Isaiah 55 is one place, among many in Scripture, that tells us how we can satisfy our hearts. The reason there are many passages in Scripture is because satisfying our hearts is dependent on the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of His death, burial and resurrection. Isaiah 55 presents the gospel and calls us to faith in Christ.
First, let’s note the context of Isaiah 55, so
that we can be sure that what was given to Israel is, in fact, applicable to
people today. Isaiah 40-66 is full of
hope for Israel, hope that, even though they are going to undergo a harsh
judgment by God involving the Babylonian captivity, they will still experience
the promise of being established and blessed in the land. Isa. 40:1-2 sets the stage: 'Comfort, yes,
comfort My people!' says your God. Speak
comfort to Jerusalem and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her
iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all
her sins. At the center of this
comfort for Israel is the incarnation, atoning sacrifice, resurrection and
return of Jesus Christ. Immediately
after 40:1-2 is the well-known prophecy about John the Baptist, the voice of
one crying in the wilderness (40:3).
Isaiah 55, coming after Isaiah 53 (the powerful prediction of the
vicarious atonement through God’s Servant and Son), is a call to believe in
this One who will someday be Israel’s King, ruling from Zion. In Isa. 55:3, The sure mercies of David
are promises involving the New Covenant. Paul referred to this in his sermon at
Antioch in Pisidia in Ac. 13:34. Since Isa. 55 is based in the New Covenant,
under which we live as believers today, we understand that this call to Christ is
appropriate for today.
Now, back to the question: How can we satisfy
our hearts, according to Isa. 55?
·
55:1-3 is an amazing call to faith. It is addressed to everyone who is
thirsty. That is the situation with
sinful men who, like Solomon, long for something to satisfy their empty
hearts. Instead of spending our wages “for
what does not satisfy” we are urged to buy satisfying things “without money and
without price.” That is a perfect
description of faith. We come to God,
not with our own payment for sin, but with an empty hand ready to receive what
He will give because Christ has paid the price for us. In this way we see that we can “let your soul
delight itself in abundance.”
·
55:6-7 is a call to “return to the LORD.” This is “repentance.” Repentance happens when we come by
faith. We cannot come to receive the
satisfaction of our souls without turning our back on all the other failed
attempts and deceitful offers that cannot satisfy.
·
55:8-9 tells us why God can satisfy our hearts
when we cannot. His thoughts and ways
are above ours. We only see through
physical senses, and satisfying ourselves at that level is what got us into
trouble to begin with. The narrow gate
and difficult path God has for us looks impossible; and yet it is the only way
to satisfy the heart.
·
55:10-11 takes the next logical step. Since God’s thoughts are above ours, we must
avail ourselves of His word. We must
feed on His word daily because it is life to us. As Jeremiah said, Your words were found
and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for
I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts (Jer. 15:16). God’s word is effective. It will not sound like the wisdom of our world
that tells us to satisfy our hearts by chasing every pleasure. God says, It shall accomplish what I
please.
·
55:12-13 gives us the end result of the gospel,
for Israel in the land and for believers in the Church: you shall go out
with joy, and be led out with peace.
Which bring us back to Psalm 37:11: those who delight in the LORD shall
delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
So, pardon my language, but you need to bring
your “achy breaky heart” to the only One who can satisfy! And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of
life. He who comes to Me shall never
hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).
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