Isaiah 55

1 All that thirst, come ye to waters [All ye thirsting, cometh to waters], and ye that have not silver, haste, buy ye, and eat ye; come ye, buy ye, without silver and without any (ex)changing, wine and milk. (All ye who thirst, come to the waters, and ye who have no silver, hasten, buy ye, and eat ye; come ye, and buy ye, wine and milk, without any silver, yea, without any exchanging of money.)

2 Why weigh ye (out) silver, and not in loaves, and your travail, not in fullness? (Why spend ye your silver, but not for loaves, and the fruits of your labour, but ye be not fulfilled?) Ye hearing hear me, and eat ye (that which is) good, and your soul shall delight in fatness.

3 Bow ye [in] your ear, and come ye to me; hear ye, and your soul shall live; and I shall smite with you a covenant everlasting (and I shall strike with you an everlasting covenant), the faithful mercies of David.

4 Lo! I gave him a witness to peoples, a duke and a commander to folks. (Lo! I gave him as a witness to the peoples, a leader and a commander to the nations.)

5 Lo! thou shalt call folks, which thou knewest not; and folks, that knew not thee, shall run to thee; for thy Lord God, and the Holy of Israel, for he glorified thee. (Lo! thou shalt call the nations, whom thou knewest not; and the nations, who did not know thee, shall run to thee; because the Lord thy God, and the Holy One of Israel, he hath glorified thee.)

6 Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found; call ye him to help, while he is nigh. (Seek ye the Lord, while he still can be found; call ye to him for help, while he still is near, or close by.)

7 An unfaithful man forsake his way, and a wicked man forsake his thoughts; and turn he again to the Lord, and he shall have mercy on him, and to our God, for he is much to forgive (for he is quick to forgive).

8 For why my thoughts be not your thoughts, and my ways be not your ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as (the) heavens be raised (up) from (the) earth, so my ways be raised (up) from your ways, and my thoughts from your thoughts.

10 And as rain and snow cometh down from (the) heaven(s), and turneth no more again thither, but it filleth, or maketh moist, the earth, and besheddeth it, and maketh it to burgeon, and giveth seed to him that soweth, and bread to him that eateth,

11 so shall be my word, that shall go out of my mouth. It shall not turn again void to me, but it shall do whatever things I would (It shall not return to me void, or empty, but it shall do whatever I desired of it), and it shall have prosperity in these things to which I (have) sent it.

12 For ye shall go out in gladness, and ye shall be led forth in peace; (the) mountains and (the) little hills shall sing praising before you, and all the trees of the country(side) shall make joy with (their) hand(s).

13 A fir tree shall go up for a gorse, either furze, and a myrtle tree shall wax for a nettle; and the Lord shall be named into a sign everlasting, that shall not be done away. (A fir tree shall grow up for a gorse, or for a furze, and a myrtle tree shall grow up for a nettle; and it shall give the Lord a great name, yea, it shall be an everlasting sign, that shall not be done away.)

Isaiah 55 Commentary

Chapter 55

An invitation to receive freely the blessings of the Saviour. (1-5) Gracious offers of pardon and peace. (6-13)

Verses 1-5 All are welcome to the blessings of salvation, to whom those blessings are welcome. In Christ there is enough for all, and enough for each. Those satisfied with the world, that see no need of Christ, do not thirst. They are in no uneasiness about their souls: but where God gives grace, he gives a thirst after it; and where he has given a thirst after it, he will give it. Come to Christ, for he is the Fountain opened, he is the Rock smitten. Come to holy ordinances, to the streams that make glad the city of our God. Come to the healing waters, come to the living waters, ( Revelation 22:17 ) . Our Saviour referred to this, #Joh. 7:37 . Come, and buy; make it your own by application of the grace of the gospel to yourselves. Come, and eat; make it still more your own, and enjoy it. The world comes short of our expectations; we promise ourselves, at least, water in it, and we are disappointed; but Christ outdoes our expectations. We come to him, and we find wine and milk. The gifts offered to us are such as no price can be set upon. The things offered are already paid for; for Christ purchased them at the full price of ( 1 Peter. 1:19 ) have nothing to supply them; if Christ and heaven are ours, we see ourselves for ever indebted to free grace. Hearken diligently; let the proud heart stoop; not only come, but accept God's offers. All the wealth and pleasure in the world, will not yield solid comfort and content to the soul. They do not satisfy even the appetites of the body; for all is vanity and vexation. Let the disappointments we meet with in the world, help to drive us to Christ, and to seek for satisfaction in him only. Then, and not before, we shall find rest for our souls. Hear, and your soul shall live. On what easy terms is happiness offered us! By the sure mercies of David, we are to understand the Messiah. All his mercies are covenant mercies; they are purchased by him, they are promised in him, and out of his hand they are dispensed to us. We know not how to find the way to the waters, but Christ is given to be a Leader, a Commander, to show us what to do, and enable us to do it. Our business is to obey him, and follow him. And there is no coming to the Father but by him. He is the Holy One of Israel, true to his promises; and he has promised to glorify Christ, by giving him the heathen for his inheritance.

Verses 6-13 Here is a gracious offer of pardon, and peace, and of all happiness. It shall not be in vain to seek God, now his word is calling to us, and his Spirit is striving with us. But there is a day coming when he will not be found. There may come such a time in this life; it is certain that at death and judgment the door will be shut. There must be not only a change of the way, but a change of the mind. We must alter our judgments about persons and things. It is not enough to break off from evil practices, we must strive against evil thoughts. To repent is to return to our Lord, against whom we have rebelled. If we do so, God will multiply to pardon, as we have multiplied to offend. But let none trifle with this plenteous mercy, or use it as an occasion to sin. Men's thoughts concerning sin, Christ, and holiness, concerning this world and the other, vastly differ from God's; but in nothing more than in the matter of pardon. We forgive, and cannot forget; but when God forgives sin, he remembers it no more. The power of his word in the kingdoms of providence and grace, is as certain as in that of nature. Sacred truth produces a spiritual change in the mind of men, which neither rain nor snow can make on the earth. It shall not return to the Lord without producing important effects. If we take a special view of the church, we shall find what great things God has done, and will do for it. The Jews shall come to their own land; this shall represent the blessings promised. Gospel grace will make a great change in men. Delivered from the wrath to come, the converted sinner finds peace in his conscience; and love constrains him to devote himself to the service of his Redeemer. Instead of being profane, contentious, selfish, or sensual, behold him patient, humble, kind, and peaceable. The hope of helping in such a work should urge us to spread the gospel of salvation. And do thou help us, O Spirit of all truth, to have such views of the fulness, freeness, and greatness of the rich mercy in Christ, as may remove from us all narrow views of sovereign grace.

Chapter Summary

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.