Come All You Who Are Thirsty

Isaiah 55:1-13

Key Verse 55:1

This passage tells us that satisfaction is guaranteed for those who come to the Lord and believe in Him. 

Read verse 1. What do “thirsty”, “waters”, “wine”, and “milk” represent? When one does not have money one cannot buy anything. Yet why does the passage ask us to buy without money (or cost)?

** Thirsty = those who are yet to know the Lord; they are called “thirsty”, for like the Samaritan woman in John 3 everyone is looking for the true object of worship, that is, the author of his or her life, namely Jesus Christ. 

** “waters” = all sorts of spiritual drinks which the Lord makes available for those who come to the Lord, so that by drinking these drinks the thirst of their souls would be fully quenched (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; Revelation 7:17). 

** “wine” = arguably “joy” [that comes from having one’s sins forgiven via the blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God, that is, Jesus Christ]. 

** “milk” = word of God [1Pe 2:2]

** It is because someone has already paid for what you are asked to buy. That someone is Jesus Christ.

Read verse 2a. What does it mean to spend money on “what is not bread” or to labor for “what does satisfy”? Why do people do this?

** It means to try to satisfy the needs of a soul with the wrong kinds of drinks or food. For example, meat or rice can nurture your physical body. But physical food such as this cannot quench the thirst of a soul. In the same way what is physical or of human origin cannot satisfy man’s soul. This is like a man who has the problem of Vitamin A deficiency syndrome cannot resolve the problem by taking any food which does not contain Vitamin A. 

** People do this because of their ignorance, i.e., not knowing that the needs of a soul can be met only via drinks and food that are designed to meet the needs of the soul. 

Read verses 2b-3. What do “the richest of fare” and “my faithful love [promised to David] refer to?  

** They all refer to Jesus Christ (the heart of the gospel). “the richest of fare” talks about the superiority of Jesus in terms of the capability to meet the needs of a soul; “my faithful love” talks about the essence of the ingredients that fare, that is, love. Read Pro 19:22

Read verses 4-5. Whom do “I”, “him” and “you” refer to? 

** I = God the Father who sent Jesus

** Him = Jesus Christ who came from the line of David

** You = those who get into the covenant/marriage relationship with the Lord.

Read verses 6-7. In order to turn to the Lord, what is one called to do? What will the Lord do when anyone turns to the Lord?

** 1) Seek 

2) Call on him (pray to the Lord)

3) Forsake wicked way and evil thoughts [notice ‘way’ and ‘thoughts’; way has to do with your lifestyle; thoughts – inner life] [In other words, you need to repent inside out]

4) Make a U-turn, turning to the Lord

** He will freely pardon all of your sins

 

Read verses 8-9. Why should we turn to the Lord?

** The Lord’s way is far better than our own way. We need to distinguish what is better from what is best, and what is better is the enemy of what is the best. 

Read verses 10-13. Describe the life of the one who goes by the word of the Lord.

** One word to characterize it is “prosperity” without a limit (physically and spiritually)

The end 

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