Isaiah 55 Mercy - For The Glory of Jesus

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Mercy

God is extending an invitation to all people to come to Him. He has mercy for all and wants each of us to accept Him.

This is a Bible Study. Have your own Bible handy to look up the references mentioned.

If you do not have a Bible, I invite you to go to BibleGateway.com or another online Bible.

1. “The chapter opens with the heart cry of God to every one to pause and consider His salvation.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume III. [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 318)

“Isaiah makes it clear throughout his book that the Gentiles are included in God’s plan. What Isaiah and the other prophets did not know was that believing Jews and Gentiles would one day be united in Jesus Christ in the church (Ephesians 3:1-12).” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament Prophets. [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2002], 63)

“This invitation is extended to ‘everyone’ and not just to the Jews. Anyone who is thirsting for that which really satisfies (John 4:10-14) is welcome to come.” (Wiersbe, 63)

2. “A lot of Christians put their money into that which is not bread, although they think it is. It would be well to investigate where you give your money.” (McGee, 319)

“The results of eating will not be a full stomach; instead, God promises that your soul ‘will delight’ in God’s abundance and riches. At this point the imagery of eating food begins to fade away, and the spiritual reality of what the prophet was talking about begins to become clearer.” (Smith, Gary V., The New American Commentary, Volume 15B, Isaiah 40-66. [Nashville, B & H Publishing Group, 2009], 497)

Spiritual Food

3. “The audience will be able to partake of God’s blessing only if they make the effort to listen to what God says and come to him.” (Smith, 497)

“God is prepared to impart his spiritual food that will completely transform their souls.” (Smith, 497)

God showed mercy to David and He will show you and I mercy today. (McGee, 320)

4. “Jesus is called the true witness for us in our day.” (McGee, 320)

5. This “indicates that God will use Israel to call the Gentiles to salvation, which was certainly true in the early days of the church (Acts 10:1ff; 13:1ff) and will be true during the kingdom (Isaiah 2:2-4; 45:14; Zechariah 8:22).” (Wiersbe, 64)

6. “When God delivered His people from Babylon and took them safely back to their own land, it was a witness to the other nations. It also gave Israel another opportunity to be a light to the Gentiles (49:6) and bring them to a faith in the true and living God.” (Wiersbe, 64)

“Verse 7 says that one of the things that a wicked person must do when drawing near to God is to forsake their evil ways and evil ‘thoughts, plans.’” (Smith, 508)

This is a spiritual change of the will and a person’s thinking. This is a turning to follow God.” (Smith, 509)

“Although it is clear that God will have mercy on those who repent, it would be dangerous to draw the further theological conclusion that repentance is required before God can show mercy on anyone.” (Smith, 509)

Accept God

8. God “explains in two verbless clauses why it is necessary for people to reject and forsake their old ways of behavior and turn to accept the criteria set down by God. Put as plainly as possible the prophet says people do not act or think like God.” (Smith, 509)

9. “The contrast between God and mankind is compared to the distance between the heavens and the earth.” (Smith, 510)

10. “In the immediate context God is assuring the audience about the availability of forgiveness to all who come to him and repent (cf. 55:7). God’s commitment that he will respond with compassion to all who seek him is a promise they can count on.” (Smith 510)

11. “People cannot put conditions on God’s word and make him act the way they think he ought to act. They must be willing to be a part of his plan the way God has described it through the prophetic word! Will you seek God under these conditions?” [Max Anders and Trent C. Butler (2012). HOTC Vol. 15: Isaiah. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

12. “Isaiah 55:12-13 describes both the joy of the exiles on their release from captivity and the joy of Israel when they share in that ‘glorious exodus’ in the end of the age and return to their land.” (Wiersbe, 64)

12. Verse 13 “looks forward to the Millennium when the earth will be redeemed from the curse of sin. The curse of sin is express by the thorn and brier. When Christ died, He not only redeemed sinners, He also redeemed a sin-cursed earth.” (McGee, 321)

References

In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.

Max Anders and Trent C. Butler (2012). HOTC Vol. 15: Isaiah. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume III. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
Smith, Gary V., The New American Commentary, Volume 15B, Isaiah 40-66. Nashville, B & H Publishing Group, 2009
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament Prophets. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2002

Confidence Justice

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