Isa 55.1-13 carries on with prophecies about the Messiah just like the two previous chapters. This chapter is the haftorah (reading from the prophets) for Sukkot because of its references to living water.
v 1…Ho (“hoi”), every one (a universal invite to the non-Jews) who thirst (Exo 17.1-7; Rev 22.17; John 7.37-39; John 4.13-14, 6.53-58; Ezek 47.1-12-an idiom for true teaching) come to the waters (the Torah means teaching); and you who have no money (spiritually poor and bankrupt) come buy and eat (Rev 22.17, Matt 11.28). Come, buy wine (Torah, teaching, covenant, wedding, blood, joy, etc) and milk (the word of God-1 Pet 2.2; Heb 5.12), without money and without cost (freely given).
v 2…Why do you spend money for what is not bread (false doctrine-Eph 4.7; Deut 8.3) and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good (the Torah, Scriptures-Matt 4.4; John 4.32, John 6.56, Luke 10.40-42), and delight yourself in abundance (as opposed to having little).
v 3…Incline your ear and come to me. Listen, that you may live (be born again from above-Deut 30.6); and I will make an everlasting covenant with you (Jer 31.31-34; Num 25.12, Isa 54.10; Ezek 37.26). According to the faithful mercies shown to David (as promised and run into the future-2 Chr 6.42; Psa 89.51. The term “footsteps of thine anointed” in Psa 89.51 is “ikvot mashiach” meaning footsteps of the Messiah, and it is an eschatological term for the coming of the Messiah).
v 4…Behold, I have made him (David) a witness to the nations (non-Jews), a leader and a commander for the peoples (in the past-Psa 18.43).
v 5…Behold, you (Israel, having received the mercies of David) will call a nation (in the future) you do not know, and a nation which knows you not will run to you-Zech 8.22), because of the Lord your God, even the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you (these concepts are repeated in Isa 60.1-22).
v 6…Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near (this is read during the Yamim Noraim, or “ten days of awe” between Rosh Ha Shanah and Yom Kippur. Also, Isa 55.6 to 56.8 is the haftorah for the ninth of Av. The book of Lamentations is read in the evening, Deut 4.24-25 and Jer 8.13 to 9.23 is read in the morning, and Exo 34.1-10 in the afternoon).
v 7…Let the wicked forsake his way (of saving himself), and the unrighteous man his thoughts (his wrong thoughts on the faith, salvation, self-righteousness-Mark 7.20-23), and let him return to the Lord, and he will have compassion on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
v 8…For my thoughts (like the tree of knowledge), are not your thoughts (on sin, repentance, salvation, justice, mercy, pardon-but they should be), neither are your ways my ways (the Torah is God’s ways, anything else is man’s ways. The windows in the Temple were narrow on the outside and wider on the inside (1 Kings 6.4; Song 2.8. We are the center of our thoughts and ways we relate to things that way).
v 9… “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (we don’t have the natural capacity to see and do things the way Yehovah does).
v 10…For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
v 11…So shall my word be which goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty (Jer 1.12 says his word has power), without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
v 12…For you will go out (like going to the festivals or coming out of Babylon, etc) with joy (singing the Psalms of Ascent-Psa 120-134) and be led forth with peace (no war), the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees (seen as believers-Ezek 20.45-49, 21.6; Matt 7.17; Luke 23.31; Matt 15.13; Isa 61.3, 65.22; Jer 17.8; Psa 1.1-4) of the field will clap their hands.
v 13…Instead of the thorn bush (symbolic of the curse), the cypress (a blessing) will come up; and instead of nettles (the curse) the myrtle (blessing) will come up; and it will be a memorial (Hebrew “l’shem” or “for a name”) to the Lord (Yehovah) for an everlasting sign (of the glory of God) which will not be cut off.
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