Isaiah 55:7
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55 is a great chapter, promising the blessing of God on the people of God. It might be argued that this chapter begins with an invitation to all, to every soul on earth, beyond the boundaries of Israel. Take note of the introductory verse of this chapter, and the general invitation provided to everyone.
Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isaiah continues with the plea, supposedly to all, in verse 3.
Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
Notice the promise of God, how Isaiah records God’s message as in the future with “I will make” an everlasting covenant with those who come to Him.
Of course, in our present time, it seems obvious that this everlasting covenant refers to the New Covenant Jesus initiated at the last supper, and fulfilled upon His death burial and resurrection.
So a quick question for my reader. In verse 5, Isaiah speaks of “you” shall call a nation…
Isaiah 55:5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Who is “you” in this verse?
Well let’s try to break this verse down. First off, Isaiah uses the word “you” five times in this verse. I will attempt with the easiest identification of “you” in the passage, that being the last, for if this passage speaks of the gospel message and the salvation provided by the Messiah, the only One rightfully described of as glorified is Jesus Himself.
Now for my reader’s consideration, let’s think on the remaining 4 times “you” is recorded in this verse. Might I suggest it be the remnant of Israel, those Israelites who were faithful to the God of Israel? And might the term “nation” refer to gentiles?
Let’s try this substitution. (substitution in italics)
Behold, faithful Israel shall call gentiles that faithful Israel do not know, and gentiles that did not know faithful Israel shall run to faithful Israel, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified the Messiah.
Is this a solution to my quandary as to who Isaiah refers to in this passage? Possibly, and I personally tend to think so, but I will leave it to my readers to consider. Given the previous though, let us move on.
As we enter verse 6 and 7, we find that the Lord is providing a opportunity to be forgiven, to find mercy and pardon. An invitation to all, if Isaiah’s audience remains the same as in verse 1, or Isaiah may be focusing in on the nation of Israel, for he refers to God’s thought’s and way’s (vs 8) and only the nation of Israel has had this privilege granted them. Isaiah may be speaking directly to the nation of the Old Covenant.
Either way, there are some in Isaiah’s audience who are being addressed in verse 6 & 7 that have the option to forsake their ways and thoughts for a better way, by returning to the Lord. By stating that they are to return to the Lord makes me think Isaiah is specifically speaking to Israel, for by using the term “returning”, it implies they had previously left an agreement, abandoned a covenant with God.
And yet, the Lord is seeking them, offering them the gospel message, the opportunity to return to the truth of the Living God. Truly amazing is the mercy and longsuffering of the Lord.
A bit of a long post this morning, and with some caveat’s along the way, but consider the mercy of God to a straying nation, interspersed with a gospel call to all. God is seeking those who know not the truth, and those who have turned from the truth.
No matter which you might be, God is seeking you, even this very moment. He is seeking you through the crucifixion of His Messiah, and the message of the Lord Jesus.
One last exhortation – Do not fall for a generic gospel that does not identify the Lord Jesus as the One and Only Messiah, the One who has been glorified and is glorified, being glorified forever!
He is the Only hope we have, for if God could have provided us salvation without the cruel sacrifice of His Son, He would have done so. But His Son lives, and because of that, we also have that promise!
Praise Him.
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