Isaiah 64:4
From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
From ancient times
The phrase "from ancient times" refers to the vast expanse of human history and the timeless nature of God's existence. In Hebrew, the word used here is "me'olam," which signifies eternity or a time beyond human comprehension. This highlights the eternal nature of God, who transcends time and has been present and active throughout all of history. It serves as a reminder of God's unchanging nature and His sovereign rule over the universe from the very beginning.

no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen
This triad of sensory expressions emphasizes the incomprehensibility and uniqueness of God. The Hebrew words "shama" (heard), "azan" (perceived), and "ra'ah" (seen) suggest a complete inability of human senses to fully grasp the divine. This echoes the Apostle Paul's later reflection in 1 Corinthians 2:9, where he speaks of the mysteries of God that are beyond human understanding. It underscores the idea that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours, as stated in Isaiah 55:8-9.

any God besides You
This phrase affirms the monotheistic belief central to the Jewish and Christian faiths. The Hebrew word "Elohim" is used here, which, while plural in form, is singular in meaning when referring to the one true God. This declaration sets the God of Israel apart from the pantheon of deities worshiped by surrounding nations, emphasizing His uniqueness and supremacy. It is a call to recognize that there is no other deity who can compare to the Lord in power, wisdom, and love.

who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him
The phrase "who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him" highlights God's active involvement in the lives of His people. The Hebrew verb "asah" (acts) indicates God's dynamic and purposeful intervention in human affairs. The concept of "waiting" (from the Hebrew "qavah") implies a hopeful and patient trust in God's timing and promises. This is a call to faithfulness and reliance on God, assuring believers that He is attentive to their needs and will respond in His perfect timing. It is an encouragement to remain steadfast in faith, knowing that God is working for the good of those who love Him.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is traditionally credited with writing the Book of Isaiah. His prophecies often focus on the themes of judgment and redemption.

2. Israel
The nation to whom Isaiah primarily prophesied. During Isaiah's time, Israel faced significant challenges, including threats from surrounding nations and internal spiritual decline.

3. God (Yahweh)
The central figure in this verse, God is depicted as unique and unparalleled, acting on behalf of those who wait for Him.

4. The Exile
Although not directly mentioned in this verse, the context of Isaiah includes the looming threat of exile for Israel due to their disobedience, making the promise of God's action particularly poignant.
Teaching Points
The Uniqueness of God
Emphasize that no other god or idol can compare to the God of Israel, who is active and involved in the lives of His people.

The Power of Waiting
Encourage believers to cultivate patience and trust in God's timing, understanding that He acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Faith in Action
Highlight that waiting on God is not passive but involves active faith and trust, expecting God to fulfill His promises.

God's Faithfulness
Reassure believers of God's faithfulness to act on behalf of His people, drawing from historical and personal testimonies of His intervention.

Hope in Unseen Realities
Inspire hope by focusing on the unseen and unimaginable things God has prepared for those who love Him, as echoed in the New Testament.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the uniqueness of God in Isaiah 64:4 challenge the idols or false gods in your life today?

2. In what ways can you actively "wait" on the Lord in your current circumstances, and how does this align with the biblical understanding of waiting?

3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's action in your life after a period of waiting. How does this testimony encourage your faith?

4. How do the connections between Isaiah 64:4 and 1 Corinthians 2:9 deepen your understanding of God's promises?

5. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a heart that waits on the Lord, drawing from the teachings of Isaiah and other related scriptures?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Corinthians 2:9
Paul echoes the sentiment of Isaiah 64:4, emphasizing the unimaginable things God has prepared for those who love Him, highlighting the continuity of God's promise from the Old to the New Testament.

Psalm 40:1-3
This passage speaks to waiting patiently for the Lord and experiencing His deliverance, mirroring the theme of God acting on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Lamentations 3:25
This verse reinforces the idea that the Lord is good to those who wait for Him, providing a consistent biblical theme of patience and trust in God's timing.
God Absolutely Alone in His GraciousnessF. Delitzsch, D. D.Isaiah 64:4
Man's Ignorance of God's Goodness to HimR. Tuck Isaiah 64:4
Mystery RevealedH. Melvill, B. D.Isaiah 64:4
Seek First the Kingdom of GodHugh BinningIsaiah 64:4
Hope in GodW. Clarkson Isaiah 64:1-5
Longing for the Appearance of GodE. Johnson Isaiah 64:1-5
People
Isaiah
Places
Jerusalem, Zion
Topics
Acteth, Acts, Angry, Antiquity, Beginning, Behalf, Beside, Besides, Ear, Evil, Eye, Mercy, Mind, O, Past, Perceived, Pleasure, Prepared, Righteousness, Save, Sinning, Takes, Truly, Wait, Waiteth, Waiting, Waits, Whereof, Worketh, Works
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 64:4

     1614   Scripture, understanding
     4035   abundance
     5195   veil
     5854   experience, of God
     8281   insight
     8319   perception, spiritual

Isaiah 64:1-7

     8149   revival, nature of

Library
How to Meet God
'Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember Thee in Thy ways.'--ISAIAH lxiv. 5. The prophet here shows us how there is a great staircase which we ourselves build, which leads straight from earth to heaven, and how we can secure that we shall meet with God and God with us. 'Isaiah' is often called the evangelical prophet. He is so, not only because of his predictions of the suffering Servant of Jehovah which are 'fulfilled' in Christ, but because his conceptions
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"Seek First the Kingdom of God," &C.
Matt. vi. 33.--"Seek first the kingdom of God," &c. It may seem strange, that when so great things are allowed, and so small things are denied, that we do not seek them. The kingdom of God and his righteousness are great things indeed, great not only in themselves, but greater in comparison of us. The things of this world, even great events, are but poor, petty, and inconsiderable matters, when compared with these. Yet he graciously allows a larger measure of these great things relating to his kingdom
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Putting God to Work
"For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside thee who worketh for him that waiteth for him."--Isaiah 64:4. The assertion voiced in the title given this chapter is but another way of declaring that God has of His own motion placed Himself under the law of prayer, and has obligated Himself to answer the prayers of men. He has ordained prayer as a means whereby He will do things through men as they pray, which He would not otherwise do. Prayer
Edward M. Bounds—The Weapon of Prayer

1872 the Need of a Home Further West --Burning of the Marchmont Home --Home Restored by Canadian Gifts --Miss Macpherson and Miss Reavell Arrive in Canada
The need of a Home further West--Burning of the Marchmont Home--Home restored by Canadian gifts--Miss Macpherson and Miss Reavell arrive in Canada--First visit to Knowlton in the East--Belleville Home restored by Canadian friends--Help for the Galt Home--Miss Macpherson returns to England--Miss Reavell remains at Galt. In her first letter on returning to England Miss Macpherson writes:-- "BELOVED FELLOW-WORKERS,--Once more at home among the old familiar scenes in the East of London, the sadness
Clara M. S. Lowe—God's Answers

The Lack of Prayer
"Ye have not, because ye ask not."--JAS. iv. 2. "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor."--ISA. lix. 16. "There is none that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of Thee."--ISA. lxiv. 7. At our last Wellington Convention for the Deepening of the Spiritual Life, in April, the forenoon meetings were devoted to prayer and intercession. Great blessing was found, both in listening to what the Word teaches of their need and power, and in joining
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Twelfth Day for the Spirit to Convince the World of Sin
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit to convince the World of Sin "I will send the Comforter to you. And He, when He is come, will convict the world in respect of sin."--JOHN xvi. 7, 8. God's one desire, the one object of Christ's being manifested, is to take away sin. The first work of the Spirit on the world is conviction of sin. Without that, no deep or abiding revival, no powerful conversion. Pray for it, that the gospel may be preached in such power of the Spirit, that men may see that they have
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

"Wash You, Make You Clean, Put Away the Evil of Your Doings from Before Mine Eyes; Cease to do Evil,"
Isaiah i. 16.--"Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil," &c. If we would have a sum of pure and undefiled religion, here it is set down in opposition to this people's shadow of religion, that consisted in external ordinances and rites. We think that God should be as well-pleased with our service as we ourselves, therefore we choose his commands which our humour hath no particular antipathy against and refuse others. But the Lord will not
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Resurrection of the Dead, and Eternal Judgment:
OR, THE TRUTH OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODIES, BOTH OF GOOD AND BAD AT THE LAST DAY: ASSERTED, AND PROVED BY GOD'S WORD. ALSO, THE MANNER AND ORDER OF THEIR COMING FORTH OF THEIR GRAVES; AS ALSO, WITH WHAT BODIES THEY DO ARISE. TOGETHER, WITH A DISCOURSE OF THE LAST JUDGMENT, AND THE FINAL CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD. BY JOHN BUNYAN, A SERVANT OF THE LORD'S CHRIST. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

God Seeks Intercessors
"I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night. Ye that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not silence, and give Him no rest till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth."--ISA. lxii. 6, 7. "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor."--ISA. lix. 16. "And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered, and there was none to uphold."--ISA. lxiii. 5. "There is none that calleth upon Thy name, that
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Cii. Bartimæus and his Companion Healed.
(at Jericho.) ^A Matt. XX. 29-34; ^B Mark X. 46-52; ^C Luke XVIII. 35-43. ^c 35 And it came to pass, as he drew nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36 and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. [Jesus came from the Jordan, and was entering Jericho by its eastern gate. As the crowd following Jesus passed by, Bartimæus asked its meaning and learned of the presence of Jesus. Jesus on this
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Life of Mr. Hugh Binning.
There being a great demand for the several books that are printed under Mr. Binning's name, it was judged proper to undertake a new and correct impression of them in one volume. This being done, the publishers were much concerned to have the life of such an useful and eminent minister of Christ written, in justice to his memory, and his great services in the work of the gospel, that it might go along with this impression. We living now at so great distance from the time wherein he made a figure in
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Disciple, -- Master, if Thou Wouldst Make a Special Manifestation of Thyself to The...
The Disciple,--Master, if Thou wouldst make a special manifestation of Thyself to the world, men would no longer doubt the existence of God and Thy own divinity, but all would believe and enter on the path of righteousness. The Master,--1. My son, the inner state of every man I know well, and to each heart in accordance with its needs I make Myself known; and for bringing men into the way of righteousness there is no better means than the manifestation of Myself. For man I became man that he might
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

Question Lxxxiii of Prayer
I. Is Prayer an Act of the Appetitive Powers? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer based on Friendship II. Is it Fitting to Pray? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer as a True Cause S. Augustine, On the Sermon on the Mount, II. iii. 14 " On the Gift of Perseverance, vii. 15 III. Is Prayer an Act of the Virtue of Religion? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Humility of Prayer S. Augustine, On Psalm cii. 10 " Of the Gift of Perseverance, xvi. 39 IV. Ought We to Pray to God Alone? S. Augustine, Sermon, cxxvii. 2 V.
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the Practice of Piety.
Those hindrances are chiefly seven:-- I. An ignorant mistaking of the true meaning of certain places of the holy Scriptures, and some other chief grounds of Christian religion. The Scriptures mistaken are these: 1. Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 16, "At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sin, I will blot out all," &c. Hence the carnal Christian gathers, that he may repent when he will. It is true, whensoever a sinner does repent, God will forgive; but the text saith not, that a sinner may repent whensoever
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God," &C.
Matt. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God," &c. O "seekest thou great things for thyself," says God to Baruch, (Jer. xlv. 5) "seek them not." How then doth he command us in the text to seek a kingdom? Is not this a great thing? Certainly it is greater than those great things he would not have Baruch to seek after, and yet he charges us to seek after it. In every kind of creatures there is some difference, some greater, some lesser, some higher, some lower; so there are some men far above
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness," &C.
Matt. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," &c. This is a part of Christ's long sermon. He is dissuading his disciples and the people from carnal carefulness and worldly mindedness. The sermon holds out the Christian's diverse aspects towards spiritual and external things. What is the Christian's disposition in regard to the world, how should he look upon food, raiment, and all things necessary in this life? "Be careful for nothing." "Take no thought for your life,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification, by Faith in Jesus Christ;
SHEWING, TRUE GOSPEL-HOLINESS FLOWS FROM THENCE; OR, MR. FOWLER'S PRETENDED DESIGN OF CHRISTIANITY, PROVED TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN TO TRAMPLE UNDER FOOT THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD; AND THE IDOLIZING OF MAN'S OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS AS ALSO, HOW WHILE HE PRETENDS TO BE A MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, HE OVERTHROWETH THE WHOLESOME DOCTRINE CONTAINED IN THE 10TH, 11TH, AND 13TH, OF THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF THE SAME, AND THAT HE FALLETH IN WITH THE QUAKER AND ROMANIST, AGAINST THEM. BY JOHN BUNYAN
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Justification
'Being justified freely by his grace.' Rom 3:34. Q-xxxiii: WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION? A: It is an act of God's free grace, whereby he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, and received by faith alone. Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An error about justification is dangerous, like a defect in a foundation. Justification by Christ is a spring of the water of life. To have the poison of corrupt doctrine
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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