Isaiah 55:1-3

Isaiah 55:1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat: yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Remark the wonderful condescension of God, that though the gifts of his grace are so precious that all the world could not buy them, yet he condescends to ask his creature to have those gifts. He stands, as it were, like one who has goods to sell, and he cries, «Ho! such and such a passer-by, turn hither: give ear in this way. Ho! everyone that thirsteth.» If, then, there is any soul that wants God, O soul, God desires you infinitely more than you desire him; and he invites you to come to him. Do not delay.

Isaiah 55:2. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not?

Seeking happiness in a thousand ways with much toil and trouble, but with bitter disappointment.

Isaiah 55:2. Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

God invites his creature to listen to him. «Do,» saith he «but lend me thine ear a little. Do but hearken diligently to what I have to tell you.» Oh! should not God's message of love command the attention of all mankind?

Isaiah 55:3. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;

Salvation does not come to men through the eye, but through the ear. Not what you see in the finery of the priest or the altar. That can do you no good. But listen to the gospel. It is by ear-gate that God's mercy comes triumphant into the soul of man. «Incline your ear and come unto me. Hear and your soul shall live.»

Isaiah 55:3. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Here God will strike hands with the sinner and enter into a compact with him a covenant of mercy and of grace, through Jesus Christ, the Saviour.

Isaiah 55:4. Behold I have given him for a witness to the people,

To bear witness to men of what God is.

Isaiah 55:4. A leader and commander to the people.

For Christ loves the people, and he leads them rightly. He will lead them to glory.

Isaiah 55:5. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

The promise is to Christ. Today are these words fulfilled in our ears, for, in calling these British Isles to know Christ, God has given to the Lord Jesus a people that knew him not. What did our forefathers know of Jesus when he was here below? And yet in this land he has multitudes of hearts that love his name. Oh! that God would give this whole house full of souls to Christ tonight. What a casket it would make full of jewels! Oh! that the gracious Father would bestow it on his Son!

Isaiah 55:6. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Therefore, we are not at all afraid about the success of the preaching of the gospel. Some will be saved tonight wherever Jesus Christ is preached. My dear unsaved hearer, will it be you? I pray it may be. May the Lord grant that this may be the last night of your unregeneracy, and be your spiritual birth-night. Some will be saved. Will you be of the number?

This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 138:1.; Isaiah 55:1; Romans 8:28.