A Brief Interlude

Scripture:
Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 55:6-7

Observation: This evangelistic call is - structurally - an interlude. Chapter 54 was a full chapter of the prophesy of the Messiah, and Chapter 55, verses 1-5 are the invitation of God calling people to receive the free gift of salvation. ("Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat ...") Then, verses 8-13 address the question of why God would even offer the free gift of salvation and mercy by making it clear that he does so for his purposes and his ways. ("For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts ...")

However, verses 6-7 are not quotes of God - they are not in quotations, they are instead a transitional interlude between these two thoughts of God, written by the prophet. They are not the invitation to salvation, they are the instructions on what to do ... to seek the Lord now, forsake wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, and turn to the Lord. These verses also include the promise - the Lord will have mercy and forgive.

Application: Even when God's word is clear and pleasing, God also wants to work with us - believers - to guide others to him. In this case, in the midst of God's own words, he allows Isaiah to add a "human touch" to the call to repentance and salvation.

In this example, we see that we can add a "practical" element to the message of salvation. Isaiah gives the "how to" message, but in a positive, constructive way.

This is likely an important element to remember. I love to tell people "Jesus loves you", and there are times when I want to tell people "stop doing those things." However, perhaps what I should be telling people is "God wants to bless you, so repent of what is wrong and believe in Jesus as your savior." That's the example of the clear message Isaiah's interlude provides.

In other words ... maybe it really is as simply stated as John 3:16.

Prayer: Lord, I love reading the prophesy of Isaiah, for it makes it so clear and obvious that salvation through Jesus was always your intention and your plan. It is comforting to see it all in black and white. May I be your instrument to help others see this as well. As you lead me, give me simple words to offer loving guidance to others that will help them discover your truth ... that will lead them to the richest food and choicest wine, that they can buy without money. Amen.