For All Who are Thirsty

¹ "Ho, every one 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? Hearken diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness. 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 nations that you know not, and nations that knew you not 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 mercy 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, says 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 return not thither 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 forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper 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 be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off."

This passage in Isaiah 55 expresses the invitation of God to all who are thirsty for justice, for spirituality, for relationships or for beauty. He says "Come" and you can find it here within the kingdom of God. How this happens is a mystery. His ways are "higher than your ways". But the process is redemption through His "word". God's design is that there will be a new creation that will be the fulfillment of His "purpose". Because of His love He has made His Messiah a "witness". The Messiah is a leader and a commander for His peoples. The Good News is that God came near and that through His amazing sacrifice the unrighteous can now find "mercy" and "pardon" through redemption. We simply cannot understand the process; but, one can accept the result through faith in YHWH. The invitation is to all. Consider this passage from Isaiah 2:2-4:

² It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, ³ and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

The prophet holds out a vision for peace and hope, not only for Israel; but, for all nations. When YHWH acts to deliver his people it is in Jerusalem ("Zion") as the place where this occurs. As he told Abraham back in Genesis 12, it will be through his seed that the Lord brings restoration and healing to the whole world.