God is full of love and compassion for all people. The amazing love and compassion of God for all people is unfolded in the scripture passages for this lesson. These two chapters set forth for our consideration God’s mercy and kindness, His promise to His people, and His invitation to salvation extended to all nations. While some people imagine God is only vengeful, this could not be further from the truth. Through Holy Scripture, and in Jesus Christ, God has revealed Himself as being loving and compassionate toward all people. Only when people refuse to accept God’s love and mercy, and determine to do only evil, does God act in justice by His righteous judgement to stop their evildoing. God is good to all.

…….In order to read much of Isaiah and understand, it is important to know the setting of Gods people and realize it’s prophetic value. The Israelites (the Ten Tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel) at this moment are in Assyrian captivity, and Isaiah is encouraging them to hold the faith and realize God is still in control and still in love. But many Christians including the Apostle Paul portrays it to be about the current Jerusalem (Galatians 4:24-27), or today’s believers in Christ. Those of the Christian faith. From this we conclude this prophecy has a double meaning, as is true of many prophecies. It could be about the reestablishment of the Jews by God after the captivity, and it could also be about the establishment of the church by God as a result of the coming of Jesus the Messiah.

GOD’S EVERLASTING MERCY AND KINDNESS
A. Barren No More
Isa 54:1  Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
…….There is likely nothing more discouraging to a woman to desire to have children but not be able to. This was the comparison the writer makes to the children of Israel being denied their homeland. He encourages though, sing and rejoice anyway because you future is shortly going to change.
Isa 54:2  Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
Isa 54:3  For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
…….What an encouragement here! Isaiah instructs them to make some room in your own place (vs. 2) because you are about to possess. He’s didn’t say the Gentiles were going to inherit thy seed, but your seed is going to inherit (take possession, cast out) the Gentiles! Everyone who is without will be possessors!
Isa 54:4  Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
……..He said, all those time that you remember being disappointed and empty, don’t worry because there’s coming a time where your emptiness will be totally forgotten! All the times in sin that hold your mind captive will be totally eradicated!

B. A Widow No More
Isa 54:5  For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Isa 54:6  For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
…….To understand the woman at this time being grieved in spirit is to understand how shameful it was for a woman in biblical times to be barren, or unable to produce a child. Isaiah says, first realize who it is that is calling you! The first and most important realization of salvation is that of “WHO” is saving us! If we never come to the realization of, or ever lose sight of the “WHO”, we may never find eternal deliverance. Don’t lose sight of the one who delivered you! He didn’t save us in the midst of all of our perfections, but found us grieved in spirit and lacking understanding! Don’t lose focus onJesus Christ and what He has performed in you!
Isa 54:7  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Isa 54:8  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
…….He may have hid his face in the midst of our calamities, but He’s never left nor forsaken us!
Isa 54:9  For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
…….Oh the depths of the incomprehensible perfect love of God! He makes a comparison of when he destroyed the earth because of wickedness, but declares He will now change us with mercy and Grace!
Isa 54:10  For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
…….He may take away things and structures of creation, but He will never utterly destroy His created beings again! Oh what love!

GOD’S PROMISE TO HIS PEOPLE
A. Promise to the Afflicted
Isa 54:11  O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
…….There is nothing that captures the attention of the flesh than the images of majesty. Think about a luxurious hotel or great mansions who have held back no expenses to captivate the mind. These tactics and ideas only come from the promises of God, but have no comparison to what God can and will perform.
Isa 54:12  And I will make thy windows of agates (marble, gemstones), and thy gates of carbuncles (masonry gemstone), and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
…….Think about this; now why in the world would anyone make gates of stone? Because there will be absolutely no reason to open them again! When we get there we will be secured!
Isa 54:13  And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Isa 54:14  In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
…….Oppression, fear, depression and anxiety are enemies of the righteousness of God! For some reason the church and it’s people have weakened the truths against it and ushered it in! We must return to the word of God and stand on His promises that deliverance never invites the mental attacks of the enemy!
Isa 54:15  Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
…….Remember this especially in the times ahead, God is not only with us but standing in front of us!

B. Promise of Heritage
Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
…….Not only did he create the hands that make weapons, but He also created the hands that occupy them for evil. There is nothing that can be done to a child of God contrary to His perfect will. Not only will He judge and punish those who intend to hurt us physically, but also the ones who attempt to do harm verbally. There is not a single open avenue for the enemy to freely take route. What a promise!

GOD’S INVITATION TO THE NATIONS
A. Invitation to All
Isa 55:1  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.
Isa 55:2  Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
…….There is not a price or anything that can be bought that compare to the value of being fed spiritually by the Spirit of God! The great thing is, it doesn’t cost a dime, but will cost you to give up everything that weighs us down!
Isa 55:3  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.
…….This is a promise that we will have Christ as our protector and provider!
Isa 55:4  Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
…….Liken to King David but much greater, Christ is the one who we can put all of our trust in and never worry!
Isa 55:5  Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
…….Not only can we be secured in the Lord but those that are without will desire exactly what you have and do/give up anything and everything the attain it!

B. Invitation to Transformation
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
…….Remember this in every time of confusion.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 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, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11 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.
Isa 55:12 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.
Isa 55:13 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 the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
…….These verses begin with an appeal to seek the Lord, forsake all evil, and receive the Lord’s forgiveness of sins. These actions are the requirements for receiving the spiritual transformation by which God brings a person into a right relationship with himself. For those who lived before Christ came, this transformation was made possible in anticipation of his coming, and for those who have lived since he came, it has been possible because he came. Living in right relationship with God, we have spiritual and everlasting life, we reference God, believe His word, and are blessed with all spiritual blessings.