Isaiah 55:6.
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
This passage of Scripture is no proof of a day of grace, which, if men improve, they may enjoy the favor of God; but if they let it slip, if it is once elapsed, there is no more opportunity of meeting with him.
1. They are an exhortation to public worship, signified by seeking the Lord and calling upon him; the time for which, with the Jews, was on the seventh day of the week, and with us Christians, on the first; these being times in which he might be found, it became the Jews of old, and us now, to attend public ordinances, in expectation of meeting with God; since he has promised his people to be in the midst of them, when they are met together.
2. The words may be so rendered, as that they may be understood of place as well as time; Seek ye the Lord, waxmhb, in his being found, call ye upon him, wtwyhb brq, in his being near; that is, in the place where he is to be found, and in the place where he is near. Now, though God is everywhere, and in all places, yet, in the Old Testament dispensation, there was a particular place for public worship appointed, where God vouchsafed his presence, and where it was both the duty and interest of his people to attend; and though under the gospel dispensation, all places are alike, yet where the saints agree to meet together, there God has promised to be in the midst of them; and, therefore, there should he se sought and called upon.
3. The, words may have a particular regard to Christ’s being on earth in the land of Judea, seeing he is spoken of under the name of David (v. 3), and is promised to be given for a witness to the people, a leader, and commander of the people (v. 4), and it is prophesied of him, that there should be a large concourse of the Gentiles to him (v. 5), who are here encouraged, or rather the Jews, to seek unto him, and call upon him, while he was in their land, near unto them; when they had the advantage of his personal presence, ministry, and miracles.
