Isaiah 55

Background

Christ works on the cross was been completed (Isaiah 53). This chapter God calls on everyone who are thirsty to come and accept the redemption.

Exposition

• v1: A call to the all who are thirsty, which is everyone. We do not need money to buy this water, in fact, no money call buy this water. [If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you livng water.] (John 4:10). [Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him wil never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him wil becme in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.] (John 4:14).
• v2: [Spend money on bread and labor on what does not satisfy]. It means man who rejects the gospel and attempt to earn salvation by their own effort.
• v3: God takes will initiative to make a new covenant with us, in Christ. The covenant is on the basis of GOd’s faithfulness on His promise to David. In NT, all of us who believe in Jesus are in covenant with God.
• v4: God made Jesus the witness to the peoples. Lord Jesus is the leader and commander of His redeemed people.
• v5: Lord Jesus will call on many people in many nations to know Him.
• v6: Call to seek God.
• v7: Call to repent. The one who truly believe in Jesus are also the who repent of his sins.
• v8-9: Refer to v7. Wicked has their own ways, the evil men have their own thoughts. All men are wicked and evil (because of sinful nature), and thus our ways and thoughts are not the same as God’s ways and thoughts. God’s ways and thoughts are infinitely higher than ours, just like the heavens are higher than the earth.
• v10-v11: Just like snow and rain that fall from heavens and will surely fulfill their purposes God intended, it is the same with God’s words.
• v12: The Jews is called to leave Babylon in joy and peace. Mountains and hills could be obstacles themselves, but they are rejoicing because of the redemption of men. This is because the salvation of men is the beginning of the salvation of the whole creation. [that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God] (Rom 8:21).