63:15 Lord, look down from heaven. Look down from your holy and glorious throne. Where is your great love for us? Where is your power? Why don’t you show us your tender love and concern?

16 You are our Father. Abraham might not accept us as his children. Jacob might not recognize us as his family. But you are our Father, Lord. Your name is One Who Always Sets Us Free.

17 Lord, why do you let us wander away from you? Why do you let us become so stubborn that we don’t respect you? Come back and help us. We are the tribes that belong to you.

18 For a little while your holy people possessed the land. But now our enemies have torn your temple down.

19 We are like people you never ruled over. We are like those who don’t belong to you.

64:1 I wish you would open up your heavens and come down to us! I wish the mountains would tremble

    when you show your power!

2 Be like a fire that causes twigs to burn. It also makes water boil. So come down and make yourself known to your enemies. Cause the nations to shake with fear when they see your power!

3 Long ago you did some wonderful things we didn’t expect. You came down, and the mountains trembled

    when you showed your power.

4 No one’s ears have ever heard of a God like you. No one’s eyes have ever seen a God who is greater than you. No God but you acts for the good of those who trust in him.

5 You come to help those who enjoy doing what is right. You help those who thank you for teaching them how to live. But when we continued to disobey you, you became angry with us. So how can we be saved?

6 All of us have become like someone who is “unclean.” All the good things we do are like dirty rags to you. All of us are like leaves that have dried up. Our sins sweep us away like the wind.

7 No one prays to you. No one asks you for help. You have turned your face away from us. You have let us feel the effects of our sins.

8 Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay. You are the potter. Your hands made all of us.

9 Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Don’t remember our sins anymore. Please have mercy on us. All of us belong to you.

10 Your sacred cities have become a desert. Even Zion is a desert. Jerusalem is a dry and empty place.

11 Our people of long ago used to praise you in our holy and glorious temple. But now it has been burned down. Everything we treasured has been destroyed.

12 Lord, won’t you help us even after everything that’s happened? Will you keep silent and punish us more than we can stand?


Discussion:

1. A Cry for Divine Intervention (Isaiah 63:15-16):

The passage begins with a plea for God to "look down (attentively) from heaven" What aspects of God's character are being appealed to here? How does the mention of Abraham and Israel (Jacob) as not knowing or acknowledging them highlight the depth of the nation's distress and their reliance solely on God?


2. The Cause of Straying (Isaiah 63:17):

The challenging question is posed: "Lord, why do you let us wander away from you? Why do you let us become so stubborn that we don’t respect you?" How do you interpret this challenging question? Is it an accusation, a lament, or something else? What does it suggest about the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility?


3. Remembering Past Deliverance (Isaiah 63:18-19):

The text recalls God's past actions, specifically how His people "For a little while ... possessed the land" What is the significance of remembering God's past faithfulness in a time of present difficulty? How can recalling past blessings strengthen faith during challenging times?


4. A Desire for God's Manifestation (Isaiah 64:1-2):

The plea intensifies with the cry, "I wish you would open up your heavens and come down to us! I wish the mountains would tremble when you show your power!" What is the prophet longing for here? What imagery is used to describe the desired impact of God's presence, and what does it communicate about the power of God?


5. The Uniqueness of God (Isaiah 64:3-4):

The passage states that "Long ago you did some wonderful things we didn’t expect....No one’s ears have ever heard of a God like you....No God but you acts for the good of those who trust in him." What does this emphasize about the nature of God? How does it differentiate Him from other perceived deities or powers? What does it mean to "trust in him"?


6. Confession of Sin and Unworthiness (Isaiah 64:5-7):

The focus shifts to the people's sin: "All of us have become like someone who is “unclean.” All the good things we do are like dirty rags to you." How does this confession demonstrate humility and self-awareness? What are the implications of recognizing that even "All the good things we do" can be flawed in God's sight? How does verse 7, "No one prays to you. No one asks you for help." deepen the sense of their spiritual state?


7. The Potter and the Clay (Isaiah 64:8):

God is addressed as "our Father" and "the potter," while the people are "the clay" and "the work of your hand." What comfort and what challenge does this metaphor present? How does understanding God as the potter influence our perspective on suffering and purification?


8. Plea for Mercy and Restoration (Isaiah 64:9-12):

The prophet pleads, "Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Don’t remember our sins anymore. Please have mercy on us. All of us belong to you." What arguments are made to appeal to God's compassion? How does the description of the desolate cities and the burned temple amplify the urgency of their plea?


9. The Question of God's Silence (Isaiah 64:12):

The final question in this section is, "Lord, won’t you help us even after everything that’s happened? Will you keep silent and punish us more than we can stand?" What does this question reveal about the prophet's wrestling with God's perceived inaction? How does this passage challenge or affirm our own understanding of God's silence or apparent absence in times of suffering?


10. Application to Our Lives:

What lessons can we draw from this passage about prayer, confession, and waiting on God during times of national or personal distress? How does this passage inform our understanding of God's character – His holiness, power, justice, and mercy?