Jesus used many metaphors, and one of the most common was comparing himself to food and drink. We need these to survive and won’t live long without them. It is the same with humans and Jesus. Without him, we will not live eternally because God is life itself and if we spurn him, we have actually chosen death.
In Isaiah
chapter 55, God calls to us, pleading with us to come to him and have life:
He says, “Come,
all who are thirsty, come to the waters. You who have no money, come and eat!
Come buy wine and milk at no cost to you.
Why do you
spend money on what is not bread, and work for what does not satisfy?
Listen,
listen to me and eat what is good and you will delight in the richest fare.
Give me your ear and come to me; listen that you may live. I will make an
eternal pact with you; I will give you the faithful love I promised to David.
Seek the
Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked
forsake their ways and the evil ones their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord
and he will have mercy on them, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.
For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain
and snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the
earth and making it bud and flourish – so is my word that goes out of my mouth:
It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve
the purpose for which I sent it.”
(Now God
speaks about the future life in heaven.)
“You will go
out in joy and be led in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song
before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of a
thorn bush will grow the juniper, and instead of briars the myrtle will grow.
This will be
for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign that will endure forever.”
(The first
verse of Isaiah 56 is apt in these days of injustice.)
“Maintain
justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my goodness
will soon be revealed.”
