Chú giải Kinh Thánh

As we had much of Christ in the Isa 53:1-12, and much of the church of Christ in the Isa 54:1-17, so in this chapter we have much of the covenant of grace made with us in Christ. The "sure mercies of David," which are promised here (Isa 55:3), are applied by the apostle to the benefits which flow to us from the resurrection of Christ (Ac 13:34), which may serve as a key to this chapter; not but that it was intended for the comfort of the people of God that lived then, especially of the captives in Babylon, and others of the dispersed of Israel; but unto us was this gospel preached as well as unto them, and much more clearly and fully in the New Testament. Here is, I. A free and gracious invitation to all to come and take the benefit of gospel grace, Isa 55:1. II. Pressing arguments to enforce this invitation, Isa 55:2-4. III. A promise of the success of this invitation among the Gentiles, Isa 55:5. IV. An exhortation to repentance and reformation, with great encouragement given to hope for pardon thereupon, Isa 55:6-9. V. The ratification of all this, with the certain efficacy of the word of God, Isa 55:10,11. And a particular instance of the accomplishment of it in the return of the Jews out of their captivity, which was intended for a sign of the accomplishment of all these other promises.

This chapter is closely connected in sense with the preceding chapter. It flows from the doctrines stated in Isaiah 53:1-12, and is designed to state what would follow from the coming of the Messiah. It would result from that work that the most free and full invitations would be extended to all people to return to God, and to obtain his favor. There would be such ample provision made for the salvation of human beings, that the most liberal invitations could be extended to sinners. The main idea in the chapter, I conceive to be, that the effect of the work of the Redeemer would be to lay the foundation for a universal invitation to people to come and be saved. So ample would be the merits of his death Isaiah 53:1-12, that all might come and partake of eternal life. To state this, I suppose to be the main design of this chapter. It may be regarded as comprising the following parts:

I. A universal invitation to come and embrace the provisions of mercy.

1. All were invited to come, even they who were the most poor and needy, who had no money, as freely as to running waters and streams Isaiah 55:1.

2. They were now regarded as spending their money and their labor for that which produced no permanent satisfaction - descriptive of the world in its vain efforts to find enjoyment Isaiah 55:2.

3. If they would come to God they should live, and he would make with them an eternal covenant Isaiah 55:3.

II. To encourage them to this, the assurance is presented that God had given the Messiah to be a leader of the people, and that under him distant nations should embrace the truth and be saved Isaiah 55:4-5.

III. In view of the fullness of the provisions of mercy, and of the fact that a great leader had been provided, all are encouraged to come and seek God. This invitation is pressed on their attention by several considerations:

1. Yahweh might now be found, and he was ready to pardon abundantly all sinners who were disposed to forsake the error of their way and to return to him Isaiah 55:6-7.

2. God shows that his plans were high above those of people, and his thoughts more elevated than theirs, and his counsels should stand. The rain descended on the earth and accomplished his great plans, and so it would be with his word. His promises would be fulfilled, and his designs would take effect, and there was, therefore, every encouragement to come, and partake of his favor and his grace Isaiah 55:8-11.

3. There should be rich and abundant blessings attending their return to God, and universal rejoicing from their embracing the religion of the Redeemer, and becoming interested in his mercy and salvation Isaiah 55:12-13.

There is not to be found in the Bible a chapter more replete with rich invitations than this, nor perhaps is there anywhere to be found one of more exquisite beauty. To the end of the world it will stand as the fullest conceivable demonstration that God intended that the offers of salvation should be made to all people, and that he designs that his gospel shall accomplish the great plans which he had in view when he devised the scheme of redemption. While this precious chapter remains in the book of God, no sinner need despair of salvation who is disposed to return to him; no one can plead that he is too great a sinner to be saved; no one can maintain successfully that the provisions of mercy are limited in their nature or their applicability to any portion of the race; and no minister of the gospel need be desponding about the success of the work in which he is engaged. The gospel shall just as certainly produce the effect which God intended as the rain which comes down in fertilizing showers upon the dry and thirsty earth.

This chapter first displays the fullness, freeness, excellence, and everlasting nature of the blessings of the Gospel, and foretells again the enlargement of Messiah's kingdom, Isaiah 55:1-5. This view leads the prophet to exhort all to seize the precious opportunity of sharing in such blessings, which were not, however, to be expected without repentance and reformation, Isaiah 55:6, Isaiah 55:7. And as the things now and formerly predicted were so great as to appear incredible, the prophet points to the omnipotence of God, who would infallibly accomplish his word, and bring about those glorious deliverances which he had promised; the happy effects of which are again set forth by images beautiful and poetical in the highest degree, Isaiah 55:8-13.

INTRODUCTION TO Isaiah 55

As the two preceding chapters are prophecies of Christ and his church, this treats of his word and ordinances, and of the nature, use, and efficacy of them. It begins with an invitation of thirsty souls to them, Isaiah 55:1, an expostulation with them for taking wrong methods, and a dissuasive from them, Isaiah 55:2, which is followed with an exhortation to hear the word of Christ, attend on his ordinances; to which they are encouraged with promises of life and covenant blessings, Isaiah 55:2. Christ is prophesied of in his offices; and the conversion of the Gentiles to him is foretold, Isaiah 55:4, men are called upon to seek the Lord, where and while he might be found; and both wicked and unrighteous persons, forsaking their ways and thoughts, are encouraged to turn to the Lord, in hopes of pardon, and in consideration of his ways and thoughts not being like theirs, Isaiah 55:6, the nature and efficacy of the word of God are expressed and illustrated by the similes of rain and snow, Isaiah 55:10, and the conversion of the Lord's people, in consequence of the word being made effectual, is predicted, the issue of which is the glory of God, Isaiah 55:12.

Ch. 55. A Call to Individuals to embrace the coming Salvation

(i) Isaiah 55:1-5. A gracious invitation to the blessings of the new Covenant.

(1) Salvation freely offered to the thirsty. Addressing those who are engaged in the pursuit of earthly good, the prophet, in the name of Jehovah, promises them the complete satisfaction of their wants by accepting a share in the kingdom of God (Isaiah 55:1-2).

(2) On the condition of obedience Jehovah will make an everlasting Covenant with them, incorporating them in the Messianic community, in which the promises made to the house of David shall be realised (Isaiah 55:3-5).

(ii) Isaiah 55:6-13. This kingdom is at hand.

(1) The summons (Isaiah 55:1 ff.) is urgent, for Jehovah is near; now is the day of grace when He may be sought and found, and when even the wicked may obtain pardon through repentance (Isaiah 55:6-7).

(2) Jehovah is in truth near, although His thoughts and purposes are too exalted to be apprehended by the narrow and earth-bound vision of selfish men (Isaiah 55:8-9).

(3) Already the word has gone forth which is to renew the world and bring in the eternal redemption; it shall no more return empty than the rain and the snow return to heaven without having fertilized the earth (Isaiah 55:10-11).

(4) The prophet here reverts to an image frequent in the earlier discourses. The great deliverance is on the eve of being accomplished; the exiles shall go out (from Babylon) with joy, and the noble trees which spring up along their desert journey shall remain as an everlasting memorial of Jehovah’s power (Isaiah 55:12-13).

Isa 55:1-13.

THE CALL OF THE GENTILE WORLD TO FAITH THE RESULT OF GOD'S GRACE TO THE JEWS FIRST.

1. every one--After the special privileges of Israel

(Isa 54:1-17)

there follow, as the consequence, the universal invitation to the Gentiles

(Lu 24:47; Ro 11:12, 15).

Ho--calls the most earnest attention.

thirsteth--has a keen sense of need

(Mt 5:6).

waters . . . wine and milk--a gradation. Not merely water, which is needed to maintain life at all, but wine and milk to strengthen, cheer, and nourish; the spiritual blessings of the Gospel are meant

(Isa 25:6; So 5:1; Joh 7:37).

"Waters," plural, to denote abundance

(Isa 43:20; 44:3).

no money--Yet, in

Isa 55:2,

it is said, "ye spend money." A seeming paradox. Ye are really spiritual bankrupts: but thinking yourselves to have money, namely, a devotion of your own making, ye lavish it on that "which is not bread," that is, on idols, whether literal or spiritual.

buy . . . without money--another paradox. We are bought, but not with a price paid by ourselves

(1Co 6:20; 1Pe 1:18, 19).

In a different sense we are to "buy" salvation, namely, by parting with everything which comes between us and Christ who has bought it for us and by making it our own

(Mt 13:44, 46; Lu 12:33; Re 3:18).

Ho - (הוי hôy). This word here is designed to call attention to the subject as one of importance.

Every one that thirsteth - The word 'thirst' often indicates intense desire, and is thus applied to the sense of want which sinners often have, and to their anxious wishes for salvation. It is not improbable that the Savior had this passage in his eye when he pronounced the blessing on those who hunger and thirst after righteousness Matthew 5:6. No needs are so keen, none so imperiously demand supply, as those of hunger and thirst. They occur daily; and when long continued, as in the case of those who are shipwrecked, and doomed to wander months or years over burning sands with scarcely any drink or food, nothing is more distressing. Hence, the figure is often used to denote any intense desire for anything, and especially an ardent desire for salvation (see Psalm 42:2; Psalm 63:1; Psalm 143:6; John 7:37). The invitation here is made to all. 'Everyone' (כל kôl) is entreated to come. It is not offered to the elect only, or to the rich, the great, the noble; but it is made to all. It is impossible to conceive of language more universal in its nature than this; and while this stands in the Word of God, the invitation may be made to all, and should be made to all, and must be made to all. It proves that provision is made for all. Can God invite to a salvation which has not been provided? Can he ask a man to partake of a banquet which has no existence? Can he ask a man to drink of waters when there are none? Can he tantalize the hopes and mock the miseries of people by inviting them to enter a heaven where they would be unwelcome, or to dwell in mansions which have never been provided? (compare Matthew 11:28; Mark 16:15; John 7:37; Revelation 22:17).

Come ye to the waters - Water, floods, overflowing streams, or copious showers, are often used in the Scriptures to denote abundant blessings from God, and especially the blessings which would exist under the Messiah (see Isaiah 35:6; Isaiah 43:20; Isaiah 44:3).

And he that hath no money - The poor; they who would be unable to purchase salvation if it were to be sold. The idea here is the absolute freeness of the offer of salvation. No man can excuse himself for not being a Christian because he is poor; no man who is rich can ever boast that he has bought salvation, or that he has obtained it on more easy terms because he had property.

Come ye, buy and eat - (Compare Matthew 13:44-46). That is, procure it without paying a price. The word rendered here 'buy' (שׁבר shâbar), properly means to break, then to purchase etc. (grain), as that which is broken in a mill (Gesenius), or that which breaks hunger; compare Eng. breakfast (Castell.)

Buy wine - (יין yayin). Wine was commonly used in their feasts, and indeed was an article of common drink (see the notes at Isaiah 25:6). Here it is emblematic of the blessings of salvation spoken of as a feast made for people. Wine is usually spoken of as that which exhilarates, or makes glad the heart Judges 9:13; 2 Samuel 13:28; Psalm 104:15, and it is possible that the image here may be designed specifically to denote that the blessings of salvation make people happy, or dissipate the sorrows of life, and cheer them in their troubles and woes.

And milk - Milk, in the Scriptures, is used to denote that which nourishes, or is nutritious Deuteronomy 32:14; Judges 4:1; Judges 5:25; Isaiah 7:22; 1 Corinthians 9:7. It is mentioned as used with wine in Sol 5:1, 'I have drunk my wine with my milk;' and with honey Sol 4:11, 'Honey and milk are under my tongue.' The sense here is, that the blessings of the gospel are suited to nourish and support the soul as well as to make it glad and cheerful.

Without money ... - None are so poor that they cannot procure it; none are so rich that they can purchase it with gold. If obtained at all by the poor or the rich, it must be without money and without price. If the poor are willing to accept of it as a gift, they are welcome; and if the rich will not accept of it as a gift, they cannot obtain it. What a debt of gratitude we owe to God, who has thus placed it within the reach of all: How cheerfully and thankfully should we accept float as a gift which no wealth, however princely, could purchase, and which, being purchased by the merits of the Redeemer, is put within the reach of the humblest child of Adam!

Ho, every one that thirsteth - "Water," says Zimchi, "is a metaphor for the law and wisdom: as the world cannot subsist without water, so it is impossible that it can subsist without wisdom. The law is also compared to wine and milk: to wine because wine rejoiceth the heart, as it is written: 'The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart,' Psalm 19:8. It is compared also to milk, because milk is the subsistence of the child; so are the words of the law the nourishment of his soul who walks in the Divine teaching, and grows up under it."

Come, buy wine and milk - In ancient times our forefathers used what is now called the old third person singular, ending in eth, for the imperative mood. We have a fine example of His in the first verses of this chapter. I shall present them as they stand in my old MS. Bible: - Alle gee thirstinge cummeth to wateris: and gee that han not sylver, goth forth and bieth, and etith. Cummeth, bieth without silver, and without eny chaungyng, wyn and mylc. Heerith gee, heering me and etith gode thinge, and deliten schal in fattnesse your soule. Bowith in your eie and cummeth to mee, heerith and liven schal your soule. And I shall smyten with gou, everlastynge covenant, the faithful mercies of David.