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Isaiah 55:10–11
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Human speech can have much power, moving people to action. World history is marked by great speeches that motivated men and women to defend their country from attack, to change constitutions and laws, and to devote themselves to a cause. Yet for all that human speech can accomplish, it does not invariably bring about the results intended by the speaker. Sometimes our words fail to achieve the effects that we desire.
This is not the case for God’s words. As we conclude our study of the division of systematic theology that deals with divine revelation, we note today that the Word of God always produces what the Lord intends. His speech really is that powerful. It must be, for God could not truly be the King who rules over all if He could not bring about everything that He has spoken (Num. 23:19; Ps. 103:19).
Isaiah 55:10–11 presents some of the clearest teaching in Scripture on the power of the Word of God. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord compares His speech to the rain and its certain effects. Just as the rain surely waters the earth so that it brings forth vegetation, the words of our God surely produce what He has intended. In fact, given the difference between the Creator and His creation, it is more certain that the words of the Lord will achieve His ends than that the rain will grant life. John Calvin comments: “If we see great efficacy in the rain, which waters and fertilizes the earth, much greater efficacy will God display in his word. The rain is transitory and liable to corruption; but the word is eternal, unchangeable, and incorruptible, and cannot, like the rain, vanish away.”
The prophet was predicting Judah’s return from exile, and that original audience needed to hear the surety of God’s Word with respect to salvation. Isaiah 55:10–11 would encourage the Jewish exiles that despite their weakness relative to great empires such as Babylon and Persia, the Lord would accomplish His good purposes for them. God’s words concerning the Jews’ coming back to the land had to come to pass, for they were spoken by the omnipotent Creator Himself through Isaiah. Note, however, that the efficacy of God’s Word is not limited to salvation. Sometimes the Lord intends that people not obey His Word, that they harden their hearts against Him, as was the case with Pharaoh (Ex. 4:21). Even when people disobey the words of the Lord, they still accomplish His purpose, because even their disobedience is ordained by God.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Disobedience does not please God even if He intends to harden people by His Word, and we can never blame Him for our unbelief. Moreover, the power of God’s Word assures us that we do not have to rely on special means to bring about His will. We merely need to be faithful in proclaiming God’s Word. God brings about His purposes every time when we do so.
For further study
- Psalm 147:12–20
- John 6:63
The bible in a year
- Exodus 25–26
- Matthew 21:1–22
- Exodus 27–31
- Matthew 21:23–22:22