Isaiah 55:6
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Isaiah 55 extends a generous invitation to come freely to the LORD; this verse urges an immediate, wholehearted response to that offer.
What Does Isaiah 55:6 Mean?
Isaiah 55:6 is an urgent call to seek and call on the LORD now, while He is near and may be found. The verse carries a tone of invitation but also of urgency. The phrases "while he may be found" and "while he is near" imply that the opportunity to respond is real and present, and should not be presumed upon indefinitely. God is offering nearness, and the appropriate response is to seek Him without delay.
Two parallel actions are commanded: to "seek" the LORD and to "call upon him." Seeking suggests turning the whole self toward God in earnest desire, while calling suggests prayer and appeal. Together they describe a wholehearted reaching for relationship with God. This invitation follows the great offer earlier in the chapter for the thirsty to come and receive freely, and it leads directly into the call for the wicked to forsake their ways and return. The verse assumes God's willingness to be found -- He is genuinely near and available. For the reader, it presses a simple but weighty point: the time to turn to God is now. His nearness is an open door, and the wise response is to walk through it while it stands open.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew darash means to seek, inquire after, or pursue diligently; qara' means to call out, summon, or invoke, as in calling upon God in prayer.
Cross References
“behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:2
“thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
- Deuteronomy 4:29
“Let the wicked forsake his way... and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him.”
- Isaiah 55:7
Application
Do not delay turning to God; seek Him earnestly and call on Him today, while His nearness and invitation stand open to you.
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