“Come, and Come Quickly!”

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. While the word “advent” symbolizes the first “arrival” of Jesus Christ, it can also refer to the long awaited arrival – the second coming – of Christ. But why would the arrival of Christ – both the first and the second – be so important for us? Why is this season to be a special and intentional period of worship?

In the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, we will consider the day that is to come – what it will be like and how we are to wait for its coming. We will see what we can discover about the One who is on His way, how we will know that it is truly Him, and what He will be bringing with him. But today, we consider the need for not only Christ’s coming, but more importantly, for God’s presence in our lives.

This season is a time of great anticipation, and rightly so. The Lord is on His way to bless us in ways that we can’t even imagine. But why should we need God in such a personal and intimate way? Isn’t the mere fact that God IS sufficient?

Read Isaiah 64:1-3

The prophet is remembering how their great Jehovah had been with them in bygone days. He remembered how the Lord had become visible and personal to the people during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, and he knew that the nation needed that intimate Divine Presence once again. God had provided the way for Israel to cross the sea, even while he held the army of Egypt at bay. (Exodus 14:10-31) He revealed Himself and His word to Moses, for the benefit of the people, on Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:20-20:21) He led them for 40 years in a Cloud by day, and a Pillar of fire at night. (Exodus 13:21-22) The power of God was made real to the people throughout the journey, even when the people were disobedient.

And now, the people were facing calamity once again, and they needed to know that their Lord was still with them. But now, God is being asked to reveal Himself, not only to the people, but also to their enemies. Isaiah knows that no one can stand against the mighty name of their Jehovah God, and if their tormenters could just see who is on the side of Israel, they would fall before Him.

If the prophet only knew. The revealing of Almighty God to the world had always been in the Divine plan, but Israel would have to experience another few centuries of struggle before that day would actually come. God would come to them again, but not in symbolic ways, such as in fire and cloud and wind – he would come in human flesh – He would arrive as one of them.

And by coming in this way, not only could He be known, but He could make the Father known, too. (John 14:6-7) God would no longer be impersonal; He would no longer be remote; He could no longer be misunderstood – He could only be ignored! Emmanuel – “God with us” – is heaven’s answer to Isaiah’s plea “O that you would rend the heavens and come down”!

Read Isaiah 64:4-6

God works for those who wait for him – which is unshakable evidence that no one has ever seen a god quite like Him. And in that proclamation, the relationship that God is creating for us begins to develop. Who receives the benefit of the Lord’s work? Is it everyone? Does the entire world benefit from that “rending" of heaven's fabric?

Not exactly. The prophet tells us that it is those who “gladly do right”, and remember “Godly ways”. Notice that it isn’t just doing right that pleases the Lord – it’s gladly doing right. It isn’t solely the act, but the attitude that we have while doing it! And it isn’t just doing good things – it’s doing them in and through God’s never ending and never changing way.

The world gets confused over these issues, and tries to do their things in their ways! And in our failure to follow the Lord - and His call - and His ways, the prophet tells us that we sin. And we also read that sin angers God! Those things that we do can make the greatest power in all the universe, can make the God of Creation, can make the very One who is being asked to leave heaven and come to help us, angry! Why would anyone intentionally do that?
Quite honestly, it doesn’t happen through an honest and intelligent decision – it can only occur in either the denial that our choices are wrong, or in the mistaken thought that God is wrong – both of which are sadly lacking in wisdom!

And just in case we miss his point, Isaiah goes deeper in his discussion of how sinfulness affects us. In our sin, he says, our lives have no meaning – even when we do good things. Isaiah says we are “unclean”, like “filthy rags”. I have a number of old, retired hand towels that I use to clean my hands after working outside, and to clean tools that get oily or covered in dirt. Once upon a time, they were nice, attractive towels that had purpose in the house, but now, they don’t even go inside to be washed – I do that in a bucket out in the yard! And you might think that once they are clean, they can become useful again to my wife as towels in the house. Think again! They are no longer worthy of any dignified use. The only future those towels have is once they are no longer of any use to me, they will go in the trash.

And the filth in our lives, our sinfulness, if it remains, will destroy any hope that we might have in the One who throws open the gates of heaven for us.

Read Isaiah 64:7-9

There is no hope for this world, unless the God of Glory responds to Isaiah’s plea. And He did. The Lord our God is no longer hidden; is no longer angry; is no longer condemning. Our lives condemn us, but by faith and obedience in the God who left heaven to come down in flesh, we will not only be redeemed, but those old, filthy rags that we call “life” will be taken away, and will be replaced with glorious robes of righteous love. (Zechariah 3:1-9)

That is what Christ is for the world. The One who left glory, and honor, and praise behind, the One who caused the gates of heaven to be flung wide open, the One who welcomes all – not through their own good works, not by their social justice, not by their personal wisdom, not by their love of the world and its ways, and not through justification of the life they live. The gates have been opened wide for those who live as the prophet Micah describes – who “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” with the Lord. (Micah 6:8) Salvation isn’t found in what we do for the world – it’s found in how we live for and in Jesus.

Isaiah plead for Christ to come, and after He came and suffered for our sins, He then returned to His glory, calling us to carry on His ministry and word for the world. But Christmas, with its celebration of that coming, isn’t the last word for us. There will be another coming – one that will change everything, one that will make everything new, one that will fully answer Isaiah’s plea – to rend the heavens and come through that tear to be with us. He will make the mountains tremble, He will burn up the rubble of earth, the nations will tremble at His name, and He will reveal Himself and His truth to the entire world – to His friends and foes alike.

Are each of us prepared to wait in the Lord’s way – faithful to His word and joyful in His call?

Come Lord Jesus, and may the day of Your return come soon!