Free

Aloha Dearest Family,

Today we will examine a scripture that, for most people, is difficult to understand. 

Ho, every one that thirsts, 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. (Isaiah 55:1) 

This scripture seems to make no sense. How can one come and buy wine and milk with no money and without price? To the Western mind this verse is very difficult, but to the Eastern mind it is not. Remember, the Bible is an Eastern book and many of the scripture passages must be understood with the Eastern culture and customs in mind. For example, in our culture, when someone has a birthday, that person expects gifts from the guests at the party. In the East, the person who's birthday it is gives gifts to his or her guests. Also, a rich man may go down to the market place on his birthday and purchase all of the items that the vendors have to sell. The rich man can then say, "he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." The reason it is "without price" is because it has already been paid for. It is free to the guests because the rich man purchased these items beforehand. Now this verse makes sense to us once we understand the Eastern custom of the time when it was written.

But how does this apply to us today? If you look at this verse in the context, we see it refers back to God's "righteous servant" in chapter 53. This servant would suffer and take upon him the sins and iniquities of the people as their sacrifice. The servant that would do this was Jesus Christ and in the chapters that follow we see the results of what he would accomplish by his death and resurrection. One of these verses is our verse, Isaiah 55:1. God is saying, Everyone that thirsts, come to the waters and partake of all of my abundant goodness because it has already been paid for. It is free to us - but it was not free to Jesus Christ. He paid for it with his very life, on the tree, for us. Our more than abundant life has been purchased by him.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32) 

God has freely given us all things. But as we have seen earlier-freedom wasn't free. It cost God the life of His son. Let us look at more of what is now "free" to us.

 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:22)

 Therefore as by the offence of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus Christ) the free  gift came upon all men unto justification of life. ( Romans 5:18)

 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

 Words would fail when describing the gratefulness that I have for Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that he made to make me truly free. My old crummy life is a thing of the past and a brand new one has been purchased for me. Now every day is a celebration, and it did not cost me anything. Jesus Christ paid for the party.

Love Always, Ray