Theme: The return of the Lord. In Isaiah 64:1 the writer earnestly hopes that God will rend or tear the heavens and come down to restore his people and subdue their foes. In Paul's introduction to 1 Corinthians he prays that the Lord would sustain them until the revealing of the Lord Jesus. The Gospel has Jesus warning his disciples to watch closely for his return.

COMMENTARY

Lesson 1: Isaiah 64:1-9 (C, E); Isaiah 63:16b-17; 64:1, 3b-8 (RC)
As the Israelites returned from exile in Babylon, they had high hopes for a bright future but the reality of post-exilic life soon dampened their spirits. The devastation of the city and the temple was overwhelming and the task that confronted them was daunting. Alternately, the writer seems to blame God (63:17) or their own sinfulness (64:5-7) for t…