Commentary Isaiah 55:1-3
The Question for the Week this week is to pick apart Isaiah 55 and do a personal commentary. I’ve divided up the 13 verse chapter into five parts and will do one each day during the week, assuming I can remember. Today, Monday, we’re looking at verses one through three.
"People of Advent - Isaiah the Prophet" by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Monday
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.
Isaiah 55:1 (KJV)
The Bible is filled with scripture calling the reader to do something. There are things we must do. As frequent as they are, these passages speak to me of things people are asked to do by God. This flies in the face of the idea that we are all “predestined” to be something, saved or condemned. Elect or fallen. Specifically, this verse calls us to faith.
We cannot purchase faith. It is not something we can steal. It is not something we can take from someone else. Faith is a commodity we must construct on our own. Oh, we can pick up input from others, but individual people will not believe something they are not ready to believe, whose hearts are not open to the idea by the Holy Spirit, and who have not been made fertile by God. This passage calls us all to come to accept this free gift.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isaiah 55:2 (KJV)
We pursue things, material goods our entire lives, and not the one thing that lasts far longer. Jesus has the water of life; He has the bread that satisfies. We cannot find that satisfaction in anything else for as long as eternity. It isn’t possible, but that doesn’t stop us from trying. For some reason, human beings desperately want more, and we work very hard to acquire that next THING we think will be the last THING we need to truly be happy.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Isaiah 55:3 (KJV)
David was not pure as the wind-driven snow. He made mistakes. I think it is one of the major reasons David was included, aside from being the little boy who slew Goliath. David demonstrates we can fall off the path God has for us repeatedly and still repent of our sins and be taken back. God does not change. He is always there waiting for the prodigal children who think they know better