God’s compassion and love is reflected in His timely invitation to all mankind. Firstly, God calls on Israel to return, and then to the Gentile nations to have their spiritual needs met.
and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
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” (Isaiah 55:1,2).
Here is the greatest invitation of all times. God Almighty is inviting people to come and drink to satisfy their spiritual thirst. And those without money to come eat to satisfy their spiritual hunger. All freely provided by the merciful God.
In his commentary under the caption “The Messiah as World Evangelist,” William MacDonald writes, “The Spirit of God sends out the evangelistic invitation to Israel to return, and at the same time invites everyone everywhere to the gospel feast. All that is necessary is a consciousness of need (thirst). The blessings are the waters of the Holy Spirit, the wine of joy, and the milk of the good Word of God. They are the free gift of grace, without money and price.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 981).
An abundance of great blessings and divine forgiveness await all those who respond to God’s gracious invitation.
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD,
that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (55:6,7).
The time to seek the Lord is right now. There’s no time like the present time because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Hence, call upon the Lord while he is near. He will have compassion and will abundantly pardon.
The prophet Isaiah also calls our attention to another invitation issued by Jehovah God that people should come and reason with Him, since He is the only one with the remedy for sin.
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
Godly reasoning is about the fact that salvation is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, and in Jesus Christ alone. This is God’s remedy for sin and its consequences. We can see from the text that It is certainly not God’s intent that man should remain in his sins, but that all should come to repentance through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
It is most interesting that God chooses the colors of scarlet which is bright red, and crimson which is deep red in stark contrast to white snow and wool. Perhaps God specifically chose these colors to demonstrate the awfulness of sin, and the fact that only He has the cleansing power that’s needed for eternal forgiveness.
Is the only remedy for all my sins.
The cleansing power of Jesus’ blood,
Is still available today as it ever was.
Though scarlet and crimson were my sins;
They’re now as white as snow and wool.
—Geoff Daniels 08/2022
Come to God in repentance, believing that He will forgive your sins. And you can know that you will receive His forgiveness. God says, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).
Only God has the power and authority to do this. He remains faithful, willing, and just to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Why not come to God who is merciful and forgiving; even though man has rebelled against Him. God grant it for His name sake. Amen.