Isaiah 55 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Isaiah 55. Let’s go!
Isaiah 55:1-7 (NIV)
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
On verses 1-7: In the book of Isaiah, Isaiah has shown himself capable of empathizing with different perspectives. In Isaiah 54, Isaiah is writing with a woman’s needs in mind, likening God’s people to a woman who longs for security and protection. In contrast, Isaiah 55 is written from a man’s perspective, speaking to the concerns of a man who desperately wants God’s forgiveness. Yet the messages of Isaiah 54 and 55 are one and the same: if we want the security, the protection and the forgiveness that we long for so much, we will not be able to get it ourselves. We need God’s help.
Isaiah 55 is an invitation to all to come and obtain for free the very thing we could never earn ourselves: God’s mercy, forgiveness and freedom from our captivity to sin (v1). The only reason it’s free is because God’s servant would pay for it with his life (Isaiah 53).
In verses 4-5 the LORD turns His attention to this servant who would deliver His people from captivity to sin. Having made him a witness, a leader and commander of the peoples (v4), and having endowed His servant with splendour (v5b) the LORD promises that nations that the servant never personally visited will turn to Him (v5). And that is indeed the case. When Jesus walked this earth, he only visited the region of the Middle East (Israel, Samaria, Egypt). But today there are followers of Jesus on every nation on the planet.
Verse 6 is suggesting that there will come a day when people will not be able to find God no matter how much they try or want to. That day will come shortly after Jesus returns. So while we still have the opportunity, we ought to “seek the Lord while he may be found; call on Him while He is near” (v6). Don’t take for granted the fact that Jesus died to make God’s presence accessible to us today. Make the most of the opportunity and call on His name.
Isaiah 55 speaks of how God is merciful and will freely pardon when we come to Him and call on Him (v7).
Isaiah 49 to 55 shows us that God wants to deliver His people from their captivity to sin. Here in Isaiah 55 we see what that deliverance from sin looks like:
– it’s a deliverance that only God can make possible; we can’t earn it ourselves (v1-3);
– it’s a deliverance that truly satisfies (v1-3);
– it’s a deliverance that is centered around God’s servant, the Messiah (v4-5);
– it’s a deliverance that is not always going to be available, so we need to capitalize on the opportunity to have it while we still can (v6);
– it’s a deliverance that is free, though it is not cheap for it was paid for by the blood of Jesus (v7).
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
On verses 8-9: There is another thing we learn about this deliverance from sin that God makes possible: it’s not something human beings could think up. Naturally people want to earn their way to God. That is why every other religion, faith and philosophy in this world other than Christianity is about earning God’s forgiveness, being good enough to get into heaven or to become your own god. But God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.
The message of Isaiah, and the message of the entire Bible is a completely counterintuitive one: it’s that you and I could never earn God’s mercy and forgiveness, and we don’t have to because out of love God gives it to us for free, paid for by the precious blood of Jesus. This is the gospel (good news) message.
Isaiah 55:10-13 (NIV)
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”
On verses 10-13: God gives this message of the gospel to the world, knowing that His Word will not fail to bear fruit but accomplish its purpose (v10-11). Just as the rain and snow fall on the earth and don’t fail to water it, so God’s gospel is the same. It cannot help but water the earth with something that will bring life. God’s gospel is a joy-producing, peace-producing, fruit-bearing gospel (v12-13).
Isaiah 55 is both an invitation and a celebration. In Isaiah 55 we are all invited to come and receive the forgiveness, the mercy and the freedom that Jesus makes possible. Isaiah 55 is also a celebration, celebrating the fact that God makes possible for us a deliverance that we could never earn ourselves.
Thank You Father for making our deliverance possible, and for offering it to us freely through Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
