Promise and appeal come together in the opening verses of chapter 55.  The Lord calls His people to come to Him to receive full and free provision: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, and he who has not money, come, buy and eat!  Come buy wine and milk without money and without price” (1).  Though Israel has been “afflicted, storm-tossed and not comforted” (54:11), they are invited to come to the One who can satisfy them fully.

Too long, God’s thirsty and hungry people have spent themselves trying to fill their souls with “that which does not satisfy” (2).  If they will only “listen” (Hebrew word means listen/obey), the can “eat what is good” and enjoy the richest of foods!

In verse 3, the Lord clarifies the meaning of the metaphor:  coming means “incline your ear” to listen responsively (3).  The rich food promised pictures the “everlasting covenant” God will make with them (3).  This covenant promises and provides the same “steadfast, sure love” God showed to David, who God made “a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples” (4).

As a result of God’s magnanimous, free offer of a sure and steadfast covenant, Israel will be exalted among the nations: “Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you” (5).

In verses 6-7, repeat the invitation with further clarification.  Coming to the waters (1) means seeking the Lord and calling on Him (6).  Responding requires immediate action; now is the day of salvation as the Lord may now “be found” and “is near” (6).  Coming and calling also involve repenting and returning: “let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord” (7).  Everyone who comes, calls, repents, and returns, will surely find that God “will have compassion on him” and “abundantly pardon” (7).

Instead of remaining “like sheep who have turned—everyone—to his own way” (53:6), seeking the Lord requires choosing to follow Him and His ways.  We choose to follow His ways because they are much higher and better than our own:  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (8).  God’s ways and thoughts, like the heavens high above the earth, are much “higher” than our ways and thoughts (9). 

In verse 10, we are given a second reason for seeking the Lord and walking in His ways (note the repeated use of the word “For” at the beginning of verses 8, 10 and 12).  We turn to the Lord and trust His ways because He has power to fulfill His promised word of salvation and satisfaction.  As the “rain and snow” He sends from heaven accomplish the purpose of making the ground “bring forth and sprout” so that it provides “seed to the sower and bread to the eater” (10), so the word the Lord sends from heaven will “not return to me empty but shall accomplish that which I purpose” (11).  The Lord’s word of promise equals the Lord’s work in accomplishing His purpose on earth.  His word “shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (11).  Not only are His ways higher than ours, His word is more powerful than ours.  The Lord declares, He delivers!

And what has the Lord declared?  His people will return from their captivity to live in His blessing.  They will “go out in joy” and “be led forth in peace” (12).  Their bondage and exile will end.  He will bring them home.  Even on the journey back to blessing, they will know the Lord’s favour, and goodness.  Creation itself will join in their celebration: “the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (12).  Once they are home again, their own land will flourish; the cypress will replace the thorn bush and the myrtle the brier patch.  This promised vision of future blessing constitutes the third reason to seek salvation and satisfaction only in the Lord (note the third use of “For” in verse 12).

Why is the Lord doing all this for His people, the ones whose iniquities and transgressions had led him to send them away (50:1)?  This goodness to the undeserving is intended to “make a name for the Lord” (13).  He will be glorified as the God who is beyond comparison in both steadfast love and unmatched power.  His redemption of Israel will serve as “an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (13).  The story of God’s people ends well!

Behold Your God

The Lord’s saves and satisfies those who turn from their own ways and seek Him.  The magnanimous heart of God comes through in his lavishly generous invitation.  Though His people have repeatedly sinned against Him, still He offers a full and free salvation.  What’s more, He promises the deep satisfaction that has eluded them as they’ve chased other gods and saviours.  All His people must do is “listen diligently”, “seek the Lord”, and “forsake” their evil ways.  The same promise is held out to all who repent and believe (Act 2:38-41).  What are we waiting for?  Come and be saved and satisfied.

The Lord’s ways and thoughts are infinitely higher than our own.  Sadly, we humans don’t see to come to this truth easily or without pain.  Isaiah has previously pictured us as sheep who have turned to our own ways (53:6).  Salvation and satisfaction only come as we embrace the reality that the Lord’s thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than our own (8-9).  As we seek Him, He grants us His “everlasting covenant” and a love like no other love we’ve experienced. 

The Lord’s declarations are as good as done.  The Lord’s word never comes up empty in accomplishing His purposes: “it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (11).  So when God speaks, consider it done—in His time and His way.  God’s declaration, unlike ours, always accomplishes His purpose.  We have great reason to have great confidence in His promises.

The Lord makes a name for Himself by making a beautiful future for His people.  The Lord’s goodness to His people showcases His greatness before all peoples.  As He brings salvation and satisfaction to those who turn to Him, He makes a name for Himself.  There is no one as good and powerful as the Lord of Hosts!

Here Am I

I am spiritually parched and penniless but offered full and free satisfaction in the Lord.  Isaiah 55:1 seems to form the backdrop for Jesus’ invitation: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37).  The Lord knows we are thirsty, impoverished people.  He also wants us to realize the satisfaction we seek is only found in Him.  As David realized, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirst for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dray and wary land where there is no water” (Ps. 63:1).  Best of all, this satisfaction in God is offered “without money and without price” (1). 

I will seek the Lord for only He can satisfy.  The question is not whether I will be thirsty, but where will I seek to quench this deep thirst.  Like the Israelites, I can foolishly spend myself seeking satisfaction in “that which does not satisfy” (2).  Or I can seek it in the one place and one Person where it can be found: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.”  Seeking the Lord involves turning from our willful, sinful ways: “let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts” (7; 53:6).  Seeking the Lord also means trusting in His “higher” ways (8).  I must choose to walk in the ways He says are right and true.

I will place my full confidence in the reliability of God’s Word.  The Lord’s word accomplishes the Lord’s purposes.  Every time.  It never comes up empty; it’s never unsuccessful.  His word always produces His intended effect.  This does not mean that reading or preaching God’s Word always has a positive spiritual effect on all who hear (think of the hard ground in the parable of the soils—Luke 8).  Rather, it means that what God declares will happen will always happen.  His Word invariably accomplishes His purposes.  Therefore, I can put my full confidence in His declarations and promises.  I will consider them a done deal even before I see them come to pass.

I will broadcast the Lord’s invitation to those around me.  Like Isaiah, I want to broadcast the Lord’s gracious invitation to find satisfaction in Him.  Without minimizing the cost of commitment, I will highlight the benefits—salvation, sanctification, and satisfaction.  I will echo the call to sinners to forsake their sinful ways and return to the Lord because His ways are higher (8-9), His Word is reliable (10-11), and His blessings are beautiful (12-13).