(1) "Ho, 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. (2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? harken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (3) Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (4) Behold, I have given Him for a Witness to the peoples, a Leader and Commander to the peoples. (5) Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He hath glorified thee.
(6) "Seek ye Jehovah while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is near; (7) let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. (8) For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith Jehovah. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. (10) For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; (11) so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (12) For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (13) 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."
Golden Text.—"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found." Verse 6.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) To whom is the appeal in this lesson especially addressed? What are they invited to do? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) What pointed question followed the invitation? What wise counsel is added? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) What further counsel and promise is given? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) What does the Lord say Christ was given for? Verse 4. Note 4. (5) What should Israel be instrumental in calling? Why should such a nation come to them? Verse 5. Note 5. (6) What urgent injunction is therefore given them? Verse 6. Note 6. (7) What should the wicked forsake? And the unrighteous man? And what next? Verse 7. (8) How does man differ from God? Verse 8. (9) How is this difference specified? Verse 9. Note 7. (10) By what is the operation of God's Word illustrated? Verse 10. Note 8. (11) What similarity to the rain is there in the Word of God? Verse 11. (12) What blessing will eventually come to God's people? Verse 12. (13) What will mark the great reformation in the earth?
NOTES.
1. "Come" is the burden of the Gospel call from its first utterance in Eden to the close of human probation. Come "every one that thirsteth," "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." The only thing necessary to the realization of this blessing is to heed the invitation to come, believing that Christ is able and willing to make good His promise. "Whosoever drinketh [continues to drink] of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst again." John 4:14. This call, through the prophet, to the thirsty is equivalent to that made by Christ to the "weary" and "heavy laden," to whom He promises "rest." See Matt. 11:28-30. The sinner's every need is met in the Gospel of Christ
2. It is the waste of money and the waste of vitality in useless labor that brings men to want. God wants men to live well, and to be happy; and if they would "harken diligently" to His Word, all would have plenty; for each would love his neighbor as himself. This is the one principle needed in this world to secure peace and good will to all.
3. The "everlasting covenant" and the "sure mercies of David" show the inseparable connection between the law of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The everlasting covenant is that God will write His law in the hearts of His people (Jer. 31: 31-33; Heb. 8:8-10), and the "sure mercies of David" was the promise of Christ (Acts 2:29-31; 13:32-37). So, in the Revelation, those who get the final victory over the "beast" and his "image" are specially designated as "they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Chapter 14:12.
4. Christ came to earth as a witness in person (Heb. 1:1, 2) to the plan of salvation; and He is verily the Leader of His people, by His Word and Spirit, in the Gospel work to which He has assigned them; as also the Commander of all the host in heaven and on earth.
5. The nation that Israel did not know—could not recognize because they failed to grasp spiritual things—was the spiritual seed, gathered not only from their own ranks but from the Gentiles. See Rom. 9:22-26. Notwithstanding the failure of that nation to fulfil their mission with as much profit to themselves as they might have realized, it is still true that "salvation is of the Jews." They were the conservators of God's truth through centuries of the world's long night, until One of their nation according to the flesh caused the light to shine with greater effulgence, and began to gather others into His fold.
6. While Christ is seeking to "save that which is lost," it is time for the lost to seek Jehovah. The opportunity for at-one-ment is fast passing away.
7. Men can not understand how their offences against God, which are so great, can be forgiven. Such mercy, being so much past any inclination of their own hearts, is too great for them to comprehend.
8. The Word is illustrated by tangible things that men can understand. The rain comes down from the lofty clouds, and waters the lowest spots of the earth, carrying life to the smallest seed and rootlet; so God's Word brings spirit and life (John 6:63) to the most humble seeker after truth.
