Day 211 – Isaiah 54-58

Talking Points

• God doesn’t leave His people without a hope. Isaiah explains that while Judah is in exile, it is like a wife separated from her husband. Yet, one day, they will be reunited, and good things will be restored. Even the shame will be forgotten. How gracious of God to always hold up that hope.
• The LORD will be known as not only the God of Israel, but “the God of all the earth” (Isaiah 54:5). While He has always been this, He will be acknowledged as such. “Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also” (Romans 3:29).
• We find, here, a deep revelation of God: He is not like us. While we can consider Him, we can grow in our knowledge of Him (in fact, He calls us to do so), He is still infinitely beyond our scope of understanding. And, that is a good thing! Imagine a God whom you could completely understand and by whom you were never astounded. This revelation gives us good perspective. First of ourselves — we are humbled as we consider this. Then of God — He is beyond our wildest imaginations, outside of our capabilities. Aren’t you glad our God is so marvelous that our minds can’t comprehend His glory? “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).
• We can take confidence in God’s Word and in His plan for it. We can trust in its impact. It may be hated, rejected, ignored, and ridiculed — it surely is. Yet, it cannot be hindered in its impact. It will accomplish its purpose! He will bring His fulfill each and every promise. His Word will “[succeed] in the matter for which [He] sent it” (55:11).
• God explains that there is no one outside of the reach of His grace – those who “choose what pleases [Him]” He will “gather to…those already gathered” (56:4,8).
• It is a blessing to walk with God, a delight to be near Him (58:2).

Thoughts

“Ho! Every one who thirsts…” (Isaiah 55:1). This verse begins a section that is a call to everyone who longs for peace, satisfaction, forgiveness, hope, and joy. However you word it, what you are really looking for is salvation, and that is never going to be found in ourselves, our circumstances, or anything this world can offer. Our thirst can only be satisfied in the living water given by Jesus. “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life‘” (John 4:13-14). “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37-38). “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Revelation 22:17).

Listen to His call — it is consistent throughout Scripture. Today, if you thirst, won’t you take Him at His Word and believe?

“Then He said to me, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost'” (Revelation 21:7).