THESE words, uttered by the prophet Isaiah, were addressed to the people of the house of David some 2,500 years ago—not to a people who had never heard of God, but to the most privileged nation on the earth. For there was no people who had witnessed such manifestations of the power and goodness of Jehovah on their behalf as the children of Israel. Even 700 years before, Moses had challenged them in such words as these “Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? Or, hath God essayed to go and take him a nation, from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that Jehovah your God did for you in Egypt, before your eyes? Unto thee it was sheaved, that thou mightest know that Jehovah he is God; there is none else beside him.
Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shelved thee his great fire; and thou heartiest his words out of the midst of the fire. And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt" (Deut. 4:33-3733Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? 34Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him. 36Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he showed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 37And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; (Deuteronomy 4:33‑37)).
How had Israel acted in view of all these proofs of Jehovah's favor? This is what the prophet had to say of them: "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters, they have forsaken Jehovah, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward... The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores." How loathsome their moral condition in the eyes of Jehovah!
If this was a true indictment of the nation at the beginning of the prophecy, how greatly augmented was its guilt wand state after the people's rejection of their Messiah (as prophetically foreseen and announced in chap. 53.). Now, disobedient still, yet will Israel be brought in a day that is coming to true repentance and contrition of heart. Then will they in the spirit of supplication appropriate the words of this chapter, confessing that He was wounded for their transgressions, bruised for their iniquities; that the chastisement of their peace was upon Him; and with His stripes they are healed. Then shall they sing, as in chap. 54., break forth into singing and cry aloud. Then it will no longer be as now, "Praise is silent for thee, O God, in Zion" (Ps. 65.). Then, too, in their new-found joy, will they call upon every one that thirsteth to come to the waters, and he that hath no money—to come, buy and eat —to buy wine and milk without money and without price (Isa. 55:11Ho, 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. (Isaiah 55:1)). What a change from what now is! Now unbelieving, then believing; now scattered among the nations, then once more gathered out of all lands; now disowned, then glorified by Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel. They shall go out with joy, to be led forth with peace. Even the mountains and the hills shall break forth before them into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Are you, my reader, content to hear of this glorious fulfillment for Israel, and be without the blessing for yourself? Why should you refuse or put off the yet deeper and fuller blessing for your own soul now? You have the word of Him who came to die, the Just for us unjust, to bring us to God, that " he that heareth my word and believeth him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life "(John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)). "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live." Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." "Let him that is athirst come: whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.”