THE COMPASSION OF THE LORD

VI. THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH, Isaiah 49-57

3. The Fulness and Freeness of Salvation, Isaiah 54-57

61. On what terms does God engage to bless His people?

Isaiah 55:1-13

THE COMPASSION OF THE LORD

“Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy grain and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost [simply accept it as a gift from God]. [Rev_21:6-7; Rev_22:17]

“Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, And your earnings for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight in abundance. [Jer_31:12-14]

“Incline your ear [to listen] and come to Me; Hear, so that your soul may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies [promised and] shown to David. [2Sa_7:8-16; Act_13:34; Heb_13:20]

“Listen carefully, I have appointed him [David, representing the Messiah] to be a witness to the nations [regarding salvation], A leader and commander to the peoples.

“In fact, you [Israel] will call a nation that you do not know, And a nation that does not know you will run to you, Because of the LORD your God, even the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.”

Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call on Him [for salvation] while He is near.

Let the wicked leave (behind) his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion (mercy) on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.

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

“For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, Making it bear and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [2Co_9:10]

So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

“For you will go out [from exile] with joy And be led forth [by the LORD Himself] with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

“Instead of the thorn bush the cypress tree will grow, And instead of the nettle the myrtle tree will grow; And it will be a memorial to the LORD, For an everlasting sign [of His mercy] which will not be cut off.”

F.B.Meyer
On  
Isaiah 55:1-13

61. On what terms does God engage to bless His people?

The Prince of Life, Isa_55:4, R.V. Four times in the New Testament this title is applied to our Lord, and always in connection with His Resurrection. See Act_3:14-15; Act_5:31; Heb_2:9-10; Heb_12:2, where the words prince, author, and captain, are various translations of the same Greek word. The meaning of the original word is file leader. He leads out of death into life; out of defeat into victory; out of suffering into perfection; out of the sorrow and pain of discipline into the triumph of the sons of light.

The everlasting covenant, Isa_55:3. David’s sin could not cancel the sure mercies of God. See 2Sa_7:14-16 and 2Sa_23:5. God will never go back on that covenant which includes us! See Heb_8:1-13. God’s mercies in Christ are sure. Listen! Come! Hear! We are not only forever safe, but we are provided against all want.

God’s abundant provision is described under several terms: waters, wine, milk, wholesome and satisfying bread, the good, fatness, Isa_55:1-2. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ, Eph_1:3. And because God’s thoughts and ways are not as ours, the result is the transformation of thorns into firs and briars into myrtles.

By Philippus Schutte

New Covenant Israelite! "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee."  Rom 11:17 -18