Isaiah 55:8-12 ESV

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-9

The human and the Divine. Man was made in the image of God, and once bore his likeness; then his spirit was like that of the Spirit of God. Under the debasing influences of sin he has become utterly unlike his Maker, and, instead of being compared with him, he is placed in sad and painful contrast with his heavenly Father. "My thoughts are not your thoughts," etc. I. THE SPIRIT OF THE HUMAN . 1 . The spirit of man is selfish. Not that he is incapable of generosity, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-9

God is like yet unlike man. We are made in his image. We are called to be "perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect." The hope of the future is that we "shall be like him." And yet we must keep up the conviction that we are but faint copies of him, and be is altogether better than we, the Infinite that is ever high above us, at once our inspiration and our despair. Apply God's unlikeness to us especially in the matter of redemption. I. GOD CAN FORGIVE . This man finds it hard to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-13

A FRESH ASSURANCE or DELIVERANCE FROM BABYLON . Man can scarcely conceive of the deliverance which God designs; but God's thoughts are not as man's ( Isaiah 55:8 , Isaiah 55:9 ). God's word, once pronounced, is potent to effect its purpose ( Isaiah 55:10 , Isaiah 55:11 ). Deliverance from Babylon, having been promised, will take place, and will be accompanied by all manner of spiritual blessings ( Isaiah 55:12 , Isaiah 55:13 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:10

As the rain … and the snow . The rain and the snow are God's ministers ( Psalms 148:8 ), and go forth from him, just as his word does. They have an appointed work to do, and do not return to him, whose ministers they are, until they have done it. It is best to translate, with Delitzsch and Mr. Cheyne, "As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, except it hath watered the earth," etc. The writer is, apparently, aware, as the writer of Ecclesiastes is,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

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

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts - Interpreters have differed in regard to the connection of this verse with the preceding. It is evident, I think, that it is properly connected with the subject of pardon; and the sense must be, that the plans and purposes of God in regard to forgiveness are as far above those of people as the heavens are higher than the earth, Isaiah 55:9. But in what respects his plan of pardon differs from those of people, the prophet does not intimate, and can be... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-9

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-9

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:8-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:10-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:10-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 55:12

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 55:8

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