Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 55
Overview:
An invitation to receive freely the blessings of the
Saviour.
(1-5) Gracious offers of
Pardon and peace.
(6-13)
1-5 All are welcome to the blessings of
Salvation, to whom
those blessings are welcome. In
Christ there is enough for all,
and enough for each. Those satisfied with the world, that see
No
need of
Christ, do not thirst. They are in
No uneasiness about
their souls: but where
God gives
Grace, he gives a thirst after
it; and where he has given a thirst after it, he will give it.
Come to
Christ, for he is the
Fountain opened, he is the
Rock
smitten. Come to holy ordinances, to the streams that make glad
the
City of our
God. Come to the healing waters, come to the
living waters, Re 22:17. Our
Saviour referred to this, Joh
7:37. Come, and buy; make it your own
By application of the
Grace of the
Gospel to yourselves. Come, and eat; make it still
more your own, and enjoy it. The world comes short of our
expectations; we promise ourselves, at least, water in it, and
we are disappointed; but
Christ outdoes our expectations. We
come to him, and we find
Wine and
Milk. The
Gifts offered to us
are such as
No price can be set upon. The things offered are
already paid for; for
Christ purchased them at the full price of
his own
Blood, 1Pe 1:19. Our wants are
Beyond number, and we
have nothing to supply them; if
Christ and
Heaven are ours, we
see ourselves for ever indebted to free
Grace. Hearken
diligently; let the proud
Heart stoop; not only come, but accept
God's offers. All the wealth and pleasure in the world, will not
yield solid comfort and content to the soul. They do not satisfy
even the appetites of the body; for all is vanity and vexation.
Let the disappointments we meet with in the world, help to drive
us to
Christ, and to seek for satisfaction in him only. Then,
and not before, we shall find
Rest for our souls. Hear, and your
soul shall live.
On what easy terms is happiness offered us!
By
the sure mercies of
David, we are to understand the
Messiah. All
his mercies are
Covenant mercies; they are purchased
By him,
they are promised in him, and out of his
Hand they are dispensed
to us. We know not how to find the way to the waters, but
Christ
is given to be a Leader, a Commander, to show us what to do, and
enable us to do it. Our business is to obey him, and follow him.
And there is
No coming to the
Father but
By him. He is the Holy
One of
Israel, true to his promises; and he has promised to
Glorify Christ,
By giving him the
Heathen for his inheritance.
6-13 Here is a gracious offer of
Pardon, and peace, and of all
happiness. It shall not be in vain to seek
God, now his
Word is
Calling to us, and his
Spirit is striving with us. But there is
a
Day coming when he will not be found. There may come such a
time in this
Life; it is certain that at
Death and
Judgment the
door will be shut. There must be not only a change of the way,
but a change of the mind. We must alter our judgments about
persons and things. It is not enough to break off from evil
practices, we must strive against evil thoughts. To repent is to
return to our
Lord, against whom we have rebelled. If we do
So,
God will multiply to
Pardon, as we have multiplied to offend.
But let none trifle with this plenteous
Mercy, or use it as an
occasion to
Sin. Men's thoughts concerning
Sin,
Christ, and
Holiness, concerning this world and the other, vastly differ
from
God's; but in nothing more than in the matter of
Pardon. We
forgive, and cannot forget; but when
God forgives
Sin, he
remembers it
No more. The power of his
Word in the kingdoms of
Providence and
Grace, is as certain as in that of nature. Sacred
Truth produces a spiritual change in the mind of men, which
neither
Rain nor
Snow can make
On the
Earth. It shall not return
to the
Lord without producing important effects. If we take a
special view of the
Church, we shall find what great things
God
has done, and will do for it. The Jews shall come to their own
land; this shall represent the blessings promised.
Gospel Grace
will make a great change in men. Delivered from the wrath to
come, the converted sinner finds peace in his
Conscience; and
Love constrains him to devote himself to the service of his
Redeemer. Instead of being profane, contentious, selfish, or
sensual, behold him patient, humble, kind, and peaceable. The
Hope of helping in such a work should urge us to spread the
Gospel of
Salvation. And do thou help us, O
Spirit of all
Truth,
to have such views of the
Fulness, freeness, and greatness of
the rich
Mercy in
Christ, as may remove from us all narrow views
of sovereign
Grace.