Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 55:4

"Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples." — Isaiah 55:4 (ASV)

Behold, I have given him–

One greater than David, even the Beloved of the Lord, the Only-begotten, the Messiah Prince, the King of kings, even Jesus.

For a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

God did not give us an angel to lead us, but he gave us his Son; and he did not merely give us his Son to be an example, but to die for us, to bleed to death on our behalf, to be our Substitute, dying in our place and stead.

"I have given him." This is the greatest wonder that ever was.

"God so loved the world that he gave his Only-begotten Son;" not, "God so loved the saintly; God so loved the earnest; God so loved the moral;" but "the world," the commonplace, sinful world; he so loved those who lay dead in trespasses and sins "that he gave his Only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

And the Father, in giving his Son, gives him a promise:

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

He who is our greater David comes to us to bear witness of the immutable love of God, and to be to us our Captain and our King.

Happy are the souls that accept this David to be their Leader. You remember how David, in the cave Adullam, gathered to himself every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, and he became a captain over them. Even so, the great Antitype, David's Son and David's Lord is willing now to gather to himself those who are spiritually bankrupt, discontented, and weary with the world, and God says, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. (Isaiah 55:4)

God's Witness of his great love to us is his own Son. You cannot doubt God's readiness to receive guilty men, since Christ has come in the flesh.

You cannot doubt his love to sinners, since his only-begotten Son has come to be a Witness to it. Oh, for grace to range ourselves under his banner, and to follow his footsteps, for God has given him to be a Leader and Commander to the people! Nor shall he be a Leader without followers, nor a Commander without an army.

Where is he to get his followers and his army? Read the next verse.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Jesus Christ is the people's Witness and Leader; born among them, living among them, dying for them, living still to save them; and God declares that he gives this Christ to such as hear him, to such as incline their ear, and come to him.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

I have given him; that is, David's greater Son, the true David, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

He who is our greater David comes to us to bear witness to the immutable love of God, and to be to us our Captain and our King.

Happy are the souls that accept this David to be their Leader. You remember how David, in the cave Adullam, gathered to himself every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, and he became a captain over them. Even so, the great Antitype, David's Son and David's Lord, is willing now to gather to himself those who are spiritually bankrupt, discontented, and weary with the world, and God says, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Behold, I have given him

That is the Son of David Jesus the Christ, I have given him.

For a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

If you want anyone to tell you what God is, Jesus Christ is the witness to the character of God. Do you want a leader to lead you back to peace and happiness—a commander by whose power you may be able to fight Satan and all the powers of darkness that hold you in bondage? God has given His Son to be such a leader to you.

Oh! Who would not enlist beneath His banner?

Behold, I have given him

That is the Son of David – Jesus the Christ – I have given him.

For a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

If you want anyone to tell you what God is, Jesus Christ is the witness to the character of God. Do you want a leader to lead you back to peace and happiness – a commander by whose power you may be able to fight Satan and all the powers of darkness that hold you in bondage? In Jesus Christ is all that I can need for time and eternity, and this can all be mine for the asking and receiving. Shall we not ask and receive?

Behold I have given him for a witness to the people,

To bear witness to people of what God is.

A leader and commander to the people.

For Christ loves the people, and he leads them rightly. He will lead them to glory.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Jesus Christ is a witness to you of his Father's love. I do not know how God could show his love more fully than he does in the life and death of his Son, Jesus Christ. Christ is the great witness of the Father's love.

Behold how he loves his people in that he gives his Son to die for them! Will you not clasp hands with God across this great sacrifice of his only-begotten Son? Let us do so now again as we have often done before.

I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. If he leads, let us follow; if he commands, let us obey.

His command is that we are to believe in his name and to be baptized in his name; let us not be disobedient to any part of his holy will.

Now comes a promise made to our great Leader, our Covenant Head.