The Hebrew prophet Isaiah offered a great invitation to everyone to come to the fountain of grace.
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isaiah 55:1).
The blessings of God are available “without cost.” Salvation is a free gift of God. This invitation is a picture of grace in the Old Testament. These blessings are gifts of divine grace, and they are also obtained by grace. They are received only by a sense of need and readiness to accept them.
When speaking of the remnant of Israel the apostle Paul wrote, “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Romans 11:6). Free grace and works are like water and oil; they do not mix. They are opposites; they are incompatible.
The only qualification is to be spiritually thirsty and needy. The “water” of refreshing and cleaning that Christ gives is the “water of life.” He gives the “wine” of joy, exhilarating, comforting, and refreshing that “makes glad the heart of man.” He gives “wine” with fullness of holy delight and “milk” that nourishes and satisfies the soul. These are pictures of the satisfying and sustaining qualities of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He brings satisfaction to the soul for time and eternity. The water, wine, and milk are the full supply of life joy and satisfaction in the Christian’s life.
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