THE KING’S BUSINESS God’s Gracious Invitation
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JULY 29, 1917. LESSON V. Isa. 55:1-11. (Read 1-13. Memorize v$. 1, 2). G olden T ext : “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.”—Isa. 55: 6 .
DAILY BIBLE READINGS Mon., July 23—Isaiah 55. (The Lesson).
Tues., July 24—1 Cor. 1:18-2:5. Wed., July 25—1 Cor. 1 :l-9. Thurs., July 26—1 Cor. 1:10-17.
Fri., July 27—2 Tim. 1:3-14. Sat., July 28—Luke 14:15-24. Sun., July 29—Heb. 3 :1-15. EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
come, but “every one” that does thirst may- come. The poor and penniless are espec ially invited, salvation is a free gift, abso lutely free. Any one who wishes to pay for it cannot have it at all (cf. 1:53; Eph, 2 : 8 ) , All are penniless, and none more so than they who think they are rich (Rev. 3:17). The invitation is not only to those who are poor in purse, but also to those who are poor in intellect (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26, 27), and to those who are poor .in char acter, bankrupt in character (1 Tim. 1:15). The grace of God and the gift of His Spirit are symbolized in the Bible by water, wine and milk. Water that quenches thirst, and fully satisfies (cf. John 4:14), wine that stimulates and gladdens (Eph. 5:18; Acts 2:13; Psa. 144:15), and milk that nourishes and promotes growth (1 Peter 2:2). These all can be had without money and without price. The one thing that we have to part with to get that is our sins (v. 7). The grace of God supplies every, need. (cf. Phil. 4:19). v. 2. “Wherefore do ye spend money fo r that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? heark en diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." , God here expostulates with His people for buying that which does not feed and their labour for that which does not satisfy. All worldlings are guilty of this folly, the worldling is spend-
v. 2. “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.” The call to free arid full salvation in Isaiah 55 is founded upon the sufferings of the atoning Saviouri described in Isaiah 52 and 53. It has been contended that Isaiah could not have written these chapters and other later chapters of Isaiah because they are so far beyond his day. Yes, they are beyond Isaiah’s day, but what day before the time of Christ are they not beyond, and everyone admits that they were written before the time of .Christ. But while (hey are beyond the time of Isaiah and any other time up to the time Of Christ, they are not beyond God and God is the real speaker. Isaiah was inspired of God and in what he says he is not giving his own ideas or the ideas of the time, but he ‘.‘spake from God, being moved (carried along) by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21). The primary application of the invi tation and promise is to Israel, but it is perfectly legitimate and warranted by the New Testament to apply it to all believers (Gal. 3:29; John 3:27; Rev. 22:17). The invitation is extended to “every one who thirsteth.” All that one who is thirsty needs to do is simply -to “come to the waters.” The water that Christ gives sym bolizes the Holy Spirit (John 4:10, 13, 14; 7 :37, 38). If one does riot thirst he cannot
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