‏ Isaiah 49

Summary for Isa 49:1-7: 49:1–55:13  ^a God intended to rescue the Israelites from exile. However, the question remained: How could sinful Israel again become the servant of the Holy One? God would make a way for Israel’s sin to be atoned for and their fellowship with him to be restored. That way would be the promised servant, who would come for Israel and for all peoples. This servant was introduced in 42:1-9  ^b, but in this passage he becomes the central focus.
Summary for Isa 49:1-13: 49:1-13  ^c This has traditionally been regarded as the second of four suffering servant songs (see study note on 42:1-4). The suffering role of the promised servant becomes increasingly clear (see also 50:4-9  ^d; 52:13–53:12  ^e). 49:1  ^f distant lands: The servant’s ministry would extend beyond Israel (see 42:4  ^g, 10  ^h, 12  ⁱ; 51:5  ^j; 60:9  ^k; 66:19  ^l).

• called me before my birth ... from within the womb ... by name: The promised servant’s prophetic call was similar to the call of Jeremiah (see Jer 1:5  ^m; see also Gal 1:15  ⁿ). It was not a general call but a very specific, personal one (see also Isa 43:1  ^o; 45:3-4  ^p).
49:2  ^q my words of judgment: The servant’s mission would be prophetic (see 11:4  ^r; Eph 6:17  ^s; Heb 4:12  ^t; Rev 1:16  ^u; 2:12  ^v, 16  ^w; 19:15  ^x).
49:3  ^y The suffering servant would come out of Israel (see 41:8  ^z) and would himself be the true Israel. He would serve as both king (42:1  ^aa) and prophet (49:1  ^ab), anointed with the Spirit of God (61:1  ^ac) and commissioned (48:16  ^ad) as a faithful witness to God’s purposes (43:12  ^ae; 48:20  ^af). In his mission toward both Israel and the other nations (49:6  ^ag), he would suffer rejection and disgrace while being faithful, unlike the nation of Israel (see 50:4-9  ^ah). His suffering would be on behalf of God’s chosen people. Jesus became the ultimate fulfillment of the suffering servant (see study note on 52:13–53:12).
49:4  ^ai my work seems so useless ... to no purpose: Even though people stubbornly refuse his message, the servant would reach out to them.

• I will trust God: Despite discouragement and suffering, the servant would continue to discharge his duty faithfully, trusting God for the outcome. God promised to reward the servant’s faithfulness (see also 40:10  ^aj; 50:8  ^ak).
49:6  ^al a light to the Gentiles: As the Messiah, the servant’s mission would have a worldwide reach (see 11:10  ^am, 12  ^an; 42:6  ^ao). The apostle Paul explained his apostolic mission to the Gentiles on the basis of this prophecy (Acts 13:47  ^ap; 26:23  ^aq).
49:7  ^ar The promised servant would be despised and rejected by the nations (see 52:14–53:5  ^as) as well as by his own people (see also 50:6-7  ^at; 53:8-9  ^au).

• Kings and princes will also bow low to express respect and humility before the servant (see also 52:15  ^av), whom God will exalt after he has suffered. God is faithful to his servant.
49:8  ^aw God acts at just the right time to accomplish his purposes (Acts 1:7  ^ax; 2 Cor 6:2  ^ay). Israel returned to reestablish the land of Israel after the Exile. The land was restored and the city rebuilt beginning with Cyrus’s edict (Isa 44:26-28  ^az).
Summary for Isa 49:10-11: 49:10-11  ^ba Like a shepherd, the Lord in his mercy will lead the returning exiles beside cool waters; he promised to comfort them and tend to their needs (see also 40:11  ^bb; Ps 23:1  ^bc).

• level paths ... highways: The Lord would open up the way of salvation.
49:12  ^bd The remnant would come from the north (i.e., from Babylon and Persia), from the west by sea, and from as far south as Egypt.
49:13  ^be This hymn of praise is in response to the salvation that the servant would make possible.
49:14  ^bf Although the prophet announced cause for rejoicing (49:8-13  ^bg), the exiles continued to ponder the calamity that came upon them when Babylon invaded the land, destroyed Jerusalem, and carried the people of Judah into exile where they felt deserted and forgotten.
49:18  ^bh like jewels or bridal ornaments: As a wedding calls for festivity and public display, so God’s restoration of Israel would be an open act for all to see (see also 61:10  ^bi).
Summary for Isa 49:19-21: 49:19-21  ^bj The population explosion would reach beyond Israel to include the members of foreign nations who turn to the Lord (see 56:6-8  ^bk; Rev 7:9  ^bl).

• more room: The expanded population would require space far beyond the traditional boundaries of the land of Israel (see also Zech 2:4  ^bm).
49:22  ^bn carry your little sons ... your daughters: The mighty rulers of the nations, some of whom had previously killed children in Israel, would aid in their return to Zion (see also 60:3-9  ^bo). Elsewhere Isaiah envisioned people of foreign nations streaming to Zion to worship the Lord (see 2:2-4  ^bp).
49:23  ^bq you will know that I am the Lord: The stunning role-reversal—kings and queens serving the lowly exiles upon their return—would reveal God’s power to do the unimaginable (see also 60:16  ^br).

• The godly would experience temporary disgrace in the Exile but would not ultimately be put to shame, as the idolaters and ungodly were.
49:24  ^bs Who can snatch ... Who can demand: The people considered it nearly impossible that they would be rescued from their oppressors.
49:25  ^bt The Lord is like a warrior who will fight to protect his children, as promised to Abraham (Gen 12:3  ^bu; see also Isa 54:15  ^bv).

‏ Isaiah 50

Summary for Isa 50:1-3: 50:1-3  ^bw This disputation shows that God was not forced to give Israel up, and therefore he could take the nation back as his people if he desired. 50:1  ^bx God was not at fault for the people’s problems; it was their sin that brought about their exile (see also 59:1-15  ^by).

• Jerusalem—the mother city of Judah (Ps 87:5-6  ^bz)—was destroyed, and the people of Judah were taken into exile in 586 BC.
50:2  ^ca Why didn’t anyone answer: The people had not responded to God’s repeated call to trust in him and repent of their sins. They were deaf and stubborn (see 6:9-10  ^cb; 29:18  ^cc; 35:5  ^cd; 42:18-19  ^ce).

• The Lord came and called the people through the prophets (see also 65:1-3  ^cf).

• Is it because I have no power to rescue? God was fully able to rescue Israel and Judah from the Assyrians and Babylonians, but he first had to deal justly with his people’s sinfulness (see 59:1  ^cg).

• speak to the sea and make it dry: This was an allusion to the parting of the Red Sea during the exodus from Egypt (Exod 14:21-22  ^ch).
50:3  ^ci Phenomena such as darkness and the wearing of clothes of mourning were associated with the day of the Lord (13:10  ^cj; see study note on 2:5-22). The mention of darkness might allude to the plague of darkness in Egypt (Exod 10:21  ^ck).
Summary for Isa 50:4-11: 50:4-11  ^cl This is the third of four servant songs (see study note on 42:1-4). The faithful and suffering servant portrays an ideal Israel; the image was realized in Jesus Christ. 50:4  ^cm The Lord, who never grows weary (40:28  ^cn), sends the servant with good news (see 40:28-31  ^co) to comfort those who are weary (see study note on 40:1-31).
50:6  ^cp beat me ... pulled out my beard ... mockery and spitting: These connections with the experience of Jesus at his crucifixion are too close to be coincidental—Jesus is the true suffering servant (see Matt 27:27-31  ^cq).
50:7  ^cr Externally, the servant would be disgraced and put to shame, but within himself he would calmly await God’s vindication (see 29:22  ^cs; 54:4  ^ct; 61:7  ^cu).

• set my face like a stone: The servant would be determined to do God’s will (see Luke 9:51  ^cv).
50:8  ^cw He who gives me justice is near: God vindicates those who suffer for doing his will. Vindication is an act of God by which he exalts those who have been wrongly disgraced and strikes down the wicked, self-exalted, and arrogant (see also 2 Thes 1:6-9  ^cx).

• bring charges ... my accusers: Confidence in God’s vindication removes fear and bolsters faith (see Rom 8:31-34  ^cy).
50:9  ^cz Who will declare me guilty? The implied answer to this rhetorical question is, “No one!” This answer foreshadows the New Testament understanding of justification (see Rom 8:31-35  ^da).
Summary for Isa 50:10-11: 50:10-11  ^db This is a call for response to the servant’s ministry. 50:10  ^dc The test of whether or not an individual fears the Lord is how he or she responds to God’s righteous servant. The same idea is present in Jesus’ claim that no one can come to the Father except through him (John 14:6  ^dd).

• Those who trust in the Lord have great hope for the future (see Isa 12:2  ^de).
50:11  ^df warm yourselves by your own fires: Spiritually complacent people are unresponsive toward God. Though they have comfort and security now, they will soon fall down in great torment (see 66:24  ^dg).

‏ Isaiah 51

Summary for Isa 51:1-8: 51:1-8  ^dh This prophecy calls for trust in the Lord. Each of its three units begins with the phrase, Listen to me (51:1  ^di, 4  ^dj, 7  ^dk). 51:1  ^dl The rock and the quarry represent Abraham and Sarah (51:2  ^dm).
51:2  ^dn Abraham ... became a great nation: The exiled community had decreased in number. They needed to have faith that God could restore them again to a healthy and thriving population.
51:3  ^do Eden ... the garden of the Lord: God’s salvation will one day reestablish conditions like those in which human beings first lived (see Gen 2–3  ^dp).
51:4  ^dq my law ... my justice: The work of the servant will prosper because justice will be the rule in God’s kingdom on earth (see 42:1-4  ^dr).

• a light to the nations: The nations will receive the Lord and his revelation (see also 42:6  ^ds; 49:6  ^dt; 60:1-3  ^du; 66:19-23  ^dv; Matt 4:15-16  ^dw; Luke 2:32  ^dx; John 1:4-9  ^dy; 12:35-50  ^dz; Acts 13:47  ^ea).
51:5  ^eb God is strong enough to crush his enemies and rescue his people, such as when he rescued Israel in the Exodus (see 51:9  ^ec; Exod 6:6  ^ed; 15:16  ^ee).
51:6  ^ef die like flies: The wicked will die in great multitudes on the day of God’s judgment.
51:7  ^eg cherish my law in your hearts: Beyond simply knowing God’s word, the Lord desires for his people to internalize, treasure, and obey it (see also Ps 37:31  ^eh; Jer 31:33  ^ei).

• Those who obey the Lord often endure scorn and insults (see also Matt 5:10-12  ^ej).
Summary for Isa 51:9-10: 51:9-10  ^ek Wake up, wake up: God does not sleep; this prayer is for God to act immediately to save his people (see 52:1  ^el; see especially God’s military garb in 59:17  ^em).

• in the days of old: The exodus from Egypt was an act of redemption that displayed God’s power as he made a path of escape (51:10  ^en) for his people (see also 11:15  ^eo).
51:13  ^ep you have forgotten the Lord: The Lord will never forget Israel (see 44:21  ^eq; 49:15  ^er), so they should not forget him.

• The Creator of the world also created the nation Israel.
51:14  ^es The Exile brought such brutal conditions as imprisonment, starvation, and death.
51:15  ^et I am the Lord: The Lord uses this formula to identify himself as the covenant God and to assure his people of the truth of his word and the reliability of his actions (see 27:3-4  ^eu).
51:16  ^ev my words in your mouth: The focus shifted back to the servant.

• You are my people: Israel was the covenant community.
Summary for Isa 51:17-23: 51:17-23  ^ew The prophet called the people of Israel to be done with their past and to anticipate God’s future for them. 51:17  ^ex Wake up, wake up: Israel used these words in a prayer to the Lord (51:9  ^ey). Israel’s problems were not the result of God’s slowness to act; rather, the people were slow to believe God’s promises.

• the cup of the Lord’s fury: The Lord will appropriately measure out his judgment; those who fall under his judgment must figuratively drink from his wrath (see also Matt 26:39  ^ez).
51:20  ^fa children have fainted: A sad commentary on Jerusalem’s desolation is provided in Lamentations 1:13  ^fb, 22  ^fc; 2:11-12  ^fd, 19  ^fe.
51:22  ^ff God would be the Defender of Israel as he was when Assyria besieged Jerusalem (38:6  ^fg).
51:23  ^fh The tormentors were the Babylonians who brought about destruction, war, and famine (51:19  ^fi).

‏ Isaiah 52

52:1  ^fj This second call to wake up (see 51:17  ^fk) was in preparation for a glorious future.

• holy city: The new city would be holy because its citizens would be holy (see 4:3  ^fl).

• enter your gates no longer: Things that are unclean will not be permitted to enter the holy city (see Rev 21:27  ^fm).
52:3  ^fn I sold you into exile ... Now I can redeem you: The Lord was fully in control when he gave his people into the hands of their enemies. Likewise, he remained fully in control and could redeem them if he chose to do so.
52:4  ^fo in Egypt ... oppressed by Assyria: The exodus from exile would be like Israel’s past exodus from Egypt.
52:5  ^fp The oppressors would shout in exultation because they believed they had conquered not only Israel but also its God.

• My name is blasphemed all day long: The condition of God’s people affects God’s reputation in the eyes of the watching world (see 37:6  ^fq, 23  ^fr; 48:11  ^fs).
52:6  ^ft Just as God did to Moses before the Exodus (Exod 3:15  ^fu), he will reveal himself in the coming rescue from exile.
Summary for Isa 52:7-12: 52:7-12  ^fv This is a poetic description of God’s promise to rescue his people from the alienation their sin created. The imagery is of a besieged city waiting for word that its hero has defeated the enemy armies. Paul applies these words to the proclamation of the Good News of the Lord Jesus (Rom 10:15  ^fw). 52:7  ^fx How beautiful on the mountains: See Nah 1:15  ^fy; Rom 10:15  ^fz.

• The good news goes beyond proclaiming an end to the Exile; it also points to the peace and salvation of the age to come (Isa 54:13-14  ^ga; see 40:9-10  ^gb; 41:27  ^gc).
52:8  ^gd The watchmen were those looking for the news of Zion’s redemption.

• the Lord returning to Jerusalem: The sin of the city’s inhabitants had driven God away.
52:10  ^ge victory of our God: The rescue of God’s people from disgrace foreshadows an even greater victory when God will reign victoriously to the ends of the earth (note the many similarities with Ps 98:1-3  ^gf).
Summary for Isa 52:11-12: 52:11-12  ^gg This is an exhortation to leave the captivity of sin (see 48:20  ^gh on leaving physical captivity in Babylon). See also 2 Cor 6:17  ^gi; 2 Tim 2:19  ^gj. 52:11  ^gk Here the imagery of leaving the unclean enemy city encourages the people to purify themselves by turning away from all known sin. Those who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord need to be pure.
52:12  ^gl not leave in a hurry: At the time of the Exodus the people had to leave quickly (see Exod 12:11  ^gm, 31-36  ^gn). Isaiah drew this contrast to emphasize the newness of God’s plan.

• protect you from behind: See Exod 13:21  ^go; 14:19-20  ^gp.
Summary for Isa 52:13-53:12: 52:13–53:12  ^gq This is the fourth of four passages that speak about the promised servant (see study note on 42:1-4). The Hebrew poem is carefully constructed in five three-line stanzas. It begins with the servant’s exaltation (52:13  ^gr), proceeds to his humiliation (52:14–53:9  ^gs), and ends with his exaltation (53:10-12  ^gt). The faithful servant’s suffering would bring reconciliation between God and humans. The Lord Jesus perfectly fulfilled this prophecy (see ch 40  ^gu; Matt 8:17  ^gv; Acts 8:30-35  ^gw; Rom 10:15-17  ^gx; 15:21  ^gy; 1 Pet 2:24-25  ^gz). 52:13  ^ha prosper ... be highly exalted: The servant would be wise and successful, set apart with the great and noble. Similar terms describe God in 6:1  ^hb and 57:15  ^hc.
Summary for Isa 52:14-15: 52:14-15  ^hd Despite the servant’s greatness, the actual way he would appear on earth would shock people. 52:14  ^he were amazed: No one expected that the rescuer would suffer and die.
52:15  ^hf startle many nations: They would be amazed that a rescuer would appear so weak and helpless and would stand speechless.

• What they will see and what they will understand will be in complete contrast to anything they had previously imagined.

‏ Isaiah 53

53:1  ^hg our message: The identity of the speaker has been debated—the main possibilities are (1) a faithful remnant of Israel, and (2) Isaiah himself. Most likely, Isaiah the prophet was speaking for and with Israel.

• powerful arm: God’s strength, so dramatically described in the previous chapters (see 50:2  ^hh; 51:5  ^hi, 9  ^hj; 52:10  ^hk), would actually manifest itself in weakness and apparent helplessness through the servant’s humiliation and exaltation (see 1 Cor 1:27-30  ^hl).
53:2  ^hm a tender green shoot ... in dry ground: Such a plant is vulnerable to extinction (cp. 37:27  ^hn). It can hardly stay alive for itself, let alone provide anything for anyone else.

• nothing beautiful or majestic: The servant appeared to have no greatness or self-evident royal splendor (see 52:13-15  ^ho).

• nothing to attract us to him: People like their leaders to be physically attractive and personally charismatic. The servant would be neither.
53:3  ^hp a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief (or a man of pains, acquainted with illness): The servant would fully experience the effects of sin and the Fall.

• we did not care: Because people would fail to see how such a weak, insignificant person could do anything beneficial for them, they would be unconcerned about his suffering.
53:4  ^hq The callous world would assume that the servant somehow brought his suffering on himself, never realizing that he was suffering for them.

• troubles ... punishment: These descriptions of the servant’s humiliation contrast with the descriptions of his exaltation.
53:5  ^hr he was pierced: See also Zech 12:10  ^hs.

• crushed ... beaten ... whipped: These were typically punishments for crimes. Sin is a crime against God.

• be whole: Hebrew shalom, usually translated “peace.” Shalom means to experience wholeness in body, in mind, and in relationships with others. The servant would be injured so that humanity can be whole and healthy in all aspects of life (see also Isa 57:18  ^ht). We do not need to suffer divine condemnation for our sins because the servant has already done so (see Gal 1:4  ^hu).
53:6  ^hv strayed away ... left God’s paths: These are metaphors for sin (see also Rom 3:10-18  ^hw).
Summary for Isa 53:7-8: 53:7-8  ^hx The Ethiopian eunuch was reading this passage when Philip met him (Acts 8:32-33  ^hy). 53:7  ^hz See 1 Pet 2:21-25  ^ia for the fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus Christ.
53:8  ^ib Unjustly condemned: The servant will be given no legal protection or proper defense.

• cut short in midstream: To die in midlife was understood to be God’s judgment.
53:9  ^ic no wrong ... never deceived anyone: See 1 Pet 2:21-25  ^id.

• in a rich man’s grave: Literally he was with the rich in his death (see Matt 27:57-61  ^ie). Although the Bible often considers riches as a blessing from God, it regularly condemns the rich as crooked and oppressive. The point here might be ironic: This good man would be buried with oppressors.
Summary for Isa 53:10-12: 53:10-12  ^if The final stanza of the poem first explains why the servant suffered and was treated unjustly in the place of others; it then explains what the result of that obedience would be. 53:10  ^ig The servant’s grief would accomplish a greater good; the forgiveness and reconciliation of sinful humanity. Note also God’s good plan to prosper and exalt the servant.

• when his life is made an offering for sin: The suffering of the servant provided a substitute for others, just as the animal sacrifices in the Temple did.

• Having many descendants and enjoying a long life are rewards for godly and wise living (see Prov 3:2  ^ih; 17:6  ⁱⁱ; 20:7  ^ij). Because the servant left his fate in his God’s hands, he would receive eternal rewards from the God who vindicates the righteous (see Phil 2:9-11  ^ik).
53:11  ^il his experience (literally his knowledge): This clearly does not refer to intellectual knowledge but to all that the servant would experience in his obedience, suffering, and intimate relationship with God.

• The servant’s righteous obedience enables people to be put right with God (see Gen 15:6  ^im; Rom 5:18-19  ⁱⁿ), for he will bear all their sins.
53:12  ^io the honors: See Phil 2:9-11  ^ip.

• He was counted among the rebels: Rebels (Hebrew poshe‘im) is a stronger word than sinners and is a key word in Isaiah. It refers to those who are in willful defiance of a lawful authority, in this case, God.

• interceded for rebels: The servant would pray for sinners in the midst of his suffering (see Exod 32:30  ^iq; Luke 23:34  ^ir).

‏ Isaiah 54

Summary for Isa 54:1-55:13: 54:1–55:13  ^is This is an invitation to participate in the restoration to God’s favor made possible through the ministry of the promised servant.
Summary for Isa 54:1-17: 54:1-17  ^it Salvation flows from the vindication of the suffering servant. The promises mentioned here go beyond the return from Babylonian exile and apply to the coming of Jesus Christ, the extension of the kingdom to the church, the benefits of the second coming of Jesus Christ as the bridegroom of the church, and the new Jerusalem.
Summary for Isa 54:1-3: 54:1-3  ^iu The prophet encourages Jerusalem, likened to a barren woman, to rejoice because its fate was rapidly changing. She would have so many children that she would outgrow her home (see Gal 4:27  ^iv). 54:1  ^iw In the ancient world, a woman who had never given birth after being married for a time would be ashamed. Isaiah compares Jerusalem to a barren woman who rejoices at the long-awaited blessing of children (see Gal 4:27  ^ix).
54:3  ^iy Israel’s descendants (cp. 53:10  ^iz) would occupy other nations in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen 22:17  ^ja) and to Jacob (Gen 28:14  ^jb).

• As desolation took place (Isa 6:11  ^jc; 14:21  ^jd), the people of God would inherit the earth and resettle the ruined cities (51:6  ^je; 52:10  ^jf; 65:17  ^jg; see also Matt 5:5  ^jh; Rom 4:13  ^ji).
54:5  ^jj Creator ... husband: The Lord committed himself to the abandoned woman (his people in exile) as her maker (44:24  ^jk) and husband (see also 62:4-5  ^jl; Hos 2:19-20  ^jm).

• The Redeemer transforms misery into freedom and fulfillment (see also Isa 41:14  ^jn).
Summary for Isa 54:7-8: 54:7-8  ^jo The pain of separation would be brief compared to the depth of the renewal of love and compassion.

• The Lord abandoned Israel in exile for a little while because of the people’s sins.

• everlasting love: The Lord is eternally committed to his people, making the seventy-year punishment of exile seem short indeed (see 25:1  ^jp; Hos 2:1  ^jq).
54:9  ^jr The Exile was similar in both drama and trauma to the flood in the time of Noah. In both instances, people sinned grievously against the Lord, but the Lord renewed his commitment to creation (after Noah’s flood) and to his people (after the Exile).
54:10  ^js God’s faithful love for his people endures despite their unfaithfulness.

• God’s covenant of blessing was the assurance of his presence, resulting in wholeness, blessing, and protection. It replaces the shame and disgrace of the Exile (see Ezek 34:25  ^jt; 37:26  ^ju).
Summary for Isa 54:11-17: 54:11-17  ^jv This is a vision of the renewed Jerusalem as a city under God’s protection, a place of peace and righteousness (see 59:21–60:22  ^jw). This section forms the background of John’s vision of the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:10-21  ^jx). 54:11  ^jy The Lord himself would rebuild the city (see Heb 11:10  ^jz).

• Lapis lazuli is a semi-precious stone.
54:13  ^ka I will teach: Jesus alluded to this verse in John 6:45  ^kb.

• They will enjoy great peace, the benefits of God’s presence and protection (Isa 53:5  ^kc; see 48:17-18  ^kd; 54:10  ^ke).
54:14  ^kf Jerusalem would again be a righteous city, secure under a government that is just and fair (see 1:26  ^kg).
54:15  ^kh God gives assurance that no nation can defeat his people . The Lord has promised to protect them, just as he had promised Abraham (Gen 12:3  ^ki; see Isa 49:25  ^kj).
54:17  ^kk no weapon ... will succeed ... accuse you ... vindication: God will protect his people in war and in the courtroom.

• These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord: Only the true children of God—people who come out of Israel and the nations—will enjoy the promised blessings of the age to come that God establishes.

‏ Isaiah 55

Summary for Isa 55:1-13: 55:1-13  ^kl This final chapter of the prophecies of comfort (chs 40–55  ^km) summarizes the section’s prominent themes: blessing, covenant, witness, word, nations, glory, forgiveness, and joy. 55:1  ^kn thirsty ... wine or milk: The invitation to eat and drink is similar to Wisdom’s call in Prov 9:5  ^ko. The image promises the slaking of thirst not only by water but also by more costly items such as wine and milk. John applied a similar theme to Jesus Christ (John 4:14  ^kp; 6:27  ^kq, 35  ^kr; 7:37  ^ks; Rev 21:6  ^kt; 22:17  ^ku).

• it’s all free: Reconciliation with God is for anyone and has no cost.
55:2  ^kv Listen to me ... eat what is good: Responding positively to God satisfies one’s spiritual, social, and physical being (see 1:19  ^kw; 58:13-14  ^kx; Prov 4:10  ^ky).
55:3  ^kz Come to me. ... Listen ... find life: Those who respond obediently to God’s word find eternal life (see also 55:11  ^la).

• an everlasting covenant ... I promised to David: King David received a special covenant from God, a promise to preserve his kingly line (see 2 Sam 7:15-16  ^lb). David’s dynasty was eternally confirmed in the kingship of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (see Isa 9:6-7  ^lc; 11:1-16  ^ld; Acts 2:22-36  ^le; 13:34  ^lf).
Summary for Isa 55:6-9: 55:6-9  ^lg The prophet calls for a response while the time is right. 55:6  ^lh while you can find him: When God graciously extends an invitation to salvation, people must respond (65:1  ^li; Jer 29:13-14  ^lj; Hos 5:6  ^lk; 10:12  ^ll). Those who do not seek him at such times risk never having the opportunity again.
55:7  ^lm Let the wicked change ... turn to the Lord: True conversion demands a change of how we live in favor of God’s requirements (see 1:16-17  ^ln; 30:15  ^lo; 59:20  ^lp).

• have mercy on them: God’s compassion reaches out to the needy and finds them where they are.

• he will forgive generously: Forgiveness of sin is foundational to the good news of redemption (see Eph 1:7  ^lq; Col 1:14  ^lr; see also Pss 32:1  ^ls; 86:5  ^lt; 99:8  ^lu; 103:2-5  ^lv).
Summary for Isa 55:8-9: 55:8-9  ^lw My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts: God’s plans are marvelous (Ps 92:5  ^lx; cp. Ps 94:11  ^ly). God’s creatures, including humans, can never fully understand the Creator’s thoughts, but his revelation through his messengers gives great insight and knowledge of some of the things he will do.
Summary for Isa 55:10-11: 55:10-11  ^lz The Creator not only sends rain and snow but also his word (Hebrew dabar). In this context, dabar means his will or plan (see 14:24  ^ma; 40:8  ^mb). God’s written word, as an expression of God’s plan, accomplishes his purposes. God is effective in whatever he does (see 14:26-27  ^mc; 46:10  ^md).
Summary for Isa 55:12-13: 55:12-13  ^me The prophet encourages his people to forget the past, to leave Babylon, and to accept the perspective of the coming age. 55:12  ^mf Joy is found in being redeemed from bondage.

• Godly people experience an inner peace not known to the wicked (48:22  ^mg).

• mountains and hills ... trees of the field: Creation participates in the freedom of the children of God (44:23  ^mh; 49:11  ^mi, 13  ^mj; see Rom 8:19-23  ^mk).
55:13  ^ml Redemption is like the transformation from desert to forest (see also 35:1  ^mm; 41:19  ^mn; 60:13  ^mo).

• great honor to the Lord’s name: God’s glory will be more and more visible to humanity as his redemption takes effect.