Isaiah 55:4-13

4 "Behold, I have made ¹him a witness to the peoples, A ²leader and commander for the peoples.

5 "Behold, you will call a ³nation you do not know, And a nation which knows you not will ⁴run to you, Because of the LORD your God, even the Holy One of Israel; For He has ⁵glorified you."

6 ⁶Seek the LORD while He may be found; ⁷Call upon Him while He is near.

7 ⁸Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his ⁹thoughts; And let him ¹⁰return to the LORD, And He will have ¹¹compassion on him, And to our God, For He will ¹²abundantly pardon.

8 "For My thoughts are not ¹³your thoughts, Nor are ¹⁴your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

9 "For ¹⁵as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 "For as the ¹⁶rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without * watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing ¹⁷seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

11 So will My ¹⁸word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will ¹⁹not return to Me empty, Without * ²⁰accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

12 "For you will go out with ²¹joy And be led forth with ²²peace; The ²³mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the ²⁴trees of the field will clap their hands.

13 "Instead of the ²⁵thorn bush the ²⁶cypress will come up, And instead of the ²⁷nettle the myrtle will come up, And it will be a ²⁸memorial to the LORD, For an everlasting ²⁹sign which ³⁰will not be cut off."

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Isaiah 55:4-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 55

As the two preceding chapters are prophecies of Christ and his church, this treats of his word and ordinances, and of the nature, use, and efficacy of them. It begins with an invitation of thirsty souls to them, Isa 55:1, an expostulation with them for taking wrong methods, and a dissuasive from them, Isa 55:2, which is followed with an exhortation to hear the word of Christ, attend on his ordinances; to which they are encouraged with promises of life and covenant blessings, Isa 55:2,3. Christ is prophesied of in his offices; and the conversion of the Gentiles to him is foretold, Isa 55:4,5, men are called upon to seek the Lord, where and while he might be found; and both wicked and unrighteous persons, forsaking their ways and thoughts, are encouraged to turn to the Lord, in hopes of pardon, and in consideration of his ways and thoughts not being like theirs, Isa 55:6-9, the nature and efficacy of the word of God are expressed and illustrated by the similes of rain and snow, Isa 55:10,11, and the conversion of the Lord's people, in consequence of the word being made effectual, is predicted, the issue of which is the glory of God, Isa 55:12,13.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 30

1. Psalms 18:43; Jeremiah 30:9; Hosea 3:5
2. Ezekiel 34:24; Ezekiel 37:24, 25; Daniel 9:25; Micah 5:2
3. Isaiah 45:14, 22-24; Isaiah 49:6, 12, 23
4. Zechariah 8:22
5. Isaiah 60:9
6. Psalms 32:6; Isaiah 45:19, 22; Isaiah 49:8; Amos 5:6
7. Isaiah 58:9; Isaiah 65:24
8. Isaiah 1:16, 19; Isaiah 58:6
9. Isaiah 32:7; Isaiah 59:7
10. Isaiah 31:6; Isaiah 44:22
11. Isaiah 14:1; Isaiah 54:8, 10
12. Isaiah 1:18; Isaiah 40:2; Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:22
13. Isaiah 65:2; Isaiah 66:18
14. Isaiah 53:6
15. Psalms 103:11
16. Isaiah 30:23
17. 2 Corinthians 9:10
18. Isaiah 45:23; Matthew 24:35
19. Isaiah 44:26; Isaiah 59:21
20. Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 53:10
21. Psalms 105:43; Isaiah 51:11; Isaiah 52:9
22. Isaiah 54:10, 13; Jeremiah 29:11
23. Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 49:13
24. 1 Chronicles 16:33
25. Isaiah 7:19
26. Isaiah 60:13
27. Isaiah 5:6; Isaiah 7:24; Isaiah 32:13
28. Isaiah 63:12, 14; Jeremiah 33:9
29. Isaiah 19:20
30. Isaiah 56:5

Footnotes 2

[a]. I.e. the transformation of the desert
[b]. Lit "name"