Isaiah 63:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He implores that the One who has distanced Himself might remove His wrath, refrain from indignation, and return to them; he seeks not for any earthly being, but for the true God, who claims heaven as the abode of His glory. Although God is said to reside in heaven, we must not conflate Him with physical attributes; for we do not assert that divinity is confined to a specific location or description, but rather that He is simple and incorporeal, encompassing all creation. While He dwells among the highest beings like saints, we refer to heaven as His throne and abode. Thus, they beseech, where is your passion and power? Surely no one, I believe, could assert that the God of all creation lacks such traits; their words arise from the fact that they no longer witness their manifestation, for the Lord has always delivered Israel by His fervor and divine might. Recall that they were oppressed by the Egyptians, who made their lives burdensome through toil and affliction, driven by ruthless overseers. Yet, the God zealous for His people was protective. Therefore, He proclaimed, "I will be zealous for Jerusalem and Zion with great zeal; with great wrath I will be furious with those who assail them, for I was angry with them for a brief time, but they have exploited that for evil" (Zechariah 1:14). Then He performed wondrous acts; despite Babylon’s formidable strength, He rendered it desolate, sending Cyrus, the son of Cambyses, to conquer them. Yearning to experience such mercy once more, they cry out, where is your zeal and strength? Where is the abundance of your mercy and generous love that you have shown us? They long for the compassion, patience, and kindness He demonstrated despite their numerous transgressions, recalling that He had shielded them even when they deeply wounded Him. In the wilderness, they muttered complaints and tested Him in their hearts, saying, "Can God provide a banquet in the wilderness? For He struck the rock, and water gushed forth, and the streams overflowed. Can He not provide bread?" Moreover, in the absence of Moses, they fashioned an idol, yet through intercession, they were forgiven. Thus they plead, uphold us, even though we have sinned against You repeatedly. You are our father; Abraham did not forsake us, nor did Israel deny us. They do not reject their forebears, as that would be futile in repentance; rather, they acknowledge the supreme love of God, who surpasses even their earthly fathers, for He is the Father of all. They declare, we are their descendants, but they have not witnessed our plight; yet your steadfast love and care continue to be evident, reminiscent of a parent’s devoted affection. Deliver us, therefore; your name is upon us; we are your heritage and your people. However, when they turned against Christ due to their profound disobedience and hardness of heart, they severed their spiritual bond with Him, becoming estranged from His gifts and unaware of the path of the gospel. Hence, they lament, “Why have you led us away from your path? Why have you hardened our hearts? Why do we not hold you in reverence?” The prophet reminds them, “Rend your hearts, and not your garments” (Joel 2:13). Yet, the God of all mercies, who can soften hearts, allowed them to remain obstinate and rebellious. Because He did not break their hardness, it is noted that He hardened them; consequently, those who fall under such influence may lose the fear of God, which leads to ruin and plunges souls into despair.

You who have accomplished so much for Your people, as previously mentioned, have deemed us worthy even of sharing in Your Spirit. Now, look down from heaven and examine our actions, and see if they are indeed worthy of You. Why do You hide Your face from us? Heaven is referred to as the abode of holiness, as well as the house of His glory, as stated: Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool (Isaiah 66:1); elsewhere it is written: He who dwells in the heavens shall laugh (Psalm 2:4), and: To You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens (Psalm 122:1). This does not imply that the Almighty God, who holds the heavens and the earth, is confined to a specific location, but rather that the holiest places are designated as His dwelling. Thus, Solomon, who constructed God's temple, prayed, The heavens of the heavens cannot contain You (1 Kings 8:27). Furthermore, in the Lord's Prayer, it is stated: Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Therefore, wherever God's will is fulfilled, there is His dwelling and the house of God. Consequently, when we pose the question: where is Your zeal and power, we can refer to God's message through Ezekiel, concerning Jerusalem, which pursued its idols: I will no longer be angry with you, and My fervor has departed from you (Ezekiel 16). This indicates that due to our sins, and Your displeasure towards us, Your ardor has faded, which, as stated through Zechariah, does not cease when He asserts, I am greatly zealous for Zion and Jerusalem (Zechariah 1:14). Therefore, He continues, and I will be angry with the nations surrounding them (Zechariah 15:15). When fervor is withdrawn, God’s power is also diminished, and His paternal goodness is overthrown, as the greatness of our transgressions overwhelms His abundant mercy, preventing Him from seeing my affliction and offering help. For You say, You are our Father, Creator of all. Abraham does not recognize us, nor does Israel, because we have offended You, nor will they acknowledge those whom they know to be unloved by their God. A question arises: why mention Abraham and Israel, but not Isaac? The answer is that when the beginning and the end are mentioned, the middle is included as well; Abraham was called to faith from among the Gentiles, and he received a new name reflecting his transition. Jacob, through great struggle, earned the name Israel. Therefore, while Abraham had three wives and Jacob had four, Isaac remained with his original name, signifying the Church's purity, being content with one wife. Thus, those who seek a positive transformation in the lives of sinners are akin to those whose sorrow is turned into joy. In essence, they implore that He, as their Father who has honored them with this title, will not forget His children, lest His name be blasphemed among the nations.