Come, O Lord Come!
Isaiah 64:1-4: "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence - as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil - to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence."
The prophet lamented over the unfaithfulness of the nation of Israel. They had turned from the Lord and worshipped false gods. Their love had grown cold, and their obedience was to the way of the world rather than the way of the Lord. In this place of despair, Isaiah cried out to the Lord to tear open the heavens. Isaiah imagined a veil that separated heaven from earth, that separated God from his people. The cry of Isaiah unto the Lord was to tear that veil so that the glory of the Lord could be clearly seen.
This prayer of Isaiah was likely inspired by the Israelites' experience at Mt. Sinai. There, the Lord had his people consecrate themselves for three days. On the third day, Moses recorded the Lord's manifestation to the people: "Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly" (Exodus 19:18). This revelation of glory and power was awe-inspiring to the nation of Israel. They feared the Lord and understood that he was in their midst.
Isaiah longed for that awe-inspiring experience of the Lord for himself, for the nation of Israel, and for their adversaries. If they could be reminded that the Lord alone sits on the throne of heaven, that the Lord alone is worthy to be feared and worshipped, then maybe the hearts of the people would return to the Lord.
Sadly, it took the judgment of the Lord to awaken his people. Some repented and returned to him while others found their place in foreign lands. Now we must ask ourselves, what does it take to wake us from our slumber? How easy it is for us, like the Israelites of Isaiah's day, to become consumed with the world so that we honor and worship the wrong things.
As we move into the Advent season, how does the Lord want to awaken you to his glory, to his presence, and to a renewed obedience to him? With his death on the cross, Jesus tore the veil that separated us from the Lord. May we enter his presence today and choose to live in a way that honors him above all else.
Reflection:
What are some practices that you can adopt this Advent season to prepare your heart for a greater awakening to God's glory and revelation in your life?
The prophet lamented over the unfaithfulness of the nation of Israel. They had turned from the Lord and worshipped false gods. Their love had grown cold, and their obedience was to the way of the world rather than the way of the Lord. In this place of despair, Isaiah cried out to the Lord to tear open the heavens. Isaiah imagined a veil that separated heaven from earth, that separated God from his people. The cry of Isaiah unto the Lord was to tear that veil so that the glory of the Lord could be clearly seen.
This prayer of Isaiah was likely inspired by the Israelites' experience at Mt. Sinai. There, the Lord had his people consecrate themselves for three days. On the third day, Moses recorded the Lord's manifestation to the people: "Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly" (Exodus 19:18). This revelation of glory and power was awe-inspiring to the nation of Israel. They feared the Lord and understood that he was in their midst.
Isaiah longed for that awe-inspiring experience of the Lord for himself, for the nation of Israel, and for their adversaries. If they could be reminded that the Lord alone sits on the throne of heaven, that the Lord alone is worthy to be feared and worshipped, then maybe the hearts of the people would return to the Lord.
Sadly, it took the judgment of the Lord to awaken his people. Some repented and returned to him while others found their place in foreign lands. Now we must ask ourselves, what does it take to wake us from our slumber? How easy it is for us, like the Israelites of Isaiah's day, to become consumed with the world so that we honor and worship the wrong things.
As we move into the Advent season, how does the Lord want to awaken you to his glory, to his presence, and to a renewed obedience to him? With his death on the cross, Jesus tore the veil that separated us from the Lord. May we enter his presence today and choose to live in a way that honors him above all else.
Reflection:
What are some practices that you can adopt this Advent season to prepare your heart for a greater awakening to God's glory and revelation in your life?
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