Some Misinterpretations of Isaiah 55:11

     In addition to the Isaiah passages that prophesy Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, many believers instantly recognize the quotation from Isaiah 55:11: So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it (Isa. 55:11).[1] As a result of the verse’s popularity, believers often apply it to any number of situations. Examples of the verse’s implementation include the proclamation that an unbeliever will come to Christ after hearing the gospel, or that a situation’s outcome will be the one that the believer desires merely because he quoted Isaiah 55:11. In reality, the prophet intended neither of these meanings, and perhaps the only verse that believers and unbelievers alike take out of context more frequently than Isaiah 55:11 is Philippians 4:13.

EXAMPLES OF MISINTERPRETATIONS OF ISAIAH 55:11

            Decades ago before the rise of computer generated graphics, Lon Chaney, Sr. held the title “the man of a thousand faces.” Chaney was a talented actor who also became an expert at makeup application. For his roles in the classic movies The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera, he created the now famous appearances of the leading characters Quasimodo and Erik. Unfortunately, believers often treat Isaiah 55:11 as the verse with a thousand faces, forcing the text to mean whatever they wish it to say. These misinterpretations may be summarized into two general categories.

A Guarantee of Prosperity and Health

            In many circles, those who quote Isaiah 55:11 do so in order to assure their hearers that they will obtain whatever their hearts desire. As proof of this interpretation of the verse, adherents often utter the oft-misquoted Philippians 4:13 in the next breath. For this reason, Isaiah 55:11 tends to be popular with the “health and wealth” movement.

An internet search of Isaiah 55:11 displays over 700,000 references to the verse.  More often than not, these websites provide no background for the contents of Isaiah 55. A significant percentage of the sites consist of sermon notes and videos of teachers and preachers who promise wealth or who hold healing services in order to remove people’s illnesses. As one might expect, many of the individuals who champion this interpretation of Isaiah 55:11 also line their pockets with the money of their faithful followers.

A Guarantee of a Positive Response to the Gospel

            Football enthusiasts who watched sports on television during the 1980s may never have heard the name Rollen Stewart, but they most likely observed him in the stadiums’ crowds. For years, Stewart scouted out strategic locations near the end zone so that he could flash a specific message to the cameras with the intention that it be broadcast across the United States. Usually, the message that he promoted on his T-shirts and signs while wearing a rainbow colored wig read “John 3:16.” Stewart’s premise was that the Scripture reference would prompt people to open their Bibles, read about God’s free gift of salvation, and subsequently become His followers.

            Stewart appears to have been driven by the premise that verses such as Isaiah 55:11 guaranteed the observers’ en masse conversion because God’s Word does not return void. Ultimately, he became so disillusioned by a lack of results that he lit several stink bombs near prominent churches and took three people hostage in a hotel room. Presently, Stewart is serving three life sentences for his criminal antics.