55:1 “Hey, all who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come! Buy and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
In chapter 53, the Suffering Servant died for the sins of the world. In chapter 54, the Jews are invited to this salvation. In chapter 55, the Gentiles are also invited.
The invitation is to “all” who are thirsty. Anyone who is tired of the satanic world system and is thirsty for something better is invited to drink of this life-saving water at no cost. Christianity is the only religion which makes a global and historical call to all people and all races of all time periods.
The salvation is free. It does not require any money or good works. All one has to do is to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” All other religions are based upon works-salvation.
55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food!
Jehovah asks the Gentiles why they are spending money on a religion that does not quench the thirst of their souls? The religions of the world do not bring nourishment. They bring eternal death. The multiculturalism movement of today is a satanic ploy to trick men into thinking that all religions are equal and they lead to the same heavenly location. Believing in Christ alone for salvation is the only way of salvation. All other religions are a broad road which leads to eternal death.
55:3 Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.
Jehovah asks the Gentiles to pay attention to Him and not the teachings of the satanic world system. He asks them to listen so that they can live eternally with Him. Jehovah made some unconditional promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Jehovah is not a liar. He is not like men. Man does not keep his promises. Jehovah keeps His promises.
55:4 Look, I made him a witness to nations, a ruler and commander of nations.”
Jehovah made David a witness not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles as well. David was a witness through his psalms. He was a ruler over Israel. He was also a general of the army of Israel.
55:5 Look, you will summon nations you did not previously know; nations that did not previously know you will run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he bestows honor on you.
According to Zechariah 8, the Jews will become the center nation of the Millennial Kingdom. She will become the head and not the tail. Gentiles will flock to Israel, because Jehovah is her God. Jehovah has bestowed honor upon Israel.
55:6 Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby!
Those who are thirsty will seek God. Those who seek God will find Him. This theological concept was the center of Paul's teaching in Romans 10.
55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.
The wicked need to change their lifestyle and return to Jehovah. Otherwise, they will miss the Millennial Kingdom.
55:8 “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,
The Hebrew word for "plans" is מַחֲשָׁבָה (machashacah), meaning thoughts, plans, intentions, or ways. God’s thoughts, plans, intentions, and ways are much higher than men.
55:9 for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.
The sky is higher than the earth. The thoughts, plans, intentions, and ways of God are higher than that of man. God’s thoughts, plans, intentions, and ways are revealed to man only through the written Word of God. Man can only know God through the written Word. The Holy Spirit uses gifted pastor-teachers to reveal His written word to those who seek it.
It is important to note that 100% of what the author of this study Bible has learned has come from other gifted pastor-teachers. It has come in the way of study materials, books, commentaries, lectures, audios, videos, language studies, and personal conversations. It is the Holy Spirit who leads gifted pastor-teachers to other gifted pastor-teachers. This system of biblical education can only be of divine origin.
There are many unlearned believers who think that they can read through the Bible in a year and understand the deep truths of the Bible. According to Ephesians 4, this is not the proper method of Bible study. The Bible commands itself to be studied, and not just read. It is true that the Holy Spirit is the teacher. He teaches by leading others to gifted pastor-teachers. Then, the Holy Spirit guides the mouth of the gifted pastor-teacher and opens the mind of the learner so that the Bible can be understood.
55:10 The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
Isaiah was not a modern scientist, but the Holy Spirit revealed to Him the workings of the natural hydraulic cycle. The rain and snow fall to the ground. They water the earth so that seeds can grow. Food is produced for earth’s inhabitants. The moisture returns back to the atmosphere and the cycle repeats.
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.”
In the same way as the natural hydraulic cycle, God will rain down Bible doctrine upon those who are thirsty. The Bible doctrine which God sends will not return back void and empty, accomplishing nothing. The Bible doctrine will cause the effect in which God desires. Therefore, believers need to teach the Word of God, completely expecting God to produce divine results.
55:12 Indeed you will go out with joy; you will be led along in peace; the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you, and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.
During the Millennial Kingdom, all of creation will praise God for His works.
55:13 Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes, firs will grow in place of nettles; they will be a monument to the Lord, a permanent reminder that will remain.
During the Millennial Kingdom, the environmental conditions of the earth will return to its Garden of Eden conditions. There will be no more desert land. The new and improved environmental conditions will become a memorial to Jehovah. The restored earth will become a permanent reminder of the glory of God.