Isaiah 55:1

Kidner stated that, in Christian terms, "The Calvary of Isaiah 53 is followed by the growing church of Isaiah 54, and the gospel call of Isaiah 55."[1] We can find no agreement whatever with commentators who try to restrict the application of this chapter to the return of the exiles from Babylon. Every word of the chapter is Messianic.

Cheyne's chapter heading here was as follows:

"An affectionate invitation to the Messianic blessings (Isaiah 55:1-5); an exhortation to put away obstacles to their enjoyment (Isaiah 55:6,7); and a renewed confident assurance of the indescribable glory and felicity which await the true Israel (Isaiah 55:8-13)."[2]

We especially appreciate Cheyne's distinguishing between the two Israels, which is the basic requirement for understanding very many portions of this great prophecy. Hailey entitled this chapter, "The Great Invitation; Free Mercy for All."[3] Jamieson entitled it, "The Call of the Gentile World to Faith, The Result of God's Grace to the Jews First."[4] Barnes named it, "A Universal Invitation for All Men to Come and Embrace the Provisions of Mercy."[5] Wardle entitled it: "The Glorious Blessings of the New Covenant which Yahweh will Make with his people."[6] There is another entitlement of the chapter which catches a very important aspect of it. Douglas identified it with, "The Kingly Office of The Servant,"[7] thus stressing the undeniable identification of the Davidic, Kingly Messiah with the Suffering Servant.

Isaiah 55:1-3

"Ho, everyone 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. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 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."

"Everyone that thirsteth ..." (Isaiah 55:1). "It is not improbable that Jesus had his eye on this very passage when he pronounced the blessing upon those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6)."[8]

The great misunderstanding here is simply that of supposing that the wonderful blessings of the grace and mercy of God are unconditional! Another error is that of limiting the conditions to conform to human theories of salvation, as did Archer: "The price for admission into eternal life is repentance and faith plus nothing"![9] What about the new birth? of which Jesus said, "Except ye be born again, ye cannot see the kingdom of God." What about holiness, "without which no man shall see God"? What about "eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God"? of which Christ said, "Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood" ye have no life in you." And what about a hundred other things which are definitely laid down as requirements for entering into life? As Dummelow pointed out, "The exhortation (Isaiah 55:6,7) here shows that the promises are conditional."[10] People who really wish to know what the conditions are should read their New Testaments instead of listening to the theories of men.

"Water, wine, milk ..." (Isaiah 55:1). "These are symbols of spiritual sustenance afforded those who live in fellowship with God."[11] It is of interest that a literal interpretation of this, as they understood it, led "to the custom of Latin Churches (but not those in Africa) of giving wine and milk to the newly-baptized."[12]

"For that which satisfieth not ..." (Isaiah 55:2). The immortal soul of man cannot be satisfied with the most wonderful things that the world has to offer. Man cannot be satisfied, with wealth, with honor, or with pleasure. "Where is the man who was ever satisfied with wealth, and who says he has enough? Where is the man who is satisfied with pleasure, vanity, or gaiety? There is a void in the human heart which such things cannot fill"[13] On William Rockefeller's tomb in Tarrytown Cemetery, New York, there is this inscription, "Our souls, Oh God, were made for thee; and never shall they rest until they rest in thee."

"I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David ..." (Isaiah 55:3). This unequivocally identifies the kingdom and covenant of the Suffering Servant with the Davidic, Kingly Messiah, the great fact which Peter stressed on the day of Pentecost when he spoke of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the enthronement of the Son of David (Christ) upon David's throne in heaven! As Barnes noted, "This covenant would be made with all who would come to God."[14] That New Covenant would not be identified with any race or nation, but it would be between Almighty God and all mankind!

"The sure mercies of David ..." (Isaiah 55:3). These are the promises God made to David, that of his seed one would rise up to inherit an everlasting kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12). "The promises to David, rightly understood, involve all of the essential points of the Christian covenant."[15]

CONCERNING DAVID'S THRONE

God's promise to David that of his seed one would sit upon the throne that would be established forever, just cited above, has led to all kinds of wild speculations about Jesus coming back to earth and sitting upon David's throne in Jerusalem. All such speculations are nullified by plain statements of God's Word. As to anyone of the seed of David ever more occupying his literal throne in Jerusalem, all that ended when God said of the last Davidic king, Coniah (Jeconiah), that, "No more shall a man of his seed prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling in Judah" (Jeremiah 22:30). He had an illegal successor, Zedekiah, but he was terminated; and again God said, "This also shall be no more, until he come, whose right it is; and I will give it to him." (Ezekiel 21:27). "Christ the Servant is the One, whose right it is; and the promise to David was fulfilled in his coming."[16]

This is the only place that David is named in Isaiah 40-66, "But this is enough to identify the kingly Messiah of Isaiah 7:14 with the Servant of Isaiah 42:1."[17]

This harmonizes absolutely with the declaration of Hosea that "in the latter days," that is, in the times of Messiah, Israel would return to their God and David their king would come, (Hosea 3:5), thus specifying the times of Jesus as when that would occur; and his ascension to heaven also harmonizes with the revelation that David's throne would not be in the literal Jerusalem at all, but "in heaven." (Psalms 89:35-37 in KJV).