Read Isa. 55, Chapter by Chapter, Isaiah 54-57 (5)

·       54:11-17: When God’s eternal kindness rests on Israel, then there will no weapon against Israel that will prosper.  We, today, in the Body of Christ, sometimes sing the song based on this passage.  It does say: This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me.  What God is promising Israel is a very “earthly” blessing; they will stand up against all enemies.  What Christians understand is that even death cannot keep them from the blessing of the Lord.  King David had the hope of eternal life (Ps. 23:6); but he also had an expectation that he would be “saved” from his earthly enemies.

·       55:1-13: How can Israel enter into this covenant of peace?  How can Israel experience the redemption God is offering?  The clear gospel (52:13-53:12) assumes and demands a call to faith.  We have this “call” in this chapter.  It is extended to “everyone” to “come” to the waters.  This coming is clearly a call to faith, and not to your own works.  You do not have enough money to buy what you are desiring.  If you just “come” to the LORD the promised blessings (v3, “the sure mercies of David,” God’s covenant promise with David of the Messiah) will be yours (Paul offered this to the people at the synagogue in Antioch in Ac. 13:34; the offer was mostly rejected by the Jews but then the Gentiles asked that the offer be made to them, which Paul did.) 

o   What does it mean to “come?”  It is to “seek the LORD” (v6).  It is to trust His word, even though His words are mysterious (v8-9).  His word can be trusted to do the thing He promised to Israel (v12-13).  Paul said the same thing about Abraham’s faith: He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform (Rom. 4:20-21).  And remember: saving faith is “waiting” on the LORD (40:31).

·       56:1-8: Thus Israel is to be just and righteous as they “wait” for the salvation that will soon be revealed.  And it is not just Israel.  This is also the call to the “sons of the foreigner” (v6-8).  As God promised Abraham, the nations would be blessed through what God was doing in and for Israel (Gen. 12:1-3).  Jesus preached this message (v7) in Matt. 21:13.

·       56:9-12: Israel, in Isaiah’s day, is warned not to follow ignorant and dumb leaders.

·       57:1-13: The warning continues.  The LORD asks why Israel seeks idols and not Him?  The answer is that He held His peace in old times and they mistakenly think it is because He has forgotten them.  So, they turn to idols.  They need to remember that those idols will be of no help.

Ideas for memorization: 55:1-3,6-7,8-9,10-11 (or the entire chapter)