The Call To Respond (Isaiah 55:1-3).
What follows must not be isolated from the context. This appeal is possible because of the work of the Servant. Now salvation is freely open to all.
‘Ho, every one who thirsts,
Come to the waters,
And he who has no money
Come, buy and eat,
Yes, come, buy wine and milk,
Without money and without price.
The cry is possibly modelled on that of a water-seller or a street vendor as he goes through the streets with his wares. Good drinkable water was not a cheap commodity, and the water-seller had plenty of trade. But here one comes offering a different water, it is the water of life. And we may see the offerer as God, or as the Servant.
This water has been described in Isaiah 44:3-5. It is life-giving water, the water of the Spirit, the water of Yahweh's blessing. And it produces fruit and brings men in submission to Yahweh. And it is on offer to all who will receive it. And it is water that will satisfy their thirst (compare John 4:14).
And because of the Servant's work all may come for this water. There is no limit. There is no cost. Even those who have no money are welcome, for it is without price. And there is not only water, but wine and milk and food. God's abundant provision is for all who will come. They are invited to God's feast (compare Isaiah 25:6), and it is a feast of mercy and abundant pardon (Isaiah 55:7). It is a call to receive righteousness.
In Proverbs 9:5 it is wisdom that calls men to, ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of my wine'. Here the Servant offers even more. They may eat and drink of what He has done for them, and receive life through the Spirit.
‘Why do you spend money for that which is not bread?
And your labour for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat that which is good,
And let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Incline your ear and come to me,
Hear, and your soul will live.'
The challenge then goes out as to why men spend money on that which is not bread, that which does not really feed and fill them, and why they work so hard to obtain what does not satisfy. For that is what life is for many, working hard and spending money. But they are no better off for it. They are still unsatisfied. They are concentrating their efforts on the wrong thing. They do not find life, and peace and joy. And yet, if they would only listen, God's Servant is offering them what is good, what will feed and satisfy them to the full. It is something that, if they hear and respond to it, will bring life deep within them.
And what is this wonderful offer? It is to respond to God, to respond to His word and covenant. It is to recognise the work of the Servant. It is to come and be declared righteous through His sacrifice. It is to eat the food of forgiveness, and to drink of God's mercy and receive new life. It can all be summarised in Isaiah 1:16-19, with the added fact of what the Servant has accomplished.
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
Even the sure mercies of David.'
Here is the essence of it. If His people seek Him truly God will enter into a new covenant with them, an everlasting covenant. This must include the covenant of peace (Isaiah 54:10), which comes from His everlasting covenant love (Isaiah 54:8), whereby they are made right with God and are brought to be at peace with Him, but it also includes the sure promises made to David, the certainty of His worldwide rule under God.
This covenant of peace was sealed through the Servant. It is He Who has enabled peace, and, as the mediator (making intercession and atonement - Isaiah 53:10-12) between God in His antipathy against sin, and man in His sinfulness, has, through the sacrifice of Himself, bearing their sin on Himself where God ‘made it to meet' (Isaiah 53:6), made it possible for them to become guiltless before God and partake in His resurrection (Isaiah 53:10; Isaiah 26:19; Isaiah 25:8).
But it is more. It is a covenant which includes the sure mercies of David, the promise that God will establish David's seed for ever on the throne which will be established for ever (2 Samuel 7:16) and that He will give Him the nations for His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession (Psalms 2:8). It is a promise of worldwide blessing (Genesis 12:3) and worldwide rule, under the Kingly Rule of God. What began with a promise to Abraham has resulted in this glorious fulfilment through the One Who is the Seed of Abraham.
So the covenant that the Servant makes includes the Davidic covenant, and the Servant proves to be in the Davidic line. And this covenant involves His being called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), established by God and given worldwide dominion for ever (Isaiah 9:7) as He divides the spoil of what He has accomplished to all in the nations who respond to Him (Isaiah 53:12).
Much of what this covenant meant for Israel has already been considered. See Isaiah 11:1-9; Isaiah 32:1-2; Isaiah 32:15-17; Isaiah 33:17; Isaiah 33:20-24. But now the cost of it has been revealed (Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12) as well as its worldwide success (compare Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6).