Comments on Isaiah 64

     Following the watchman's lead in 63:15-19b, Israel pleads with
the Lord on her own behalf.  The text of this chapter is very psalmic
in its form and content.  Israel's plea here follows and expounds upon
the plea of the watchman in 63:15-19b.  For example, compare 63:15
with 63:19b-64:4 and compare 63:16 with 64:7-8.

     One could easily see this as the eschatological prayer offered up
by the Jews after the second fulfillment of Daniel's abomination of
desolation.

ch63:19c-64:1  Israel prays for a psalm style theophany, cp. Ps. 18:6-
17.  See also Hab. 3 for a similar theophany request.

v1-5 are paraphrased with some omissions and some new material in D&C
133:37-45.

v1c-d  Compare 2:19, 21.

v2-3  The AB offers a summary, "when Yahweh comes to save Israel, he
will do strange and wonderful things beyond expectation, things which
no one else has ever done".  Israel anticipates the Lord's advent and
their own redemption.

v3 is loosely quoted in 1 Cor. 2:9.  Paul's usage is certainly
acontextual to the text of this chapter, but does address the issue of
the miraculous and unique surrounding the advent of the Lord as well
as the subject of 55:9.  Contrast this verse with Deut. 10:21.

v3c  Compare 33:2-3.

v4-5  The JST/IV differs from the KJV and is not noted in the current
LDS Edition KJV:

  KJV                                 JST/IV           
  ---                                 ------           
  Thou meetest him that rejoiceth     Thou meetest him
  and worketh righteousness,          that worketh righteousness,
                                      and rejoice him that
  those that 
  remember thee in thy ways:          remembreth thee in thy ways;
  behold: thou art wroth; 
  for we have sinned:
                                      in righteousness
  in those is continuance,            there is continuance,
  and we shall be saved.              and such shall be saved.
                                      But we have sinned;
  But we are all as                   we are all as
  an unclean thing,                   an unclean thing,
  and all our righteousness           and all our righteousness
  are as filthy rags;                 are as filthy rags;
  and we all do fade as a leaf;       and we all do fade as a leaf;
  and our iniquities,                 and our iniquities,
  like the wind,                      like the wind,
  have taken us away.                 have taken us away.

These two verses contain obscure Hebrew and the JPS, AB and WB all
offer emendations to various parts.

     The JPS, and other modern translations as well, present a
significantly different reading on the first line of v. 4:

     Yet You have struck him who would gladly do justice
     And remember You in Your ways.
     It is because You are angry that we have sinned;
     We have been steeped in them from old.

Following these translations one could develop the interpretation that
even the "just" and "religious" among the people are sinners, but his
seems strained.  Or, one could develop an interpretation following
Abraham's example where he plead with the Lord on behalf of Sodom and
Gomorrah in the event righteous were found among them so that the
righteous would not be smitten along with the wicked.  Following this
line one would see the above as Israel making its case for
preservation based on the righteous among them, even though they
aren't all exactly spotless.

v4  The events alluded to here are those of 66:6-8.

v4c-e presents a blatant confession of sin in a corporate manner, "we
have sinned", placing the speaker as Israel in general. Compare 42:24.

v5c-d  The WB states, "[Israel] cut the connection with the fountain
of living waters (Jer. 2:13), so that nation withered like leaves
[(Isa. 40:7)]".  Also cp. 4:4, 27:8, 41:16, 57:13.

v6  Compare 59:1-2.

v6a "no one invokes Your name", the Lord's name is invoked in prayer,
oaths and covenant making, so the speaker here is confessing that
Israel is not doing what it ought to, cp. 65:1.

v7a "Father", a confession indicating the humble and lowly state, they
admit they are but children beneath Him (a theme used by Jesus to a
considerable degree, cp. Matt. 18:14).  The confession is also
something of a claim to leniency, cf. 63:16.

v7b-c  Here Israel confesses that the Lord's characterization and
implied indictment from 29:16, 45:9 are accurate.  Indicates humility
on the part of the speakers.

v8  Compare 57:16.

v9-11  The Lord has achieved what He has set out to do with regard to
eliminating the wicked among Israel, cp. 1:7, 6:11.  Now the more
righteous remnant plead for His mercy.

v10  The mention of the profanation of the Temple may be in response
to the Lord's promise in 62:8.  They appear to be trying to get the
Lord riled up so as to come out in their favor.  Also cp. Ps. 79:1.

v10a "Temple", for additional references to the Temple in Isaiah, cp.
6:4, 39:5-7, 44:28, 66:6.

v11  For the meaning of this verse see Lam. 5:19-22.