“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.
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.
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.
Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
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.
By the time Isaiah gets this far into his message he knows that the people of Israel need encouragement. The last 10-15 chapters have had a mix of warning and comfort. He wants them to know that God is truly in control and wants to bring great comfort to His people. In the above lines we have one more attempt to both comfort them but to employ them to turn to this comfort God offers. He wants them to quit wasting their resources on false gods. He wants them to know that He has not forgotten the convents He made with David. God, through the prophet, offers them hope and possibility but safety and satisfaction. The prophet is even given words by God that a nation they don’t know (Gentiles) will come to them for this comfort. Jesus the Messiah has been described in details in the proceeding chapters. Isaiah wants the nation to know that He is their comfort. But not just their comfort, the comfort for all mankind. All this is based upon God’s steadfast and sure love. It is not based upon our value. It is not based upon our efforts. It is based solely in the steadfast love of God for His people and those who will turn to His words in faith.
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