Isaiah 55:10-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:10-11

Change and permanence in God's Word. Dr. George Dana Boardman sees, in these verses, an unconscious anticipation of two great doctrines of modem science—the doctrine of convertibility of energies, or correlation of forces; and the doctrine of conservation of energy, or indestructibility of force. "We are now taught that heat, light, electricity, magnetism, chemical affinity, etc; are modes of motion, and, as such, mutually interchangeable. And we are also taught that there is no evidence... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:10-13

The fruitfulness of sacred truth. It may be said that the rain and the snow do, in fact, return to the heavens whence they came, drawn up by the sun as it shines on sea and lake, on stream and river, everywhere. But not until they have done the work for which they came , not until they have "accomplished that which God pleases," until they have prospered in the purpose for which he sent them; not until they have fertilized the soil, and made it bring forth its precious fruits. The vast... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be. God's word is creative. With the utterance the result is achieved. Hence the sublime passage, which even heathenism could admire (Longin; 'De Sublim.,' § 9), "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light" ( Genesis 1:3 ). Hence, too, the more general statement, "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" ( Psalms 33:6 ; comp. Psalms 148:5 ). But it shall accomplish; rather, unless it has... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:11

The vital force of the Word of God. There is a strange force in every utterance of God. In the account of creation given in Genesis we find, not only light, but all the other portions of the universe which it pleased God to make, created by an utterance—a word (see Genesis 1:6 , Genesis 1:9 , Genesis 1:11 , Genesis 1:14 , Genesis 1:20 , Genesis 1:24 , Genesis 1:26 ). God said, "Let there be," and at once there was. "He commanded, and they were created" ( Psalms 148:5 ). So... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:12

Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace (comp. Isaiah 35:10 ; Isaiah 40:9-11 ; Isaiah 43:3-6 , Isaiah 43:19-21 , etc.). A strong contrast is frequently drawn between the exodus from Babylon and that from Egypt. On the former occasion all was hurry, alarm, disquiet, danger. The later exodus will be accompanied with "peace" and "joy" (see Isaiah 51:9-16 , etc.). (For the fulfilment, see Ezra 1:1-11 ; Ezra 2:1-70 , and Ezra 7:1-28 ; Ezra 8:1-36 .) The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:13

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree . "Briars and thorns" were to overgrow the unfruitful vineyard, according to Isaiah 5:6 ; and to cover the land of God's people, according to Isaiah 32:13 . This would be literally the case to a large extent, while the land was allowed to lie waste. The literal meaning is not, however, the whole meaning, or even the main meaning, here. "Briars and thorns" represent a general state of wretchedness and sin. The "fir" and "myrtle" represent a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 55:10

For as the rain cometh down - The meaning of this verse and the following is plain. This refers evidently, as the whole passage does, to the times which should succeed the coming of the Messiah. The hearts of people by nature are what the earth would be without the rains of heaven - barren and sterile. But God says that his truth shall certainly accomplish an effect similar to that produced by descending showers. The rain never descends in vain. It makes the earth fertile, beautiful, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be - All the truth which God reveals is as much adapted to produce an effect on the hard and sterile hearts of men as the rain is on the earth.It shall not return unto me void - It shall not return to me without accomplishing that which I intend.And it shall prosper - (See the note at Isaiah 52:13). This proves:1. That God has a design in giving his Word to people. He has as distinct an intention in his Word as he has in sending down rain upon the earth.2. That whatever is his... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 55:12

For ye shall go out with joy - This language is that which is properly applicable to the exiles in Babylon, but there can be no doubt that the prophet looks also to the future happier times of the Messiah (compare the notes at Isaiah 52:7).The mountains and the hills - Language like this is common in Isaiah, where all nature is called on to rejoice, or where inanimate objects are represented as expressing their sympathy with the joy of the people of God (see the note at Isaiah 14:8; Isaiah... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 55:13

Instead of the thorn - (Compare the notes at Isaiah 11:6-8; Isaiah 35:1-2; Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 42:20). The word rendered ‘thorn’ (נעצוּץ na‛ătsûts) occurs only here and in Isaiah 7:19. It evidently means a thorn, hedge, or thorny-bush.Shall come up the fir tree - (ברושׁ berôsh; see the notes at Isaiah 14:8; Isaiah 37:24; Isaiah 60:13; Zechariah 11:2). A change would be produced in the moral condition of man as great as if in the natural world the rough and useless thorn should be succeeded... read more

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