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Isaiah 55:6
Verse
Context
Invitation to the Needy
5Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.” 6Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. 7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
Sermons
David WilkersonDavid WilkersonDavid Wilkerson
Jim CymbalaDavid WilkersonDavid Wilkerson
Afshin JavidSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found - Rab. David Kimchi gives the true sense of this passage: "Seek ye the Lord, because he may be found: call upon him, because he is near. Repent before ye die, for after death there is no conversion of the soul."
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
So gracious is the offer which Jehovah now makes to His people, so great are the promises that He makes to it, viz., the regal glory of David, and the government of the world by virtue of the religion of Jehovah. Hence the exhortation is addressed to it in Isa 55:6 and Isa 55:7 : "Seek ye Jehovah while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to Jehovah, and He will have compassion upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." They are to seek to press into the fellowship of Jehovah (dârash with the radical meaning terere, to acquire experimental knowledge or confidential acquaintance with anything) now that He is to be found (Isa 65:1, compare the parallelism of words and things in Jer 29:14), and to call upon Him, viz., for a share in that superabundant grace, ow that He is near, i.e., now that He approaches Israel, and offers it. In the admonition to repentance introduced in Isa 55:7, both sides of the μετάνοια find expression, viz., turning away from sinful self-will, and turning to the God of salvation. The apodosis with its promises commences with וירחמהוּ - then will He have compassion upon such a man; and consequently לסלוח כּי־ירבּה (with כּי because the fragmentary sentence ואל־אלהינוּ did not admit of the continuation with ו) has not a general, but an individual meaning (vid., Psa 130:4, Psa 130:7), and is to be translated as a future (for the expression, compare Isa 26:17).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
The condition and limit in the obtaining of the spiritual benefits (Isa 55:1-3): (1) Seek the Lord. (2) Seek Him while He is to be found (Isa 65:1; Psa 32:6; Mat 25:1-13; Joh 7:34; Joh 8:21; Co2 6:2; Heb 2:3; Heb 3:13, Heb 3:15). call--casting yourselves wholly on His mercy (Rom 10:13). Stronger than "seek"; so "near" is more positive than "while He may be found" (Rom 10:8-9). near--propitious (Psa 34:18; Psa 145:18).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,.... The Lord is to be sought unto at all times, whenever the people of God meet together, especially on sabbath days, and while the external ministry of the word lasts, and life itself; so the Targum, "seek the fear of the Lord, while ye are alive.'' Kimchi compares it with Ecc 9:10. The Jewish writers, as Aben Ezra and others, generally interpret it before the sealing of the decree, or before the decree is gone forth. It may be understood of place, as well as time, and be rendered, "seek the Lord in the place where he may be found" (l); God is to be found, as Aben Ezra observes, in all places, and at all times; under the Old Testament there was a particular place appointed for the worship of God, the tabernacle and temple, where he was to be sought unto, and might be found; under the New Testament, all places are alike, and wherever the church and people of God meet together, there he is to be sought, and there he may be found, even in his house and ordinances: call ye upon him while he is near; the same thing designed by different words: seeking and calling design not only prayer, but the whole of public worship, and the time and place when and where the Lord is to be found, and is near. Aben Ezra thinks it refers to the Shechinah in the sanctuary. Perhaps it may have some respect to the time of Christ's incarnation, and his being in the land of Judea; and to the destruction of the temple by the Romans, when the Lord could be no more sought unto, and found in that place; or when the Christians were obliged to move from Jerusalem, because of the siege of it; and when the Jews had no more an opportunity of hearing the Gospel there. (l) So in the Jerusalem Talmud, as quoted by Abendana on the place, "seek the Lord, where he is found, in the synagogues, and in the schools; call upon him, where he is near, in the synagogues, and in the schools.'' And so another Jewish writer, mentioned by him, interprets the words, "whilst the Shechinah is found in the sanctuary; before he hides his face, and causes his Shechinah to remove from you.''
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
We have here a further account of that covenant of grace which is made with us in Jesus Christ, both what is required and what is promised in the covenant, and of those considerations that are sufficient abundantly to confirm our believing compliance with and reliance on that covenant. This gracious discovery of God's good-will to the children of men is not to be confined either to the Jew or to the Gentile, to the Old Testament or to the New, much less to the captives in Babylon. No, both the precepts and the promises are here given to all, to every one that thirsts after happiness, Isa 55:1. And who does not? Hear this, and live. I. Here is a gracious offer made of pardon, and peace, and all happiness, to poor sinners, upon gospel terms, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7. 1. Let them pray, and their prayers shall be heard and answered (Isa 55:6): "Seek the Lord while he may be found. Seek him whom you have left by revolting from your allegiance to him and whom you have lost by provoking him to withdraw his favour from you. Call upon him now while he is near, and within call." Observe here, (1.) The duties required. [1.] "Seek the Lord. Seek to him, and enquire of him, as your oracle. Ask the law at his mouth. What wilt thou have me to do? Seek for him, and enquire after him, as your portion and happiness; seek to be reconciled to him and acquainted with him, and to be happy in his favour. Be sorry that you have lost him; be solicitous to find him; take the appointed method of finding him, making use of Christ as your way, the Spirit as your guide, and the word as your rule." [2.] "Call upon him. Pray to him, to be reconciled, and, being reconciled, pray to him for every thing else you have need of." (2.) The motives made use of to press these duties upon us: While he may be found - while he is near. [1.] It is implied that now God is near and will be found, so that it shall not be in vain to seek him and to call upon him. Now his patience is waiting on us, his word is calling to us, and his Spirit striving with us. Let us now improve our advantages and opportunities; for now is the accepted time. But, [2.] There is a day coming when he will be afar off, and will not be found, when the day of his patience is over, and his Spirit will strive no more. There may come such a time in this life, when the heart is incurably hardened; it is certain that at death and judgment the door will be shut, Luk 16:26; Luk 13:25, Luk 13:26. Mercy is now offered, but then judgment without mercy will take place. 2. Let them repent and reform, and their sins shall be pardoned, Isa 55:7. Here is a call to the unconverted, to the wicked and the unrighteous - to the wicked, who live in known gross sins, to the unrighteous, who live in the neglect of plain duties: to them is the word of this salvation sent, and all possible assurance given that penitent sinners shall find God a pardoning God. Observe here, (1.) What it is to repent. There are two things involved in repentance: - [1.] It is to turn from sin; it is to forsake it. It is to leave it, and to leave it with loathing and abhorrence, never to return to it again. The wicked must forsake his way, his evil way, as we would forsake a false way that will never bring us to the happiness we aim at, and a dangerous way, that leads to destruction. Let him not take one step more in that way. Nay, there must be not only a change of the way, but a change of the mind; the unrighteous must forsake his thoughts. Repentance, if it be true, strikes at the root, and washes the heart from wickedness. We must alter our judgments concerning persons and things, dislodge the corrupt imaginations and quit the vain pretences under which an unsanctified heart shelters itself. Note, It is not enough to break off from evil practices, but we must enter a caveat against evil thoughts. Yet this is not all: [2.] To repent is to return to the Lord; to return to him as our God, our sovereign Lord, against whom we have rebelled, and to whom we are concerned to reconcile ourselves; it is to return to the Lord as the fountain of life and living waters, which we had forsaken for broken cisterns. (2.) What encouragement we have thus to repent. If we do so, [1.] God will have mercy. He will not deal with us as our sins have deserved, but will have compassion on us. Misery is the object of mercy. Now both the consequences of sin, by which we have become truly miserable (Eze 16:5, Eze 16:6), and the nature of repentance, by which we are made sensible of our misery and are brought to bemoan ourselves (Jer 31:18), both these make us objects of pity, and with God there are tender mercies. [2.] He will abundantly pardon. He will multiply to pardon (so the word is), as we have multiplied to offend. Though our sins have been very great and very many, and though we have often backslidden and are still prone to offend, yet God will repeat his pardon, and welcome even backsliding children that return to him in sincerity. II. Here are encouragements given us to accept this offer and to venture our souls upon it. For, look which way we will, we find enough to confirm us in our belief of its validity and value. 1. If we look up to heaven, we find God's counsels there high and transcendent, his thoughts and ways infinitely above ours, Isa 55:8, Isa 55:9. The wicked are urged to forsake their evil ways and thoughts (Isa 55:7) and to return to God, that is, to bring their ways and thoughts to concur and comply with his; "for" (says he) "my thoughts and ways are not as yours. Yours are conversant only about things beneath; they are of the earth earthy: but mine are above, as the heaven is high above the earth; and, if you would approve yourselves true penitents, yours must be so too, and your affections must be set on things above." Or, rather, it is to be understood as an encouragement to us to depend upon God's promise to pardon sin, upon repentance. Sinners may be ready to fear that God will not be reconciled to them, because they could not find in their hearts to be reconciled to one who should have so basely and so frequently offended them. "But" (says God) "my thoughts in this matter are not as yours, but as far above them as the heaven is above the earth." They are so in other things. Men's sentiments concerning sin, and Christ, and holiness, concerning this world and the other, are vastly different from God's; but in nothing more than in the matter of reconciliation. We think God apt to take offence and backward to forgive - that, if he forgives once, he will not forgive a second time. Peter thought it a great deal to forgive seven times (Mat 18:21), and a hundred pence go far with us; but God meets returning sinners with pardoning mercy; he forgives freely, and as he gives: it is without upbraiding. We forgive and cannot forget; but, when God forgives sin, he remembers it no more. Thus God invites sinners to return to him, by possessing them with good thoughts of him, as Jer 31:20. 2. If we look down to this earth, we find God's word there powerful and effectual, and answering all its great intentions, Isa 55:10, Isa 55:11. Observe here, (1.) The efficacy of God's word in the kingdom of nature. He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; he appoints when it shall come, to what degree, and how long it shall lie there; he saith so to the small rain and the great rain of his strength, Job 37:6. And according to his order they come down from heaven, and do whatsoever he commands them upon the face of the world, whether it be for correction, or for his land, or for mercy, Isa 55:12, Isa 55:13. It returns not re infect - without having accomplished its end, but waters the earth, which he is therefore said to do from his chambers, Psa 104:13. And the watering of the earth is in order to its fruitfulness. Thus he makes it to bring forth and bud, for the products of the earth depend upon the dews of heaven; and thus it gives not only bread to the eater, present maintenance to the owner and his family, but seed likewise to the sower, that he may have food for another year. The husbandman must be a sower as well as an eater, else he will soon see the end of what he has. (2.) The efficacy of his word in the kingdom of providence and grace, which is as certain as the former: "So shall my word be, as powerful in the mouth of prophets as it is in the hand of providence; it shall not return unto me void, as unable to effect what it was sent for, or meeting with an insuperable opposition; no, it shall accomplish that which I please" (for it is the declaration of his will, according to the counsel of which he works all things) "and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." This assures us, [1.] That the promises of God shall all have their full accomplishment in due time, and not one iota or tittle of them shall fail, Kg1 8:56. These promises of mercy and grace shall have as real an effect upon the souls of believers, for their sanctification and comfort, as ever the rain had upon the earth, to make it fruitful. [2.] That according to the different errands on which the word is sent it will have its different effects. If it be not a savour of life unto life, it will be a savour of death unto death; if it do not convince the conscience and soften the heart, it will sear the conscience and harden the heart; if it do not ripen for heaven, it will ripen for hell. See Isa 6:9. One way or other, it will take effect. [3.] That Christ's coming into the world, as the dew from heaven (Hos 14:5), will not be in vain. For, if Israel be not gathered, he will be glorious in the conversion of the Gentiles; to them therefore the tenders of grace must be made when the Jews refuse them, that the wedding may be furnished with guests and the gospel not return void. 3. If we take a special view of the church, we shall find what great things God has done, and will do, for it (Isa 55:12, Isa 55:13): You shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace. This refers, (1.) To the deliverance and return of the Jews out of Babylon. They shall go out of their captivity, and be led forth towards their own land again. God will go before them as surely, though not as sensibly, as before their fathers in the pillar of cloud and fire. They shall go out, not with trembling, but with triumph, not with any regret to part with Babylon, or any fear of being fetched back, but with joy and peace. Their journey home over the mountains shall be pleasant, and they shall have the good-will and good wishes of all the countries they pass through. The hills and their inhabitants shall, as in a transport of joy, break forth into singing; and, if the people should altogether hold their peace, even the trees of the field would attend them with their applauses and acclamations. And, when they come to their own land, it shall be ready to bid them welcome; for, whereas they expected to find it all overgrown with briers and thorns, it shall be set with fir-trees and myrtle-trees: for, though it lay desolate, yet it enjoyed its sabbaths (Lev 26:34), which, when they were over, like the land after the sabbatical year, it was the better for. And this shall redound much to the honour of God and be to him for a name. But, (2.) Without doubt it looks further. This shall be for an everlasting sign, that it, [1.] The redemption of the Jews out of Babylon shall be a ratification of those promises that relate to gospel times. The accomplishment of the predictions relating to that great deliverance would be a pledge and earnest of the performance of all the other promises; for thereby it shall appear that he is faithful who has promised. [2.] It shall be a representation of the blessings promised and a type and figure of them. First, Gospel grace will set those at liberty that were in bondage to sin and Satan. They shall go out and be led forth. Christ shall make them free, and then they shall be free indeed. Secondly, It will fill those with joy that were melancholy. Psa 14:7, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. The earth and the inferior part of the creation shall share in the joy of this salvation, Psa 94:11, Psa 94:12. Thirdly, It will make a great change in men's characters. Those that were as thorns and briers, good for nothing but the fire, nay, hurtful and vexatious, shall become graceful and useful as the fir-tree and the myrtle-tree. Thorns and briers came in with sin and were the fruits of the curse, Gen 3:18. The raising of pleasant trees in the room of them signifies the removal of the curse of the law and the introduction of gospel blessings. The church's enemies were as thorns and briers; but, instead of them, God will raise up friends to be her protection and ornament. Or it may denote the world's growing better; instead of a generation of thorns and briers, there shall come up a generation of fir-trees and myrtles; the children shall be wiser and better than the parents. And, fourthly, in all this God shall be glorified. It shall be to him for a name, by which he will be made known and praised, and by it the people of God shall be encouraged. It shall be for an everlasting sign of God's favour to them, assuring them that, though it may for a time be clouded, it shall never be cut off. The covenant of grace is an everlasting covenant; for the present blessings of it are signs of everlasting ones.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
55:6-9 The prophet calls for a response while the time is right. 55:6 while you can find him: When God graciously extends an invitation to salvation, people must respond (65:1; Jer 29:13-14; Hos 5:6; 10:12). Those who do not seek him at such times risk never having the opportunity again.
Isaiah 55:6
Invitation to the Needy
5Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.” 6Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. 7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
A Craving for the Presence - Part 1
By David Wilkerson58K30:14PSA 42:1ISA 55:6MAT 6:25MAT 6:33PHP 4:19HEB 11:6JAS 4:8
This sermon emphasizes the importance of craving the presence of the Lord amidst challenging times, highlighting the need to prioritize seeking God's presence over solely relying on His provision. It draws parallels to the story of the children of Israel in the wilderness, warning against becoming complacent or bored even when experiencing God's miraculous provision. The speaker shares personal experiences from a trip to Israel, reflecting on the significance of having a dedicated 'craving room' for intimate communion with God.
A Touch From God (Full)
By David Wilkerson12K45:28EXO 33:72CH 7:14PSA 27:8PSA 51:10PSA 65:4ISA 40:31ISA 55:61CO 3:16HEB 10:22JAS 4:8
This sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking God's presence and being willing to fully surrender to Him, leaving behind defilement and busyness. It highlights the need for a deep hunger for God, a willingness to go to the mountain in prayer, and a call to come out of places of defilement to experience God's touch and presence in a transformative way.
A Craving for the Presence - Part 2
By David Wilkerson12K27:17EXO 33:15DEU 4:29PSA 27:8PSA 42:1PSA 105:4ISA 55:6MAT 6:33PHP 3:10HEB 11:6JAS 4:8
This sermon emphasizes the importance of craving and seeking the presence of the Lord in our lives, rather than just relying on legal contracts or promises. It highlights the need for a deep, intimate relationship with God, where His presence is cherished above all else, even in times of hardship and uncertainty. The message calls for a genuine desire to know Jesus and experience His glory, urging believers to have a craving heart for the Lord.
Calling on the Name of the Lord
By Jim Cymbala4.4K40:12GEN 4:25PSA 4:3PSA 14:4PSA 50:15ISA 55:6JER 33:3MAT 7:7ACT 2:42JAS 5:16This sermon emphasizes the power and importance of calling on the name of the Lord in times of trouble and need. It recounts personal experiences and biblical principles that highlight the transformative impact of earnest prayer and calling out to God. The speaker shares how prayer and calling on God led to miraculous interventions and transformations in challenging situations, emphasizing the need for a deep, consistent, and faith-filled prayer life.
The Lord's Word Shall Prevail
By David Wilkerson4.2K55:18ISA 55:6In this sermon, the preacher invites the audience to join a counter-culture revolution that is happening worldwide. He encourages them to set their minds and stir their hearts through the power of the Holy Ghost to seek the power of God and have nothing to do with anything that defiles the world. The preacher references the story of Daniel and his three Hebrew children who took a stand to become counterculture and were blessed by God with wisdom and oracles. He urges the audience to separate themselves from the world and be militant for Jesus Christ, just like Daniel and the three Hebrew children. The preacher also emphasizes the importance of prayer and receiving a fresh word from God.
Losing the Anointing - Part 2 (High Quality)
By David Wilkerson3.9K29:182CH 7:14NEH 1:4PSA 27:8ISA 55:6DAN 10:12MAT 7:7ACT 3:19HEB 11:6JAS 4:8REV 3:20
This sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking a fresh anointing from God, recounting personal experiences of revival and the need for a renewed passion for ministry. The speaker shares about the challenges faced in ministry, the call to intimacy with Christ, and the necessity of perseverance and seeking God's face for a new anointing to fulfill one's purpose.
Conversion of Muslim to Christ - Part 1
By Afshin Javid3.6K09:59ISA 55:6JHN 14:6ACT 4:12ROM 10:131TI 2:5
This sermon shares the powerful testimony of a former devout Muslim who experienced a supernatural encounter with God's presence and grappled with the question of why Jesus would help a Muslim. Despite his deep commitment to Islam and spiritual practices, he found himself in a moment of confusion and desperation where he cried out to God for help. This led to a life-changing encounter where he called upon the name of Jesus and experienced a miraculous intervention, challenging his beliefs and prompting a search for the true path to follow.
A Seeking Heart
By Joshua Daniel3.1K28:05DEU 4:29PSA 27:8PRO 8:17ISA 55:6JER 29:13MAT 2:2MAT 7:7HEB 11:6JAS 4:8
This sermon by Joshua Daniel emphasizes the importance of having a seeking heart, drawing parallels from the Christmas story where various characters sought Jesus. It highlights the dangers of jealousy and the need for self-reflection to seek God diligently. The message encourages active seeking of God, urgency in spiritual matters, and the contrast between drifting aimlessly and purposefully seeking God for transformation and blessings.
A Message on Hell
By Rolfe Barnard3.1K50:012CH 7:14PSA 34:8ISA 55:6JER 29:13MAT 7:7JHN 5:39HEB 11:6In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of seeking the Lord and living according to His word. The sermon warns of the impending judgment of the world and the need to be prepared. The preacher also highlights the glory of the cross and the power of Christ's sacrifice for salvation. The sermon concludes with a call to love and obey God, and a reminder that those who reject Him will face eternal damnation.
Voices From Hell Speaking to America - Part 8
By Alan Cairns2.6K09:542CH 7:14PSA 51:17PRO 27:1ISA 55:6EZK 33:7LUK 15:7ROM 10:91TI 2:1HEB 3:15
This sermon emphasizes the urgency of heeding the warning about the reality of hell and the importance of turning to Christ for salvation. It calls for repentance, confession of sins, and genuine faith in Jesus Christ, both on a national level and for individuals. The message highlights the need for deep conviction, honest confession, and true repentance, urging listeners to seek the Lord before it's too late.
Don't Say No to God
By Keith Daniel2.5K54:35ObedienceISA 55:6JHN 8:36ACT 2:21ACT 17:30ROM 6:16HEB 2:91JN 2:2In this sermon, the preacher highlights the issue of addiction and the destructive thoughts that can arise from it. He shares a story of a man who became addicted to evil thoughts and was on the verge of committing a terrible act against his family. However, as he was about to carry out his plan, he came across an advertisement for a meeting and felt an inner voice urging him to go there. He decided to attend the meeting, where God's presence was felt and many people, including the preacher, were moved to tears. The preacher emphasizes the need for individuals to turn to God and seek salvation through Jesus Christ to prevent them from doing something terrible in the world.
Knowing the Mind of Christ
By Carter Conlon2.4K49:48Mind of ChristPSA 40:5ISA 55:6In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the need for a generation that will walk with God and allow Him to be in control. He highlights the importance of obedience and starting small in order to see the gifts of the Spirit manifest in one's life. The speaker also emphasizes that the kingdom of God is supernatural and about dead men coming to life in Christ. He encourages believers to be vessels through which God can pour out His word and life to dry and fruitless places. The sermon references Jeremiah 29:11, where God assures His people that He has good thoughts and plans for them.
Living in a Moment
By Jim Cymbala2.4K29:59Trusting JesusPSA 27:8ISA 55:6MAT 6:33MAT 18:20MRK 5:25JAS 4:81PE 2:2In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that even in the presence of Jesus, not everyone receives what they need unless they are focused. He encourages the audience to prioritize spending time with God and consuming His Word in order to experience growth and transformation. However, the preacher also highlights that there are moments when God can bring about instant change and breakthrough in our lives. He uses the story of Jairus, a synagogue ruler who sought Jesus' help for his dying daughter, as an example of how Jesus can bring about instantaneous healing and deliverance.
Our Canadian Christian Heritage Under Fire #5 - We Need Revival in Canada
By Ian Goligher2.3K42:53Canada2CH 7:14PSA 24:3PRO 28:13ISA 55:6JER 29:13MAT 6:33JAS 4:8In this sermon, the preacher discusses the need for revival in our lives and in our churches. He emphasizes that even though the opportunities to spread the gospel may be limited, personal revival is always possible. The preacher shares a story about a prayer meeting held in a barn before a revival took place on the Isle of Lewis. During the meeting, a young man read Psalm 24 and emphasized the importance of having clean hands and a pure heart in order to receive God's blessing. The preacher encourages the listeners to have a humble and repentant posture, turning away from wickedness and seeking God's face.
The Failure of the Church in Japan
By Art Katz2.3K1:05:37JapanPSA 149:1ISA 55:6JOL 2:32ACT 2:37In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of effectively communicating the truth of the Gospel and winning others to it. He warns that failure to do so will lead to disastrous consequences. The speaker refers to a psalm that encourages praising the Lord even in the midst of adversity, highlighting the need to worship God in all circumstances. He also discusses the concept of God's judgment, explaining that it is not meant to condemn but to bring redemption. The sermon concludes with the idea that believers are called to act as representatives of God, executing His judgments with authority.
Coming to the Throne of Grace
By Bob Jennings2.0K46:58PSA 51:17PSA 145:18PRO 3:5ISA 55:6HEB 4:12HEB 4:14JAS 1:5JAS 4:8REV 3:21
This sermon emphasizes the importance of coming to the throne of God, highlighting the need for wisdom that surpasses material wealth and the significance of dealing with eternal matters and the condition of our souls. The passage from Hebrews 4:12-16 is explored, focusing on the living and active Word of God, the great high priesthood of Jesus, and the invitation to boldly approach the throne of grace for mercy and help in times of need.
The Sweet Uses of Adversity
By C.H. Spurgeon2.0K39:00ISA 55:6In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need to tear down the idols in our lives and worship only God. He suggests that one reason why people may not have found peace is because they do not fully understand the plan of salvation. The preacher then directs the listeners' attention to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross, describing in vivid detail the suffering and agony he endured for the salvation of humanity. He emphasizes that salvation comes solely from Jesus and encourages the listeners to have faith in him.
Seek Me (Compilation)
By Compilations1.6K03:36CompilationPSA 27:8ISA 55:6JER 29:13JOL 2:12HAG 2:6MAT 7:7HEB 12:26In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the urgency for believers to seek God wholeheartedly. He questions why people are distracted by worldly entertainment instead of focusing on the imminent return of Jesus. The preacher highlights the need for brokenness and a genuine desire to seek God's heart. He warns that a time will come when God will hide Himself, and people will struggle to find Him because they have not cultivated a habit of seeking Him. The preacher emphasizes the importance of seeking God now and allowing Him to shake and get the attention of His people.
Teach Us to Number Our Days Part 2
By Keith Daniel1.5K31:10PSA 95:7ISA 55:6JHN 3:3JHN 3:16ROM 10:132CO 6:2HEB 3:151PE 1:23
This sermon emphasizes the crucial message of being born again, as illustrated through the encounter of Nicodemus with Jesus in John 3. It highlights the necessity of a spiritual rebirth, the urgency of responding to God's call for salvation, and the eternal consequences of rejecting Christ. The preacher passionately urges the audience to seek God while they are still young and emphasizes the importance of making a decision to follow Christ without delay.
Election and Reprobation #13 Concerning Jacob and Esau
By John Calvin1.4K1:05:15GEN 27:31ISA 55:6MAT 6:33ROM 9:52CO 6:2GAL 1:8In this sermon, John Calvin focuses on the story of Isaac and his submission to the will of God. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good reputation and not being ashamed to change one's ways when necessary. Calvin warns against hardening oneself in obstinacy and urges listeners to abstain from doing any harm to those whom God has chosen. He also encourages believers to help and support the children of God, even if there is no worldly reward, as their ultimate reward is in heaven.
Quote - God Experienced
By Leonard Ravenhill1.4K00:06Faith in ActionExperiencing GodRavenhill QuotePSA 34:8PSA 46:10ISA 55:6JER 29:13MAT 7:7JHN 14:21PHP 3:10HEB 11:6JAS 4:81JN 1:3Leonard Ravenhill emphasizes that life is not random and that while God may be beyond human explanation, He can be profoundly experienced in our lives. This experience of God transcends mere understanding and invites believers to engage deeply with their faith. Ravenhill encourages listeners to seek a personal encounter with God, highlighting the transformative power of such experiences.
All to Jesus - Part 3
By Compilations1.4K05:45PSA 145:18ISA 55:6ROM 6:23PHP 2:10REV 4:11
This sermon discusses different groups of people who have encountered Christ in various ways, from those who see Him as a utilitarian solution to their problems, to those who seek status or emotional satisfaction. However, the focus is on the importance of encountering the holy God and the sovereign Christ, leading to a deep revelation of God's majesty, sovereignty, and holiness, resulting in true repentance, forgiveness, and a life lived for His glory.
The Covenant
By Bill Randles1.4K44:11CovenantGEN 12:1GEN 15:1GEN 15:4GEN 15:8GEN 15:17ISA 55:6MAT 6:33In this sermon, the preacher discusses the horror of great darkness and the significance of death in bringing about righteousness and everlasting life. He connects this concept to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the giving of the law to Moses. The preacher also mentions the quartet consisting of the U.S., the European Union, Russia, and the U.N., and their goal to solve the conflict between Israel and the Muslims. He concludes by referencing the story of Abram and the vultures, emphasizing the importance of death in the possession of the land and the fulfillment of God's promises.
Warning Against Rebellion
By Rolfe Barnard1.3K42:12RebellionPSA 14:1PRO 3:5ISA 55:6JER 29:11MAT 6:33JHN 14:6ROM 12:1In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the rebellious nature of human beings and their refusal to submit to God's authority. He highlights that every person, regardless of gender or age, constantly sends messages to God asserting their independence. However, the preacher also acknowledges the power of God's grace and mercy in overcoming this rebellion. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus as Lord and surrendering to His authority. The preacher shares his personal experience of initially resisting God's call to preach, but eventually submitting to His will.
Back to Bethel
By John R. Rice1.3K44:59CommunionPSA 27:4PSA 51:12PSA 139:23ISA 55:6MAT 7:7LUK 15:11JHN 3:36In this sermon, the preacher addresses Jacob, a biblical figure, urging him to return to Bethel. The preacher emphasizes that Jacob has been away for too long and needs to come back to experience the blessings, power, tears, and joy that he once had. The preacher also mentions the challenges Jacob faces in raising his children and the need for him to keep them on the right path. The sermon includes personal anecdotes about the preacher's own experiences with faith and trusting in God's provision.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found - Rab. David Kimchi gives the true sense of this passage: "Seek ye the Lord, because he may be found: call upon him, because he is near. Repent before ye die, for after death there is no conversion of the soul."
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
So gracious is the offer which Jehovah now makes to His people, so great are the promises that He makes to it, viz., the regal glory of David, and the government of the world by virtue of the religion of Jehovah. Hence the exhortation is addressed to it in Isa 55:6 and Isa 55:7 : "Seek ye Jehovah while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to Jehovah, and He will have compassion upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." They are to seek to press into the fellowship of Jehovah (dârash with the radical meaning terere, to acquire experimental knowledge or confidential acquaintance with anything) now that He is to be found (Isa 65:1, compare the parallelism of words and things in Jer 29:14), and to call upon Him, viz., for a share in that superabundant grace, ow that He is near, i.e., now that He approaches Israel, and offers it. In the admonition to repentance introduced in Isa 55:7, both sides of the μετάνοια find expression, viz., turning away from sinful self-will, and turning to the God of salvation. The apodosis with its promises commences with וירחמהוּ - then will He have compassion upon such a man; and consequently לסלוח כּי־ירבּה (with כּי because the fragmentary sentence ואל־אלהינוּ did not admit of the continuation with ו) has not a general, but an individual meaning (vid., Psa 130:4, Psa 130:7), and is to be translated as a future (for the expression, compare Isa 26:17).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
The condition and limit in the obtaining of the spiritual benefits (Isa 55:1-3): (1) Seek the Lord. (2) Seek Him while He is to be found (Isa 65:1; Psa 32:6; Mat 25:1-13; Joh 7:34; Joh 8:21; Co2 6:2; Heb 2:3; Heb 3:13, Heb 3:15). call--casting yourselves wholly on His mercy (Rom 10:13). Stronger than "seek"; so "near" is more positive than "while He may be found" (Rom 10:8-9). near--propitious (Psa 34:18; Psa 145:18).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,.... The Lord is to be sought unto at all times, whenever the people of God meet together, especially on sabbath days, and while the external ministry of the word lasts, and life itself; so the Targum, "seek the fear of the Lord, while ye are alive.'' Kimchi compares it with Ecc 9:10. The Jewish writers, as Aben Ezra and others, generally interpret it before the sealing of the decree, or before the decree is gone forth. It may be understood of place, as well as time, and be rendered, "seek the Lord in the place where he may be found" (l); God is to be found, as Aben Ezra observes, in all places, and at all times; under the Old Testament there was a particular place appointed for the worship of God, the tabernacle and temple, where he was to be sought unto, and might be found; under the New Testament, all places are alike, and wherever the church and people of God meet together, there he is to be sought, and there he may be found, even in his house and ordinances: call ye upon him while he is near; the same thing designed by different words: seeking and calling design not only prayer, but the whole of public worship, and the time and place when and where the Lord is to be found, and is near. Aben Ezra thinks it refers to the Shechinah in the sanctuary. Perhaps it may have some respect to the time of Christ's incarnation, and his being in the land of Judea; and to the destruction of the temple by the Romans, when the Lord could be no more sought unto, and found in that place; or when the Christians were obliged to move from Jerusalem, because of the siege of it; and when the Jews had no more an opportunity of hearing the Gospel there. (l) So in the Jerusalem Talmud, as quoted by Abendana on the place, "seek the Lord, where he is found, in the synagogues, and in the schools; call upon him, where he is near, in the synagogues, and in the schools.'' And so another Jewish writer, mentioned by him, interprets the words, "whilst the Shechinah is found in the sanctuary; before he hides his face, and causes his Shechinah to remove from you.''
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
We have here a further account of that covenant of grace which is made with us in Jesus Christ, both what is required and what is promised in the covenant, and of those considerations that are sufficient abundantly to confirm our believing compliance with and reliance on that covenant. This gracious discovery of God's good-will to the children of men is not to be confined either to the Jew or to the Gentile, to the Old Testament or to the New, much less to the captives in Babylon. No, both the precepts and the promises are here given to all, to every one that thirsts after happiness, Isa 55:1. And who does not? Hear this, and live. I. Here is a gracious offer made of pardon, and peace, and all happiness, to poor sinners, upon gospel terms, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7. 1. Let them pray, and their prayers shall be heard and answered (Isa 55:6): "Seek the Lord while he may be found. Seek him whom you have left by revolting from your allegiance to him and whom you have lost by provoking him to withdraw his favour from you. Call upon him now while he is near, and within call." Observe here, (1.) The duties required. [1.] "Seek the Lord. Seek to him, and enquire of him, as your oracle. Ask the law at his mouth. What wilt thou have me to do? Seek for him, and enquire after him, as your portion and happiness; seek to be reconciled to him and acquainted with him, and to be happy in his favour. Be sorry that you have lost him; be solicitous to find him; take the appointed method of finding him, making use of Christ as your way, the Spirit as your guide, and the word as your rule." [2.] "Call upon him. Pray to him, to be reconciled, and, being reconciled, pray to him for every thing else you have need of." (2.) The motives made use of to press these duties upon us: While he may be found - while he is near. [1.] It is implied that now God is near and will be found, so that it shall not be in vain to seek him and to call upon him. Now his patience is waiting on us, his word is calling to us, and his Spirit striving with us. Let us now improve our advantages and opportunities; for now is the accepted time. But, [2.] There is a day coming when he will be afar off, and will not be found, when the day of his patience is over, and his Spirit will strive no more. There may come such a time in this life, when the heart is incurably hardened; it is certain that at death and judgment the door will be shut, Luk 16:26; Luk 13:25, Luk 13:26. Mercy is now offered, but then judgment without mercy will take place. 2. Let them repent and reform, and their sins shall be pardoned, Isa 55:7. Here is a call to the unconverted, to the wicked and the unrighteous - to the wicked, who live in known gross sins, to the unrighteous, who live in the neglect of plain duties: to them is the word of this salvation sent, and all possible assurance given that penitent sinners shall find God a pardoning God. Observe here, (1.) What it is to repent. There are two things involved in repentance: - [1.] It is to turn from sin; it is to forsake it. It is to leave it, and to leave it with loathing and abhorrence, never to return to it again. The wicked must forsake his way, his evil way, as we would forsake a false way that will never bring us to the happiness we aim at, and a dangerous way, that leads to destruction. Let him not take one step more in that way. Nay, there must be not only a change of the way, but a change of the mind; the unrighteous must forsake his thoughts. Repentance, if it be true, strikes at the root, and washes the heart from wickedness. We must alter our judgments concerning persons and things, dislodge the corrupt imaginations and quit the vain pretences under which an unsanctified heart shelters itself. Note, It is not enough to break off from evil practices, but we must enter a caveat against evil thoughts. Yet this is not all: [2.] To repent is to return to the Lord; to return to him as our God, our sovereign Lord, against whom we have rebelled, and to whom we are concerned to reconcile ourselves; it is to return to the Lord as the fountain of life and living waters, which we had forsaken for broken cisterns. (2.) What encouragement we have thus to repent. If we do so, [1.] God will have mercy. He will not deal with us as our sins have deserved, but will have compassion on us. Misery is the object of mercy. Now both the consequences of sin, by which we have become truly miserable (Eze 16:5, Eze 16:6), and the nature of repentance, by which we are made sensible of our misery and are brought to bemoan ourselves (Jer 31:18), both these make us objects of pity, and with God there are tender mercies. [2.] He will abundantly pardon. He will multiply to pardon (so the word is), as we have multiplied to offend. Though our sins have been very great and very many, and though we have often backslidden and are still prone to offend, yet God will repeat his pardon, and welcome even backsliding children that return to him in sincerity. II. Here are encouragements given us to accept this offer and to venture our souls upon it. For, look which way we will, we find enough to confirm us in our belief of its validity and value. 1. If we look up to heaven, we find God's counsels there high and transcendent, his thoughts and ways infinitely above ours, Isa 55:8, Isa 55:9. The wicked are urged to forsake their evil ways and thoughts (Isa 55:7) and to return to God, that is, to bring their ways and thoughts to concur and comply with his; "for" (says he) "my thoughts and ways are not as yours. Yours are conversant only about things beneath; they are of the earth earthy: but mine are above, as the heaven is high above the earth; and, if you would approve yourselves true penitents, yours must be so too, and your affections must be set on things above." Or, rather, it is to be understood as an encouragement to us to depend upon God's promise to pardon sin, upon repentance. Sinners may be ready to fear that God will not be reconciled to them, because they could not find in their hearts to be reconciled to one who should have so basely and so frequently offended them. "But" (says God) "my thoughts in this matter are not as yours, but as far above them as the heaven is above the earth." They are so in other things. Men's sentiments concerning sin, and Christ, and holiness, concerning this world and the other, are vastly different from God's; but in nothing more than in the matter of reconciliation. We think God apt to take offence and backward to forgive - that, if he forgives once, he will not forgive a second time. Peter thought it a great deal to forgive seven times (Mat 18:21), and a hundred pence go far with us; but God meets returning sinners with pardoning mercy; he forgives freely, and as he gives: it is without upbraiding. We forgive and cannot forget; but, when God forgives sin, he remembers it no more. Thus God invites sinners to return to him, by possessing them with good thoughts of him, as Jer 31:20. 2. If we look down to this earth, we find God's word there powerful and effectual, and answering all its great intentions, Isa 55:10, Isa 55:11. Observe here, (1.) The efficacy of God's word in the kingdom of nature. He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; he appoints when it shall come, to what degree, and how long it shall lie there; he saith so to the small rain and the great rain of his strength, Job 37:6. And according to his order they come down from heaven, and do whatsoever he commands them upon the face of the world, whether it be for correction, or for his land, or for mercy, Isa 55:12, Isa 55:13. It returns not re infect - without having accomplished its end, but waters the earth, which he is therefore said to do from his chambers, Psa 104:13. And the watering of the earth is in order to its fruitfulness. Thus he makes it to bring forth and bud, for the products of the earth depend upon the dews of heaven; and thus it gives not only bread to the eater, present maintenance to the owner and his family, but seed likewise to the sower, that he may have food for another year. The husbandman must be a sower as well as an eater, else he will soon see the end of what he has. (2.) The efficacy of his word in the kingdom of providence and grace, which is as certain as the former: "So shall my word be, as powerful in the mouth of prophets as it is in the hand of providence; it shall not return unto me void, as unable to effect what it was sent for, or meeting with an insuperable opposition; no, it shall accomplish that which I please" (for it is the declaration of his will, according to the counsel of which he works all things) "and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." This assures us, [1.] That the promises of God shall all have their full accomplishment in due time, and not one iota or tittle of them shall fail, Kg1 8:56. These promises of mercy and grace shall have as real an effect upon the souls of believers, for their sanctification and comfort, as ever the rain had upon the earth, to make it fruitful. [2.] That according to the different errands on which the word is sent it will have its different effects. If it be not a savour of life unto life, it will be a savour of death unto death; if it do not convince the conscience and soften the heart, it will sear the conscience and harden the heart; if it do not ripen for heaven, it will ripen for hell. See Isa 6:9. One way or other, it will take effect. [3.] That Christ's coming into the world, as the dew from heaven (Hos 14:5), will not be in vain. For, if Israel be not gathered, he will be glorious in the conversion of the Gentiles; to them therefore the tenders of grace must be made when the Jews refuse them, that the wedding may be furnished with guests and the gospel not return void. 3. If we take a special view of the church, we shall find what great things God has done, and will do, for it (Isa 55:12, Isa 55:13): You shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace. This refers, (1.) To the deliverance and return of the Jews out of Babylon. They shall go out of their captivity, and be led forth towards their own land again. God will go before them as surely, though not as sensibly, as before their fathers in the pillar of cloud and fire. They shall go out, not with trembling, but with triumph, not with any regret to part with Babylon, or any fear of being fetched back, but with joy and peace. Their journey home over the mountains shall be pleasant, and they shall have the good-will and good wishes of all the countries they pass through. The hills and their inhabitants shall, as in a transport of joy, break forth into singing; and, if the people should altogether hold their peace, even the trees of the field would attend them with their applauses and acclamations. And, when they come to their own land, it shall be ready to bid them welcome; for, whereas they expected to find it all overgrown with briers and thorns, it shall be set with fir-trees and myrtle-trees: for, though it lay desolate, yet it enjoyed its sabbaths (Lev 26:34), which, when they were over, like the land after the sabbatical year, it was the better for. And this shall redound much to the honour of God and be to him for a name. But, (2.) Without doubt it looks further. This shall be for an everlasting sign, that it, [1.] The redemption of the Jews out of Babylon shall be a ratification of those promises that relate to gospel times. The accomplishment of the predictions relating to that great deliverance would be a pledge and earnest of the performance of all the other promises; for thereby it shall appear that he is faithful who has promised. [2.] It shall be a representation of the blessings promised and a type and figure of them. First, Gospel grace will set those at liberty that were in bondage to sin and Satan. They shall go out and be led forth. Christ shall make them free, and then they shall be free indeed. Secondly, It will fill those with joy that were melancholy. Psa 14:7, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. The earth and the inferior part of the creation shall share in the joy of this salvation, Psa 94:11, Psa 94:12. Thirdly, It will make a great change in men's characters. Those that were as thorns and briers, good for nothing but the fire, nay, hurtful and vexatious, shall become graceful and useful as the fir-tree and the myrtle-tree. Thorns and briers came in with sin and were the fruits of the curse, Gen 3:18. The raising of pleasant trees in the room of them signifies the removal of the curse of the law and the introduction of gospel blessings. The church's enemies were as thorns and briers; but, instead of them, God will raise up friends to be her protection and ornament. Or it may denote the world's growing better; instead of a generation of thorns and briers, there shall come up a generation of fir-trees and myrtles; the children shall be wiser and better than the parents. And, fourthly, in all this God shall be glorified. It shall be to him for a name, by which he will be made known and praised, and by it the people of God shall be encouraged. It shall be for an everlasting sign of God's favour to them, assuring them that, though it may for a time be clouded, it shall never be cut off. The covenant of grace is an everlasting covenant; for the present blessings of it are signs of everlasting ones.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
55:6-9 The prophet calls for a response while the time is right. 55:6 while you can find him: When God graciously extends an invitation to salvation, people must respond (65:1; Jer 29:13-14; Hos 5:6; 10:12). Those who do not seek him at such times risk never having the opportunity again.