Mighty to Save: Isaiah 63, 64 (7)

Pray Psalm 98.1.
Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

Review Isaiah chapters 63, 64.

Reflect.
1. Judgment and salvation go together, as we see in these chapters. Why? How can you see that salvation is all of grace?

2. When we pray like Isaiah, for the reviving of God’s people, what are we seeking? What do we expect God to do?

Meditate.
The great salvation of the Lord comes with wrath. The judgment of God for our sins falls on the Servant, Who comes to suffer on our behalf, so that He might deliver us from our afflictions into the grace and promises of God.

Isaiah understood and believed this, and it led him to pray, seeking the mercy and Presence of the Lord for the salvation of His people. Above all, he sought the glory of God in the sight of the nations of the world. When we seek more of God’s great salvation, and when we pray for revival, we must be sure that what we ultimately seek is the glory of Him Who saves. He took our sins upon Himself, and grants us forgiveness and life by grace alone. As we increase in the salvation of the Lord, we will glorify Him in even the most everyday aspects of our lives.

Great is the salvation Isaiah foresaw, and which we have begun to know through Jesus Christ! But there is always more of Jesus, more of God’s salvation, more of His glory to be realized. Let us seek Him earnestly and often, that He might rend the heavens and come down into our midst, reviving and renewing us, and sending us to the world with the message of His salvation and glory. 

Prepare.
1. What does it mean to increase in the salvation of the Lord? How does increasing in our great salvation bring God glory?

2. What do we learn from Isaiah’s prayer about dealing with the sins that continue to show up in our lives?

3. What’s your primary takeaway from Isaiah 63 and 64?

For since they are unable to mollify the one who could save them with their own works and blameless lives, they now take another route. They ask him as the creator of his own work to be reasonable and sparing with those who were brought into being and life by him.… “We are not unaware that we have offended you; we confess that we showed ourselves to deserve judgment and acted savagely towards the Son.” Cyril of Alexandria (375-444 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 5.6.64.8-9

Lord, cleanse me of all unrighteousness, and show me more of Your great salvation, so that I can…

Pray Psalm 98.
As you pray, meditate on all the ways God has made His great salvation known to you. Rejoice in Him, glorify Him, and pray for a greater realization of His grace for the day ahead.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 98 (Duke Street: Come, Let Us Sing unto the Lord)
Come, let us sing unto the Lord new songs of praise with one accord!
Wonderful things our God has done: Jesus has our salvation won!

Now is God’s saving mercy known; His glory to the world is shown.  
Faithful and kind is God our Lord; earth has the Name of Jesus heard.

Raise to the Lord your loudest voice! Break forth and sing! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Praise, praise to You our God and King, with all our hearts and strength we bring!

Now let the whole creation ‘round burst into song with joyous sound!
Jesus will come to judge the earth; let all proclaim His matchless worth!

T. M. Moore

Where do the prophets fit with the rest of Scripture? How can I be a better student of God’s Word? Our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, can help you gain a better approach to and understanding of the Scriptures. Watch this brief preview video, then register at The Ailbe Seminary and enroll in this free online course.

Each week’s lesson in our study of Isaiah is available as a free PDF download at the end of the week (click here). Get a copy for yourself and send the link for the download to your friends. Plan to meet weekly to study Isaiah’s important message.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).