Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 55:5

"Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee." — Isaiah 55:5 (ASV)

Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and nations that did not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.

That is, Jehovah has glorified Christ. It is promised that multitudes shall come to him. You shall call a nation that you do not know.

He never saw you in his house before. He never knew you to fall on your knees in prayer, but he is calling even you by his grace and by his gospel. You are here tonight, and he is calling you, even you; therefore, come to him at once.

There are some here who do not know Christ Jesus our Lord. They are strangers to his love and to his power to save, but the promise is that nations that did not know you shall run to you. That implies speed; it is a double quick march.

Oh, that many sinners would at once run to Christ! Some who often hear the gospel are very slow in coming to Christ; but I pray that some of you who do not know as much of it as they do may run to Christ at once, and be saved by him.

It is a blessed thing to take Christ at the first time of asking. Love to Christ at first sight is the wisest kind of love that can be. May it be largely bestowed on many of you! Listen to these next words.

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.

Here God speaks to Jesus, whom he has made a commander, and he tells him that he will not be without a people, for those who never knew him will come to him. There are some in this house tonight who have not yet yielded themselves to Christ – some of whom he will say, "Tonight I must abide in thy house"; and when that voice of power is heard, their hearts will yield, and they will become the disciples of Jesus.

Behold, you—

That is, Jesus, the Son of David: "Behold, you"—

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.

Observe, there was no communion between Christ and these people, for he did not know them, and they did not know him. It is the Scriptural mode of expressing the great gulf between these; yet, he is to call them, and they are to run to him. He is to find his subjects and his soldiers among those who have until now been ignorant of him. What a gracious covenant promise this is! Under the guise of a declaration made to Christ, this is really a promise made to the elect of God, that they shall be brought back from all their wanderings, and be ranged in their ranks beneath the banner of their Lord.

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.

Brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ did not die in vain. He died to redeem his chosen people, and those whom he redeemed he will certainly have. Even though some reject him, others will not. God has power over human hearts; and where Christ's gospel is faithfully preached, and attended by the Holy Spirit's power, sinners must come to Christ. Their will shall sweetly yield to the supremacy of love. Even though they set themselves against Christ, yet they shall come when the Lord draws them; and glory shall be gotten to his holy name by the salvation of those who never even thought of being saved.

Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and nations that did not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.

The promise is to Christ. Today are these words fulfilled in our ears, for, in calling these British Isles to know Christ, God has given to the Lord Jesus a people that did not know him. What did our forefathers know of Jesus when he was here below? And yet in this land he has multitudes of hearts that love his name.

Oh, that God would give this whole house full of souls to Christ tonight. What a casket it would make, full of jewels! Oh, that the gracious Father would bestow it on his Son!

Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and nations that did not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.

What joy this gives to you who love him! Jehovah has glorified his Son, and given to him the power to call to himself a people that he did not know in a saving sense, and he shall so call nations that did not know him that they shall run to him.

We do not preach the gospel haphazardly; we are sure of results. If we speak in faith, in the name of Christ, men must be saved, they must run to Christ. It is not left to their option; there is a divine hand that secretly touches the springs of the will of men, so that, when Christ calls them, they run to him. Oh, that he would just now call them, even those that are farthest off, that they may run to him and that he may be glorified!

A Savior without souls saved by him would be only a Savior in name. A head without a body would be a very ghastly thing. A shepherd without sheep would be a man without occupation. A Christ anointed to save the lost, and yet no lost ones coming to him, where would his glory be? But sinners, drawn by his almighty grace, run to him, and so God glorifies him.

Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and nations that did not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.

Christ must have a people. He did not die in vain. God will give him a following; he will not be a Commander without troops; he will not be a Leader without disciples. I will preach tonight in strong confidence that many will be saved in this place tonight.

Where there is faith, God will respond to it. Pray, you who are the people of God, that this promise may be kept. It is a promise to Christ, and the Father will keep his promise to his own Son. Be sure of this, he will glorify him, but he would have us pray for him.

Let every heart that knows how to pray be breathing out the petition, "Father, glorify your Son."

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.

So, brothers and sisters, the gospel must succeed. Christ must have whole nations to come to him; they must come; they shall come; for God has glorified his Son, and he glorifies him in this among other ways, in bringing nations to his feet. The gospel is no experiment; there is not a question as to its success. There may be dark days just now, and our hearts may sink as we look around; but the Father will keep his promise to the Son, and that encourages us to look up in the darkest hour. This fact, which is more than a promise, will never be altered, He hath glorified thee.

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.

What joy this gives to you who love Him! Jehovah has glorified His Son and given to Him the power to call to Himself a people that He did not know in a saving sense, and He will so call nations that did not know Him that they will run to Him.

We do not preach the gospel, dear brethren, at random; we are sure of results. If we speak in faith, in the name of Christ, people must be saved; they must run to Christ. It is not left to their option; there is a divine hand that secretly touches the springs of the will of people, so that, when Christ calls them, they run to Him. Oh, that He would call them right now, even those that are furthest away, that they may run to Him, and that He may be glorified!