Knowing The Word: The Compassion of the Lord, Isaiah 55

The fourth Servant Song is followed by a series of invitations in chapters 54 and 55 to respond to the Servant and what he has already done. We learn that the Lord himself is the true feast. Just as food restores the body, so the food of the Lord’s Word brings the soul, the whole person, to life that is life indeed. God’s words are a heavenly gift that fall like rain and do not return but bring life, satisfying human need. The word of God is the unfailing, undisputed agent of the will of God. That is why John calls Jesus “the Word.” The call to repent is a word of God, and repentance is the way to enter the great, free feast he offers. God wills and effectuates the repentance which brings sinners home to himself, into the freedom of his banqueting table.

1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. 6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Father, thank you for calling us to your banqueting table, where the banner over us is love. Help us to feast on your Word and then act on your Word in a world starving for true food and true love.