Isaiah 56
Isaiah 56:1-2:
Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. |
Immediately, in verse 1, we see themes of justice and righteousness as the ground upon which the Lord’s salvation will stand, and the prophet is clearly making the observance of justice and righteousness a crucial element to the life to which the nations have been invited. Of course, this is not unfamiliar territory for the prophetic office, or for Israel’s ears for that matter. The priority of the “works of mercy” in the ordering of communal life is well established for the people of God. As we see elsewhere, Israel is not always quick to observe this priority, despite its centrality to the scheme of God’s community. If the nations do succeed in this careful and counter-cultural prioritization, their worship, unlike those seen elsewhere (e.g. Amos 5), will be acceptable, fostering the kind of joy envisioned by those originally bound to the covenant. Life together, correctly ordered, leads to worship that is also correctly ordered. Another key element of this invitation is Sabbath honoring and covenant keeping. It seems to be the case that God is not just inviting the nations as an afterthought, as a periphery addition to extend the greatness of God’s name. Rather, the invitation is to a life fully engaged and involved in the strange, upside-down living of the people of Israel. Whether or not Israel has done well to keep up with these distinctive ways of living, God has no qualms about saying the joy of life together is only possible if all are on equal footing with each other. In other words, the prophet’s speech here serves not to destroy what has already been established in Israel, though that may have been the more efficient or logical option. Rather, God’s invitation transcends the short-sightedness of zero-sum belonging to God, of the markings of an inner circle verses a fringe contingent. With this invitation, the One Lord is making possible the inception of new life together. --Andrew Sheppard; Ekklesia Project; Whose Land? Whose Community? |
Isaiah 56:3-12:
Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
8 The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
8 The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.