Pease read the passage before the commentary.
The passage is from what we call Second Isaiah. It is the
work of Isaiah’s students, carrying on his work.
Rain and snow come down to earth making it fertile and
carrying God’s designs for it. For a people wanting to return
from exile this is a comforting thought, that shows concern by
sending God’s word just as assuredly as God sends rain and snow.
God is a sower who goes out to sow. God sows his word like
gentle rain as strong encouragement to his suffering and
hopeless people. Isaiah challenged his people to receive the
word that gently rained down upon them. Jesus strongly
encourages us to welcome the word sown among us.
It seems that for Isaiah, God’s word is effective, like
rain and snow, but in the Gospel God’s words seem to depend on
how we welcome it. In both Isaiah and Matthew, however, it is
God all-powerful word that comes down to earth to achieve the
end for what God sends it.
What concerns your life, your mind, your thoughts? God’s
word will not return to God having done nothing but rather will
achieve the end for which God sends.
This is true of God’s word. It is also true of us. God’s
word fashioned us. God’s word took on our human flesh. We are
made in the image and likeness of God. We have in a very real
sense, God’s word, spoken through us, God’s word, sent like
gentle rain or snow to accomplish and achieve the purposes for
which God sent it.
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