Well, now let us hear read publicly the first five verses of Isaiah 64. We are approaching the end of this prophet, the third last chapter. There will be two more after this chapter. Some very powerful verses, the first five verses of Isaiah 64. Oh, that thou would rend the heavens, that thou would come down that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth the fire, causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence. When thou did terrible things which we looked not for, thou came down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence, For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen. O God, decide thee what he hath prepared for him that waits for him. Now meet him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways. Behold, thou art wrought, for we have sinned. In those is continuance, and we shall be saved. hear his word read publicly and bless your hearing of it. How disturbed are you by the popular idolatrous atheism that is the prevailing and popular belief embraced by the majority of people in pseudo, meaning false, Christian America today. Now, if you are more disturbed by my daring to say that idolatrous atheism is the prevailing and popular belief in the United States of America, than being disturbed by the fact that this is true, I will begin by asking you a number of questions that will show that my question is entirely legitimate to ask, whereas any annoyance at my question simply displays true ignorance of the true spiritual condition of this country. Because I ask you a simple question. Would you have the billions of dollars that are currently being spent on gambling and lotteries in this country being spent if the true and living God of the Scriptures was truly believed in? Because I ask you a simple question. Would you have the billions of dollars spent on internet and video and movie pornography more than what is made by even godless Hollywood. if the true and living God of the Scriptures was truly believed on in idolatrous, atheistic America today? Because I ask you a simple question. Would you have the sanctity of biblical marriage and the blessings of the womb denied and being assaulted as they are if the God of marriage and the womb was believed on in a country that prides itself in saying, In God we trust. the false gods and false idols of men be embraced as they are throughout this great lost land of America if the God of the Scriptures was truly believed in as the true and only God? Because I ask you a simple question. anti-gospel and anti-Christian messages that are deceiving and deluding the masses who sit under false preachers and teachers who do not know, who do not believe, and who do not preach the biblical and saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, if the God of our salvation was believed on in their myths. All my dear people, the popularity and prevalence of any one of these things, and I could have given you more illustrations, but the popularity and prevalence of any one of these things I mentioned is enough to justify the question I began with. But when you face all of them, and even more, The only logical conclusion that can be drawn is that atheistic, idolatrous paganism is alive and flourishing in the United States of America. So I ask you again, how disturbed are you by the popular idolatrous atheism that is the prevailing and popular belief in the United States of America today? Because the only hope for America, dear people, is for true believers in the living, true Lord God, who are disturbed by that which they see in their country, to lay hold of Him in prayer. to lay hold of him in prayer like I sought to show you Isaiah doing in the message this morning and which Isaiah continues to do in the verses at the opening of Isaiah 64 that I want to lay before you this afternoon. Now before I focus your attention on these opening verses, I hope none of you were upset or offended at how I described 21st century America. for 21st century America is an atheistic, idolatrous, pagan nation. For it gives clear evidence of not believing in the true and only Lord God of the Scriptures and embracing idols of its own making and comfort. For if the living and true God of the Scriptures was truly believed on in this country, you would not see the epidemic of evidences that I drew from by way of illustration that clearly illustrated, testified to the fact that the United States of America at its present time is essentially a pagan nation. And it is this atheistic, idolatrous paganism that has infected the 21st Visible Church in this country. But if you see the true state of this country, and if you see the true state of the Visible Church and are disturbed by it, you are also aware, or should be aware, of the only hope that destroying this country and the visible church in this country. For what is the only solution? What is the only solution to the prevalence of the atheistic idolatry that is engulfing the United States of America and infecting the church? The very thing that Isaiah knew was the only thing that would prevent the atheistic idolatry that was threatening to engulf the people of God in his day. And that is the real, personal acknowledgement of the presence and the power of the true and living and only God of the Scriptures. The very God that He has been praying to, and in the opening verses of Isaiah 64, petitions that He would make Himself known. Isaiah 64.1, O that thou would rend the heavens, that thou would come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. Now, is Isaiah denying? Through this prayer, the sustaining and maintaining presence of the Lord God? By asking Him to rend the heavens and come down? Are you denying Isaiah that the Lord is aware of all that is going on in the world at this very present time and in your day? No! Isaiah is well aware! that the universe and the earth owes its existence and its continuing existence to the Lord, and that it is being maintained by the Lord as well as everything and everyone on it. No, what Isaiah is asking for, my dear people, is for a visible, conscious awareness and confession of the true and living God to be seen and acknowledged by those around him, and not the idolatrous atheism that he was seeing. Because remember, Israel was surrounded by pagan nations. who embraced their idols and their idolatry, and that idolatry and that paganism was always seeking to seep itself in, to ooze its way into the nation of Israel, for the problem for Isaiah. was the same problem that existed for Elijah. For the problem that existed for Elijah and Isaiah was the same problem that existed for Paul when he entered into Athens. Elijah, for Isaiah, and for Paul is the same problem that should burden your heart, believer, and lead you to pray the same prayer that you see Isaiah praying here, if you are seeing things correctly. For it was not that men were not religious enough in Elijah's day. It was not that men were not religious enough in Isaiah's day. It was not that men were not religious enough in Paul's day. It is not that men are not religious enough today. It is that men are too religious, as seen by the fact that they have replaced belief in the true and only Lord God of the Scriptures with their idolatrous ideas about God that are a denial and a rejection of Him. You see, this is why Polycarp, the first century martyr in the Christian faith, this is why Polycarp, when he stood before the idolatrous polytheistic Romans, See? Rome was surrounded. They had all their idols. They had all their false gods. But yet, when Polycarp stood before the idolatrous polytheistic Romans, before they executed him for the theism he proclaimed, you know what he said to them? away with the atheists. Because Polycarp knew that their polytheistic idolatry was a manifestation of their denial of their belief of the true and living God. And so he said, away with the atheists. And because of his true theism, he was executed by the Roman Caesars. Because he knew that the idols embraced and worshipped in Rome were a replacement for and a denial of the true and only living God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The many idols that first century Rome embraced were simply a display of its rejection of the only true God that Polycarp confessed. Just as the many ideas that the majority of Americans have about God and say are equally valid and worthy of acceptance are a display of their atheistic idolatry and rejection of the only true God of the Scriptures. So when Isaiah prays in verse 1 of Isaiah 64, O that Thou would rend the heavens, that Thou would come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, he is asking the real, true, and only Lord God to make His presence known to the depraved, atheistic, idolatrous minds and understandings of those who were serving their God-denying idols in His very presence. He is praying that the Lord would so manifest Himself that those who were embracing their idols would see the folly of their idolatry and turn from it. And as I considered what Isaiah was asking of the Lord in verses 1 and 2, I thought of what happened on Mount Carmel. between Elijah and the prophets of the false god, Baal. For what does Isaiah ask of the Lord in these two verses? Oh, that Thou would rend the heavens, that Thou would come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burns, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Thy presence, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil." Now what happened? When the Lord came down on Mount Carmel, fire consumed the water that Elijah had repeatedly poured on the offering. For what did Elijah said is a mark of the true and only God answering, as recorded in 1 Kings 18.24, And call ye, that is, call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God that answers by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. And who answered Elijah? after he had drenched the offering with water repeatedly, as recorded in 1 Kings 18.35. And the water ran round about the altar, and he filled the trench also with water. Well, the answer is given in 1 Kings 18 verses 37 and 38. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the Lord God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and lit up the water that was in the trench. And what was the result of the Lord making Himself known through the fire He sent? Verse 39 of 1 Kings 18, and when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, The Lord, He is God. The Lord, He is God. With this mighty display by the Lord, there was no doubt at that moment about who was the true living God. And this is what Isaiah knew was needed to overcome the recurring atheistic idolatry that was consuming his nation. It is this that is consuming this nation and polluting the church. For it is true believers who know that the illuminating fire of God's Holy Spirit must fall, burning away the dross and the depravity from the minds and understandings of men and women and children in this nation and in the nations of the world, so that they can see that the Lord, He alone, The Lord, He alone is God. For Isaiah, my dear people, is not praying for some general acknowledgment of some form of higher power or creator. the define as you like in God we trust that is found on the fiat money of this country. No, what Isaiah wants is that the fire of the true and only Lord God would fall upon the dead and depraved minds of idolatrous and atheistic Americans and the Lord alone would be acknowledged and confessed. For He alone is Creator. He alone is Sustainer. He alone is Redeemer. He only That is what Isaiah is asking for. That is what Isaiah is praying for. That is what we should be praying for, dear people. For Isaiah knew what all those who refused to acknowledge the true and only God of the Scriptures were because of their idolatry. They were not And they are not sincere seekers after God, as the false teachers in the church and world want men to believe about themselves and others today, as they embrace and serve their idols. No, for who does Isaiah pray? that the Lord would rend the heavens, and come down, and make His name known to, Isaiah 64, 1 again, O that thou would rend the heavens, that thou would come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, as when the melting fire burns, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries. To make thy name known to thine adversaries, to his opponents, to those who through their embracing of their false, idolatrous views of God were showing themselves to be His adversaries and not His seekers. The prevalence of idolatry, dear people, in this country is not an example of men seeking the Lord God. It's evidence of their being His adversaries. And Isaiah is saying, Oh, rend the heavens, Lord, and reveal Yourself to such men! My dear people, evidence that the Lord has truly come down, has truly come down in reviving and reforming mercies in the 21st century would be seen in the dissolving of the World Council of Churches. It would be seen in the dissolving of the ecumenical movements. Because Elijah didn't dialogue with the sincere followers of Baal. Because, my dear people, when men are willing to cut themselves with knives until the blood flows for the sake of their idols, they are displaying sincere belief in their false idols. No, Elijah showed them who the true God is. When Paul arrived in Athens and saw that it was very religious and given over to idols, he did not say, well, the gospel is not needed here, I guess I'll just go on to another city. No, He declared to them the folly of their idolatry and called them to repent and believe the gospel. Something the false leaders in the visible church today who share puppets and platforms with idolaters need to realize. Acts 17 verses 29 and 30. For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the God it is like, under gold or silver or stone, craven by ardent man's devices, and the times of this ignorance God winked at. But now, but now commands all men everywhere to repent! Repent of your idolatry! Don't think that it is something that God accepts. He calls you to repent. Oh, my dear people, evidence that this prayer of Isaiah is being answered in our day would be seen by people discarding the generic, decide what you want the three letters G-O-D to mean, and declaring unashamedly, the Lord, He is God. The Lord, He is God. And evidence that this prayer was being answered would be seen not as is currently being seen in atheistic idolaters who have made themselves the false gods they worship by their seeking to eliminate even the meaningless word God from the pledge of allegiance. Evidence that this prayer was being prayed and answered would be seen if a movement arose declaring that the word God should be replaced with the words Lord God, our Father, Son, Holy Spirit, one God under the Lord God, one God under the Lord Jesus Christ, one God under the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that, my dear people, would be evidence of true belief in this country, and not the atheistic idolatry that is engulfing it. Men not afraid to say, the Lord, He is God. to say, in God we trust. One nation under God, and God is whatever you want Him to be. No, the Lord, He is God. One nation under the Lord God. Because a word that enables a man to believe whatever he wants to believe about God is not a display of biblical theism, but idolatrous atheism. Evidence of this prayer of Isaiah's being prayed and answered in our day would be seen in the changed attitude of not only this nation, but the nations of this world with respect to the Lord God of the Scriptures. Because what does the end of verse 2 say? To make thy name known to thine adversaries that the nations may tremble at thy presence. that the nations might face their idolatry and rebellion as being done in the very presence of the Lord God. Evidence that this prayer was being prayed and answered is not being seen when political leaders get up and say, we all worship the same God. But if they got up and said the nations of the world should all be worshiping the Lord God alone, is the very thing that upset Jonah. When the Lord sent him to Nineveh, Jonah 3 verses 5-9, so the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth and sand and ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, nor herd nor flock taste anything. Let them not feed nor drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry, My Lord, I am the God. Yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands, who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not. Oh Lord, rend the heavens and come down with such a sense of your holy presence that all the idolatry and immorality that men and women and young people are engaging in in your very presence causes them to tremble and cry out, Lord, have mercy on us so that we do not perish because of our sins. Dear brethren, evidence that this prayer is being prayed and answered is not displayed when people talk in gibberish and display signs of lunacy at best and demon possession at worst, when they roll in the aisles and bark like dogs. It will be seen when the men and women who profess to believe in God respond to the truth that the Lord alone is God, like those who and did, as recorded by Luke in Acts 19, verses 13-20, then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them, they which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one sepulchre, a Jew and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? and the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus. And fear fell on them all. In the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came and confessed and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used Curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and founded 50,000 pieces of silver so mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed See they took those hidden sins those things They thought that no one cared about they saw the power of God and they brought them and they burnt them They didn't care that they had spent hard-earned money on them They burnt them my dear people evidence that this prayer was being prayed and answered would be seen when the bestseller book lists in this country were not made up of books like Harry Potter. If Harry Potter books were used to start fires to keep homes warm, that might be an evidence of the presence of the true and living God in this country, but not when men and women and young people stand outside bookstores for hours waiting for the next Harry Potter book to be published. Evidence, dear brethren, that this prayer of Isaiah was being prayed and answered today would be seen if men in elected office called for national days of repentance and prayer. Even as King Nineveh did, rather than all the laws being passed that are a continuing sign that idolatry and wickedness still reigns in this land. Oh, would it not be a sign of the Lord hearing and answering this prayer if the President of the United States was to go on national airtime and call for national days of prayer and fasting because of this nation's assault on the womb, the sanctity of marriage and its embracing of false gods and their false messages rather than the one true message of salvation of the one true God in the biblical and saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this nation responded by listening to him and not having him assassinated. Oh, the problem, dear people. is not the non-believer who embraces his idols and immorality. The problem is those who profess to believe in the true God, who say they believe that He is the God who can act so clearly and decisively in human history for the glory of His name and the good of His people, but do not turn that belief into prayer that you see Isaiah lifting up to the Lord here. Because how many of us do our shame? live and act as though this is not a theistic universe controlled by the living and true Lord God, but we all must live our lives as if this is a deistic universe. What I mean is, oh yes, there's a God out there somewhere, but He's not really interested in what is happening on this earth. He doesn't really hear or answer prayer or get involved with the nations of men. How few pray the prayer Isaiah prays because they do not believe in the God that Isaiah knew existed. The God who has acted powerfully in human history. Because after Isaiah asks that God would rend the heavens and cause the nations to tremble in His presence, what does he remind the Lord of? Verse 3. that the nations may tremble at thy presence when thou didst terrible things which we look not for. Thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. He is remembering the events of the exodus. How the Lord came down and delivered his people from their bondage in Egypt. He raised up Pharaoh that his name might be proclaimed in all the earth. He displayed his sovereignty over him in hardening his heart and then bringing upon Egypt all the plagues recorded in Exodus. Yet how many? How many, dear people, even in the church today, treat what the Lord did do to Pharaoh and Egypt? Well, that's just a myth. That's just a Bible story, meaning, well, you know, you don't really have to believe it because it's a Bible story. It's just a tale to amuse children when they're younger. But certainly not something to actually believe. That God did literally rend the heavens and bring down the plagues upon Egypt that are recorded in the book of Exodus. doesn't exist. This universe is all there is and all that ever will be. It has existed for billions of years of time. That's what we're constantly told. So certainly no God has broken into human history to repeatedly plague a people because their hard-hearted leader would not let a group of slaves go to worship their concept of God in the wilderness. Oh, if you believe entered in time in the person of His Son, and the reason He came into this world was to save His people from their sins. Oh, dear people, don't be surprised. by the unbelief, wickedness, and idolatry that you are surrounded by. For unless the Lord rends the heavens and regenerates and renews the heart of man, He will not believe the truth that all of human history is in the hands of the true God He rebels against and denies by His idolatry and wickedness. Isaiah prays the prayer he prays because he knows that unless God does, rend the heavens, and come down in reviving and regenerating mercy, men will not see the truth. Verse 4, For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Thee. Unless the Lord regenerates the dead heart of a sinner, he will not see or believe that the glory of the Lord is seen in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will not see what all true saints have been waiting for throughout time, the eternal presence of the Lord God in the new heavens and the new earth. The greatest need in this world, dear people, is not for the church to find out what it thinks the world needs and then seek to meet those false and inadequate needs. It is for true believers to face that praying for anything less than the Lord to reveal Himself as the true and only God who has created, sustains and maintains this universe and is the only One who can save sinful man is to be failing in the work that the Lord has called His people to do. Because I ask you, do you believe that the only hope for this atheistic, idolatrous nation is for it to come to the true knowledge that the Lord is God alone. Do you see that? It is the only hope for this nation! The only hope for the church! If you do, you will understand not only why Isaiah prayed the way he did, but you will be praying the way He did. And so I ask you, even as I ask my own soul, what am I asking the Lord for? Let us pray.