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Isaiah 49-55
The Suffering
Messiah
Psalm 79:1-13 Disciplining Sad Sheep
1.“God, the nations have come into your inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.2.They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth.3.Their blood they have shed like water around Jerusalem. There was no one to bury them.4.We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us.5.How long, Yahweh? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?6.Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you; on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name;7.For they have devoured Jacob, and destroyed his homeland.8.Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.9.Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.10.Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.11.Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.12.Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.13.So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give you thanks forever. We will praise you forever, to all generations.
Observations
79:1-8.The psalmist observes the destruction of God's people and the desecration of His holy name, as a result of God's anger over the sin of the His people (79:8-9). Because of their sin, God had delivered them into the hand of the enemy. The psalmist asks that God pour out His wrath on the pagans who don't know nor call upon Him. (God will, when He finishes disciplining Israel and they repent.)
79:9.
The psalmist seeks deliverance and forgiveness for their sins, not just because of the painful consequences, but for the sake of His name/glory.
79:10-13.
The psalmist looks to the time when God will pay back the pagans, and bless the sheep of His pasture, for which they will thank and praise Him.
Application
God is willing to look bad in the eyes of the world to ensure the holiness of His people; we can be sheep for slaughter or the sheep of His pasture – the choice is ours.
Prayer
My Good Shepherd, may You be glorified in my life by pouring out Your goodness on me, because I am following You, rather than Your discipline, because of my sin. Amen.
Proverbs 20:5-9 Perfection Impossible; Righteousness Is Possible
5.“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.6.Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?7.A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.8.A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.9.Who can say, "I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?"Observation
20:5-9.For some strange reason, sinners skip verse 7 to stake a claim to verse 9. Sinless perfection is only claimed by those who don't own a mirror (for the rest of us there is Psalm 51 and 1 John 1:9). However, faithfulness (being loyal to God), righteousness (being rightly related to God and man), and integrity (being consistent in beliefs and actions - Psalm 101:2) can be owned by any who seek after God according to His word. In fact, He expects all three of us.
Application
Instead of dwelling on our sin, let's walk as God desires us to live.
Prayer
Holy God, thanks for expecting the best of me; may I not disappoint You. Amen.
Isaiah 49-55 The Suffering Messiah
The previous section (Isaiah 40-48) described God's plan to physically deliver/redeem Israel from their captivity in Babylon (which was the consequence of their sin), using the agency of His servant Cyrus, whom He raised up for that purpose. Now we see God's plan to use another Servant (introduced in Isaiah 42:1-9), the Messiah, to deliver/save Israel (and the nations) from the captivity to their sin (the cause of their negative consequences). This post contains Isaiah 53, considered the greatest prophecy of the OT explicitly detailing the redemptive work of the Messiah in paying for the sin of His people.Isaiah 49 Mystery Servant
1."Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has He made mention of my name:2.and He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand, He has hidden me: and He has made me a polished shaft; in His quiver has He kept me close:3.and He said to me, "You are My servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 4.But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God."5.Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, and that Israel be gathered to Him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength); 6.yes, He says, "It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be My salvation to the end of the earth."7.Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy one, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy one of Israel, who has chosen you." 8.Thus says Yahweh, "In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage: 9.saying to those who are bound, ‘Come out!’; to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!’ "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.10.They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them. 11.I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 12.Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim."13. Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted His people, and will have compassion on His afflicted. 14.But Zion said, "Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." 15."Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you! 16.Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.17.Your children make haste; your destroyers and those who made you waste shall go forth from you.18.Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, " says Yahweh, "you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride. 19."For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now you shall be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away. 20.The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell. 21.Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?’" 22.Thus says the Lord Yahweh, "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and set up My banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. 23.Kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am Yahweh; and those who wait for Me shall not be disappointed."24.Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?25.But thus says Yahweh, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children. 26.I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."Observations
49:1-6.The first mystery to solve is: “Who's speaking; Who's the servant?” First it looks like Isaiah, but then in verse 3, the servant is called Israel; but then in verses 5-6 we have a second mention of being formed in the womb, and two mentions of the servant restoring Israel. Israel can't restore itself. It can't be Isaiah nor Cyrus, because (among other reasons) verse 3 identifies the function of the servant to be a light to the nations like Israel was supposed to be. The Messiah, fulfilling the function of the nation in bringing righteousness and light to the nations, is the only possible candidate for the Servant in this and the following chapters (especially Isaiah 53). Note that Isaiah sees Him being rejected in verse 4, but then after redeeming the tribes of Jacob, and the remnant of Israel (yet future), He will be a light to all the nations and the Savior of those even at the ends of the earth.
49:7-24.
Even though Israel thinks God has forsaken her, He hasn't. God not only has them engraved on the palms of His hands, but will show them mercy, guide them back and prosper them. He will cause them to know that He is their Redeemer when He saves them and their descendents. He will cause the nations to know that He is Israel's Savior when He causes them to carry Israel back into the land and bow down to them. Israel will always be the vehicle thorough which God reaches the world. There's no way He would ever abandon them (the tattoos on his hands would look pretty silly if he did).
Application
When things are looking down, look up, your Messiah is waiting to help.
Prayer
God, You are faithful to fulfill all Your promises, You never forget them, nor Your people; help me never forget to do what You want as I trust and serve You. Amen.
Isaiah 50 Listen and Learn
1."Thus says Yahweh, "Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, with which I have put her away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were you sold, and for your transgressions was your mother put away.2.Why, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem? or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stink, because there is no water, and die for thirst.3.I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering."4.The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary: he wakens morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5.The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward. 6.I gave my back to the strikers, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair; I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.7.For the Lord Yahweh will help me; therefore I have not been confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be disappointed. 8.He is near who justifies me; who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together: who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. 9.Behold, the Lord Yahweh will help me; who is he who shall condemn me? Behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, the moth shall eat them up.10.Who is among you who fears Yahweh? Be obeying the voice of his servant. Who walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of Yahweh, and rely on his God. 11. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who adorn yourselves with torches around yourselves; walk in the flame of your fire, and among the brands that you have kindled. You shall have this of my hand; you shall lie down in sorrow."Observation
50:1-11.God reminds Israel that it is because of their sin that they are in exile, not because of a lack of His power. He still wears the same size shirt sleeve.
The Servant speaks these lines. He is taught by Yahweh so he can speak sustaining words. He listens to God every morning to hear and do His will, even though it means yielding to unjust treatment. Expecting Yahweh's help, the Servant has set his face like a flint (unyielding) to do Yahweh's will, knowing he will not be disappointed with God's responsiveness to him.
A call to obedience and trust is issued with two questions and exhortations (similar to the HCSB), followed by the consequences to those who fail to heed the exhortation. Those who fear the lord should obey Him. Those who walk in darkness, should trust the revealed character of Yahweh and His Servant. Those who refuse God's light, and surround themselves with light of their own making will get burned. Ouch.
Application
Those who hear and obey God will encounter difficulties, but not as bad as those who rebel against Him.
Prayer
Lord, thanks that You give light and help to Your people, even when they walk through the valley of the shadow of death; help me hold your hand. Amen.
Isaiah 51 Everlasting Joy
1. "Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek Yahweh: look to the rock you were cut from, and to the hold of the pit you were dug from. 2.Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many.3. For Yahweh has comforted Zion; he has comforted all her waste places, and has made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Yahweh; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.4."Attend to me, my people; and give ear to me, my nation: for a law shall go forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples. 5.My righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and my arms shall judge the peoples; the islands shall wait for me, and on my arm shall they trust.6.Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and those who dwell therein shall die in the same way: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. 7."Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; don’t fear the reproach of men, neither be dismayed at their insults.8.For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation to all generations."9. Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?10.Isn’t it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?11.The ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be on their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12."I, even I, am he who comforts you: who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass; 13.and have forgotten Yahweh your Maker, who stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fear continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he makes ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?14.The captive exile shall speedily be freed; and he shall not die and go down into the pit, neither shall his bread fail. 15.For I am Yahweh your God, who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar: Yahweh of Hosts is his name. 16.I have put my words in your mouth, and have covered you in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and tell Zion, ‘You are my people.’"17. Awake, awake, stand up, Jerusalem, that have drunk at the hand of Yahweh the cup of his wrath; you have drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it. 18.There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she has brought forth; neither is there any who takes her by the hand among all the sons who she has brought up. 19.These two things have happened to you. Who will bemoan you? Desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword; how shall I comfort you?20.Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of Yahweh, the rebuke of your God.21.Therefore hear now this, you afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: 22.Thus says your Lord Yahweh, and your God who pleads the cause of his people, "Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath; you shall no more drink it again:23.and I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, ‘Bow down, that we may walk over you’; and you have laid your back as the ground, and as the street, to those who walk over."Observation
51:1-23.God calls those who seek Him to consider the state of Abraham before God blessed him, and note how God blessed him and Zion.
Just like the Servant had ears to hear God in the last chapter, now God's people must listen to Him. His law, justice, righteousness, and salvation, will be a light for all the peoples, and they will trust in Him. The world as they know it will end, but His salvation is forever. Those who know righteousness (have God's law in their heart) will not fear the insults of men.
Because of God's past dealings and future promises to His people, they need not fear, but trust in His redemption and comfort.
Application
Those who know righteousness experientially have God's law in their heart, governing their decisions.
Prayer
My Savior and Lord, thanks that I can have everlasting joy, comfort, and security in You. Amen.
Isaiah 52 Knowing God and His Salvation
1."Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2.Shake yourself from the dust! Arise, sit up, Jerusalem! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion! 3.For thus says Yahweh, "You were sold for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money." 4.For thus says the Lord Yahweh, "My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there: and the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause. 5."Now therefore, what do I do here," says Yahweh, "seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock," says Yahweh, "and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.6.Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who speaks; behold, it is I."7.How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" 8.The voice of your watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Yahweh returns to Zion.9.Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.10.Yahweh has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 11. Depart, depart, go out from there, touch no unclean thing! Go out of the midst of her! Cleanse yourselves, you who bear the vessels of Yahweh. 12.For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight: for Yahweh will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.13.Behold, my servant shall deal wisely, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.14.Like as many were astonished at you (his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men), 15. so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they understand."Observation
52:1-15.God issues a wake up call to Israel. They are in a self-induced stupor. They are the only thing standing in the way of their salvation.
The good news to Zion (and her people) is that God reigns, and has comforted His people. He has provided salvation, but in order to experience the joy of it, they need to wake up, get dressed, and join the party, which is back in Zion. Therefore, they need to depart captivity, be holy, and stroll on back with God before them and behind them.
These last verses introduce “my servant” again, who shall be exalted, very high for dealing wisely (choosing the right objectives and the right means of attaining them) fulfilling the purposes of God for him: 42:1-7; 49:1-6; 50:4-9). His suffering will result in the priestly work of sprinkling/sanctifying of nations and kings.
Application
We can't experience the joy of the Lord while laying in the clutches of sin.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise You for being the God of my salvation, who reigns in the earth, and my life. May others see You through me and Your holy people.
Isaiah 53 The Suffering Servant Suffers for Our Sins
1."Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? 2.For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3.He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with grief. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t esteem him.4.Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.5.But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.7.He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn’t open his mouth.8.He was taken away by oppression and judgment; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people? 9.They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.10.Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand. 11. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities. 12.Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."Observation
53:1-12.Books have been written about this Mount Everest of prophecy, the most quoted chapter in the Bible, so any comments made here will be inadequate. The Servant of 52:13, the Righteous Servant of 53:11 is none other than the Suffering Messiah. He is a person, not the nation, for He heals the nation by dying for their sins. The nation can't die for their own sins, and be alive, much less for the sins of others (since they have their own to die for). A shoot from the root (11:1) would grow up and be a “man of suffering” despised and rejected by men.
But the reason for his suffering and grief was not any sin of his doing, but he was bearing ours. Verse six indicates that like wayward sheep we have all gone our own way, not God's way. The penalty for rebellion against a great king is death. The Suffering Servant died as the sin bearer of the world. He died so we didn't have to. Theologians call this the vicarious substitutionary atonement, which brings us peace by paying our penalty so we can be reconciled to God. The issue is forgiveness, (the instrument is faith).
God's plan was always that the Messiah would be an offering for sin (Revelation 13:5). It looked like the Servant was cut off, but these verses indicate that he has an inheritance, and after suffering sees the light and is satisfied. Like the nation is restored to life, so too the Suffering Servant is.
Application
Forgiveness for sins is found only in God's provision of a substitute, otherwise you pay the death penalty yourself. (See Sidebar on John 3:16 TBD).
Prayer
Gracious God, thanks for the provision for my sin, and pardon You offer in the Messiah, so I can have peace with You. I accept it as the sole source of my salvation. Amen.
Isaiah 54 Permanent Peace
1."Sing, barren, you who didn’t bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife," says Yahweh.2."Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.3.For you shall spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.4."Don’t be afraid; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shall not be disappointed: for you shall forget the shame of your youth; and the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more.5.For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Hosts is his name: and the Holy one of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.6.For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off," says your God. 7."For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.8.In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting hesed/loyal covenantal love will I have mercy on you," says Yahweh your Redeemer.9."For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. 10. For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my hesed/loyal covenantal love shall not depart from you, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed," says Yahweh who has mercy on you.11."You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12.I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.13.All your children shall be taught of Yahweh; and great shall be the peace of your children.14.In righteousness you shall be established: you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not be afraid; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15.Behold, they may gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall because of you. 16."Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.17. No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness which is of me," says Yahweh."Observation
54:1-17.When God redeems Israel and is recognized as the God of the whole earth, Israel's shame shall be forgotten.
In wrath because of their sin, Yahweh forsook them temporarily, but because of His hesed He will have mercy on them. His hesed and covenant of peace shall never be removed (Romans 11).
Israel has a bright future to look forward to, in a bejeweled city (Revelation 21), basking in the presence of Yahweh. They will be righteous and victorious. This is the heritage of the servants (Note the plural.) of Yahweh, whose righteousness is from Him.
Application
God pardons us so we can live loyally and victoriously with Him, not in sin and shame.
Prayer
God, You are so wonderful and merciful to forgive, pardon, restore, and prosper Your people. May I continue to walk in the righteousness Your hesed has provided. Amen.
Isaiah 55 Everlasting Delight
1."Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.2.Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? listen diligently to me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3.Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.4.Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples. 5.Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know; and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you, because of Yahweh your God, and for the Holy one of Israel; for he has glorified you."6. Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call on him while he is near:7.let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8."For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," says Yahweh. 9."For as 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 rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;11.so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do.12.For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.13.Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to Yahweh for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."Observation
55:1-12.God graciously offers His satisfying goodness to anyone who desires it, without cost (as in free gift). He reasons with all, asking why they labor for what doesn't satisfy instead of listening to His word and living.
People have the responsibility to seek God and call upon Him, forsaking their ways and thoughts. The only way finite humans can know infinite truth (God's ways and thoughts) is if an infinite Being reveals it to them. The Scriptures do just that, containing a record of God's revelation so we can seek, listen, learn, and call upon Him, receive His pardon, and blessing. His word accomplishes His purpose of summoning and saving people, so they can live in everlasting joy and peace.
Application
God freely offers His pardon and delights to those who respond to His invitation, on His terms.
Prayer
God, don't let me foolishly hold on to any of my ways or thoughts which will prevent me from experiencing the satisfaction, delight and joy You offer. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God is so incredibly gracious to freely pardon sin, by providing a substitute for our death penalty, in the person of the Messiah. He offers that salvation freely to all who seek and accept it. He offers the accompanying delight of a relationship with Him to those who forsake the folly of their own ways and thoughts, and embrace His ways and thoughts. God's restoration of Israel is still future, and will be permanent, as is the peace He offers those who trust in Him. The Messiah will return in exaltation.Us in a nutshell: We are like stupid sheep who refuse to follow the Shepherd, thinking we know better. That gets us into all kinds of trouble and pain, including death, for rebellion. We are given the opportunity for pardon and peace with God, but only on His terms, by accepting His provision.