Seek the LORD While He May Be Found

Having described the horrific abuse the Servant of God will undergo to bring forth salvation, Isaiah turns to the voice of YHWH and writes His Words to Israel and to all mankind. The Servant of YHWH speaks, ‘Ho! Every one of you who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.’ Salvation has been bought and paid for by the willing sacrifice of the Servant. He offers freely to all who come to Him!

’Why do you spend money for that which is not bread?’ the Servant of YHWH asks, ‘and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear to Me and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David.’ This harkens back to the commands of Moses, that the children of Israel look to the bronze serpent on the pole and live, and that they would be careful to obey for Law of God that they may live. Interestingly enough, it was in the days of Isaiah and Hezekiah that Nehushtan, the Bronze Serpent, was destroyed, because Israel had began to worship it. 

The LORD was calling to His people that they would return to Him and live, since He had a salvation bought and paid for. He invites all to come to Him and buy food without cost to them, because He paid for it. He offers provision freely to those who return to Him, and a New Everlasting Covenant with them. ‘Seek the LORD while He may be found,’ YHWH encouraged all who heard those words. ‘Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.’ This offer of forgiveness is free to all who return to the LORD and forsake their sinful ways. A free gift of grace, just waiting those who would partake of it!

Why would God do that? ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than yours, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ God has logic and reason that human logic and reasoning cannot fathom. For reasons known only to God Himself, He desires to forgive and restore the sinner, and cleanse them from their sinful ways. He foretold the Salvation that was already planned from eternity past in Isaiah’s days, then He worked it out in time. Jesus (Salvation) came, lived a perfect sinless life, and laid it down for sinful mankind as the atoning sacrifice for sins. He did not have to do that, but He wanted to. We just cannot grasp why.

God spoke, then He accomplished it. His Word never returns void, it always accomplishes what He intended. His Word to Isaiah and the children of Judah went forth, then God made it happen at the right time. ‘So shall My Word be which goes forth from My Mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.’ God will personally see to it that His Word will be accomplished, exactly as He said it would. They is no one who can stop Him from doing what He said He would. He will do it in His time. Also, when God’s Word is spoken, it accomplishes in the hearer what God desires for it to. Many people will hear the Word from those who preach it and come to God, accepting this free offer of Salvation! 
If Judah would return to YHWH, then they would go out of Jerusalem with joy, and be lead forth with peace. The mountains and hills would break forth with shouts of joy before them. The trees of the field would clap their hands. Instead of thorns and thistles, God would make cypress and Myrtle grow in their place as an evergreen memorial to the LORD. That would be an everlasting sign that would not be cut off.