It is the language of infinite mercy, speaking to the abject condition of mankind. We have become naked, and poor and miserable through sin, and God, instead of driving us from his presence, comes loaded with mercy, and thus he speaks to us.
Isaiah 55:1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
See the freeness of divine love! See how God, who knows the wants of souls, provides all things needful for them water the water of life, and as if that were not enough, the wine of joy, the milk of satisfaction, and he offers these freely. Yea, he stands like the salesman crying in the market, and cries, «Ho! ho! every one that thirsteth!» But, mark, there is no gain for him: the gain is for ourselves; for he saith, «He that hath no money, buy wine and milk without money and without price.» All that you want, dear friend God is ready to give you. Yea, he invites you to come and receive it, and presses upon you the good things of the covenant of grace. Why stand you back? Do you want these good things? Then, come and welcome. It is God who bids you come.
Isaiah 55:2. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not?
Why do you seek to get comfort for your souls where you will never get it? Why do you try to content your immortal nature upon things that will die? There is nothing here below that can satisfy you. Why spend your money, then, for these things, and your labour for nothing?
Isaiah 55:2. Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
God has real food for your soul something that will make you truly happy. He will satisfy you, not with the name of goodness, but with the reality of it if you will but come and have it. You shall have fullness you shall have delight if you are but willing to come and receive it.
Isaiah 55:3. Incline your ear and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;
Then who would not hear who would not give attention if by that attention life immortal may be received?
Isaiah 55:3. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Will God enter into covenant with sinful men with thirsty men with hungry men with needy men with guilty men? Ah! that he will. «I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.»
Isaiah 55:4. Behold, I have given him
That is the Son of David Jesus the Christ,» I have given him.»
Isaiah 55:4. For a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
If you want anyone to tell you what God is, Jesus Christ is the witness to the character of God. Do you want a leader to lead you back to peace and happiness a commander by whose power you may be able to fight Satan and all the powers of darkness that hold you in bondage? God has given his Son to be such a leader to you. Oh! who would not enlist beneath his banner?
Isaiah 55:5. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy one of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
Here God speaks to Jesus, whom he has made a commander, and he tells him that he shall not be without a people, for those who never knew him shall come to him. There are some in this house tonight who have not yet yielded themselves to Christ some of whom he will say, «Tonight I must abide in thy house»; and when that voice of power is heard, their hearts will yield, and they will become the disciples of Jesus.
Isaiah 55:6. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found,
And that is tonight; for still the promise of finding is given to every one who seeks.
Isaiah 55:6. Call ye upon him while he is near:
And he is near, for in all places where his name is recorded, there he has promised to be. Wheresoever the gospel is preached, we have Christ's word for it: «Lo, I am with you alway.» So, then, call ye upon him while he is near.
Isaiah 55:7-9. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Oh! that we could rise to God's thoughts that we could speak his thoughts of love that we could really believe that he is ready now to receive and forgive us, and could, therefore, fly into his arms without hesitancy or delay! God help us to do it!
Isaiah 55:10-11. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but is shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Trust, then, in the gospel, which is the word of God, for it cannot fail you. Rest yourselves in the divine promise of pardon, for it cannot drop to the ground. It must accomplish the divine will.
Isaiah 55:12. For ye 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 field shall clap their hands.
«For,» if ye do this if ye forsake your sins if ye turn unto God God can make such joy in the heart that all the world shall be full of joy. When a man feels that his sins are forgiven, then nature seems replete with ditty, and the hills, and rocks, and trees all proclaim the presence of a gracious God. Until then, when the heart is heavy, nature seems dull and dreary; but, oh! may the grace of God so light up our hearts that all the world may be lit up for us.
Isaiah 55:13. 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 the LORD for the name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
This exposition consisted of readings from Isaiah 55:1.; Jeremiah 30:1-11.