtless, & c. How can this come to pass?
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry1710 · Public DomainOn v15The foregoing praises were intended as an introduction to…
The foregoing praises were intended as an introduction to this prayer, which is continued to the end of the next chapter, and it is an affectionate, importunate, pleading prayer. It is calculated for the time of the captivity. As they had promises, so they had prayers, prepared for them against that time of need, that they might take with them words in turning to the Lord, and say unto him what he himself taught them to say, in which they might the better hope to prevail, the words being of God's own inditing. Some good interpreters think this prayer looks further, and that it expresses the complaints of the Jews under their last and final rejection from God and destruction by the Romans; for there is one passage in it (Isa 64:4) which is applied to the grace of the gospel by the apostle (Co1 2:9), that grace for the rejecting of which they were rejected. In these verses we may observe,
I. The petitions they put up to God. 1. That he would take cognizance of their case and of the desires of their souls towards him: Look down from heaven, and behold, Isa 63:15. They knew very well that God sees all, but they prayed that he would regard them, would condescend to favour them, would look upon them with an eye of compassion and concern, as he looked upon the affliction of his people in Egypt when he was about to appear for their deliverance. In begging that he would only look down upon them and behold them they did in effect appeal to his justice against their enemies, and pray for judgment against them (as Jehoshaphat, Ch2 20:11, Ch2 20:12, Behold, how they reward us. Wilt thou not judge them?), implicitly confiding in his mercy and wisdom as to the way in which he will relieve them (Psa 25:18, Look upon my affliction and my pain): Look down from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory. God's holiness is his glory. Heaven is his habitation, the throne of his glory, where he most manifests his glory, and whence he is said to look down upon the earth, Psa 33:14. His holiness is in a special manner celebrated there by the blessed angels (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8); there his holy ones attend him, and are continually about him; so that it is the habitation of his holiness. It is an encouragement to all his praying people, who desire to be holy as he is holy, that he dwells in a holy place. 2. That he would take a course for their relief (Isa 63:17): "Return; change thy way towards us, and proceed not in thy controversy with us; return in mercy, and let us have not only a gracious look towards us, but thy gracious presence with us." God's people dread nothing more than his departures from them and desire nothing more than his returns to them.
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II. The complaints they made to God. Two things they complained of: - 1. That they were given up to themselves, and God's grace did not recover them, Isa 63:17. It is a strange expostulation, "Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, that is, many among us, the generality of us; and this complaint we have all of us some cause to make that thou hast hardened our heart from thy fear." Some make it to be the language of those among them that were impious and profane; when the prophets reproved them for the error of their ways, their hardness of heart, and contempt of God's word and commandments, they with a daring impudence charged their sin upon God, made him the author of it, and asked why doth he then find fault? Note, Those are wicked indeed that lay the blame of their wickedness upon God. But I rather take it to be the language of those among them that lamented the unbelief and impenitence of their people, not accusing God of being the author of their wickedness, but complaining of it to him. They owned that they had erred from God's ways, that their hearts had been hardened from his fear, that they had not received the impressions which the fear of God ought to make upon them and this was the cause of all their errors from his ways; or from his fear may mean from the true worship of God, and that is a hard heart indeed which is alienated from the service of a God so incontestably great and good. Now this they complain of, as their great misery and burden, that God had for their sins left them to this, had permitted them to err from his ways and had justly withheld his grace, so that their hearts were hardened from his fear. When they ask, Why hast thou done this? it is not as charging him with wrong, but lamenting it as a sore judgment. God had caused them to err and hardened their hearts, not only by withdrawing his Spirit from them, because they had grieved, and vexed, and quenched him (Isa 63:10), but by a judicial sentence upon them (Go, make the heart of this people fat, Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10) and by his providences concerning them, which had proved sad occasions for their departure from him. David complains of his banishment, because in it he was in effect bidden to go and serve other gods, Sa1 26:19. Their troubles had alienated many of them from God, and prejudiced them against his service; and, because the rod of the wicked had lain long on their lot, they were ready to put forth their hand unto iniquity (Psa 125:3), and this was the thing they complained most of; their afflictions were their temptations, and to many of them invincible ones. Note, Convinced consciences complain most of spiritual judgments and dread that most in an affliction which draws them from God and duty. 2. That they were given up to their enemies, and God's providence did not rescue and relieve them (Isa 63:18): Our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. As it was a grief to them that in their captivity the generality of them had lost their affection to God's worship, and had their hearts hardened from it by their affliction, so it was a further grief that they were deprived of their opportunities of worshipping God in solemn assemblies. They complained not so much of the adversaries treading down their houses and cities as of their treading down God's sanctuary, because thereby God was immediately affronted, and they were robbed of the comforts they valued most and took most pleasure in.
III. The pleas they urged with God for mercy and deliverance. 1. They pleaded the tender compassion God used to show to his people and his ability and readiness to appear for them, Isa 63:15. The most prevailing arguments in prayer are those that are taken from God himself; such these are. Where is thy zeal and thy strength? God has a zeal for his own glory, and for the comfort of his people; his name is Jealous; and he is a jealous God; and he has strength proportionable to secure his own glory and the interest of his people, in despite of all opposition. Now where are these? Have they not formerly appeared? Why do they not appear now? It cannot be that divine zeal, which is infinitely wise and just, should be cooled, that divine strength, which is infinite, should be weakened. Nay, his people had experienced not only his zeal and his strength, but the sounding of his bowels, or rather the yearning of them, such a degree of compassion to them as in men causes a commotion and agitation within them, as Hos 11:8, My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together; and Jer 31:20, My bowels are troubled (or sound) for him. "Thus God used to be affected towards his people, and to express a multitude of mercies towards them; but where are they now? Are they restrained? Psa 77:9. Has God, who so often remembered to be gracious, now forgotten to be so? Has he in anger shut up his tender mercies? It can never be." Note, We may ground good expectations of further mercy upon our experiences of former mercy. 2. They pleaded God's relation to them as their Father (Isa 63:16): "Thy tender mercies are not restrained, for they are the tender mercies of a father, who, though he may be for a time displeased with his child, will yet, through the force of natural affection, soon be reconciled. Doubtless thou art our Father, and therefore thy bowels will years towards us." Such good thoughts of God as these we should always keep up in our hearts. However it be, yet God is good; for he is our Father. They own themselves fatherless if he be not their Father, and so cast themselves upon him with whom the fatherless findeth mercy, Hos 14:3. It was the honour of their nation that they had Abraham to their father (Mat 3:9), who was the friend of God, and Israel, who was a prince with God; but what the better were they for that unless they had God himself for their Father? "Abraham and Israel cannot help us; they have not the power that God has; they are dead long since, and are ignorant of us, and acknowledge us not; they know not what our case is, nor what our wants are, and therefore know not which way to do us a kindness. If Abraham and Israel were alive with us, they would intercede for us and advise us; but they have gone to the other world, and we know not that they have any communication at all with this world, and therefore they are not capable of doing us any kindness any further than that we have the honour of being called their children." When the father is dead his sons come to honour and he knows it not, Job 14:21. "But thou, O Lord! art our Father still (the fathers of our flesh may call themselves ever-loving; but they are not ever-living; it is God only that is the immortal Father, that always knows us, and is never at a distance from us), and therefore our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name, the name by which we will know and own thee. It is the name by which from of old thou hast been known; thy people have always looked upon thee as the God to whom they might appeal to redress their grievances and plead their cause. Nay" (according to the sense some give of this place), "though Abraham and Israel not only cannot, but would not, help us, thou wilt. They have not the pity thou hast. We are so degenerate and corrupt that Abraham and Israel would not own us for their children, yet we fly to thee as our Father. Abraham cast out his son Ishmael; Jacob disinherited his son Reuben and cursed Simeon and Levi; but our heavenly Father, in pardoning sin, is God, and not man," Hos 11:9. 3. They pleaded God's interest in them, that he was their Lord, their owner and proprietor: "We are thy servants; what service we can do thou art entitled to, and therefore we ought not to serve strange kings and strange gods: Return for thy servants' sake." As a father finds himself obliged by natural affection to relieve and protect his child, so a master thinks himself obliged in honour to rescue and protect his servant: "We are thine by the strongest engagements, as well as the highest endearments. Thou hast borne rule over us; therefore, Lord, assert thy own interest, maintain thy own right; for we are called by thy name, and therefore whither shall we go but to thee, to be righted and protected? We are thine, save us (Psa 119:94), thy own, acknowledge us. We are the tribes of thy inheritance, not only thy servants, but thy tenants; we are thine, not only to do work for thee, but to pay rent to thee. The tribes of Israel are God's inheritance, whence issue the little praise and worship that he receives from this lower world; and wilt thou suffer thy own servants and tenants to be thus abused?" 4. They pleaded that they had had but a short enjoyment of the land of promise and the privileges of the sanctuary (Isa 63:18): The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while. From Abraham to David were but fourteen generations, and from David to the captivity but fourteen more (Mat 1:17), and that was but a little while in comparison with what might have been expected from the promise of the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession (Gen 17:8) and from the power that was put forth to bring them into that land and settle them in it. "Though we are the people of thy holiness, distinguished from other people and consecrated to thee, yet we are soon dislodged." But this they might thank themselves for; they were, in profession, the people of God's holiness, but it was their wickedness that turned them out of the possession of that land. 5. They pleaded that those who had and kept possession of their land were such as were strangers to God, such as he had no service or honour from: "Thou never didst bear rule over them, nor did they ever yield thee any obedience; they were not called by thy name, but professed relation to other gods and were the worshippers of them. Will God suffer those that do not stand in any relation to him to trample upon those that do?" Some give another reading of this: "We have become as those over whom thou didst never bear rule and who were never called by thy name; we are rejected and abandoned, despised and trampled upon, as if we never had been in thy service nor had thy name called upon us." Thus the shield of Saul was vilely cast away, as though he had not been anointed with oil. But the covenant that seems to be forgotten shall be remembered again.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Look down from heaven,.... Here begins the prayer of…
Look down from heaven,.... Here begins the prayer of the church and people of God, which continues to the end of the chapter, goes through the next, and the answer to which begins at Isa 65:1. Aben Ezra calls it the prayer of the wise in captivity: it seems to be the petition of some converts among the Jews, either in the first times of the Gospel, or in the latter day; who entreat that the Lord would "look down from heaven", the third heaven, the seat of his majesty, where is his throne of glory, and his presence is most visible to angels and glorified saints; this is on high, as the phrase imports; and the persons below, on earth, at his footstool, whom he is desired to look down upon, and which to do is a great condescension in him, Psa 113:6, and this is to be understood, not of that general view of persons and things, which he is always taking, Psa 33:13, but of a special look of love, grace, and mercy; such an one with which he looks upon his people in Christ, with complacency and delight: indeed his eyes are always on them, and never withdrawn from them; he ever looks upon them, to preserve and protect them, to communicate unto them, to support them under their afflictions, and to deliver out of them; but because of this they are not always sensible, but are ready to conclude that he looks off from them, and turns his back upon them, therefore they desire him to return, look down, and behold; see Psa 80:14,
and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory; this is a description of heaven, as the dwelling place of God, who is most holy, holiness itself, in whom that perfection is most glorious, and which is displayed in all his works; and hence heaven is a holy as well as a high place, and where none but holy persons dwell; and which is a glorious place, where the glory of God is displayed, the glory of Christ is seen, and which is glory itself; and from hence the holy God is desired to behold; what creatures, dust, and ashes, sinful ones, polluted worms, at his footstool, a poor and an afflicted people:
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where is thy zeal, and thy strength? his "jealousy" of his great name, and of his own glory; his jealousy of his dear people, that they are not wronged and injured; his "fervent love", and warm affections for them, of which he has given pregnant proofs; which, shed abroad in the heart, warms that, and is what many waters cannot quench: this indeed is not always alike manifest, and therefore unbelief asks where it is, as if it was quite gone; or, however, faith prays for a fresh manifestation of it. The "strength" or power of God has appeared in creation, and in the sustentation of all things; in Christ, the man of his right hand; in strengthening his people, destroying their enemies, and delivering them; and yet this not appearing sometimes at once, immediately for their help and protection, they ask where it is: it follows:
the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? the noise and rumbling of the bowels, to which the allusion is, are sometimes occasioned by the working of strong passions, as fear and love, and which produce what is called the yearning of the bowels; of which there are instances in Joseph, and in the harlot in Solomon's time, Gen 43:30, the tender mercies of God, his pity and compassion, are expressed hereby, to which are owing the mission of his Son, the forgiveness of sins, and help and relief under afflictions; see Luk 1:77, now it is asked, where are those?
are they restrained? it was thought they were shut up in anger, and would not be let out again; see Psa 77:7. The phrase "towards me", in the former clause, seems, according to the accents, to belong to this; and should be read, "are they restrained towards me" (d)? or "shut up from me?" the Lord seemed to harden his heart against his church and people, and to have no heart of compassion towards them, as they imagined.
(d) "erga me continerent se", Montanus; "continerent?" Junius & Tremellius; "erga me sese continent?" Piscator; "cohibeant se erga me?" Gataker; so Ben Melech; "quae se erga me continent?" Vitringa.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Look - Now the prophet begins to expostulate with…
Look - Now the prophet begins to expostulate with God, and to argue both from the goodness of his nature, and from the greatness of his works. God sees everywhere, and every thing, but he is said to look down from heaven, because there is his throne whereon he sits in majesty. Behold - Not barely see, but behold with regard, and respect thy poor people. Where - What is become of that love, which of old would not let thee suffer thy people to be wronged? Strength - That power of thine manifested in those great acts? The founding - This is spoken of God after the manner of men.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Verse 15. And thy strength - "And thy mighty…
Verse 15. And thy strength - "And thy mighty power" ] For גבורתיך geburotheycha, plural, thirty-two MSS. (seven ancient) and twenty-one of De Rossi's, and seven editions, have גבורתך geburathecha, singular.
Are they restrained?] For אלי elai, from (or in regard to) me, the Septuagint and Syriac read אלינו eleynu, from us. - L.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn vv15, 17Isa 63:15-16. Look down from heaven — In this…
Isa 63:15-16. Look down from heaven — In this excellent and pious prayer of the first-fruits of the converted Jews, in which they entreat God, for his grace and mercy, to behold them with an eye of compassion, they argue both from the goodness of his nature, and from the greatness of the works which he had formerly done for them. God sees everywhere and every thing; but he is said to look down from heaven, because there is his throne, whereon he reigns in majesty. Behold, &c. — Not barely see and look on, but behold, with regard and respect, thy poor people. Where is thy zeal? — What is become of that love which of old would not let thee suffer thy people to be wronged? And thy strength? — That power of thine manifested in those great acts which thou didst perform for thy people?
The sounding of thy bowels — This is spoken of God after the manner of men. The meaning is, where are thy tender compassions and mercies which thou formerly showedst toward us? and which thy servants have compared to the affection that a mother bears to her children? Are they restrained? — Or, canst thou be thus straitened? An expostulation that agrees well with the next verse. Doubtless thou art our Father — Our only hope is in the relation we have to thee, that thou hast vouchsafed to call thyself our Father: we, therefore, as thy children, expect to find in thee the bowels and compassions of a father. Though Abraham be ignorant of us — Though he who was our father after the flesh, be dead, and so ignorant of our condition. And Israel acknowledge us not — Though Jacob, who also was our father, should disown us because of our degeneracy. Thou, O Lord, art our Father — Thou art neither unacquainted with our state, nor wilt disown thy relation to us, but wilt continue to act the part of a father and redeemer to thy people. Thy name is from everlasting — Thy gracious and merciful nature and attributes are eternal and unchangeable.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes1834 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Look down from heaven - This commences an earnest…
Look down from heaven - This commences an earnest appeal that God would have mercy on them in their present calamities and trials. They entreat him to remember his former mercies, and to return and bless them, as he had done in ancient times.
And behold from the habitation - (See the notes at Isa 57:15).
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Where is thy zeal - That is, thy former zeal for thy people; where is now the proof of the interest for their welfare which was vouchsafed in times that are past.
And thy strength - The might which was formerly manifested for their deliverance and salvation.
The sounding of thy bowels - Margin, ‘Multitude.’ The word rendered ‘sounding’ (המון hâmôn), means properly a noise or sound, as of rain; 1Ki 18:41; of singing, Eze 26:13; of a multitude, 1Sa 4:14; 1Sa 14:19. It also means a multitude, or a crowd of people Isa 13:4; Isa 33:3. Here it relates to an emotion or affection of the mind; and the phrase denotes compassion, or tender concern for them in their sufferings. It is derived from the customary expression in the Bible that the bowels, that is, the organs in the region of the chest - for so the word is used in the Scriptures - were the seat of the emotions, and were supposed to be affected by any strong and tender emotion of the mind (see the notes at Isa 16:11). The idea here is, ‘Where is thy former compassion for thy people in distress?’
Are they restrained? - Are they witcheld? Are thy mercies to be exercised no more?
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary1859 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Back. This is spoken by the prophet in the…
Back. This is spoken by the prophet in the person of the Jews, at the time when for their sins they were given up to their enemies. (Challoner) --- Judas uses the same language at Maspha, 1 Machabees iii. 50. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures1864 · Public DomainOn v15Chap Isa_63:15-19 a (19)
2. PRAYER THAT THE LORD MIGHT LOOK UPON THEN AND REMOVE SIN AND ITS PUNISHMENT
Chap Isa_63:15-19 a (19)
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15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory:
Where is thy zeal and thy strength,
9The sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me?
10Are they restrained?
16 Doubtless thou art our father,
11Though Abraham be ignorant of us,
And Israel acknowledge us not:
Thou, O Lord, art our father, 12our redeemer;
Thy name is from everlasting.
17 O Lord, 13why hast thou made us to err from thy ways,
And hardened our heart from thy fear?
Return for thy servants’ sake,
14The tribes of thine inheritance.
18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while:
Our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.
19 15We are thine:
Thou never barest rule over them:
16They were not called by thy name.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
Isa_63:16. [“According to the accents the words מעולם גאלנו are connected together. The more correct accentuation would be גאלנו Tifha, מעולם Mercha. From remote antiquity Jahve had acted toward Israel in such a way that the latter could call him גאלנו. What takes place in the present time is so different as to put faith to a hard trial. Translate: Our Redeemer is from ancient time thy name.” Delitzsch.—D. M.].
Isa_63:18. בוססו, Pilel from בּוּם (Isa_63:6; Isa_14:19; Isa_14:25) is to tread dow, καταπατεῖν, and includes the idea of profaning and defiling.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. After laying the foundation for His prayer by the retrospect of what Jehovah had been of old to His people, the suppliant now passes over to the entreaty that the Lord would graciously look down from heaven on the present distress, and not restrain His love and might (Isa_63:15). He still remains the Father of the people, after Abraham and Israel, who had been long ago removed by death, have become strangers to them so far as rendering actual aid is concerned (Isa_63:16). With great boldness the Lord is expostulated with for permitting the people to go astray and to become hardened, and He is called upon to change His conduct towards His elect people (Isa_63:17). The complaint is made to Him that the people had possessed only for a short time the land promised to them as an inheritance for ever, while the centre of the land, the Sanctuary, which alone gives the country its value, had been trodden down by their enemies (Isa_63:18), so that Israel is now situated as if Jehovah had never been their Lord, and His name had never been called upon them (Isa_63:19 a).
2. Look down from heaven—restrained.
Isa_63:15.רָאָה more frequently follows than precedes הִבִּיט. The Lord has to look down from heaven, for thither He has as it were retired. He is no more to be found in His earthly sanctuary, but only in His heavenly. [But compare Deu_26:15; Psa_115:3. The prayer is rather founded on the acknowledged truth, “The Lord looketh from heaven. …. From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.” Psa_33:13-14. D. M.]. Solomon had said in his dedicatory prayer (1Ki_8:13 comp. 2Ch_6:2) “I have built thee a house to dwell in (בֵּית זְבֻל).” To this passage the suppliant seems to allude, when he asks the Lord to look down from the habitation of His holiness and glory. For the earthly בֵּית זְבֻל is destroyed. The word זְבֻל is found only here in Isaiah. Once more the suppliant returns to what he misses. He asks again with אַיֵּה: Where is thy zeal and thy mighty deeds? The zeal of Jehovah is twofold: against His people, so far they make common cause with those who hate the Lord. For then they have the Lord who is a zealous God (Exo_20:5; Deu_4:24; Deu_5:9) against them. But the zeal of Jehovah, is also active for His people, against the enemies of the theocracy (comp. Isa_9:6; Isa_26:11; Isa_37:32; Isa_42:13; Isa_59:17). The expression המון מעים, strepitus viscerum, as image of the emotion of compassion, of commiseratio, is found in the form of a substantive only here, but the verbal expression occurs, Isa_16:11; Jer_31:20; Jer_48:30.In אֵלַי observe the change of number. התאפק, se cohibere, comp. Isa_42:14; Isa_54:11.
3. Doubtless thou——everlasting.
Isa_63:16. [The E. V. departs in two instances in this verse from the proper signification of כִּי, rendering it in the first, doubtless, and in the second, though. In both cases its strict sense of for, because, can be retained, as is—done by Dr. Naegelsbach. But we prefer taking the second כִּי as=when, which in this connection does not differ much from though. D. M.].
Isa_63:16 declares the reason why Israel entreats the Lord to be pleased to look upon their need and to manifest His power and love on them. Jehovah alone is the true Father of Israel. They have indeed also human progenitors who stand in high honor and authority; Abraham (comp. Isa_51:2) as their remote, and Israel, the strong contender with God (Gen_32:28), their immediate ancestor. But these are men, are long dead, and incapable from their present abode outside this world, to take knowledge (הִכִּירdignovit, Isa_61:9) of Israel’s lot; not to say that they could not possibly interpose to render them active support. [This is not very satisfactory, though the view of Vitringa, Delitzsch and the best interpreters. But if we take the second כִּי in the common sense of when, and translate “For thou art our Father when Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us,” then the idea would be that natural affection and regard would cease rather than that God’s paternal love should fail, or His covenant of adoption be annulled. Such a sense is very appropriate. See Psa_27:10. Comp. Calvin on our passage. Kay remarks, “This verse and Isa_64:8 are the only places in the Old Testament where the address Our Father is used in prayer. The Spirit of adoption was not yet given (Gal_4:4-6).” D.M.].
4. O Lord, why hast thou—thy name. Isa_63:17-19 a. Jerome understands the words of ver.17 as an utterance of the apostate Jews. As Paul in the Epistles to the Corinthians addresses pious and ungodly persons, so here both the pious and the ungodly speak to God. These latter are said here, “movere Domino quaestionem, et suam culpam referre in Deum.” Jerome, however, vindicates God, and says that in reality God is not the cause of error and hardness of heart, but that error and obduracy are only mediately occasioned by His patience, while He does not chastise offenders. Theodoret makes the Jews here directly reproach God with having by His patience incurred the guilt of their delinquencies. Oecolampadius regards this passage as having a double sense. As an utterance of the ungodly it contains actual blasphemy (blasphema inter precandum dicunt: suam culpam in Deum transcribunt), while in the mouth of the godly it expresses only the painful confession that they, after the withdrawal of the divine grace and help, could not but go astray. Calvin disputes all softening of the language by the assumption of foreknowledge or permission. But he makes a distinction. He distinguishes between an indirect or negative hardening (rite excoecare, indurare, inclinare dicitur, quibus facultatem videndi, parendi, recte exsequendi adimit), and a direct or positive (when He per Satanam et consilia reproborum destinat, quo visum est, et voluntates excitat et conatus firmat). As instances of the latter kind he cites Pharaoh (Exo_4:21; Exo_7:3; Exo_10:1, etc.), and Sihon the king of the Amorites (Deu_2:30). For the first-mentioned kind he appeals to Eze_7:26; Psa_107:40; Job_12:20; Job_12:24 and to the passage before us (comp. Institutio II, 4, 3 sq.). Whether that indirect hardening, of which Calvin speaks, is essentially different from the permissive, may be doubted. I therefore believe that all those interpreters—and they form the majority—who understand this passage of the divine permission, mean nothing else than what Calvin intends by tbat former kind of hardening. For the cessatio directionis divinae, the ablatio spiritus, the sublatio luminis is just nothing else than that procedure of God by which He makes sin possible, or permits it. Luther, in particular, belongs to those who explain our place in the permissive sense, and with his fine feeling he is able, without doing violence to the words, to remove what causes offence from them. He says: “Sunt verba ardentis affectus. Ah, Domine, quare sinis nos sic errare? Nos hunc affectum non intelligimus, quare privative accipiemus, ut sit sententia: quia noluimusaudire tuum verbum, permisisti nos errare et peccare; sicut fit, peccatum peccati est poena.” And certainly in the mouth of the suppliant church Isa_63:17 can never be taken as a blasphemous reproach. But the church in the deepest sorrow, and during a momentary eclipse of the future prospect before her, feels herself driven to put this question, Why ? Not as if she would say that there exists no reason, or only a bad one, but simply to intimate that she does not perceive the reason, that here the providence of God appears to her dark, inexplicable. The church mourns because the Lord has not hindered her going astray, her hardening in evil, which exists not indeed in all, but in many of her members. She thinks that He, the Almighty, could have done it, if He had wished. That He has not willed it is to her inconceivable. She does not even see how this, her partial apostasy must, on the whole, co-operate to the realization of God’s gracious counsel. The statement in this verse is in harmony with Isa_6:9-10, and with Isa_29:10; Isa_45:7. [But in Isa_45:7 the evil which God creates is physical evil or pain, the opposite of peace.—D. M.]. For here, as there, God is apparently designated as the author of evil, while yet God can never will evil as such. But when men do not will the good, then they must at last will the evil. It becomes a necessity in the way of punishment, in order that they may be thoroughly acquainted with it, and be thereby healed (see on Isa_6:9 sq. and Isa_29:10). As an unauthorized weakening of the genuine meaning of this place I must regard it when Seb. Schmidt and Grotius understand the words de futuro: Why shall it then come to this, that we go astray and harden ourselves in idolatry? The imperfects (futures) תתענו and תקשׁיח can only be taken to mean an action not yet finished, and therefore only in the sense of the enduring present. If we ask what sin the Prophet specially has in view when he speaks of erring and hardening, we must say that this erring and hardening can take place in all forms of sin, but that, in the end, all these evil fruits have a common root, namely, the sin against the first (second) commandment, idolatry. We must, of course, think here not only of gross, but also of refined idolatry. The Rabbinical commentators are of the opinion that the Prophet has here in view, doubt, despair and unbelief as the consequences of the long duration of the Exile. This is quite possible, if we think not merely of the Babylonish Captivity, but also, and specially, of the present exile that still continues. But the look of the Prophet is primarily directed to the Babylonian exile, and regarding it we must say that it became to many Jews an occasion even of visible apostacy from Jehovah and of gross idolatry. קָשַׁח (certainly hardened from קָשָׁה) occurs besides here only in Job_39:16, where it has the signification “to regard or treat harshly.” before יראתך has here a negative force, and the sentence expresses a consequence, so as not to fear thee. Comp. Isa_62:10; Isa_59:1-2 et saepe. While the Prophet sees the Lord, as it were, engaged in a woful work, the work namely of judicially hardening ever more the mass of Israel after the flesh, he becomes anxious for Israel as a body. If this continues, what shall become of the elect people? Who will be able to withstand the current of inward and outward corruption? Therefore he entreats the Lord not to continue to act in this way, but to revorse the course He is pursuing. The Prophet has very probably Num_10:36 before his mind in using the word שׁוּב. Accordingly, as the verb is intransitive, we have to regard שׁבטי נ׳, not as in apposition to עבריך, but as the accusative of place dependent on שׁוּב. Then we obtain the idea that the Prophet conceives the erring and hardening spoken of as caused by the Lord turning away from Israel, and leaving them to their fate. He is here besought, in opposition to this, to return to the tribes of His inheritance, and that for His servants’ sake. Who are these servants? They can only be those who faithfully serve the Lord in distinction from those who err and harden themselves. But the Prophet means by these servants not merely those who in the present time have remained faithful, but all faithful servants of Jehovah of all times. He thinks especially of the patriarchs who first received the promises. It is for the sake of all His faithful servants that the Lord does not entirely reject Israel. That Israel here bears the designation the tribes of thine inheritance is doubtless because the Prophet wishes thereby to point to Jehovah’s election of Israel to be His סְגֻּלָּה (Exo_19:5; Deu_7:6 et saepe), His specially dear to Him and inalienable inheritance (Isa_19:25; Isa_47:6). To the complaint of the decay of religious life (Isa_63:17) there is added (Isa_63:18-19 a) a complaint regarding the mournful external relations, the fruit of that internal decay. The subject of יָֽרְשׁוּ can only be עס־קדשׁך. If we take צרינו as subject, as many do, we must then take לַמּצְעָר in a signification which it has not. For מִצְעָר (besides here Gen_19:20; Job_8:7; Psa_42:7; 2Ch_24:24) is the harder form of מִזְעָר, which latter occurs in no other Old Testament writer than Isaiah, who has it in Isa_10:25; Isa_29:17; Isa_16:14; Isa_14:6. The signification is everywhere paulum, a little. The word is synonymous with מְעַט, which word in all these places of Isaiah (with exception of the last-mentioned, Isa_24:6,) is joined to מזער. If now we take צרינו as subject, we must take למוער in the sense of pro-pemodum, parum abest quin, almost, nearly, as Cocceius, Luther and Stier do. But then the form should be כְּמִוְעָר after the analogy of כִּמְעַט. Further,למצער can neither be=מצער without לְ (LXX.) nor=nullo pretio, sine labore (Jerome). למצער can only be a particle of time, and mean for a short time. Many are inclined to regard מקרשׁך as the common object of ירשׁו and בוססו, while they take מקדשׁ either as a designation of the whole land, or of the temple alone. But the whole land is never called מקדשׁ, and the expression ידשׁ cannot well be employed of the temple. We must, too, in that case refer למצער to both sentences. For it stands as emphatically at the beginning as מקדשׁך stands at the close. I, therefore, agree with Delitzsch in taking ירשׁו absolutely, and in understanding as its object the land. This object could be easily omitted, as ידשׁ is used countless times both of the taking of the holy land into possession, and of the holding of it in possession. The word, too, is often employed absolutely: Deu_2:24; Deu_2:31; Gen_21:10; 2Sa_14:7; Mic_1:15, et saepe. Although למצעד is a rhetorical hyperbole, it is yet justified, inasmuch as, if the Lord does not hear the prayer contained inIsa Isa_63:17 b, the time during which Israel possessed the land would be short in comparison with the following permanent exclusion from its possession. The treading down of the Sanctuary is regarded as the dissolving of the bond of connection between Israel and his God. Israel stands, therefore, now as a people over which Jehovah has never ruled. It is no more distinguished in anything from the heathen nations. Before מעולם, which must be connected with what follows, אֲשֶׁד is to be supplied. According to our way of speaking כַּֽאֲשֶׁר would be required. [In the E. V. the important word thine is arbitrarily supplied. Dr. Naegelsbach’s rendering is here to be preferred: We are become as those over whom thou never barest rule, (or didst not rule from ancient time), on whom thy name was never called.—D. M.]. That Israel has been, as it were, marked with the name of Jehovah, and thus distinguished from all nations, is always set forth as one of its greatest privileges (comp. Deu_28:10; 2Ch_7:14; Jer_14:9, et saepe. Comp. Isa_43:7; Isa_65:1). [The first verse of chap. 44 in the E. V. forms the latter part of Isa_63:19 of the preceding chapter in the Hebrew text. It is convenient in the Commentary to adhere to the division of chapters and verses observed in the Hebrew Bible. Accordingly, what stands in the English Bible as the first verse of chap 64 appears in the Commentary as the conclusion of Isa_63:19. And in conformity with this arrangement chap, 64 instead of twelve, has only eleven verses.—D. M.].
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. On Isa_63:7. [“God does good because He is good; what He bestows upon us must be run up to the original, it is according to His mercies, not according to our merits, andaccording to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses, which can never be spent. Thus we should magnify God’s goodness, and speak honorably of it, not only when we plead it (as David Psa_51:1), but when we praise it.” Henry. D. M.].
2. On Isa_63:9. The angel of the face or presence belongs to “the deep things of God" (1Co_2:10). It is not right to imagine that a certain and exhaustive knowledge is possible in reference to these things. The humility which becomes even science, imposes on it the duty to write everywhere a non liquet, where, through the nature of things, limits are placed to human knowledge. Not to regard these limitations is the manner of the pseudo-scientific, immodest scholasticism. What, therefore, we have said regarding the angel of the face makes no higher pretension than that of a modest hypothesis. [Comp. in Hengstenberg’s Christology, Vol. Isaiah 1 : The Angel of the Lord in the books of Moses and in the book of Joshua.—D. M.].
3. On Isa_63:10. “There are two ways in which the Holy Ghost is offended or vexed. One way is of a less dreadful nature. It is when a man takes from the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work in the soul for its joy, as He is wont to communicate to it His gracious influence and His gracious operations. When such is the case, then as an offended friend when He perceives that no heed is given to most of His counsels, the Holy Spirit is grieved, and, although reluctantly, ceases for a time to advise the stubborn, ut carendo discat quantum peccaverit. Of this kind of grieving Paul speaks Eph_4:30. It can be committed by the godly and the elect. But the Holy Spirit can be offended and vexed in a gross and flagitious way, when one not only does not believe and follow Him, but also obstinately resists Him, despises all His counsel, reviles and blasphemes Him, will none of His reproof (Pro_1:24-25), gives the lie to His truth, and so speaks against the sun… This the Scripture calls ἀντιπίπτειν (Act_7:51), ἐνυβρίζειν (Heb_10:29), βλασφημεῖν (Mat_12:31), θεομαχεῖν (Act_5:39). Let us, therefore, not grieve the Holy Spirit with evil desires, words and deeds, that we may be able on the future day of redemption to show that seal uninjured with which we were sealed on that day of our redemption when we were regenerated. To this end let us assiduously breathe forth the prayers of David Psa_143:10; Psa_51:12-14.” Leigh.
4. On Isa_63:10. [They rebelled and vexed His Holy Spirit. This statement implies the personality of the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of God’s holiness. He is represented as a person whom we can grieve. We have in this passage clear indications of the doctrine of the Trinity. In Isa_63:9 we have the Angel of God’s face, and in Isa_63:10 we have the Spirit of His holiness, both clearly distinguished from God the fountain of their being.—D. M.].
5. On Isa_63:11. “Faith asks after God and so does unbelief, but in different ways. Both put the question, Where? Faith does it to seek God in time of need, and to tell Him trustfully of His old kindnesses. Unbelief does it to tempt God, to deny Him, to lead others into temptation, and to make them doubt regarding the divine presence and providence. Therefore it asks: “Where is the God of judgment” (Mal_2:17)? “Where is now thy God "(Psa_42:4; Psa_42:11; Psa_79:10; Psa_115:2)? If you, as the praying Church here does, ask in the former manner diligently after God, you will be preserved from the other kind of asking.” Leigh.
6. On Isa_63:15. “Meritum meum miseratio Domini. Non sum meriti inops, quando ille miserationum Dominus non defuerit, et si misericordiae Domini multae, multus ego sum in meritis.” Augustine.
7. On Isa_63:16. “We can from this sentence [?] cogently refute the doctrine of the invocation of the Saints. For the Saints know nothing of us, and are not personally acquainted with us, much less can they know the concerns of our hearts, or hear our cry, for they are not omnipresent. If it be alleged that God makes matters known to them and that they then pray for us, what a round-about business this would be! It would justify the prayer said to have been made by a simple man: “Ah Lord God! tell it, I beseech thee, to the blessed Mary that I have told thee to tell it again to her, that she should tell thee that I have wished to say to her by so many Ave Marias and Pater Nosters, that she should say to thee to be pleased to be gracious unto me.” Meyer, de Rosariis, cap. III., thes. V., p. 52). With how much more brevity and efficacy do we pray with the penitent publican: God be merciful to me, a sinner! ”Leigh.
8. On Isa_63:17. “There is no more heinous sin than to accuse God of being the cause of our sin. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God (Jam_1:13; Psa_5:5; Deu_32:4; Ps. 92:16). He commands what is good, forbids and punishes what is evil. How then could He be the cause of it? But when He punishes sin with sin, i.e., when He at last withdraws from the sinner His grace that has been persistently despised, then He acts as a righteous Judge who inflicts the judgment of hardening the heart on those who wilfully resist His Spirit.” Leigh.
9. On Isaiah 66 [“This chapter is a model of affectionate and earnest entreaty for the divine interposition in the day of calamity. With such tender and affectionate earnestness may we learn to plead with God! Thus may all His people learn to approach Him as a Father; thus feel that they have the inestimable privilege in the times of trial of making known their wants to the High and Holy One. Thus when calamity presses on us; when as individuals or families we are afflicted; or when our country or the church is suffering under long trials, may we go to God, and humbly confess our sins, and urge His promises, and take hold of His strength, and plead with Him to interpose. Thus pleading, He will hear us; thus presenting our cause, He will interpose to save us.” Barnes. D. M.].
10. On Isa_64:3-4 a. [4, 5 a]. The God who appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, called Moses, and led by him the people of Israel out of Egypt, who chose Joshua, Samuel, David and others to be His servants and glorified Himself by them, this God alone has shown Himself to be the true and living God, and we can hope from Him that He will yet do more, and manifest Himself still more signally.
11. On Isa_64:4 [5]. [“Note what God expects from us in order to our having communion with Him. First, We must make conscience of doing our duty in everything, we must work righteousness, must do that which is good, and which the Lord our God requires of us, and must do it well. Secondly, We must be cheerful in doing our duty; we must rejoice and work righteousness, must delight ourselves in God and His law, must be pleasant in His service and sing at our work. God loves a cheerful giver, a cheerful worshipper; we must serve the Lord with gladness. Thirdly, We must conform ourselves to all the methods of His providence concerning us, and be suitably affected with them; must remember Him in Hisways, in all the ways wherein He walks, whether He walks towards us, or walks contrary to us; we must mind Him, and make mention of Him, with thanksgiving, when His ways are ways of mercy, for in a day of prosperity we mustbe joyful, with patience and submission when He contends with us, for in a day of adversity we must consider.” Henry. D. M.].
12. On Isa_64:7 [8]. [“This whole verse is an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God. It expresses the feeling which all have when under conviction of sin, and when they are sensible that they are exposed to the divine displeasure for their transgressions. Then they feel that if they are to be saved, it must be by the mere Sovereignty of God; and they implore His interposition to ‘mould and guide them at His will.’ It may be added, that it is only when sinners have this feeling that they hope for relief; and then they will feel that if they are lost, it will be right; if saved, it will be because God moulds them as the potter does the clay.” Barnes. D. M.].
HOMILETICAL HINTS
1. On Isa_63:7. Text for a Thanksgiving Sermon. What is our duty after that the Lord has shown us great loving kindness? 1) To remember what He has done to us. 2) To be mindful of what we ought to render to Him for the same.
2. On Isa_63:8-17. The history of the people of Israel a mirror in which we too may perceive the history of our relation to God. 1) God is to us from the beginning a loving and faithful Father (Isa_63:8-9). 2) We repay His love with ingratitude, as Israel did (Isa_63:10 a). 3) God punishes us for this as He punished Israel (Isa_63:10 b). 4) God receives us again to His favor when we, as Israel, call on Him in penitence (Isa_63:11-17).
On Isa_63:7-17. “If God in Christ has become our Father, He remains our Father to all eternity. 1) He is our Father in Christ. 2) He abides faithful even when we waIsa Isa_63:3) When we have fallen, His arms still stand open to receive us.” Deichert in Manch. G. u. ein Geist, 1868, page 65.
4. On Isa_64:5-7. Joh. Ben. Carpzov has a sermon on this text, in which he treats of righteousness, and shows 1) justitiam salvantem, i. e., the righteousness with which one enters the kingdom of heaven; 2) justitiam damnantem, i. e., the righteousness with which a man enters the fire of hell; 3) justitiam testantem, i. e., the righteousness by which a man testifies that he has attained the true righteousness.
5. On Isa_64:6-9. “Let us hear from our text an earnest and affecting confession of sin, and at the same time consider 1) the doctrine of repentance; 2) the comfort of forgiveness which believers receive.”—Eichhorn.
6. On Isa_64:6. (We all do fade, etc.) “These are very instructive words, from which we learn what a noxious plant sin is, and what fruit it brings forth. First, says he, we fade as a leaf. This means that sin brings with it the curse of God, and deprives us of His blessing both for the body and the soul, so that the heart is dissatisfied and distressed. Then it robs us of the highest treasure, confidence in the grace of God. For sin and an evil conscience awaken dread of God. As it is impossible to call upon God aright without faith and a sure persuasion of His aid, it follows that sin hinders prayer also, and thus robs us of the highest comfort. When men have no faith and cannot pray, then the awful punishment comes upon them, that God hides His face and leaves them to pine in their sins. For they cannot help themselves, and have lost the consolation and protection which they need in life.”—Veit Diet.
Footnotes:
[9]Or, the multitude.
[10]they are restrained.
[11]because.
[12]Or, our redeemer from everlasting is thy name.
[13]Why dost thou make us err.
[14]to the tribes.
[15]We have become as those over whom thou never barest rule, on whom thy name was not called.
[16]Or, thy name was not called upon them.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown1871 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Here begins a fervent appeal to God to pity…
Here begins a fervent appeal to God to pity Israel now on the ground of His former benefits.
habitation of . . . holiness-- (Isa 57:15; Deu 26:15; Ch2 30:27; Psa 33:14; Psa 80:14).
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zeal . . . strength--evinced formerly for Thy people.
sounding of . . . bowels--Thine emotions of compassion (Isa 16:11; Jer 31:20; Jer 48:36; Hos 11:8).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv16–1716. Doubtless — Rather, surely.
16. Doubtless — Rather, surely.
Thou art our Father — And to thee, not to Abraham, will we look for help. Their national privileges, derived through “Abraham,” had proved, through their own faithlessness, unsatisfactory and largely unfruitful; and now they would fain look to Him who not only appointed them, but especially could alone uphold the people, and make their relation as a separate nation fruitful of good to them.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv15–1715, 16. A piteous appeal to the Divine clemency,…
15, 16. A piteous appeal to the Divine clemency, based on Israel’s filial relation to Jehovah.
Look down from heaven, and behold] (Psa_80:14). By a natural anthropomorphism the O.T. attributes the prevalence of evil on earth to a suspension of Jehovah’s watchfulness; hence He is said to come down from heaven to enquire (Gen_18:21), or, as here, to look down (cf. Psa_14:2; Psa_102:19, &c.). To this writer it seems as if He had for the present withdrawn into His palace, and did not fully realise the sufferings of His people.
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where is thy zeal (or jealousy)] Cf. ch. Isa_59:17. For strength read with R.V. mighty acts.
the sounding of thy bowels] i.e. the yearning of thy compassion. See ch. Isa_16:11.
towards me? are they restrained] Rather, as R.V., are restrained towards me (LXX. “towards us”). Cf. ch. Isa_42:14.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn vv15–17(15) Look down from heaven . . .—The form…
(15) Look down from heaven . . .—The form of the prayer reminds us of 2Ch_6:21. Perhaps there is a latent remonstrance, as though Jehovah, like an Eastern king, had withdrawn to the recesses of His palace, and had ceased to manifest His care and pity for His people, as He had done of old.
The sounding of thy bowels.—See Note on Isa_16:11. The words jar upon modern ears, but were to the Hebrew what “the sighs of thy heart” would be to us.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Vers. 15-19. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SIN AND…
Vers. 15-19. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SIN AND SUFFERING. From thanksgiving and confession, the people betake themselves to prayer, and beseech God to look down from heaven once more, to have compassion on them, to acknowledge them, and to save them alike from themselves (ver. 17) and from their adversaries (vers. 18, 19). "It is difficult to overrate the spiritual beauty of the prayer contained in this passage. We may admit that the most prominent motive urged by the speaker has a nationalistic air; but behind this, and strengthening it, is a sense of the infiniteness of the Divine mercy, and of the strong vitality of the union between Jehovah and his people" (Cheyne).
Look down from heaven. (comp. Deu_26:15 Psa_80:14 2Ki_8:3) "The Lord"s seat" was "in heaven." While the temple lay in ruins, the Jews would naturally address their prayers to God in his heavenly abode. From the habitation of thy holiness. Mr. Cheyne translates, from the height of thy holiness," taking the meaning of the rare word z"bul from the Assyrian. "Height" certainly suits well most of the other places where the word z"bul occurs. (1Ki_8:13 2Ch_6:2 Psa_49:14 Hab_3:11) Where is thy zeal? i.e. What has become of it? Has it ceased altogether, or is it only in abeyance for a time? Will not God "stir it up" once more? (Isa_42:13) And thy strength; rather, and thy great acts. (comp. Psa_106:2 Psa_145:4 Psa_150:2) The sounding of thy bowels; i.e. their thrilling or vibration an indication of sympathy. (see Isa_16:11) Jeremiah has a similar expression. (Jer_31:20) Are they restrained? rather, they are restrained. They no longer show themselves. There was no room for questioning the fact.
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Vers. 15-19. The right of God"s people to address him with complaint and expostulation.
No doubt the ordinary attitude of God"s people towards their Maker and Ruler should be one of the most profound resignation and submission to his will. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?". (Gen_18:25) Yet on occasions it is allowed them to "speak with him as a man speaketh with his friend", (Exo_33:11) to plead, expostulate, complain; even, in a certain sense, to reproach. Job pleaded with God at great length, and God was not angered, but "accepted" him, (Job_42:9) and testified in his favour that he had "spoken right". (Job_42:8) In the Psalms David pleads, complains, expostulates. "Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?". (Psa_10:1) "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? For ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?". (Psa_13:1, Psa_13:2) "Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions ... Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me... For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters ... This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord". (Psa_35:17-23) "Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?... Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies" sake". (Psa_44:18-26) Such expostulations as these do not anger God, but, on the contrary, arc pleasing and acceptable. They show earnestness, confidence, faith, a trust in his goodness, a conviction that he will surely show himself on the side of truth and righteousness. They are within the limits of the "liberty wherewith Christ has made us free". (Gal_5:1) Caution, however, must be used, lest liberty degenerate into licence lest complaint and expostulation pass into "murmuring." After all, God best knows what is best for us, and will assuredly do what is best for us. We are safe in his hands. In his own good time he will give us all that we need. Let us not be impatient, or imagine ourselves wiser than he. If he delays to give us that which we desire, we may be sure that there is a reason for the delay. In quietness and confidence should be our strength.
Vers. 15-19. The Church"s prayer.
One of extreme "spiritual beauty" (Cheyne).
I THE MAJESTY OF GOD. He is contemplated as in heaven, upon "a height of holiness and splendour:" and here, as in Psa_80:14, is besought to "look down and. behold" as if "he had given up caring for his people, and withdrawn into his heavenly palace." It expresses the thought that he, to interpose for them, must ever condescend. The vastness of the distance between God and the creature is expressed in other words, the sense of the creature"s lowliness and unworthiness. Yet elsewhere, "He is nigh unto all that call upon him." The chasm then presented in the imagination may be, and is, bridged over. How? By prayer by calling upon him. "A sigh may bring the blessing down.
II THE SEEMING INDIFFERENCE OF GOD. Nevertheless, there are times when the "heavens are,as brass," and when the God believed to be living" stirs not, speaks not, gives no sign that he hearkens. As if callous to his people"s need, his "jealousy" slumbers, and needs to be "stirred." Then comes the "pain of finite hearts that yearn," for the sympathy (the "sounding of the bowels," Isa_16:11 Jer_31:20 Jer_48:36) and the compassion which seem withheld and as if deliberately kept back. Such is the tragedy of religious experience the old conflict between the intellect which absolutely affirms the goodness of God, the heart which is denied the present sense of it.
III FAITH IN THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD. Thou art our Father" is the cry, the confession, and the appeal of the Church. In Isa_64:8 the image is associated with that of the "Potter." In 1Ch_29:10 it is Lord God of Israel, our Father." And with this image again is associated the Maker and Purchaser, or Redeemer. (Deu_32:6) The nation is to him as the primitive family is to the father, the head, who enjoys the peculiar patria potestas. The people is "his son, even his firstborn"; (Exo_4:22) "beloved, called out of Egypt"; (Hos_11:1) "nourished and brought up" by Jehovah; (Isa_1:2) as the Guide of its youth; (Jer_3:4) who will not disown the tie nor the; (Jer_3:19) Father of Israel, to whom Ephraim is firstborn; (Jer_31:9) a Father whose heart is sore troubled for his children"s sake, and who is full of mercy and compassion to them; (Jer_31:20) who demands the honour and reverence. due to a father. (Mal_1:6 Mal_2:10) And here the name is associated with that of the goel, the avenger and deliverer; for the people"s history was a series of deliverances. If God is a Father, a childlike way of speech is not misbecoming in prayers. And here they ask why Jehovah "makes them to stray," as if they would throw the blame of their aberrations upon him, and he was the Cause of the hardening of their hearts. "They speak as if it is not they who need to return to Jehovah, but Jehovah who is reluctant to return to them; as if, instead of feeding his flock like a Shepherd, (Isa_40:11) he has driven it out of the safe fold into the howling wilderness" (Cheyne). Yet the confidence of the child beats passionately below such language. God looks not at the mere words, but at the heart in the words. And it is true, again, that from the difficult problems of thought, this way of thinking seems a better relict than the dualism of the Orientals. It is better to leave the problem with the confession, "God knows best". (cf. Rom_9:17-22) Jehovah is also King. The other peoples have kings as their gods; but he is the incomparable One. The calling on his Name signifies the union of him with his people the eternal covenant. (Isa_43:7 Isa_65:1 Deu_28:10 Jer_14:9) The spiritual life moves between opposite poles. It has been said that in the highest mood of faith there lurks some doubt. So in extreme despondency there is still living the germ of faith and hope. And prayer brings that germ into life and power. J.
Vers. 15-17. The unvarying Father.
The habitation of God"s holiness is the habitation of his glory; his glory is in his goodness, in his faithfulness. (Exo_33:19) His fatherhood of man remains and may be counted upon most confidently, although there may appear great obstacles in the way of it.
I OUR INSIGNIFICANCE AMONG MEN is no indication of the absence of God"s interest in us. Abraham might be ignorant of any one of his children; our illustrious ancestors, our honoured contemporaries, may know nothing of us; we may be dwelling in the humblest obscurity; but that need not diminish in the very smallest degree our assurance that God is interesting himself in us. Doubtless he is our Father. "I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me.
II OUR STANDING AMONG MEN is no measure of God"s regard for us. Israel might not be prepared to acknowledge one of his descendants. Men in high authority may withhold from us the light of their countenance; but if there be integrity in our heart and soundness in our life, that need not greatly move us. It is better to have than to lack the confidence of such men, but we can do without it, if necessary. With God for our Father, with Christ for our Divine Friend, we can dispense with "the honour that cometh from man only.
III GOD"S DISCIPLINE OF US is no disproof of his desire or determination to bless us. God may seem to have forsaken us. He once seemed to have forsaken his well-beloved Son. We may be inclined to use such language as he then used, (Mat_27:46) or as that of the text. (ver. 15; and see Ps 67) But we may be reassured. Everything he has done or is doing is consistent with his unchanging love. with a fatherhood that never fails. God is only searching, pruning, purifying us. He smites that he may heal us with a wholeness that wilt make us truly blessed, most excellently established and enriched.
1. Therefore let the voice of prayer be heard in dark and distressing hours. "Look down from heaven.
2. Therefore let the tried and stricken heart anticipate relief and recovery. God"s Name is, from everlasting, that of "a Redeemer. C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator1887 · Public DomainOn vv15–17Look down from heaven
Isa_63:15-16
Look down from heaven
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An appeal to God
I.
GODS PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.
II. THEIR RESOURCE.
III. THEIR PLEA. Past interpositions. Past mercies. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
I. OUR FATHERS HOUSE.
Our Father--God
1. Heavenly.
2. Holy.
3. Glorious.
II. OUR FATHERS CHARACTER. Strong; tender; compassionate.
III. OUR FATHERS FAITHFULNESS. Survives our ingratitude; vicissitude; time.
IV. OUR FATHERS NAME.
1. Father.
2. Redeemer.
3. From everlasting.
V. OUR FATHERS CLAIMS. Honour; obedience; love. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The habitation of Thy holiness and of Thy glory
Whither did our Lord ascend?
(with Isa_6:3, The whole earth is full of His glory):--What was the new scene into which our Lord was introduced? He went up into heaven.
1. What is heaven? The place where Almighty God is specially present Joh_14:2; Joh_16:28). But is not the Father present everywhere? Psa_139:7-12). What means the being specially present? Has it any meaning? In the case of men they are present to us, or absent from us; but there is no medium between the two. Presence does not seem to admit of more or less. Either we are here or elsewhere. There are many doctrines of religion, and this is one of them, that can only be apprehended by analogy, or, as the apostle says, in a glass darkly. The union of body and soul furnishes in this case a very just analogy. There is no part of the human body in which the soul is not present. I mean by the soul simply the animating principle and the principle of sensation. Every member of the living body is endowed with feeling, or sensibility to pain. But that this sensibility resides not in the mass of matter, but in the soul or life, is, of course, clear from the fact that when death separates body and soul, the body has no longer any feeling. Yet, although the soul pervades the whole body, and resides even in its remotest extremities, it has a special connection with what are called the vital parts. A man may pluck out his right eye, and cut off his right hand, or his right foot, without ceasing to live. Assault the heart, and you assault the seat of life. Surely, then, there can be no objection to affirming as, on the one hand, a general residence of the soul in every member of the body, so, on the other, a special residence of the soul in the heart. There is the figure of the truth of which we are in search. Now, let us elicit the truth from it. No district of this fair, broad universe is without the presence of Almighty God. In that Presence stands the being of everything that is. Yet, although the presence of God in and under all things as their support is unquestionable, arc we, for this reason, to deny His special connection with a certain part of the universe above others? No? The earth is but the remote extremity of creation--the universe has a heart, the special seat, the royal residence of that God who quickens with His presence the entire framework of the world. This place, wherever it is locally situated, is the source of all movement in the world, just as the heart is the source of all movement in the natural body. Heaven! The region in which the hand of God immediately operates without any intervention of secondary causes, the region in which His fiat is issued to the firmament, and the firmament pours forth its rain upon the earth, and the earth yields her fruit to the inhabitants, and the heart of those inhabitants is filled with food and gladness; the region is called heaven. This is the region to which our blessed Lords body was carried up on the day of His ascension; and into which, without seeing death, the patriarch Enoch and the Prophet Elijah were translated.
2. In what sense Christs people are now with Him in heaven. The apostle intimates that Christians themselves, in their present state of existence, have undergone a similar translation. God, says he, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace we are saved), and hath raised us up together (mark, hath raised us up together), and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. How can language so strong be substantiated? Just consider prayer--prayer offered in the faith of Christ. It penetrates to these regions of which we have been speaking, and has its effect and operation there. A sublime thought indeed, and one of which we may make good use in stirring up ourselves to prayer I Prayer penetrates to a region beyond the stars, and, in the holy audacity of its enterprise, lays hold of that primary will of God from which proceed, through a long series of intermediate causes, all the movements of the universe. And prayer, if genuine, is the voice of the Christians affections, the outpouring of his heart. Hence, because his thoughts are in heaven, his hope in heaven, his affections in heaven; the Saviour, around whom gather all his thoughts, and hopes, and affections, in heaven; because his prayers move in that sphere and touch the spring of Gods will, he himself, according to the spiritual element of his nature, is said to sit together in heavenly places in Christ.
3. Consider, that this region is the habitation of Gods holiness and of His glory. And here remark a striking and most instructive contrast between the two passages of which my text consists. It is said in the latter of them that the whole earth is full of Gods glory. The seraphim say nothing about holiness as witnessed upon the earth. Alas! what could they say? There is no spot upon the earth where an intelligent and devout eye may not see and adore the glory of the Divine Being. But when upon the stage of this earth we look for judgement, behold oppression; for righteousness, behold a cry. Holiness, like Noahs dove upon the water, can find no resting-place for the sole of her foot upon this earth. But heaven is the habitation of Gods holiness, no less than of His glory. Every heart admitted within its precincts is a mirror which gives back the holiness of the Most High, His hatred of sin, His stern and uncompromising righteousness, His exact justice, His fervent and all-embracing love. There shall in no wise enter into the heavenly, anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life.
4. Heaven cannot possibly be accessible to any man without a congeniality of mind to its pursuits and employments. A tropical plant cannot possibly thrive in the bleak and raw atmosphere of the North; vegetation generally is blighted and killed by an atmosphere uncongenial to it. And he who loves not praise and thanksgiving, who turns away from the thought of Gods presence as an intrusion on his peace, who regards sin with levity rather than with fear, and freely cherishes any animosity, or worldly or carnal lusts--that mans sentiments and character, quite irrespective of any Divine decree, must exclude him from the habitation of holiness to which he hath no affinity.
5. Our blessed Lords presence in heaven is that which lends to it its great attraction in the eyes of the true Christian. (Dean Goulburn.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary1892 · Public DomainOn v16Isa_63:16. Doubtless Thou art our father, though Abraham, &c.
GOD’S RELATION TO HIS PEOPLE
Isa_63:16. Doubtless Thou art our father, though Abraham, &c.
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From thanksgiving and confession, the people betake themselves to earnest prayer for deliverance from sin and suffering (Isa_63:15). Consider God’s relation to His people in two aspects—
I. As a fact most encouraging at all times, but especially in times of trouble. God’s ancient people were in sore trouble (Isa_63:15 and others). Yet, amid all, they derived encouragement from the intimate relationships which existed between God and them.
1. As their Father (Isa_64:8; Deu_32:6; 1Ch_29:10; Jer_3:4). Though this relationship was revealed under the old covenant, it was practically realised only upon the rarest occasions. Amid their trials, this is now the ground of their appeal. As their Father He must love them, and be ready to listen to them, &c. Though their earthly fathers afforded them no assistance, and seem to have ceased to feel any interest in them, they have confidence in the constancy of their heavenly Father’s compassion (Jer_31:20). This is the ever deepening conviction of God’s people everywhere. Gourds may grow and wither, but our heavenly Father’s love neither grows nor withers—it is un-changing; it holds on and holds out, needing no sustenance from without, except that supplied by our need of it; it endures through all our unfaithfulness, &c.
As our Father—
(1) He is the author of our spiritual life. By His Spirit He quickens, &c., and imparts His own nature and image (2Pe_1:4; Col_3:10; Eph_4:23-24).
(2) He secures our instruction. By His works, Word, Spirit, &c.
(3) He supplies all our need. His supplies are suited, abundant, satisfying, inexhaustible.
(4) He protects us. Exposed to innumerable perils and evils, He is our shield, &c.
(5) He gives us a glorious and everlasting portion. A kingdom, a crown, &c., and bliss ineffable and eternal.
Such a relation cannot fail to be a source of unspeakable comfort to the people of God amid all their trials. Such a Father, ever living and loving, &c. Are you His child by the adoption of grace, &c.? He wants you to be His restored, obedient child, &c. “We are all the children of God,” in the highest sense, “by faith in Christ Jesus.”
2. As their Redeemer (kinsman). Their history was a series of remarkable deliverances. As their Redeemer He delivers His people—
(1) From the bondage of sin and Satan, &c. (pp. 295, 416, 417, 438, 551). No arm but His could break the chain, &c.
(2) From all their troubles (Psa_34:19). α. Either in this life, in answer to prayer (Psa_34:6; Psa_46:1, and others). At the fittest time, by the fittest instrument, through the fittest medium, and in the fittest manner. β. Or wholly, in the life to come. Here, then, is “strong consolation” for God’s people amid all their tribulations. Troubled one, “be of good cheer!”
3. As their unchanging Friend. “Name”—expresses the Divine perfections. We delight to tell our cares, &c., to a faithful friend. Whoever dies, Jesus lives.
II. As a fact independent of the recognition of the greatest men.—Abraham and Jacob were two of the greatest men in Jewish history—the venerated ancestors of the Hebrew race, &c. Whether these great men knew it or not, they felt their relationship to God was a fact most encouraging. The believer’s relation to God is a fact independent of man’s acknowledgment, however great.
The world knows us not, because it knows not our Father (1Jn_3:1-2). They often regard us as fanatics, &c. Nothing do they less understand than the elements which constitute the Christian’s character and joys. As they mistake our Father’s character, it is no wonder they should mistake ours (Joh_17:25; Act_3:17; 1Co_2:8). But whatever the great ones of the earth may think of you, if you have genuine faith in Christ, you are a child of God—the fact is as unalterable as it is glorious (Joh_1:12; 1Jn_3:1-2; Gal_4:4-7). Whoever refuses to acknowledge you, steadfastly believe in God as your Father, Redeemer, &c. This is infinitely more precious than the most honoured earthly ancestry, &c. Unspeakably blessed are those who have the LORD for their Father and Redeemer. They rise superior to all life’s trials, and exult in the hope of glory (Rom_5:2). Is this blessedness yours?—Alfred Tucker
I. The characters under which God is here addressed. (See former outline.) II. The affections and emotions of which God is the proper object.
1. Of admiring gratitude and awe.
2. Of filial confidence and trust.
3. Of earnest pleading and expostulation (Isa_63:15-19 and ch. 64).
4. Of high and animated hope. These are not the pleadings of despair, &c.—S. Thodey.
Isa_63:17-19. I. The sorrows of God’s people. Phases. Causes. Moral influence. II. Their chastisement. Just. Administered by means of their enemies. Merciful. Corrective. III. Their cure. Penitential prayer. Faith, founded on God’s peculiar right in His people.
Isa_63:19. God’s people as distinguished from their enemies are—I. His special property. II. His privileged subjects. II. His acknowledged children.—J. Lyth, D.D.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield1917 · Public DomainOn vv16–17our Father
our Father
Cf. Isa 1:2; Isa 64:8. Israel, collectively, the national Israel, recognizes God as the national Father (cf) Exo 4:22; Exo 4:23 Doubtless the believing Israelite was born anew (cf); Joh 3:3; Joh 3:5; Luk 13:28 but the O.T. Scriptures show no trace of the consciousness of personal sonship. The explanation is given in Gal 4:1-7.
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The Israelite, though a child, "differed nothing from a servant." The Spirit, as the "Spirit of His Son," could not be given to impart the consciousness of sonship until redemption had been accomplished. Gal 4:4-6 See "Adoption"; Rom 8:15; Eph 1:5. (See Scofield "Eph 1:5").
redeemer Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield "Isa 59:20")
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On vv15, 17General Information:
General Information:
The people of Israel continue speaking.
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Where are your zeal and your mighty acts?
The writer uses a question to express deep emotion and concern because it seems God is not helping them. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. AT: "We do not see your zeal and your mighty acts!" (See: Rhetorical Question)
Your pity and your compassionate actions are kept from us
This can be stated in active form. AT: "You keep your pity and compassion from us" (See: Active or Passive)
though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us
These ancestors of the nation of Israel would not able to identify their descendants because they changed so much. "Abraham" and "Israel" represent the people from the distant past. (See: Synecdoche)
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Meaning, from the whole body of the Church.
Meaning, from the whole body of the Church.
Having declared God’s benefits showed to their forefathers, he turned himself to God by prayer, desiring him to continue the same graces toward them.
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Thy great affection, which thou barest towards us.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Isa 63:15 Look down from heaven, and behold from…
Isa 63:15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where [is] thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
Ver. 15. Look down from heaven.] Affectus dolentium atque ardenter petentium scite exprimuntur, a pathetic and pithy prayer.
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And behold from the habitation of thy holiness, &c.] They pray otherwise now than when the temple stood; {Psa 121:1} now they look higher, and oh that they would do so! The modern Jews pray thus daily; but because not from a right principle, they are not heard.
Where is thy zeal?] Thine ancient fervour and forwardness in vindicating thy people, and being avenged of their enemies.
The sounding (rumbling or yearning) of thy bowels, &c.] Sometimes God seemeth to lose his mercy, and then we must find it for him, as here; sometimes to sleep or delay, and then we must waken, quicken him. {Psa 40:17 Isa 62:7}
Are they restrained?] Chrysostom {a} exhorteth people, whether God grant or not, to pray still; for when God denies, it is as good as if he grants. And if we pray for any temporal mercy, the very ability to pray is better than the thing we pray for; for "whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
{a} Hom. 30, in Genes.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Look down from heaven: now they, or the prophet,…
Look down from heaven: now they, or the prophet, begin to pray, and expostulate with God, and to argue both from the goodness of his nature, and from the greatness of his works that he had done. God sees every where and every thing, but he is said to
look down from heaven, because there is his throne, whereon he sits in great majesty and splendour.
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Behold is added to note that he would not only barely see and look on, but that he would behold with regard, and respect his poor people in captivity.
The habitation of thy holiness; a description of heaven by a periphrasis, frequently used and explained, Deu 26:15. W here is thy zeal? what is become of that love which of old would not let time suffer thy people to be wronged? Isa 37:32.
Thy strength; that power of thine manifested in those valiant acts which thou didst put forth for thy people, Psa 145:11,12; 150:2; see Jer 14:9.
The sounding of thy bowels: by the sounding thereof may be understood those sympathizing sighs and compassionate groans that proceed from the bowels when they are affected, which being thought the subject of pity are often by a metonymy put for compassion, and hence proceed those rumblings of the bowels occasioned by strong passions called yearnings: it is spoken of God after the manner of men. Is all this shut up from me? Thou art naturally so compassionate, dost thou lay a restraint upon thyself, that thy bowels shall not move towards me?
Are they restrained? or canst thou be thus straitened? Psa 77:7-9; Isa 64:12; an expostulation, that agrees very well with the next verse,
Doubtless, & c. How can this come to pass?
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v15 The foregoing praises were intended as an introduction to…
The foregoing praises were intended as an introduction to this prayer, which is continued to the end of the next chapter, and it is an affectionate, importunate, pleading prayer. It is calculated for the time of the captivity. As they had promises, so they had prayers, prepared for them against that time of need, that they might take with them words in turning to the Lord, and say unto him what he himself taught them to say, in which they might the better hope to prevail, the words being of God's own inditing. Some good interpreters think this prayer looks further, and that it expresses the complaints of the Jews under their last and final rejection from God and destruction by the Romans; for there is one passage in it (Isa 64:4) which is applied to the grace of the gospel by the apostle (Co1 2:9), that grace for the rejecting of which they were rejected. In these verses we may observe,
I. The petitions they put up to God. 1. That he would take cognizance of their case and of the desires of their souls towards him: Look down from heaven, and behold, Isa 63:15. They knew very well that God sees all, but they prayed that he would regard them, would condescend to favour them, would look upon them with an eye of compassion and concern, as he looked upon the affliction of his people in Egypt when he was about to appear for their deliverance. In begging that he would only look down upon them and behold them they did in effect appeal to his justice against their enemies, and pray for judgment against them (as Jehoshaphat, Ch2 20:11, Ch2 20:12, Behold, how they reward us. Wilt thou not judge them?), implicitly confiding in his mercy and wisdom as to the way in which he will relieve them (Psa 25:18, Look upon my affliction and my pain): Look down from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory. God's holiness is his glory. Heaven is his habitation, the throne of his glory, where he most manifests his glory, and whence he is said to look down upon the earth, Psa 33:14. His holiness is in a special manner celebrated there by the blessed angels (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8); there his holy ones attend him, and are continually about him; so that it is the habitation of his holiness. It is an encouragement to all his praying people, who desire to be holy as he is holy, that he dwells in a holy place. 2. That he would take a course for their relief (Isa 63:17): "Return; change thy way towards us, and proceed not in thy controversy with us; return in mercy, and let us have not only a gracious look towards us, but thy gracious presence with us." God's people dread nothing more than his departures from them and desire nothing more than his returns to them.
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II. The complaints they made to God. Two things they complained of: - 1. That they were given up to themselves, and God's grace did not recover them, Isa 63:17. It is a strange expostulation, "Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, that is, many among us, the generality of us; and this complaint we have all of us some cause to make that thou hast hardened our heart from thy fear." Some make it to be the language of those among them that were impious and profane; when the prophets reproved them for the error of their ways, their hardness of heart, and contempt of God's word and commandments, they with a daring impudence charged their sin upon God, made him the author of it, and asked why doth he then find fault? Note, Those are wicked indeed that lay the blame of their wickedness upon God. But I rather take it to be the language of those among them that lamented the unbelief and impenitence of their people, not accusing God of being the author of their wickedness, but complaining of it to him. They owned that they had erred from God's ways, that their hearts had been hardened from his fear, that they had not received the impressions which the fear of God ought to make upon them and this was the cause of all their errors from his ways; or from his fear may mean from the true worship of God, and that is a hard heart indeed which is alienated from the service of a God so incontestably great and good. Now this they complain of, as their great misery and burden, that God had for their sins left them to this, had permitted them to err from his ways and had justly withheld his grace, so that their hearts were hardened from his fear. When they ask, Why hast thou done this? it is not as charging him with wrong, but lamenting it as a sore judgment. God had caused them to err and hardened their hearts, not only by withdrawing his Spirit from them, because they had grieved, and vexed, and quenched him (Isa 63:10), but by a judicial sentence upon them (Go, make the heart of this people fat, Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10) and by his providences concerning them, which had proved sad occasions for their departure from him. David complains of his banishment, because in it he was in effect bidden to go and serve other gods, Sa1 26:19. Their troubles had alienated many of them from God, and prejudiced them against his service; and, because the rod of the wicked had lain long on their lot, they were ready to put forth their hand unto iniquity (Psa 125:3), and this was the thing they complained most of; their afflictions were their temptations, and to many of them invincible ones. Note, Convinced consciences complain most of spiritual judgments and dread that most in an affliction which draws them from God and duty. 2. That they were given up to their enemies, and God's providence did not rescue and relieve them (Isa 63:18): Our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. As it was a grief to them that in their captivity the generality of them had lost their affection to God's worship, and had their hearts hardened from it by their affliction, so it was a further grief that they were deprived of their opportunities of worshipping God in solemn assemblies. They complained not so much of the adversaries treading down their houses and cities as of their treading down God's sanctuary, because thereby God was immediately affronted, and they were robbed of the comforts they valued most and took most pleasure in.
III. The pleas they urged with God for mercy and deliverance. 1. They pleaded the tender compassion God used to show to his people and his ability and readiness to appear for them, Isa 63:15. The most prevailing arguments in prayer are those that are taken from God himself; such these are. Where is thy zeal and thy strength? God has a zeal for his own glory, and for the comfort of his people; his name is Jealous; and he is a jealous God; and he has strength proportionable to secure his own glory and the interest of his people, in despite of all opposition. Now where are these? Have they not formerly appeared? Why do they not appear now? It cannot be that divine zeal, which is infinitely wise and just, should be cooled, that divine strength, which is infinite, should be weakened. Nay, his people had experienced not only his zeal and his strength, but the sounding of his bowels, or rather the yearning of them, such a degree of compassion to them as in men causes a commotion and agitation within them, as Hos 11:8, My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together; and Jer 31:20, My bowels are troubled (or sound) for him. "Thus God used to be affected towards his people, and to express a multitude of mercies towards them; but where are they now? Are they restrained? Psa 77:9. Has God, who so often remembered to be gracious, now forgotten to be so? Has he in anger shut up his tender mercies? It can never be." Note, We may ground good expectations of further mercy upon our experiences of former mercy. 2. They pleaded God's relation to them as their Father (Isa 63:16): "Thy tender mercies are not restrained, for they are the tender mercies of a father, who, though he may be for a time displeased with his child, will yet, through the force of natural affection, soon be reconciled. Doubtless thou art our Father, and therefore thy bowels will years towards us." Such good thoughts of God as these we should always keep up in our hearts. However it be, yet God is good; for he is our Father. They own themselves fatherless if he be not their Father, and so cast themselves upon him with whom the fatherless findeth mercy, Hos 14:3. It was the honour of their nation that they had Abraham to their father (Mat 3:9), who was the friend of God, and Israel, who was a prince with God; but what the better were they for that unless they had God himself for their Father? "Abraham and Israel cannot help us; they have not the power that God has; they are dead long since, and are ignorant of us, and acknowledge us not; they know not what our case is, nor what our wants are, and therefore know not which way to do us a kindness. If Abraham and Israel were alive with us, they would intercede for us and advise us; but they have gone to the other world, and we know not that they have any communication at all with this world, and therefore they are not capable of doing us any kindness any further than that we have the honour of being called their children." When the father is dead his sons come to honour and he knows it not, Job 14:21. "But thou, O Lord! art our Father still (the fathers of our flesh may call themselves ever-loving; but they are not ever-living; it is God only that is the immortal Father, that always knows us, and is never at a distance from us), and therefore our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name, the name by which we will know and own thee. It is the name by which from of old thou hast been known; thy people have always looked upon thee as the God to whom they might appeal to redress their grievances and plead their cause. Nay" (according to the sense some give of this place), "though Abraham and Israel not only cannot, but would not, help us, thou wilt. They have not the pity thou hast. We are so degenerate and corrupt that Abraham and Israel would not own us for their children, yet we fly to thee as our Father. Abraham cast out his son Ishmael; Jacob disinherited his son Reuben and cursed Simeon and Levi; but our heavenly Father, in pardoning sin, is God, and not man," Hos 11:9. 3. They pleaded God's interest in them, that he was their Lord, their owner and proprietor: "We are thy servants; what service we can do thou art entitled to, and therefore we ought not to serve strange kings and strange gods: Return for thy servants' sake." As a father finds himself obliged by natural affection to relieve and protect his child, so a master thinks himself obliged in honour to rescue and protect his servant: "We are thine by the strongest engagements, as well as the highest endearments. Thou hast borne rule over us; therefore, Lord, assert thy own interest, maintain thy own right; for we are called by thy name, and therefore whither shall we go but to thee, to be righted and protected? We are thine, save us (Psa 119:94), thy own, acknowledge us. We are the tribes of thy inheritance, not only thy servants, but thy tenants; we are thine, not only to do work for thee, but to pay rent to thee. The tribes of Israel are God's inheritance, whence issue the little praise and worship that he receives from this lower world; and wilt thou suffer thy own servants and tenants to be thus abused?" 4. They pleaded that they had had but a short enjoyment of the land of promise and the privileges of the sanctuary (Isa 63:18): The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while. From Abraham to David were but fourteen generations, and from David to the captivity but fourteen more (Mat 1:17), and that was but a little while in comparison with what might have been expected from the promise of the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession (Gen 17:8) and from the power that was put forth to bring them into that land and settle them in it. "Though we are the people of thy holiness, distinguished from other people and consecrated to thee, yet we are soon dislodged." But this they might thank themselves for; they were, in profession, the people of God's holiness, but it was their wickedness that turned them out of the possession of that land. 5. They pleaded that those who had and kept possession of their land were such as were strangers to God, such as he had no service or honour from: "Thou never didst bear rule over them, nor did they ever yield thee any obedience; they were not called by thy name, but professed relation to other gods and were the worshippers of them. Will God suffer those that do not stand in any relation to him to trample upon those that do?" Some give another reading of this: "We have become as those over whom thou didst never bear rule and who were never called by thy name; we are rejected and abandoned, despised and trampled upon, as if we never had been in thy service nor had thy name called upon us." Thus the shield of Saul was vilely cast away, as though he had not been anointed with oil. But the covenant that seems to be forgotten shall be remembered again.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Look down from heaven,.... Here begins the prayer of…
Look down from heaven,.... Here begins the prayer of the church and people of God, which continues to the end of the chapter, goes through the next, and the answer to which begins at Isa 65:1. Aben Ezra calls it the prayer of the wise in captivity: it seems to be the petition of some converts among the Jews, either in the first times of the Gospel, or in the latter day; who entreat that the Lord would "look down from heaven", the third heaven, the seat of his majesty, where is his throne of glory, and his presence is most visible to angels and glorified saints; this is on high, as the phrase imports; and the persons below, on earth, at his footstool, whom he is desired to look down upon, and which to do is a great condescension in him, Psa 113:6, and this is to be understood, not of that general view of persons and things, which he is always taking, Psa 33:13, but of a special look of love, grace, and mercy; such an one with which he looks upon his people in Christ, with complacency and delight: indeed his eyes are always on them, and never withdrawn from them; he ever looks upon them, to preserve and protect them, to communicate unto them, to support them under their afflictions, and to deliver out of them; but because of this they are not always sensible, but are ready to conclude that he looks off from them, and turns his back upon them, therefore they desire him to return, look down, and behold; see Psa 80:14,
and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory; this is a description of heaven, as the dwelling place of God, who is most holy, holiness itself, in whom that perfection is most glorious, and which is displayed in all his works; and hence heaven is a holy as well as a high place, and where none but holy persons dwell; and which is a glorious place, where the glory of God is displayed, the glory of Christ is seen, and which is glory itself; and from hence the holy God is desired to behold; what creatures, dust, and ashes, sinful ones, polluted worms, at his footstool, a poor and an afflicted people:
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where is thy zeal, and thy strength? his "jealousy" of his great name, and of his own glory; his jealousy of his dear people, that they are not wronged and injured; his "fervent love", and warm affections for them, of which he has given pregnant proofs; which, shed abroad in the heart, warms that, and is what many waters cannot quench: this indeed is not always alike manifest, and therefore unbelief asks where it is, as if it was quite gone; or, however, faith prays for a fresh manifestation of it. The "strength" or power of God has appeared in creation, and in the sustentation of all things; in Christ, the man of his right hand; in strengthening his people, destroying their enemies, and delivering them; and yet this not appearing sometimes at once, immediately for their help and protection, they ask where it is: it follows:
the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? the noise and rumbling of the bowels, to which the allusion is, are sometimes occasioned by the working of strong passions, as fear and love, and which produce what is called the yearning of the bowels; of which there are instances in Joseph, and in the harlot in Solomon's time, Gen 43:30, the tender mercies of God, his pity and compassion, are expressed hereby, to which are owing the mission of his Son, the forgiveness of sins, and help and relief under afflictions; see Luk 1:77, now it is asked, where are those?
are they restrained? it was thought they were shut up in anger, and would not be let out again; see Psa 77:7. The phrase "towards me", in the former clause, seems, according to the accents, to belong to this; and should be read, "are they restrained towards me" (d)? or "shut up from me?" the Lord seemed to harden his heart against his church and people, and to have no heart of compassion towards them, as they imagined.
(d) "erga me continerent se", Montanus; "continerent?" Junius & Tremellius; "erga me sese continent?" Piscator; "cohibeant se erga me?" Gataker; so Ben Melech; "quae se erga me continent?" Vitringa.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Look - Now the prophet begins to expostulate with…
Look - Now the prophet begins to expostulate with God, and to argue both from the goodness of his nature, and from the greatness of his works. God sees everywhere, and every thing, but he is said to look down from heaven, because there is his throne whereon he sits in majesty. Behold - Not barely see, but behold with regard, and respect thy poor people. Where - What is become of that love, which of old would not let thee suffer thy people to be wronged? Strength - That power of thine manifested in those great acts? The founding - This is spoken of God after the manner of men.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Verse 15. And thy strength - "And thy mighty…
Verse 15. And thy strength - "And thy mighty power" ] For גבורתיך geburotheycha, plural, thirty-two MSS. (seven ancient) and twenty-one of De Rossi's, and seven editions, have גבורתך geburathecha, singular.
Are they restrained?] For אלי elai, from (or in regard to) me, the Septuagint and Syriac read אלינו eleynu, from us. - L.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv15, 17 Isa 63:15-16. Look down from heaven — In this…
Isa 63:15-16. Look down from heaven — In this excellent and pious prayer of the first-fruits of the converted Jews, in which they entreat God, for his grace and mercy, to behold them with an eye of compassion, they argue both from the goodness of his nature, and from the greatness of the works which he had formerly done for them. God sees everywhere and every thing; but he is said to look down from heaven, because there is his throne, whereon he reigns in majesty. Behold, &c. — Not barely see and look on, but behold, with regard and respect, thy poor people. Where is thy zeal? — What is become of that love which of old would not let thee suffer thy people to be wronged? And thy strength? — That power of thine manifested in those great acts which thou didst perform for thy people?
The sounding of thy bowels — This is spoken of God after the manner of men. The meaning is, where are thy tender compassions and mercies which thou formerly showedst toward us? and which thy servants have compared to the affection that a mother bears to her children? Are they restrained? — Or, canst thou be thus straitened? An expostulation that agrees well with the next verse. Doubtless thou art our Father — Our only hope is in the relation we have to thee, that thou hast vouchsafed to call thyself our Father: we, therefore, as thy children, expect to find in thee the bowels and compassions of a father. Though Abraham be ignorant of us — Though he who was our father after the flesh, be dead, and so ignorant of our condition. And Israel acknowledge us not — Though Jacob, who also was our father, should disown us because of our degeneracy. Thou, O Lord, art our Father — Thou art neither unacquainted with our state, nor wilt disown thy relation to us, but wilt continue to act the part of a father and redeemer to thy people. Thy name is from everlasting — Thy gracious and merciful nature and attributes are eternal and unchangeable.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Look down from heaven - This commences an earnest…
Look down from heaven - This commences an earnest appeal that God would have mercy on them in their present calamities and trials. They entreat him to remember his former mercies, and to return and bless them, as he had done in ancient times.
And behold from the habitation - (See the notes at Isa 57:15).
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Where is thy zeal - That is, thy former zeal for thy people; where is now the proof of the interest for their welfare which was vouchsafed in times that are past.
And thy strength - The might which was formerly manifested for their deliverance and salvation.
The sounding of thy bowels - Margin, ‘Multitude.’ The word rendered ‘sounding’ (המון hâmôn), means properly a noise or sound, as of rain; 1Ki 18:41; of singing, Eze 26:13; of a multitude, 1Sa 4:14; 1Sa 14:19. It also means a multitude, or a crowd of people Isa 13:4; Isa 33:3. Here it relates to an emotion or affection of the mind; and the phrase denotes compassion, or tender concern for them in their sufferings. It is derived from the customary expression in the Bible that the bowels, that is, the organs in the region of the chest - for so the word is used in the Scriptures - were the seat of the emotions, and were supposed to be affected by any strong and tender emotion of the mind (see the notes at Isa 16:11). The idea here is, ‘Where is thy former compassion for thy people in distress?’
Are they restrained? - Are they witcheld? Are thy mercies to be exercised no more?
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Back. This is spoken by the prophet in the…
Back. This is spoken by the prophet in the person of the Jews, at the time when for their sins they were given up to their enemies. (Challoner) --- Judas uses the same language at Maspha, 1 Machabees iii. 50. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v15 Chap Isa_63:15-19 a (19)
2. PRAYER THAT THE LORD MIGHT LOOK UPON THEN AND REMOVE SIN AND ITS PUNISHMENT
Chap Isa_63:15-19 a (19)
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15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory:
Where is thy zeal and thy strength,
9The sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me?
10Are they restrained?
16 Doubtless thou art our father,
11Though Abraham be ignorant of us,
And Israel acknowledge us not:
Thou, O Lord, art our father, 12our redeemer;
Thy name is from everlasting.
17 O Lord, 13why hast thou made us to err from thy ways,
And hardened our heart from thy fear?
Return for thy servants’ sake,
14The tribes of thine inheritance.
18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while:
Our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.
19 15We are thine:
Thou never barest rule over them:
16They were not called by thy name.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
Isa_63:16. [“According to the accents the words מעולם גאלנו are connected together. The more correct accentuation would be גאלנו Tifha, מעולם Mercha. From remote antiquity Jahve had acted toward Israel in such a way that the latter could call him גאלנו. What takes place in the present time is so different as to put faith to a hard trial. Translate: Our Redeemer is from ancient time thy name.” Delitzsch.—D. M.].
Isa_63:18. בוססו, Pilel from בּוּם (Isa_63:6; Isa_14:19; Isa_14:25) is to tread dow, καταπατεῖν, and includes the idea of profaning and defiling.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. After laying the foundation for His prayer by the retrospect of what Jehovah had been of old to His people, the suppliant now passes over to the entreaty that the Lord would graciously look down from heaven on the present distress, and not restrain His love and might (Isa_63:15). He still remains the Father of the people, after Abraham and Israel, who had been long ago removed by death, have become strangers to them so far as rendering actual aid is concerned (Isa_63:16). With great boldness the Lord is expostulated with for permitting the people to go astray and to become hardened, and He is called upon to change His conduct towards His elect people (Isa_63:17). The complaint is made to Him that the people had possessed only for a short time the land promised to them as an inheritance for ever, while the centre of the land, the Sanctuary, which alone gives the country its value, had been trodden down by their enemies (Isa_63:18), so that Israel is now situated as if Jehovah had never been their Lord, and His name had never been called upon them (Isa_63:19 a).
2. Look down from heaven—restrained.
Isa_63:15.רָאָה more frequently follows than precedes הִבִּיט. The Lord has to look down from heaven, for thither He has as it were retired. He is no more to be found in His earthly sanctuary, but only in His heavenly. [But compare Deu_26:15; Psa_115:3. The prayer is rather founded on the acknowledged truth, “The Lord looketh from heaven. …. From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.” Psa_33:13-14. D. M.]. Solomon had said in his dedicatory prayer (1Ki_8:13 comp. 2Ch_6:2) “I have built thee a house to dwell in (בֵּית זְבֻל).” To this passage the suppliant seems to allude, when he asks the Lord to look down from the habitation of His holiness and glory. For the earthly בֵּית זְבֻל is destroyed. The word זְבֻל is found only here in Isaiah. Once more the suppliant returns to what he misses. He asks again with אַיֵּה: Where is thy zeal and thy mighty deeds? The zeal of Jehovah is twofold: against His people, so far they make common cause with those who hate the Lord. For then they have the Lord who is a zealous God (Exo_20:5; Deu_4:24; Deu_5:9) against them. But the zeal of Jehovah, is also active for His people, against the enemies of the theocracy (comp. Isa_9:6; Isa_26:11; Isa_37:32; Isa_42:13; Isa_59:17). The expression המון מעים, strepitus viscerum, as image of the emotion of compassion, of commiseratio, is found in the form of a substantive only here, but the verbal expression occurs, Isa_16:11; Jer_31:20; Jer_48:30.In אֵלַי observe the change of number. התאפק, se cohibere, comp. Isa_42:14; Isa_54:11.
3. Doubtless thou——everlasting.
Isa_63:16. [The E. V. departs in two instances in this verse from the proper signification of כִּי, rendering it in the first, doubtless, and in the second, though. In both cases its strict sense of for, because, can be retained, as is—done by Dr. Naegelsbach. But we prefer taking the second כִּי as=when, which in this connection does not differ much from though. D. M.].
Isa_63:16 declares the reason why Israel entreats the Lord to be pleased to look upon their need and to manifest His power and love on them. Jehovah alone is the true Father of Israel. They have indeed also human progenitors who stand in high honor and authority; Abraham (comp. Isa_51:2) as their remote, and Israel, the strong contender with God (Gen_32:28), their immediate ancestor. But these are men, are long dead, and incapable from their present abode outside this world, to take knowledge (הִכִּירdignovit, Isa_61:9) of Israel’s lot; not to say that they could not possibly interpose to render them active support. [This is not very satisfactory, though the view of Vitringa, Delitzsch and the best interpreters. But if we take the second כִּי in the common sense of when, and translate “For thou art our Father when Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us,” then the idea would be that natural affection and regard would cease rather than that God’s paternal love should fail, or His covenant of adoption be annulled. Such a sense is very appropriate. See Psa_27:10. Comp. Calvin on our passage. Kay remarks, “This verse and Isa_64:8 are the only places in the Old Testament where the address Our Father is used in prayer. The Spirit of adoption was not yet given (Gal_4:4-6).” D.M.].
4. O Lord, why hast thou—thy name. Isa_63:17-19 a. Jerome understands the words of ver.17 as an utterance of the apostate Jews. As Paul in the Epistles to the Corinthians addresses pious and ungodly persons, so here both the pious and the ungodly speak to God. These latter are said here, “movere Domino quaestionem, et suam culpam referre in Deum.” Jerome, however, vindicates God, and says that in reality God is not the cause of error and hardness of heart, but that error and obduracy are only mediately occasioned by His patience, while He does not chastise offenders. Theodoret makes the Jews here directly reproach God with having by His patience incurred the guilt of their delinquencies. Oecolampadius regards this passage as having a double sense. As an utterance of the ungodly it contains actual blasphemy (blasphema inter precandum dicunt: suam culpam in Deum transcribunt), while in the mouth of the godly it expresses only the painful confession that they, after the withdrawal of the divine grace and help, could not but go astray. Calvin disputes all softening of the language by the assumption of foreknowledge or permission. But he makes a distinction. He distinguishes between an indirect or negative hardening (rite excoecare, indurare, inclinare dicitur, quibus facultatem videndi, parendi, recte exsequendi adimit), and a direct or positive (when He per Satanam et consilia reproborum destinat, quo visum est, et voluntates excitat et conatus firmat). As instances of the latter kind he cites Pharaoh (Exo_4:21; Exo_7:3; Exo_10:1, etc.), and Sihon the king of the Amorites (Deu_2:30). For the first-mentioned kind he appeals to Eze_7:26; Psa_107:40; Job_12:20; Job_12:24 and to the passage before us (comp. Institutio II, 4, 3 sq.). Whether that indirect hardening, of which Calvin speaks, is essentially different from the permissive, may be doubted. I therefore believe that all those interpreters—and they form the majority—who understand this passage of the divine permission, mean nothing else than what Calvin intends by tbat former kind of hardening. For the cessatio directionis divinae, the ablatio spiritus, the sublatio luminis is just nothing else than that procedure of God by which He makes sin possible, or permits it. Luther, in particular, belongs to those who explain our place in the permissive sense, and with his fine feeling he is able, without doing violence to the words, to remove what causes offence from them. He says: “Sunt verba ardentis affectus. Ah, Domine, quare sinis nos sic errare? Nos hunc affectum non intelligimus, quare privative accipiemus, ut sit sententia: quia noluimusaudire tuum verbum, permisisti nos errare et peccare; sicut fit, peccatum peccati est poena.” And certainly in the mouth of the suppliant church Isa_63:17 can never be taken as a blasphemous reproach. But the church in the deepest sorrow, and during a momentary eclipse of the future prospect before her, feels herself driven to put this question, Why ? Not as if she would say that there exists no reason, or only a bad one, but simply to intimate that she does not perceive the reason, that here the providence of God appears to her dark, inexplicable. The church mourns because the Lord has not hindered her going astray, her hardening in evil, which exists not indeed in all, but in many of her members. She thinks that He, the Almighty, could have done it, if He had wished. That He has not willed it is to her inconceivable. She does not even see how this, her partial apostasy must, on the whole, co-operate to the realization of God’s gracious counsel. The statement in this verse is in harmony with Isa_6:9-10, and with Isa_29:10; Isa_45:7. [But in Isa_45:7 the evil which God creates is physical evil or pain, the opposite of peace.—D. M.]. For here, as there, God is apparently designated as the author of evil, while yet God can never will evil as such. But when men do not will the good, then they must at last will the evil. It becomes a necessity in the way of punishment, in order that they may be thoroughly acquainted with it, and be thereby healed (see on Isa_6:9 sq. and Isa_29:10). As an unauthorized weakening of the genuine meaning of this place I must regard it when Seb. Schmidt and Grotius understand the words de futuro: Why shall it then come to this, that we go astray and harden ourselves in idolatry? The imperfects (futures) תתענו and תקשׁיח can only be taken to mean an action not yet finished, and therefore only in the sense of the enduring present. If we ask what sin the Prophet specially has in view when he speaks of erring and hardening, we must say that this erring and hardening can take place in all forms of sin, but that, in the end, all these evil fruits have a common root, namely, the sin against the first (second) commandment, idolatry. We must, of course, think here not only of gross, but also of refined idolatry. The Rabbinical commentators are of the opinion that the Prophet has here in view, doubt, despair and unbelief as the consequences of the long duration of the Exile. This is quite possible, if we think not merely of the Babylonish Captivity, but also, and specially, of the present exile that still continues. But the look of the Prophet is primarily directed to the Babylonian exile, and regarding it we must say that it became to many Jews an occasion even of visible apostacy from Jehovah and of gross idolatry. קָשַׁח (certainly hardened from קָשָׁה) occurs besides here only in Job_39:16, where it has the signification “to regard or treat harshly.” before יראתך has here a negative force, and the sentence expresses a consequence, so as not to fear thee. Comp. Isa_62:10; Isa_59:1-2 et saepe. While the Prophet sees the Lord, as it were, engaged in a woful work, the work namely of judicially hardening ever more the mass of Israel after the flesh, he becomes anxious for Israel as a body. If this continues, what shall become of the elect people? Who will be able to withstand the current of inward and outward corruption? Therefore he entreats the Lord not to continue to act in this way, but to revorse the course He is pursuing. The Prophet has very probably Num_10:36 before his mind in using the word שׁוּב. Accordingly, as the verb is intransitive, we have to regard שׁבטי נ׳, not as in apposition to עבריך, but as the accusative of place dependent on שׁוּב. Then we obtain the idea that the Prophet conceives the erring and hardening spoken of as caused by the Lord turning away from Israel, and leaving them to their fate. He is here besought, in opposition to this, to return to the tribes of His inheritance, and that for His servants’ sake. Who are these servants? They can only be those who faithfully serve the Lord in distinction from those who err and harden themselves. But the Prophet means by these servants not merely those who in the present time have remained faithful, but all faithful servants of Jehovah of all times. He thinks especially of the patriarchs who first received the promises. It is for the sake of all His faithful servants that the Lord does not entirely reject Israel. That Israel here bears the designation the tribes of thine inheritance is doubtless because the Prophet wishes thereby to point to Jehovah’s election of Israel to be His סְגֻּלָּה (Exo_19:5; Deu_7:6 et saepe), His specially dear to Him and inalienable inheritance (Isa_19:25; Isa_47:6). To the complaint of the decay of religious life (Isa_63:17) there is added (Isa_63:18-19 a) a complaint regarding the mournful external relations, the fruit of that internal decay. The subject of יָֽרְשׁוּ can only be עס־קדשׁך. If we take צרינו as subject, as many do, we must then take לַמּצְעָר in a signification which it has not. For מִצְעָר (besides here Gen_19:20; Job_8:7; Psa_42:7; 2Ch_24:24) is the harder form of מִזְעָר, which latter occurs in no other Old Testament writer than Isaiah, who has it in Isa_10:25; Isa_29:17; Isa_16:14; Isa_14:6. The signification is everywhere paulum, a little. The word is synonymous with מְעַט, which word in all these places of Isaiah (with exception of the last-mentioned, Isa_24:6,) is joined to מזער. If now we take צרינו as subject, we must take למוער in the sense of pro-pemodum, parum abest quin, almost, nearly, as Cocceius, Luther and Stier do. But then the form should be כְּמִוְעָר after the analogy of כִּמְעַט. Further,למצער can neither be=מצער without לְ (LXX.) nor=nullo pretio, sine labore (Jerome). למצער can only be a particle of time, and mean for a short time. Many are inclined to regard מקרשׁך as the common object of ירשׁו and בוססו, while they take מקדשׁ either as a designation of the whole land, or of the temple alone. But the whole land is never called מקדשׁ, and the expression ידשׁ cannot well be employed of the temple. We must, too, in that case refer למצער to both sentences. For it stands as emphatically at the beginning as מקדשׁך stands at the close. I, therefore, agree with Delitzsch in taking ירשׁו absolutely, and in understanding as its object the land. This object could be easily omitted, as ידשׁ is used countless times both of the taking of the holy land into possession, and of the holding of it in possession. The word, too, is often employed absolutely: Deu_2:24; Deu_2:31; Gen_21:10; 2Sa_14:7; Mic_1:15, et saepe. Although למצעד is a rhetorical hyperbole, it is yet justified, inasmuch as, if the Lord does not hear the prayer contained inIsa Isa_63:17 b, the time during which Israel possessed the land would be short in comparison with the following permanent exclusion from its possession. The treading down of the Sanctuary is regarded as the dissolving of the bond of connection between Israel and his God. Israel stands, therefore, now as a people over which Jehovah has never ruled. It is no more distinguished in anything from the heathen nations. Before מעולם, which must be connected with what follows, אֲשֶׁד is to be supplied. According to our way of speaking כַּֽאֲשֶׁר would be required. [In the E. V. the important word thine is arbitrarily supplied. Dr. Naegelsbach’s rendering is here to be preferred: We are become as those over whom thou never barest rule, (or didst not rule from ancient time), on whom thy name was never called.—D. M.]. That Israel has been, as it were, marked with the name of Jehovah, and thus distinguished from all nations, is always set forth as one of its greatest privileges (comp. Deu_28:10; 2Ch_7:14; Jer_14:9, et saepe. Comp. Isa_43:7; Isa_65:1). [The first verse of chap. 44 in the E. V. forms the latter part of Isa_63:19 of the preceding chapter in the Hebrew text. It is convenient in the Commentary to adhere to the division of chapters and verses observed in the Hebrew Bible. Accordingly, what stands in the English Bible as the first verse of chap 64 appears in the Commentary as the conclusion of Isa_63:19. And in conformity with this arrangement chap, 64 instead of twelve, has only eleven verses.—D. M.].
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. On Isa_63:7. [“God does good because He is good; what He bestows upon us must be run up to the original, it is according to His mercies, not according to our merits, andaccording to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses, which can never be spent. Thus we should magnify God’s goodness, and speak honorably of it, not only when we plead it (as David Psa_51:1), but when we praise it.” Henry. D. M.].
2. On Isa_63:9. The angel of the face or presence belongs to “the deep things of God" (1Co_2:10). It is not right to imagine that a certain and exhaustive knowledge is possible in reference to these things. The humility which becomes even science, imposes on it the duty to write everywhere a non liquet, where, through the nature of things, limits are placed to human knowledge. Not to regard these limitations is the manner of the pseudo-scientific, immodest scholasticism. What, therefore, we have said regarding the angel of the face makes no higher pretension than that of a modest hypothesis. [Comp. in Hengstenberg’s Christology, Vol. Isaiah 1 : The Angel of the Lord in the books of Moses and in the book of Joshua.—D. M.].
3. On Isa_63:10. “There are two ways in which the Holy Ghost is offended or vexed. One way is of a less dreadful nature. It is when a man takes from the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work in the soul for its joy, as He is wont to communicate to it His gracious influence and His gracious operations. When such is the case, then as an offended friend when He perceives that no heed is given to most of His counsels, the Holy Spirit is grieved, and, although reluctantly, ceases for a time to advise the stubborn, ut carendo discat quantum peccaverit. Of this kind of grieving Paul speaks Eph_4:30. It can be committed by the godly and the elect. But the Holy Spirit can be offended and vexed in a gross and flagitious way, when one not only does not believe and follow Him, but also obstinately resists Him, despises all His counsel, reviles and blasphemes Him, will none of His reproof (Pro_1:24-25), gives the lie to His truth, and so speaks against the sun… This the Scripture calls ἀντιπίπτειν (Act_7:51), ἐνυβρίζειν (Heb_10:29), βλασφημεῖν (Mat_12:31), θεομαχεῖν (Act_5:39). Let us, therefore, not grieve the Holy Spirit with evil desires, words and deeds, that we may be able on the future day of redemption to show that seal uninjured with which we were sealed on that day of our redemption when we were regenerated. To this end let us assiduously breathe forth the prayers of David Psa_143:10; Psa_51:12-14.” Leigh.
4. On Isa_63:10. [They rebelled and vexed His Holy Spirit. This statement implies the personality of the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of God’s holiness. He is represented as a person whom we can grieve. We have in this passage clear indications of the doctrine of the Trinity. In Isa_63:9 we have the Angel of God’s face, and in Isa_63:10 we have the Spirit of His holiness, both clearly distinguished from God the fountain of their being.—D. M.].
5. On Isa_63:11. “Faith asks after God and so does unbelief, but in different ways. Both put the question, Where? Faith does it to seek God in time of need, and to tell Him trustfully of His old kindnesses. Unbelief does it to tempt God, to deny Him, to lead others into temptation, and to make them doubt regarding the divine presence and providence. Therefore it asks: “Where is the God of judgment” (Mal_2:17)? “Where is now thy God "(Psa_42:4; Psa_42:11; Psa_79:10; Psa_115:2)? If you, as the praying Church here does, ask in the former manner diligently after God, you will be preserved from the other kind of asking.” Leigh.
6. On Isa_63:15. “Meritum meum miseratio Domini. Non sum meriti inops, quando ille miserationum Dominus non defuerit, et si misericordiae Domini multae, multus ego sum in meritis.” Augustine.
7. On Isa_63:16. “We can from this sentence [?] cogently refute the doctrine of the invocation of the Saints. For the Saints know nothing of us, and are not personally acquainted with us, much less can they know the concerns of our hearts, or hear our cry, for they are not omnipresent. If it be alleged that God makes matters known to them and that they then pray for us, what a round-about business this would be! It would justify the prayer said to have been made by a simple man: “Ah Lord God! tell it, I beseech thee, to the blessed Mary that I have told thee to tell it again to her, that she should tell thee that I have wished to say to her by so many Ave Marias and Pater Nosters, that she should say to thee to be pleased to be gracious unto me.” Meyer, de Rosariis, cap. III., thes. V., p. 52). With how much more brevity and efficacy do we pray with the penitent publican: God be merciful to me, a sinner! ”Leigh.
8. On Isa_63:17. “There is no more heinous sin than to accuse God of being the cause of our sin. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God (Jam_1:13; Psa_5:5; Deu_32:4; Ps. 92:16). He commands what is good, forbids and punishes what is evil. How then could He be the cause of it? But when He punishes sin with sin, i.e., when He at last withdraws from the sinner His grace that has been persistently despised, then He acts as a righteous Judge who inflicts the judgment of hardening the heart on those who wilfully resist His Spirit.” Leigh.
9. On Isaiah 66 [“This chapter is a model of affectionate and earnest entreaty for the divine interposition in the day of calamity. With such tender and affectionate earnestness may we learn to plead with God! Thus may all His people learn to approach Him as a Father; thus feel that they have the inestimable privilege in the times of trial of making known their wants to the High and Holy One. Thus when calamity presses on us; when as individuals or families we are afflicted; or when our country or the church is suffering under long trials, may we go to God, and humbly confess our sins, and urge His promises, and take hold of His strength, and plead with Him to interpose. Thus pleading, He will hear us; thus presenting our cause, He will interpose to save us.” Barnes. D. M.].
10. On Isa_64:3-4 a. [4, 5 a]. The God who appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, called Moses, and led by him the people of Israel out of Egypt, who chose Joshua, Samuel, David and others to be His servants and glorified Himself by them, this God alone has shown Himself to be the true and living God, and we can hope from Him that He will yet do more, and manifest Himself still more signally.
11. On Isa_64:4 [5]. [“Note what God expects from us in order to our having communion with Him. First, We must make conscience of doing our duty in everything, we must work righteousness, must do that which is good, and which the Lord our God requires of us, and must do it well. Secondly, We must be cheerful in doing our duty; we must rejoice and work righteousness, must delight ourselves in God and His law, must be pleasant in His service and sing at our work. God loves a cheerful giver, a cheerful worshipper; we must serve the Lord with gladness. Thirdly, We must conform ourselves to all the methods of His providence concerning us, and be suitably affected with them; must remember Him in Hisways, in all the ways wherein He walks, whether He walks towards us, or walks contrary to us; we must mind Him, and make mention of Him, with thanksgiving, when His ways are ways of mercy, for in a day of prosperity we mustbe joyful, with patience and submission when He contends with us, for in a day of adversity we must consider.” Henry. D. M.].
12. On Isa_64:7 [8]. [“This whole verse is an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God. It expresses the feeling which all have when under conviction of sin, and when they are sensible that they are exposed to the divine displeasure for their transgressions. Then they feel that if they are to be saved, it must be by the mere Sovereignty of God; and they implore His interposition to ‘mould and guide them at His will.’ It may be added, that it is only when sinners have this feeling that they hope for relief; and then they will feel that if they are lost, it will be right; if saved, it will be because God moulds them as the potter does the clay.” Barnes. D. M.].
HOMILETICAL HINTS
1. On Isa_63:7. Text for a Thanksgiving Sermon. What is our duty after that the Lord has shown us great loving kindness? 1) To remember what He has done to us. 2) To be mindful of what we ought to render to Him for the same.
2. On Isa_63:8-17. The history of the people of Israel a mirror in which we too may perceive the history of our relation to God. 1) God is to us from the beginning a loving and faithful Father (Isa_63:8-9). 2) We repay His love with ingratitude, as Israel did (Isa_63:10 a). 3) God punishes us for this as He punished Israel (Isa_63:10 b). 4) God receives us again to His favor when we, as Israel, call on Him in penitence (Isa_63:11-17).
On Isa_63:7-17. “If God in Christ has become our Father, He remains our Father to all eternity. 1) He is our Father in Christ. 2) He abides faithful even when we waIsa Isa_63:3) When we have fallen, His arms still stand open to receive us.” Deichert in Manch. G. u. ein Geist, 1868, page 65.
4. On Isa_64:5-7. Joh. Ben. Carpzov has a sermon on this text, in which he treats of righteousness, and shows 1) justitiam salvantem, i. e., the righteousness with which one enters the kingdom of heaven; 2) justitiam damnantem, i. e., the righteousness with which a man enters the fire of hell; 3) justitiam testantem, i. e., the righteousness by which a man testifies that he has attained the true righteousness.
5. On Isa_64:6-9. “Let us hear from our text an earnest and affecting confession of sin, and at the same time consider 1) the doctrine of repentance; 2) the comfort of forgiveness which believers receive.”—Eichhorn.
6. On Isa_64:6. (We all do fade, etc.) “These are very instructive words, from which we learn what a noxious plant sin is, and what fruit it brings forth. First, says he, we fade as a leaf. This means that sin brings with it the curse of God, and deprives us of His blessing both for the body and the soul, so that the heart is dissatisfied and distressed. Then it robs us of the highest treasure, confidence in the grace of God. For sin and an evil conscience awaken dread of God. As it is impossible to call upon God aright without faith and a sure persuasion of His aid, it follows that sin hinders prayer also, and thus robs us of the highest comfort. When men have no faith and cannot pray, then the awful punishment comes upon them, that God hides His face and leaves them to pine in their sins. For they cannot help themselves, and have lost the consolation and protection which they need in life.”—Veit Diet.
Footnotes:
[9]Or, the multitude.
[10]they are restrained.
[11]because.
[12]Or, our redeemer from everlasting is thy name.
[13]Why dost thou make us err.
[14]to the tribes.
[15]We have become as those over whom thou never barest rule, on whom thy name was not called.
[16]Or, thy name was not called upon them.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Here begins a fervent appeal to God to pity…
Here begins a fervent appeal to God to pity Israel now on the ground of His former benefits.
habitation of . . . holiness-- (Isa 57:15; Deu 26:15; Ch2 30:27; Psa 33:14; Psa 80:14).
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zeal . . . strength--evinced formerly for Thy people.
sounding of . . . bowels--Thine emotions of compassion (Isa 16:11; Jer 31:20; Jer 48:36; Hos 11:8).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv16–17 16. Doubtless — Rather, surely.
16. Doubtless — Rather, surely.
Thou art our Father — And to thee, not to Abraham, will we look for help. Their national privileges, derived through “Abraham,” had proved, through their own faithlessness, unsatisfactory and largely unfruitful; and now they would fain look to Him who not only appointed them, but especially could alone uphold the people, and make their relation as a separate nation fruitful of good to them.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv15–17 15, 16. A piteous appeal to the Divine clemency,…
15, 16. A piteous appeal to the Divine clemency, based on Israel’s filial relation to Jehovah.
Look down from heaven, and behold] (Psa_80:14). By a natural anthropomorphism the O.T. attributes the prevalence of evil on earth to a suspension of Jehovah’s watchfulness; hence He is said to come down from heaven to enquire (Gen_18:21), or, as here, to look down (cf. Psa_14:2; Psa_102:19, &c.). To this writer it seems as if He had for the present withdrawn into His palace, and did not fully realise the sufferings of His people.
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where is thy zeal (or jealousy)] Cf. ch. Isa_59:17. For strength read with R.V. mighty acts.
the sounding of thy bowels] i.e. the yearning of thy compassion. See ch. Isa_16:11.
towards me? are they restrained] Rather, as R.V., are restrained towards me (LXX. “towards us”). Cf. ch. Isa_42:14.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv15–17 (15) Look down from heaven . . .—The form…
(15) Look down from heaven . . .—The form of the prayer reminds us of 2Ch_6:21. Perhaps there is a latent remonstrance, as though Jehovah, like an Eastern king, had withdrawn to the recesses of His palace, and had ceased to manifest His care and pity for His people, as He had done of old.
The sounding of thy bowels.—See Note on Isa_16:11. The words jar upon modern ears, but were to the Hebrew what “the sighs of thy heart” would be to us.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Vers. 15-19. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SIN AND…
Vers. 15-19. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SIN AND SUFFERING. From thanksgiving and confession, the people betake themselves to prayer, and beseech God to look down from heaven once more, to have compassion on them, to acknowledge them, and to save them alike from themselves (ver. 17) and from their adversaries (vers. 18, 19). "It is difficult to overrate the spiritual beauty of the prayer contained in this passage. We may admit that the most prominent motive urged by the speaker has a nationalistic air; but behind this, and strengthening it, is a sense of the infiniteness of the Divine mercy, and of the strong vitality of the union between Jehovah and his people" (Cheyne).
Look down from heaven. (comp. Deu_26:15 Psa_80:14 2Ki_8:3) "The Lord"s seat" was "in heaven." While the temple lay in ruins, the Jews would naturally address their prayers to God in his heavenly abode. From the habitation of thy holiness. Mr. Cheyne translates, from the height of thy holiness," taking the meaning of the rare word z"bul from the Assyrian. "Height" certainly suits well most of the other places where the word z"bul occurs. (1Ki_8:13 2Ch_6:2 Psa_49:14 Hab_3:11) Where is thy zeal? i.e. What has become of it? Has it ceased altogether, or is it only in abeyance for a time? Will not God "stir it up" once more? (Isa_42:13) And thy strength; rather, and thy great acts. (comp. Psa_106:2 Psa_145:4 Psa_150:2) The sounding of thy bowels; i.e. their thrilling or vibration an indication of sympathy. (see Isa_16:11) Jeremiah has a similar expression. (Jer_31:20) Are they restrained? rather, they are restrained. They no longer show themselves. There was no room for questioning the fact.
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Vers. 15-19. The right of God"s people to address him with complaint and expostulation.
No doubt the ordinary attitude of God"s people towards their Maker and Ruler should be one of the most profound resignation and submission to his will. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?". (Gen_18:25) Yet on occasions it is allowed them to "speak with him as a man speaketh with his friend", (Exo_33:11) to plead, expostulate, complain; even, in a certain sense, to reproach. Job pleaded with God at great length, and God was not angered, but "accepted" him, (Job_42:9) and testified in his favour that he had "spoken right". (Job_42:8) In the Psalms David pleads, complains, expostulates. "Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?". (Psa_10:1) "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? For ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?". (Psa_13:1, Psa_13:2) "Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions ... Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me... For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters ... This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord". (Psa_35:17-23) "Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?... Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies" sake". (Psa_44:18-26) Such expostulations as these do not anger God, but, on the contrary, arc pleasing and acceptable. They show earnestness, confidence, faith, a trust in his goodness, a conviction that he will surely show himself on the side of truth and righteousness. They are within the limits of the "liberty wherewith Christ has made us free". (Gal_5:1) Caution, however, must be used, lest liberty degenerate into licence lest complaint and expostulation pass into "murmuring." After all, God best knows what is best for us, and will assuredly do what is best for us. We are safe in his hands. In his own good time he will give us all that we need. Let us not be impatient, or imagine ourselves wiser than he. If he delays to give us that which we desire, we may be sure that there is a reason for the delay. In quietness and confidence should be our strength.
Vers. 15-19. The Church"s prayer.
One of extreme "spiritual beauty" (Cheyne).
I THE MAJESTY OF GOD. He is contemplated as in heaven, upon "a height of holiness and splendour:" and here, as in Psa_80:14, is besought to "look down and. behold" as if "he had given up caring for his people, and withdrawn into his heavenly palace." It expresses the thought that he, to interpose for them, must ever condescend. The vastness of the distance between God and the creature is expressed in other words, the sense of the creature"s lowliness and unworthiness. Yet elsewhere, "He is nigh unto all that call upon him." The chasm then presented in the imagination may be, and is, bridged over. How? By prayer by calling upon him. "A sigh may bring the blessing down.
II THE SEEMING INDIFFERENCE OF GOD. Nevertheless, there are times when the "heavens are,as brass," and when the God believed to be living" stirs not, speaks not, gives no sign that he hearkens. As if callous to his people"s need, his "jealousy" slumbers, and needs to be "stirred." Then comes the "pain of finite hearts that yearn," for the sympathy (the "sounding of the bowels," Isa_16:11 Jer_31:20 Jer_48:36) and the compassion which seem withheld and as if deliberately kept back. Such is the tragedy of religious experience the old conflict between the intellect which absolutely affirms the goodness of God, the heart which is denied the present sense of it.
III FAITH IN THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD. Thou art our Father" is the cry, the confession, and the appeal of the Church. In Isa_64:8 the image is associated with that of the "Potter." In 1Ch_29:10 it is Lord God of Israel, our Father." And with this image again is associated the Maker and Purchaser, or Redeemer. (Deu_32:6) The nation is to him as the primitive family is to the father, the head, who enjoys the peculiar patria potestas. The people is "his son, even his firstborn"; (Exo_4:22) "beloved, called out of Egypt"; (Hos_11:1) "nourished and brought up" by Jehovah; (Isa_1:2) as the Guide of its youth; (Jer_3:4) who will not disown the tie nor the; (Jer_3:19) Father of Israel, to whom Ephraim is firstborn; (Jer_31:9) a Father whose heart is sore troubled for his children"s sake, and who is full of mercy and compassion to them; (Jer_31:20) who demands the honour and reverence. due to a father. (Mal_1:6 Mal_2:10) And here the name is associated with that of the goel, the avenger and deliverer; for the people"s history was a series of deliverances. If God is a Father, a childlike way of speech is not misbecoming in prayers. And here they ask why Jehovah "makes them to stray," as if they would throw the blame of their aberrations upon him, and he was the Cause of the hardening of their hearts. "They speak as if it is not they who need to return to Jehovah, but Jehovah who is reluctant to return to them; as if, instead of feeding his flock like a Shepherd, (Isa_40:11) he has driven it out of the safe fold into the howling wilderness" (Cheyne). Yet the confidence of the child beats passionately below such language. God looks not at the mere words, but at the heart in the words. And it is true, again, that from the difficult problems of thought, this way of thinking seems a better relict than the dualism of the Orientals. It is better to leave the problem with the confession, "God knows best". (cf. Rom_9:17-22) Jehovah is also King. The other peoples have kings as their gods; but he is the incomparable One. The calling on his Name signifies the union of him with his people the eternal covenant. (Isa_43:7 Isa_65:1 Deu_28:10 Jer_14:9) The spiritual life moves between opposite poles. It has been said that in the highest mood of faith there lurks some doubt. So in extreme despondency there is still living the germ of faith and hope. And prayer brings that germ into life and power. J.
Vers. 15-17. The unvarying Father.
The habitation of God"s holiness is the habitation of his glory; his glory is in his goodness, in his faithfulness. (Exo_33:19) His fatherhood of man remains and may be counted upon most confidently, although there may appear great obstacles in the way of it.
I OUR INSIGNIFICANCE AMONG MEN is no indication of the absence of God"s interest in us. Abraham might be ignorant of any one of his children; our illustrious ancestors, our honoured contemporaries, may know nothing of us; we may be dwelling in the humblest obscurity; but that need not diminish in the very smallest degree our assurance that God is interesting himself in us. Doubtless he is our Father. "I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me.
II OUR STANDING AMONG MEN is no measure of God"s regard for us. Israel might not be prepared to acknowledge one of his descendants. Men in high authority may withhold from us the light of their countenance; but if there be integrity in our heart and soundness in our life, that need not greatly move us. It is better to have than to lack the confidence of such men, but we can do without it, if necessary. With God for our Father, with Christ for our Divine Friend, we can dispense with "the honour that cometh from man only.
III GOD"S DISCIPLINE OF US is no disproof of his desire or determination to bless us. God may seem to have forsaken us. He once seemed to have forsaken his well-beloved Son. We may be inclined to use such language as he then used, (Mat_27:46) or as that of the text. (ver. 15; and see Ps 67) But we may be reassured. Everything he has done or is doing is consistent with his unchanging love. with a fatherhood that never fails. God is only searching, pruning, purifying us. He smites that he may heal us with a wholeness that wilt make us truly blessed, most excellently established and enriched.
1. Therefore let the voice of prayer be heard in dark and distressing hours. "Look down from heaven.
2. Therefore let the tried and stricken heart anticipate relief and recovery. God"s Name is, from everlasting, that of "a Redeemer. C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv15–17 Look down from heaven
Isa_63:15-16
Look down from heaven
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An appeal to God
I.
GODS PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.
II. THEIR RESOURCE.
III. THEIR PLEA. Past interpositions. Past mercies. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
I. OUR FATHERS HOUSE.
Our Father--God
1. Heavenly.
2. Holy.
3. Glorious.
II. OUR FATHERS CHARACTER. Strong; tender; compassionate.
III. OUR FATHERS FAITHFULNESS. Survives our ingratitude; vicissitude; time.
IV. OUR FATHERS NAME.
1. Father.
2. Redeemer.
3. From everlasting.
V. OUR FATHERS CLAIMS. Honour; obedience; love. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The habitation of Thy holiness and of Thy glory
Whither did our Lord ascend?
(with Isa_6:3, The whole earth is full of His glory):--What was the new scene into which our Lord was introduced? He went up into heaven.
1. What is heaven? The place where Almighty God is specially present Joh_14:2; Joh_16:28). But is not the Father present everywhere? Psa_139:7-12). What means the being specially present? Has it any meaning? In the case of men they are present to us, or absent from us; but there is no medium between the two. Presence does not seem to admit of more or less. Either we are here or elsewhere. There are many doctrines of religion, and this is one of them, that can only be apprehended by analogy, or, as the apostle says, in a glass darkly. The union of body and soul furnishes in this case a very just analogy. There is no part of the human body in which the soul is not present. I mean by the soul simply the animating principle and the principle of sensation. Every member of the living body is endowed with feeling, or sensibility to pain. But that this sensibility resides not in the mass of matter, but in the soul or life, is, of course, clear from the fact that when death separates body and soul, the body has no longer any feeling. Yet, although the soul pervades the whole body, and resides even in its remotest extremities, it has a special connection with what are called the vital parts. A man may pluck out his right eye, and cut off his right hand, or his right foot, without ceasing to live. Assault the heart, and you assault the seat of life. Surely, then, there can be no objection to affirming as, on the one hand, a general residence of the soul in every member of the body, so, on the other, a special residence of the soul in the heart. There is the figure of the truth of which we are in search. Now, let us elicit the truth from it. No district of this fair, broad universe is without the presence of Almighty God. In that Presence stands the being of everything that is. Yet, although the presence of God in and under all things as their support is unquestionable, arc we, for this reason, to deny His special connection with a certain part of the universe above others? No? The earth is but the remote extremity of creation--the universe has a heart, the special seat, the royal residence of that God who quickens with His presence the entire framework of the world. This place, wherever it is locally situated, is the source of all movement in the world, just as the heart is the source of all movement in the natural body. Heaven! The region in which the hand of God immediately operates without any intervention of secondary causes, the region in which His fiat is issued to the firmament, and the firmament pours forth its rain upon the earth, and the earth yields her fruit to the inhabitants, and the heart of those inhabitants is filled with food and gladness; the region is called heaven. This is the region to which our blessed Lords body was carried up on the day of His ascension; and into which, without seeing death, the patriarch Enoch and the Prophet Elijah were translated.
2. In what sense Christs people are now with Him in heaven. The apostle intimates that Christians themselves, in their present state of existence, have undergone a similar translation. God, says he, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace we are saved), and hath raised us up together (mark, hath raised us up together), and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. How can language so strong be substantiated? Just consider prayer--prayer offered in the faith of Christ. It penetrates to these regions of which we have been speaking, and has its effect and operation there. A sublime thought indeed, and one of which we may make good use in stirring up ourselves to prayer I Prayer penetrates to a region beyond the stars, and, in the holy audacity of its enterprise, lays hold of that primary will of God from which proceed, through a long series of intermediate causes, all the movements of the universe. And prayer, if genuine, is the voice of the Christians affections, the outpouring of his heart. Hence, because his thoughts are in heaven, his hope in heaven, his affections in heaven; the Saviour, around whom gather all his thoughts, and hopes, and affections, in heaven; because his prayers move in that sphere and touch the spring of Gods will, he himself, according to the spiritual element of his nature, is said to sit together in heavenly places in Christ.
3. Consider, that this region is the habitation of Gods holiness and of His glory. And here remark a striking and most instructive contrast between the two passages of which my text consists. It is said in the latter of them that the whole earth is full of Gods glory. The seraphim say nothing about holiness as witnessed upon the earth. Alas! what could they say? There is no spot upon the earth where an intelligent and devout eye may not see and adore the glory of the Divine Being. But when upon the stage of this earth we look for judgement, behold oppression; for righteousness, behold a cry. Holiness, like Noahs dove upon the water, can find no resting-place for the sole of her foot upon this earth. But heaven is the habitation of Gods holiness, no less than of His glory. Every heart admitted within its precincts is a mirror which gives back the holiness of the Most High, His hatred of sin, His stern and uncompromising righteousness, His exact justice, His fervent and all-embracing love. There shall in no wise enter into the heavenly, anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life.
4. Heaven cannot possibly be accessible to any man without a congeniality of mind to its pursuits and employments. A tropical plant cannot possibly thrive in the bleak and raw atmosphere of the North; vegetation generally is blighted and killed by an atmosphere uncongenial to it. And he who loves not praise and thanksgiving, who turns away from the thought of Gods presence as an intrusion on his peace, who regards sin with levity rather than with fear, and freely cherishes any animosity, or worldly or carnal lusts--that mans sentiments and character, quite irrespective of any Divine decree, must exclude him from the habitation of holiness to which he hath no affinity.
5. Our blessed Lords presence in heaven is that which lends to it its great attraction in the eyes of the true Christian. (Dean Goulburn.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v16 Isa_63:16. Doubtless Thou art our father, though Abraham, &c.
GOD’S RELATION TO HIS PEOPLE
Isa_63:16. Doubtless Thou art our father, though Abraham, &c.
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From thanksgiving and confession, the people betake themselves to earnest prayer for deliverance from sin and suffering (Isa_63:15). Consider God’s relation to His people in two aspects—
I. As a fact most encouraging at all times, but especially in times of trouble. God’s ancient people were in sore trouble (Isa_63:15 and others). Yet, amid all, they derived encouragement from the intimate relationships which existed between God and them.
1. As their Father (Isa_64:8; Deu_32:6; 1Ch_29:10; Jer_3:4). Though this relationship was revealed under the old covenant, it was practically realised only upon the rarest occasions. Amid their trials, this is now the ground of their appeal. As their Father He must love them, and be ready to listen to them, &c. Though their earthly fathers afforded them no assistance, and seem to have ceased to feel any interest in them, they have confidence in the constancy of their heavenly Father’s compassion (Jer_31:20). This is the ever deepening conviction of God’s people everywhere. Gourds may grow and wither, but our heavenly Father’s love neither grows nor withers—it is un-changing; it holds on and holds out, needing no sustenance from without, except that supplied by our need of it; it endures through all our unfaithfulness, &c.
As our Father—
(1) He is the author of our spiritual life. By His Spirit He quickens, &c., and imparts His own nature and image (2Pe_1:4; Col_3:10; Eph_4:23-24).
(2) He secures our instruction. By His works, Word, Spirit, &c.
(3) He supplies all our need. His supplies are suited, abundant, satisfying, inexhaustible.
(4) He protects us. Exposed to innumerable perils and evils, He is our shield, &c.
(5) He gives us a glorious and everlasting portion. A kingdom, a crown, &c., and bliss ineffable and eternal.
Such a relation cannot fail to be a source of unspeakable comfort to the people of God amid all their trials. Such a Father, ever living and loving, &c. Are you His child by the adoption of grace, &c.? He wants you to be His restored, obedient child, &c. “We are all the children of God,” in the highest sense, “by faith in Christ Jesus.”
2. As their Redeemer (kinsman). Their history was a series of remarkable deliverances. As their Redeemer He delivers His people—
(1) From the bondage of sin and Satan, &c. (pp. 295, 416, 417, 438, 551). No arm but His could break the chain, &c.
(2) From all their troubles (Psa_34:19). α. Either in this life, in answer to prayer (Psa_34:6; Psa_46:1, and others). At the fittest time, by the fittest instrument, through the fittest medium, and in the fittest manner. β. Or wholly, in the life to come. Here, then, is “strong consolation” for God’s people amid all their tribulations. Troubled one, “be of good cheer!”
3. As their unchanging Friend. “Name”—expresses the Divine perfections. We delight to tell our cares, &c., to a faithful friend. Whoever dies, Jesus lives.
II. As a fact independent of the recognition of the greatest men.—Abraham and Jacob were two of the greatest men in Jewish history—the venerated ancestors of the Hebrew race, &c. Whether these great men knew it or not, they felt their relationship to God was a fact most encouraging. The believer’s relation to God is a fact independent of man’s acknowledgment, however great.
The world knows us not, because it knows not our Father (1Jn_3:1-2). They often regard us as fanatics, &c. Nothing do they less understand than the elements which constitute the Christian’s character and joys. As they mistake our Father’s character, it is no wonder they should mistake ours (Joh_17:25; Act_3:17; 1Co_2:8). But whatever the great ones of the earth may think of you, if you have genuine faith in Christ, you are a child of God—the fact is as unalterable as it is glorious (Joh_1:12; 1Jn_3:1-2; Gal_4:4-7). Whoever refuses to acknowledge you, steadfastly believe in God as your Father, Redeemer, &c. This is infinitely more precious than the most honoured earthly ancestry, &c. Unspeakably blessed are those who have the LORD for their Father and Redeemer. They rise superior to all life’s trials, and exult in the hope of glory (Rom_5:2). Is this blessedness yours?—Alfred Tucker
I. The characters under which God is here addressed. (See former outline.) II. The affections and emotions of which God is the proper object.
1. Of admiring gratitude and awe.
2. Of filial confidence and trust.
3. Of earnest pleading and expostulation (Isa_63:15-19 and ch. 64).
4. Of high and animated hope. These are not the pleadings of despair, &c.—S. Thodey.
Isa_63:17-19. I. The sorrows of God’s people. Phases. Causes. Moral influence. II. Their chastisement. Just. Administered by means of their enemies. Merciful. Corrective. III. Their cure. Penitential prayer. Faith, founded on God’s peculiar right in His people.
Isa_63:19. God’s people as distinguished from their enemies are—I. His special property. II. His privileged subjects. II. His acknowledged children.—J. Lyth, D.D.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv16–17 our Father
our Father
Cf. Isa 1:2; Isa 64:8. Israel, collectively, the national Israel, recognizes God as the national Father (cf) Exo 4:22; Exo 4:23 Doubtless the believing Israelite was born anew (cf); Joh 3:3; Joh 3:5; Luk 13:28 but the O.T. Scriptures show no trace of the consciousness of personal sonship. The explanation is given in Gal 4:1-7.
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The Israelite, though a child, "differed nothing from a servant." The Spirit, as the "Spirit of His Son," could not be given to impart the consciousness of sonship until redemption had been accomplished. Gal 4:4-6 See "Adoption"; Rom 8:15; Eph 1:5. (See Scofield "Eph 1:5").
redeemer Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield "Isa 59:20")
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv15, 17 General Information:
General Information:
The people of Israel continue speaking.
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Where are your zeal and your mighty acts?
The writer uses a question to express deep emotion and concern because it seems God is not helping them. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. AT: "We do not see your zeal and your mighty acts!" (See: Rhetorical Question)
Your pity and your compassionate actions are kept from us
This can be stated in active form. AT: "You keep your pity and compassion from us" (See: Active or Passive)
though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us
These ancestors of the nation of Israel would not able to identify their descendants because they changed so much. "Abraham" and "Israel" represent the people from the distant past. (See: Synecdoche)
Israel
This refers to the name also called "Jacob."
translationWords
heaven
holy
glory
zeal
might
compassion
ancestor
Abraham
Israel
Yahweh
redeem
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv15–17 63:15–64:12 The prophet’s reflections on the past (63:7-14) inspire…
63:15–64:12 The prophet’s reflections on the past (63:7-14) inspire him to pray that God would now rescue his people as he has done before.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.