Isaiah 56

Salvation for Foreigners

1 Thus says the Lord:

"Keep justice, and do righteousness,

*ch. 46:12,13;51:5,6for 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,

*ch. 58:13who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,

and keeps his hand from doing any evil."

3 Let not *ch. 14:1;[Deut. 23:7,8] 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 *[Ezek. 17:24;20:47]a dry tree."

4 For thus says the Lord:

"To the eunuchs *[See ver. 2above]who keep my Sabbaths,

who choose the things that please me

and hold fast my covenant,

5 *[1 Tim. 3:15;Rev. 3:12] I will give in my house and within my walls

a *[2 Sam. 18:18;John 1:12] monument and a name

better than sons and daughters;

*[2 Tim. 2:19]I will give them an everlasting name

that shall not be cut off.

6 "And *[See ver. 3above] 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 *[See ver. 2above]who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,

and holds fast my covenant—

7 *ch. 65:1;[ch. 19:24,25] these I will bring to *ch. 2:2my holy mountain,

and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

*[Rom. 15:16] their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for *Cited Matt. 21:13;Mark 11:17;Luke 19:46my house shall be called a house of prayer

for all peoples."

8 The Lord God,

*ch. 11:12who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,

*John 10:16;Eph. 1:10;See Eph. 2:11-16"I will gather yet others to him

besides those already gathered."

Israel’s Irresponsible Leaders

9 *Jer. 12:9;Ezek. 34:8All you beasts of the field, come to devour—

all you beasts in the forest.

10 *ch. 62:6;Jer. 6:17His watchmen are blind;

they are all without knowledge;

they are all silent *[Phil. 3:2]dogs;

they cannot bark,

dreaming, lying down,

loving to slumber.

11 *Ezek. 34:2,3The dogs have a mighty appetite;

they never have enough.

But *[Jer. 23:1] they are shepherds who have no understanding;

they have all turned to their own way,

*Jer. 6:13each to his own gain, one and all.

12 *[ch. 28:7] "Come," they say, "let me get wine;

let us fill ourselves with strong drink;

*[ch. 22:13;Prov. 23:35;Luke 12:19;1 Cor. 15:32]and tomorrow will be like this day,

great beyond measure."