Call of the Gentiles

[Isa. 5:5] 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.
This chapter first displays the fullness, freeness, excellence, and everlasting nature and foretells again the enlargement of Messiah's kingdom, 1-5; it was the call of the Gentle world to faith the result of G-d’s grace to the Jew first. The universal invitation to the Gentiles. This view leads the prophet to exhort all to seize the precious opportunity of sharing in such blessings, which were not, however, to be expected without repentance and reformation, 6, 7. And as the things now and formerly predicted were so great as to appear incredible, the prophet points to the omnipotence of G-d, who would infallibly accomplish His word, and bring about those glorious deliverances which He had promised; the happy effects of which are again set forth by images beautiful and poetical in the highest degree, 8-13.
Ho! This is a short, significant appeal, urging you to be wise enough to attend to your own interests.
Water is a metaphor for the Law and Wisdom: as the world cannot subsist without water, so it is impossible that it can subsist without wisdom. The Law is also compared to wine and milk: to wine because wine rejoices the heart, as it is written: 'The statutes of the L-rd are right, rejoicing the heart,' Psalms 19:8. It is compared also to milk, because milk is the subsistence of the child; so are the words of the Law the nourishment of his soul who walks in the Divine teaching, and grows up under it.
No money? Yet, in verse 2, it is said, "ye spend money." A seeming paradox. Ye are really spiritual bankrupts: but thinking yourselves to have money, namely, a devotion of your own making, ye lavish it on that "which is not bread," that is, on idols, whether literal or spiritual. Why do we spend money for what can't satisfy? This is a remarkably relevant question, in light of all the things we can pour our time and money and effort into things which will never satisfy they way G-d can satisfy.
Buy . . . without money is another paradox. We are bought, but not with a price paid by ourselves (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19). In a different sense we are to "buy" salvation, namely, by parting with everything which comes between us and Messiah who has bought it for us and by making it our own (Matt 13:44, 46; Lk. 12:33; Rev. 3:18).
Not bread? (Hab 2:13). It is the “bread of deceit” (Pr 20:17). Contrast this with the "bread of life" (John 6:32, 35; also LK. 14:16-20). Hearken . . . and eat; When two imperatives are joined, the second expresses the consequence of obeying the command in the first (Gen. 42:18). By hearkening ye shall eat "buy and eat." By buying, and so making it your own. Why should ye be so zealously attached to a doctrine from which your souls derive neither comfort nor nourishment?
First, we must listen diligently. The satisfaction G-d promises doesn't come to those who don't listen, and listen diligently. It takes time, attention, and effort to listen diligently, and some aren't willing do this.
Second, we must eat what is good. This requires some discernment. We must choose what is good, and then eat that. Many just simply eat whatever spiritual meal is set before them, without taking care to see that it is good.
Third, we must let your soul delight itself in abundance. Even when we listen, even when we eat what is good, we still must let our soul delight itself in abundance. You can sit down at a great spiritual meal, but by your stubborn or bad attitude, simply not let your soul delight itself in abundance.
I will make an everlasting covenant (Jer 32:40; 2 Sam 23:5) even the sure mercies of David, the mercies of grace (63:7; John 1:16) which I covenanted to give to David, and especially to Messiah, his antitype. Quoted in Acts 13:34. David did not lead through popularity polls or just giving the people what they wanted. He witnessed something from G-d, and he gave testimony of it to the people. Notice that David was a leader and a commander for the people. Not a leader and a commander of the people, but for the people.
The Messiah bore witness even unto death and claims, and plan of redeeming love (John 18:37; Rev. 1:5). Revelation is a "testimony"; because it is propounded to be received on the authority of the Giver, and not merely because it can be proved by arguments. The Commander is the "lawgiver".
Nations are gradation; from Israel, one nation, the Gospel spread to many nations, and will do so more fully on Israel's conversion.
Casting yourselves wholly on His mercy, unrighteous man! Hebrew, "man of iniquity"; true of all men. The "wicked" sins more openly in "his way"; the "unrighteous" refers to the more subtle workings of sin in the "thoughts." All are guilty in the latter respect, thought many fancy themselves safe, because not openly "wicked in ways" (Ps 94:11). The parallelism is that of gradation. The progress of the penitent is to be from negative reformation, "forsaking his way," and a farther step, "his thoughts," to positive repentance, "returning to the L-rd" (the only true repentance, Zec 12:10), and making G-d his G-d, along with the other children of G-d (the crowning point; appropriation of G-d to ourselves: "to our G-d"). "Return" implies that man originally walked with G-d, but has apostatized. Isaiah saith, "Our G-d," the G-d of the believing Israelites; those themselves redeemed desire others to come to their G-d (Ps 34:8; Rev. 22:17).
Abundantly pardon, means literally, "multiply to pardon," still more than "have mercy"; G-d's graciousness is felt more and more the longer one knows Him (Ps 130:7).
G-d's "thoughts" and "ways" in pardoning are not regulated by the proportion of the former, as men would be towards his fellow man who offended him. The hearts of men, once barren of spirituality, shall be made, by the outpouring of the Spirit under Messiah, to bear fruits of righteousness (5:6; Deut. 32:2; 2 Sam. 23:4; Ps 72:6).
The Word falling on the hard heart; it sometimes works a change at last; and even if so, it leaves men without excuse. The full accomplishment of this verse, and 55:12, 13, is, however, to be at the Jews' final restoration and conversion of the world (11:9-12; 60:1-5, 21).
These are general poetical images, expressing a great and happy change for the better. The thorn is an emblem of the wicked (2 Sam. 23:6; Mic 7:4).
Fir tree is the godly (60:13; Ps 92:12). Compare as to the change wrought, Rom. 6:19.
Brier is an emblem of uncultivation (5:6).
Myrtle in Hebrew, Hedes, from which comes Hedassah, the original name of Esther. Type of the Messianic Church; for it is a lowly, though beautiful, fragrant, and evergreen shrub (Ps 92:13, 14).
For a name for an everlasting sign is a perpetual memorial to the glory of Jehovah (Jer 13:11; 33:9). Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
How far is the distance between G-d's thoughts and ours?
How far is the distance between His ways and ours?