15 Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation;
Where are Your zeal and Your mighty deeds?
The stirrings of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained toward me.
16 For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us
And Israel does not recognize us.
You, O Lord, are our Father,
Our Redeemer from of old is Your name.
17 Why, O Lord, do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.
18 Your holy people possessed Your sanctuary for a little while,
Our adversaries have trodden it down.
19 We have become like those over whom You have never ruled,
Like those who were not called by Your name.
We shift once more in this chapter, from remembering what God has done, to a people who cannot remember who they are. This is a people who would not be recognized by Abraham or Israel (Jacob) in v. 16. Yet still God is their Father, and had redeemed them, so what was going on?
We begin to see inklings in v. 17, where the people have strayed from God’s ways, and have hardened their hearts. They do not fear God, but is Isaiah right in saying that God caused all this? We certainly have a precedent for that, when Pharaoh’s heart was hardened centuries earlier. It’s a strange thing to wrap our heads around, though I think it is more so that God strengthened their resolve.
That is, He gave them more motivation to keep following their selfish ways. God knew their hearts, that they were not willing to serve Him and follow His commands. How else do you explain that they could listen to all these warnings, prophecy after prophecy, and not turn from their wicked ways? Isaiah was not the only prophet sent to warn God’s people, we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of all the warnings God would send.
Yet in all that, there is an important distinction that we need to see today. They did not live in an age where the very Spirit of God would come and live within them. That was an anomaly, seen by the emphasis in the stories of John (the Baptist) and Jesus later on. When God’s Spirit came upon them, it was a game changer.
At this point, the people were left to their own resolve. Certainly, God had done miracles, mighty works, and reminded them of that. Yet it did not seem to be enough–for some, a remnant, yes, but not for the majority. They needed something more, and God had just the plan for that, but it was not for that day, not yet.
The amazing thing is that, when we ask God to come into our hearts, He literally does just that. We might say that we know that, of course He does what we ask, right? But do we live it? Do we live as if God is dwelling within us? I find myself praying sometimes, feeling as if God is 8,000 miles away, listening for a distant voice.
Yet God is right here, not just present with me, but right within my very being. I don’t know how that works, but it is what He has promised, and that fact should change my perspective. God is so very near, that though the Israelites possessed His sanctuary for a little while (v. 18), it was nothing like what we have today. Live today, and every day, as if God lives within you, because He does.
*And if you’re not there yet, invite Him in, for “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” God is right there, very near, only waiting for your invitation, because He will not barge in, nor force what your heart is not already willing to do.