Isaiah 55

Chapter Overview

What happens in Isaiah 55

God gives a beautiful invitation for everyone who is thirsty and hungry to come and receive what they need, freely and without cost. He calls people to seek him while he can be found and to turn away from their wicked ways. The chapter contains the famous declaration that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours and that his word never returns empty.

Scripture

Come to the Waters

Study note

This is one of the most generous invitations in all of Scripture. God calls out to everyone who is thirsty and hungry to come and eat and drink, with no money required. Wine and milk, symbols of abundance and nourishment, are offered for free. God asks why people waste their money on things that do not satisfy. He invites them to listen carefully and feast on the richest food. God promises to make an everlasting covenant with them, the same faithful promises he made to King David. Just as David was a witness and leader to the peoples, so now Israel will call nations they have never known, and those nations will come running because of the Lord.

1 "Come, everyone who is thirsty — come to the water! You who have no money at all — come, buy and eat! Come, get wine and milk, and it will not cost you a thing!" Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2 "Why spend money on things that are not real food? Why work so hard for things that leave you empty? Listen carefully to me, and you will eat what is truly good. Treat yourselves to the richest feast." Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3 "Open your ears and come to me. Listen, and you will truly live. I will make an everlasting promise to you — the same trustworthy promises I made to David." Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

4 "Look — I chose David as a witness to the nations. I made him a leader and commander for peoples." Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

5 "You will call out to nations you have never met, and nations that do not know you will come running to you. This will happen because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has given you this honor." Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Seek the Lord While He May Be Found

Study note

God urges people to seek him while there is still time and to call on him while he is near. The wicked are called to abandon their evil ways and their wrong thinking, and to return to the Lord, who will have mercy and freely pardon. Then comes one of the most quoted passages in Isaiah: God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and his ways are not our ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so God's ways and thoughts are far above human understanding. This is both humbling and comforting, because it means God's plans are wiser, bigger, and better than anything we could imagine.

6 Look for the Lord while he can still be found. Call out to him while he is close by. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let wicked people abandon their wicked ways. Let sinful people drop their sinful thoughts. Let them come back to the Lord, and he will show them mercy. Let them return to our God, because he forgives freely and generously. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," says the Lord. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God's Word Will Not Return Empty

Study note

God compares his word to rain and snow that fall from the sky. Rain does not go back up; instead, it waters the earth, makes things grow, and provides seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. In the same way, God's word always accomplishes what he sends it to do. It never comes back empty. The chapter ends with a joyful picture of God's people going out with joy and being led in peace. Even nature celebrates: mountains and hills break into singing, and the trees of the field clap their hands. Thorns will be replaced by beautiful evergreen trees, a lasting sign of God's power and faithfulness.

10 "When rain and snow come down from the sky, they do not go back up without first soaking the ground. They make it produce and grow, providing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry." For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 "So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing to which I sent it." So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

12 "You will march out filled with joy and be led forward wrapped in peace. The mountains and hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees will clap their hands." For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13 "Evergreen trees will grow where thorns used to be. Myrtle bushes will spring up where briers used to grow. This will bring lasting fame to the Lord's name — a permanent sign that will never be erased." Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir 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.

Key Themes

Themes in Isaiah 55

The free invitation to come and receive from GodSeeking the Lord while he may be foundGod's ways and thoughts infinitely higher than oursGod's word never returns empty

Prophetic Connections

How this chapter points to Christ

Isaiah 55:3 Acts 13:34

Paul quotes the promise of the 'sure mercies of David' in his sermon at Antioch, connecting this everlasting covenant to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the heir of David's throne.

Isaiah 55:1 John 7:37; Revelation 22:17

Jesus' invitation to 'come and drink' and Revelation's final invitation to 'take the water of life freely' echo Isaiah's generous call to all who thirst.

Apply This Today

Living Isaiah 55

Salvation is free, but it is not cheap. God invites everyone who thirsts to come, and yet He urgently adds 'while He may be found,' reminding us that the door of mercy will not stay open forever. When God's plans confuse us, we can rest in the knowledge that His thoughts are as far above ours as the heavens are above the earth. His word always accomplishes its purpose.

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