Isaiah 56 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Isaiah 56

Salvation for Foreigners

56:1   Thus says the LORD:
  “Keep justice, and do righteousness,
  for soon my salvation will come,
    and my righteousness be revealed.
2   Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who holds it fast,
  who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3   Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
    “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;
  and let not the eunuch say,
    “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4   For thus says the LORD:
  “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose the things that please me
    and hold fast my covenant,
5   I will give in my house and within my walls
    a monument and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
  I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.
6   “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
    to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
    and to be his servants,
  everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
    and holds fast my covenant—
7   these I will bring to my holy mountain,
    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
  their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
  for my house shall be called a house of prayer
    for all peoples.”
8   The Lord GOD,
    who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
  “I will gather yet others to him
    besides those already gathered.”

Israel’s Irresponsible Leaders

9   All you beasts of the field, come to devour—
    all you beasts in the forest.
10   His watchmen are blind;
    they are all without knowledge;
  they are all silent dogs;
    they cannot bark,
  dreaming, lying down,
    loving to slumber.
11   The dogs have a mighty appetite;
    they never have enough.
  But they are shepherds who have no understanding;
    they have all turned to their own way,
    each to his own gain, one and all.
12   “Come,” they say, “let me get wine;
    let us fill ourselves with strong drink;
  and tomorrow will be like this day,
    great beyond measure.”

Commentary

v1: In the light of the coming salvation, the command to be faithful; the Lord comes with His reward.

v2: The particular issue, to keep the Sabbath, the special sign that Israel belonged to the Lord. Obedience here was the same as obedience in other matters; to fail to keep the Sabbath was no less serious that other wrong doing.

The wording here shows that the promises of God go beyond the Hebrew people, to include any from any race. The righteousness of God is the standard for all mankind.

v3: The son of the foreigner, the Gentile believer, like the eunuch; some thought they would miss out on God's blessings. But the Lord will not utterly separate them from His people; see v6-7. The concern of the eunuch is answered in v4-5.

v4: The Lord knows our works; He sees our faithfulness, and will bring reward.

v5: The reward;

a place in God's house, safe within His walls;
a name better than that of sons and daughters;
an everlasting name, never cut off or lost.

v6: The sons of the foreigner;

joined to the Lord;
to serve the Lord;
to love His Name;
to be His servants.

Again, the foreigner shows he is faithful by honouring the Sabbath.

v7: The reward of being part of God's people, in His holy mountain, in the house of prayer, where his offerings are accepted.

The acceptance of a few Gentiles prefigured the coming blessing when His house will be a place of prayer for all nations. This verse is quoted in Matt 21.13, and the meaning was clear, that the Jews had not even used God's house as a place of prayer for themselves, let alone for other nations. Notice also that the people will be joyful in the house of prayer; this is not some ritual or duty, but a delight to speak with the Almighty.

v8: Outcasts of Israel to be regathered; and others will be gathered too, referring to Gentiles.

Isaiah presents a glorious vision, of Gentiles being gathered in to inherit the promises of God. This is not some legalistic duty, but the joy of having the very law of God written on their hearts.

v9-12: Irresponsible leaders, addressed as beasts of the field, beasts in the forest. They are blind, ignorant (cannot understand), dumb dogs, idle (loving to sleep), greedy, selfish, and lovers of pleasure. Such a contrast with the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep.