Isaiah 55 begins with an invitation for those who are thirsty to come to the waters and for those who have no money to come, buy, and eat.
It’s as if it’s an invitation to return to the time when YHVH’s people had entered the wilderness but without all of the negative aspects of the wilderness. When they were thirsty, Moses struck the rock and water poured out. Can you imagine enough water to quench the thirst of a multitude? They had been grumbling and testing YHVH. They said, “Give us water to drink” because they were afraid they were going to die. They were also hungry and YHVH gave them manna to eat. It was a time of learning to depend on YHVH for their every need. This is the place YHVH wants us to be.
The water and manna met their human physical needs but they had a spiritual hunger that needed to be satisfied so they would live and not die. This need could not have been met by the plethora of Egyptian gods. First Corinthians 10:4 says they drank from a Spirit-sent Rock and that Rock was the Messiah. The manna that came down from heaven was Yeshua. In John 6:33, He said, “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” The goal here for water and bread is to give spiritual life.
So, in addition to physical water, wine, and milk, spiritual life is what they were truly being invited to come and partake of.
Isaiah 55:2 asks, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy?” This is a good question, not just for the people living at this time but also for our time. Think about how much money you spend each month on non-essential items. What about the wide variety of entertainment related purchases you make each month? Do they really satisfy your soul?
YHVH says, “Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you — The sure mercies of David.”
What is good to eat? Is it what is clean? Is it spiritual food as opposed to physical food? YHVH is telling His people to draw near to the Word of God, listen to it, and do what it says so they will live. Like David, the Messiah was given as a witness to the people and as a leader and commander for the people. The everlasting covenant is with Him.
What Gentile nation will Israel call upon? We aren’t told. All we know is that it is one they did not know. In addition, other nations will run to Israel because of YHVH, the Holy One of Israel. It seems as if people from other nations will come to Israel because of their relationship with YHVH. At first glance, we may think that has been fulfilled in the form of tourism. Somehow I don’t think that is exactly what YHVH had in mind. I think it is more in terms of coming to live in Israel in unity and to serve YHVH together. The believing Jews and Gentiles will want to build relationships with each other. Even when we love Messiah with our whole hearts, we are still made for relationship with others. Relationships need to be built with others who share a common love for YHVH and desire to obey His word. It is a painful thing to serve the Lord in isolation. Great joy comes to us when we worship YHVH together in our assemblies.
Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.” In Matthew 6:31-33, Yeshua said, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” YHVH knows we have physical needs but seeking YHVH should take first place in our lives. Let’s seek YHVH first and trust Him to provide for our physical needs while He is near and while He can still be found.
Part of seeking YHVH requires us to forsake lawless behavior and our unrighteous thoughts because they hinder the seeking process. If we truly want to seek and find YHVH, we can’t keep practicing the ways of the world. That is not evidence of our desire to love Him and know Him intimately. YHVH desires for everyone to return to Him and His ways. He will have mercy on those who come to Him and pardon them.
Since we’ve been raised in the world, we tend to think like the world. I’ve been amazed over the past several years how politicians, special interest groups, schools, and the media have molded and shaped the thoughts of people. These thoughts are not the same as YHVH’s thoughts. Our ways are not His ways. They are far from it. We are accused of hate crimes when we speak for righteousness. We can’t even stand in silence in the face of immorality because our silence is understood by the world to be against the ways of the world. Therefore even our thoughts are crimes. What are we going to do? Personally, I feel helpless just thinking about it but I know that YHVH is still on His throne and that I must stand united with Him and unite my thoughts with His. I know that despite what the world thinks, YHVH’s plans will take place.
Isaiah 55:10 mentions the results of the water cycle. We understand how it impacts the growth of vegetation on the earth and how we benefit from that. In the same manner, YHVH’s speaks words that do not return void. They go through a cycle and eventually accomplish their purposes. Creation took place by the word of God. But YHVH’s word didn’t just accomplish creation; it also carries out YHVH’s desires in the lives of men, women, and children so they prosper. In addition, everything YHVH spoke through the prophets will come to pass at the appointed time. We just don’t know the exact timing of it all.
YHVH has promised, “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
This will be a beautiful thing that will surely come to pass at the appointed time.
Highway to Holiness 