Commentary on Isaiah 55:1-9

What an invitation this is! Isaiah 55 calls out to all who are thirsty and hungry, and any who have no money, to partake in God’s abundance at no cost. There will be wine and milk, and rich food that will delight and satisfy us. We are invited to come, just as we are; to listen to the Lord, that we may live.

This invitation appears at the end of the collection we identify as Second Isaiah (chapters 40–55). The promises proclaimed in this exilic section of Isaiah—that the Lord is sovereign and incomparable; that the Lord will save and restore; that the Lord will again make a way through the wilderness—culminate in a fitting homecoming feast.

The community addressed in Isaiah 55 still bears the scars of exile. They are those who thirst and who have no money. They are those in need of sustenance. They are those who have experienced tragedy and scarcity through forced displacement. Memories of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem would not be too distant in their minds. The experience of exile and the loss of land would have been fresh on their minds.¹

God is doing a new thing, though, and chapter 55 steers the people beyond their tragedy into new life. In verses 1–3, we see the juxtaposition between human condition and divine abundance in the following ways:

1. Those who thirst should come to the waters. It is human to thirst, but on the side of the divine is living water. Water in parched conditions is a sign of God’s providence (for example, Isaiah 41:17–18). One will also remember that God provided water from a rock in the wilderness (see Exodus 17 and Numbers 20). Further, communing with the Lord is often likened to drinking from a stream of living water that never runs dry (for example, the imagery in Psalm 1 depicting one who walks in the way of the Lord like a well-watered tree).
2. Those without money or resources, disenfranchised by the exile and empire, will be provided with good things in God’s new order. They will have access to wine and milk, a reminder that the land of milk and honey remains the people’s inheritance. Now the Lord will restore it to them.
3. It is the plight of humanity to labor, and to expend energy and strength on things that will not last nor satisfy. War, conflict, and colonial economic systems (all experiences of the exilic period) are key contributing factors to scarcity of food, soaring inflation rates, and lack of access to daily necessities. In the weariness of exile, God invites the people of God to finally rest at the feast where they can eat what is good and delight themselves in rich food. In communion with God, there will be satisfaction and true life.

This text invites the community to come to the Lord and incline their ear to the Lord. There, in the presence of the Lord, a divine exchange can take place: They will exchange their poverty and scarcity for God’s abundance and joy.

This divine exchange is rooted in God’s eternal covenant. Though David is mentioned, the prophet does not pursue the idea of Davidic lineage or kingship. Instead, it is proclaimed that the Davidic covenant, marked by the Lord’s steadfast love, will be renewed with the new generation of returnees to the land. The Lord is indeed doing a new thing. The covenant with historical roots now has a forward-looking thrust, whereby the glory of God will be reflected and embodied by the redeemed community, who will in turn be a witness to the nations.

The idea of being witnesses has been a theme in Second Isaiah (43:10; 44:8), and it is repeated in this oracle. Through their experiences of the Lord’s divine redemption and providence, the people of God can be witnesses of the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Through their witness, nations will be compelled to also recognize the glory and work of the Lord.

Up to this point, the prophetic proclamation functions as a pivot between past and future. One can place confidence in the future because such hope is rooted in the eternal covenant established long ago. The prophet makes a final pitch to God’s people: Seek the Lord and return to the Lord. In verses 6–9, God’s desire to have mercy and to pardon comes through, if only the people are willing.

This is an interesting text for Lent, where the people are invited to drink wine and milk, to feast on good and rich food, and to delight in this feast. One must not forget the circumstances of the prophet’s audience in Isaiah 55 at this point. The prophet is preaching comfort to the afflicted.

Nonetheless, the tradition of Lent has always been one of self-restraint. In observing Lent today, it is not uncommon to choose to give up a certain type of food or drink or some form of enjoyment. Here, however, the text depicts an almost indulgent feasting. There are elements of abundance and delight.

Perhaps due to this incongruence for modern readers, the question has often been asked of this text, whether the food-related language refers to materiality or to spirituality. Both elements are present in the text. The socio-historical context of the exile and repatriation necessitates the materiality of this text. Food, drink, and money are important for the community’s subsistence. The economy of empire has robbed them for these many years. The Lord of abundance promises that they will survive and thrive in God’s care nonetheless.

We, as people of God today, would do well to take seriously the materiality of the text. God intends that all who thirst and hunger shall have access to food for their well-being. How can we take seriously this vision of abundance? The church today might be led to reflect: How has God been abundant in my life? How might I be able to share this abundance with others?

At a deeper level, the text also hints at spirituality. The “food” that the Lord offers will truly satisfy. It is through listening that one will live (verse 3). The imperatives to listen, to come and delight oneself are invitations to pay attention to God’s words and walk in God’s ways. One should not forget that the prophet exhorts the community to seek the Lord and to return to the Lord (not just to their homeland). Have we chosen to do the same? Have we chosen to come, to listen, and to live?

1. Such memories can be found in the poetry of Lamentations. See, for instance, Lamentations 4:4–5, 9–10; 5:1–6.