Rending Heaven and Hearts

"Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence-- ² as fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil-- to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!"

Isaiah 64:1-2

In their present distress the Jews in Jerusalem desired for God to reveal His might to the Syrians, Babylonians, to the ends of the earth as He once did to them on Mt. Sinai.  He appeared with earth-shaking might, flames of fire, thick smoke and darkness, with booming voice and trumpet blast which made man and beast quake in terror.  They wanted the fear of God put into their enemies so they would not be plundered, destroyed, and vanquished.

The irony of the situation is God allowed enemies to attack and take captive His people because they (His own people!) did not fear Him as they should.  They pleaded with God to "rend the heavens" and come down in glorious power, but God exhorted His people to rend their hearts and repent.  The LORD spoke through the prophet Joel in Joel 2:12-13, "Now, therefore," says the LORD, "turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." ¹³ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm."  They had torn their clothes in grief and mourning over their dire situation, yet contrite and broken hearts would bring God's favour.  If God's people truly feared Him as they ought, they would not have remained in sin without repentance (Exodus 20:20).

The prayer of God's people would be answered in a most unexpected way, with the very presence of God - not with an earth-shattering Sinai encounter but as a baby being born of a virgin in Bethlehem.  There was no earthquake when Jesus Christ the Son of God came into the world, no booming voice to a nation (though a few shepherds heard the angels sing God's praise), no grand display of unapproachable might, but a Baby in a manger who was not threatening at all.  As the Child grew to a man people began to feel threatened, however, when there was so much this Boy and Man seemed to know without being taught.   He asked pointed questions no one could safely answer or brush aside.  When the Jewish rulers and people heard Him speak many were alarmed and indignant because of the authority with which He spoke, the claims He made backed with supernatural power to heal, cast out demons, and know the hearts and thoughts of men - all with a humility, grace, love, and compassion unrivalled by any human being before.  After He rose from the dead it confirmed the words He had spoken.

God did rend the heavens and come down, the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove and alighting upon Him, and God the Father said in a voice audible to those present:  "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  Jesus who came down has ascended alive into heaven, and will some day come again in glory and vengeance upon His enemies with His people.  The wise hear the voice of Jesus and tremble before Him, bowing down to the dust, for He is the God who formed Adam from the dust of the ground, knit us in the wombs of our mothers, breathed into us living souls, and baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire.  This fire refines and purifies, consumes and destroys.  The name of Jesus is known to His adversaries and rejoiced in by His redeemed.  All who turn to Him in repentance and faith can be born again and be accepted into the beloved, having victory over all foes through Him.  All glory and honour to the God who has come down to seek and save the lost, the One whose blood through faith makes sinners saints!