Early morning in dry, stony country: a spring rising among rocks into a clear pool, overflowing into a small channel that runs green through the dust.

The Servant and Zion

Isaiah 55

What are you spending yourself on that never fills you?

13 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–5Zion on trialJudah’s sin, the mountain raised, the vineyard’s song
6Holy, holy, holyIsaiah’s call, in the year King Uzziah died (about 740 BC)
7–12ImmanuelAhaz’s fear, the sign, the Child, the shoot of Jesse
13–23The nations judgedBabylon to Tyre: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
24–27The whole earthThe earth laid waste, and death swallowed up
28–35Woe and a KingEgypt’s help or the LORD’s, and the King in His beauty
36–39Hezekiah’s crisisSennacherib, 701 BC: the prayer, the sickness, the envoys
40–48Comfort My peopleTo the exiles ahead: Cyrus, the idols, the Servant
49–55The Servant and ZionPierced for our transgressions; Zion restoredChapter 55
56–66New heavens and earthA house of prayer, the Anointed One, all things new

Invitation to the Needy

God

“Come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you without money,

come, buy, and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost!

Isaiah 55:1

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

God

Evening in an open courtyard, the gate standing wide: a low table spread with round loaves, a bowl of milk, a clay jar, honey, figs and olives, lamps just lit, no one yet seated.

Why spend money on that which is not bread,

and your labor on that which does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

God

Incline your ear and come to Me;

listen, so that your soul may live.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant—

My loving devotion promised to David.

God

Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations,

a leader and commander of the peoples.

God

A high view at dawn of many roads across terraced hills converging on Jerusalem’s small ridge far ahead, travelers of many peoples on every road, some hurrying.

Surely you will summon a nation you do not know,

and nations who do not know you will run to you.

For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel,

has bestowed glory on you.”

Question

Quick question

On the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood up and called out words that echo verse 1.

What did Jesus call out at the feast (John 7:37)?

Isaiah

Seek the LORD while He may be found;

call on Him while He is near.

Isaiah

Dusk at a fork in a country road: a lone traveler seen from behind, his bundle on his shoulder, has turned around and is walking back toward a small village with one lamp lit in a doorway.

Let the wicked man forsake his way

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the LORD,

that He may have compassion,

and to our God,

for He will freely pardon.

God

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways My ways,”

declares the LORD.

God

From a high bare ridge, an immense sky arching over ranges of hills fading blue to the horizon, high layered clouds lit far above, the ridge small at the bottom of the frame.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so My ways are higher than your ways

and My thoughts than your thoughts.

God

For just as rain and snow fall from heaven

and do not return without watering the earth,

making it bud and sprout,

and providing seed to sow and food to eat,

so My word that proceeds from My mouth

will not return to Me empty,

but it will accomplish what I please,

and it will prosper where I send it.

God

God

You will indeed go out with joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

God

A stony roadside on a hillside where old thornbushes have been cut back and lie dry, and a young cypress and flowering myrtle bushes grow green in their place in the morning light.

Instead of the thornbush, the cypress will grow,

and instead of the brier, the myrtle will spring up;

this will make a name for the LORD,

an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.”

0:12

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

LORD, I come thirsty and with nothing in my hands. Thank You that You freely pardon. Let Your word do in me what You sent it to do. Amen.

You’ve experienced

Isaiah 55

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A verse to carry with you

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!

Isaiah 55:1

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