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This week, we are journeying through Isaiah 55. So far, this chapter has presented an invitation from the Lord to come to Him and accept the free gift of salvation, and it has prophesied of the coming Messiah and King who will rule over all peoples of the earth. Today we will pick up with verses 6-7.
"Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
The invitation continues today as the invitation is given to seek God while the opportunity is still at hand. There is something about this invitation that is almost ominous. It is not written directly as a warning, but you can understand and interpret it as one. To say, "seek the Lord while he may be found," implies that there will come a day when this offer will expire. Judgment is coming. But for now, there is a season of grace, and the invitation remains to follow Jesus. Now is the time to come to Jesus! It reminds me of the parables in Matthew 24 that all serve to illustrate that Jesus could return at any time. It will be sudden, and this time to repent and turn to follow Jesus before judgment will cease.
This passage also speaks of repentance. Repentance is a huge piece of seeking the Lord while He is near. These two verses show us that forsaking wickedness and unrighteousness, including ungodly thoughts, is part of the process of seeking God. As you seek the Lord and learn of His holiness and His character–His wrath and justice, along with His grace and mercy–repentance is the proper response. Only by turning away from sin can we turn toward the Lord as His followers and children. We "return to the Lord" by turning away from sin. A true seeking of the Lord will lead to repentance. There is not only a turning away from something but also a turning to something. We turn away from sin, and by doing so, each of us turns to a relationship with the Lord as His follower and child.
Repentance is a topic that sometimes triggers a negative response or reaction. It can feel vulnerable and even scary. But what does this text say repentance before the Lord will be met with? Take a look back and find the two things that come as a result of repentance according to this passage. Did you find them?
Compassion and abundant pardon! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Not anger and spite. No "I told you so" or turning up His nose. Compassion and abundant pardon. Sufficient pardon. Complete pardon. The kindness of the Lord and the story of the Gospel unfolds as we understand that we need not hide from the Lord. Yes, our sin did indeed separate us from Him and sever the relationship. Yes, He has righteous wrath towards our sin. But our God is One of compassion and mercy. There is nothing we could ever do to earn our right standing before God, so in His perfect love, He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sin. Then the relationship is restored between God and the repentant sinner, and he or she becomes a child of God, a sinner made a saint!
This is a beautiful and clear picture of salvation in the Old Testament. We see a scene set for salvation by grace through faith all the way back in Isaiah. It's not a doctrine that is only introduced in the New Testament. This is the Gospel, and I praise God that He has revealed it to us through His Word!
The order of events here is also important. Seek, repent, return, receive. Look for this progression in today's Biblical text. First the invitation is to seek the Lord. As one truly seeks the Lord, they will be led to repent. They can return to the Lord and have an abundant relationship with Him as they forsake their sin and choose to follow Jesus. Then they will receive compassion and abundant pardon from the Lord of all! Praise the Lord for the Gospel!
Have you received the abundant pardon from the Lord? May it humble you today and let it lead you to praise God for His compassion.
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