ISAIAH 64

ISAIAH 64
HEARTFELT REPENTANCE
IN THE CHURCH
WILL BRING VICTORY

Millions of people are frantically awaiting “the shout” that will signal the “catching away” of all Christian folks into the ether, where there will be nothing but righteousness, peace and joy forever after.

That will be wonderful, IF AND WHEN IT HAPPENS THAT WAY. I, personally, believe that the Lord said something entirely different than what our theologians have heard, and are teaching.

Here is another classic example of what CAN happen when men attempt to interpret a Spiritual Book, using the tools of a mind that has been sold to carnality, the archenemy of Spirituality.

If the Holy Spirit of God dictated the Word of God, and it did, then it becomes an exercise in futility to attempt to interpret it with a mind permeated with sin and carnality. The ONLY result will be confusion, misdirected faith, and faulty understanding.

We have SO VERY LITTLE scripture to describe the hereafter (Heaven and Hell), that we should probably not be talking about it very much.

Almost ALL of the scriptures we have relegated to Heaven and the Kingdom are, actually, directed by the Spirit to the times in which we live today.

We have been schooled to anticipate the “sweet bye and bye” while we live in the “nasty now and now”.

We have also been taught that what the world calls Israel (Jews) is to be the sole possessor of the “Fertile Crescent” as a homeland. For decades, now, Christian people have been making pilgrimages to Israel, to see what it is like to “walk where Jesus walked”. Many of them have wanted to move there because “that is where it’s at; that’s where it’s gonna be.”

Again, I am reading my Bible differently. While I have to admit that, at times, it does seem to be saying what modern men say it is indicating, there are literally scores of times where it paints an entirely different picture than the one seen by most of our modern teachers.

In chapter 64 we get a glimpse of what is still in front of us in 2006. It tells us of the Northern Tribes of Israel who have heard and obeyed the Gospel (re-formed on the wheel of the Potter), crying out to God in repentance for the condition of the Church, which is now their “homeland”. Listen to their (our) pleadings:

Isa 64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains (Governments) might flow down (tremble) at thy presence,
Isa 64:2 As when the melting (crackling) fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

Ø Rev 6:15 And the kings (governments) of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men (giant corporations), and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Ø Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us (no hint of surrender to Jesus) from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Ø Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Is this a picture of the TOTAL COLLAPSE of the monetary and political systems that have been developed by mankind in their attempt to govern themselves without obedience to the principles of Godliness? I would be in favor of that conclusion.

Ø Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Ø Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ø Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Ø Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Isa 64:3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

Ø Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

Isa 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Ø 1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Ø 1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Isa 64:5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; FOR WE HAVE SINNED: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

Can this be a picture of a worldwide repentance and turning to God for Mercy and help? I believe it is.

What means will the Lord use to bring it about? He already knows. He has known since before He promised to give the world to Abraham.

Ø Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Isa 64:7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Ø Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Ø Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Ø Jer 18:3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Ø Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Ø Jer 18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ø Jer 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Isa 64:9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity forever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

Ø Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
Ø Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Ø Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Ø Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Ø Psa 79:5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry forever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
Ø Psa 79:6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
Ø Psa 79:7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
Ø Psa 79:8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
Ø Psa 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

Isa 64:10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

Soon, Oh So Soon, the Church was plagued with “Men of Violence” thrusting one another and seizing control of its affairs for their own purposes and benefit. The pure workings of the Holy Spirit were pushed to the side and replaced by the products of the human mind. True Worship was mixed with legends and traditions of idolatry, and the Church suffered over 1200 years of desolation and wastedness.

A definite move toward the True Gospel was experienced in the 1500’s, but the spirit of man was not ready to relinquish control yet, so the Church was divided into factions called denominations. Each denomination that made its appearance was formed around the revival of a truth that had been trashed by the universal church during what is called the Dark Ages.

Most of the denominations were, however, a moving in the direction of restoring the worship that had existed in the Church in it was young.

Isa 64:11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Today, many people are sincerely seeking a path that will lead the Church back to the simplicity of its youth, and to the fullness of the early blessings.

Oh, if we could just identify the problem, and thoroughly repent of having participated in the errant practices of the past, we would surely see the Hand of God move again.

The “Denominational System” has such a firm grip on our thinking, after 400 years, that it is proving to be a much harder task to break loose than we anticipated when we embarked on such an endeavour.

Isa 64:12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

“Lord, will You extend more Mercy and Compassion to us?

One writer has expressed it: Wilt thou refrain thyself - Wilt thou refuse to come to our aid? Wilt thou decline to visit us, and save us from our calamities?
Wilt thou hold thy peace - Wilt thou not speak for our rescue, and command us to be delivered?

The Prophet Ezekiel left us a promise.

Ø Eze 36:35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
Ø Eze 36:36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I THE LORD BUILD THE RUINED PLACES, AND PLANT THAT THAT WAS DESOLATE: I THE LORD HAVE SPOKEN IT, AND I WILL DO IT.
Ø Eze 36:37 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
Ø Eze 36:38 As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.