Chapter 56
2021-Reading straight through 56-58. It is fair, because I've had more time for them before, and always short changed the NT when I got there. This morning, I spent a wholly inadequate 90 minutes on 2Thess2. That's a lot of concentration for me. So I will just read these next three chapters in Isaiah, and be happy with my morning.
This chapter starts with what reads like a universal invitation, even to those who are foreigners and eunuchs. The section title in ESV is "Salvation for Foreigners", so that confirms. Then there are these verses:
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." [Isa 56:6-7 ESV]
If I wanted to show that the church and Israel are combined ultimately and that the promises to Israel are fulfilled to the church, this would be one of my proof texts. This verse also, maybe even more so:
8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, "I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered." [Isa 56:8 ESV]
Hmm...need to remember that 54 and 55 were about the Millennial kingdom. We are talking here about that future time. I think. The fact that it is talking about Sabbaths and Sacrifices implies the Millennial age, not the church age. The church is not required to keep the Mosaic law. Perhaps this means that some Gentiles will indeed be saved during the Tribulation period. I had wondered a couple of times if there would be any at all or if only Jews would come to Christ during that time. These verses imply that Gentiles will also be present in the New Temple, and observe the Mosaic Law.
2022 - Vs 7 contains the words quoted by Jesus when he cleansed the temple. "....my house shall be called a house of prayer...". In context, this was stated when Isaiah was showing that foreigners and eunuchs - indeed, all peoples - will be welcomed in the Temple when, from vs 1, "...my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed...". This seems then to be a reference to the first advent, and though Jesus reserved his words for the Jews only at first, this shows that he "opened the door" to all people - to those previously excluded under the Law.
vss 9-12 are a sharp break from what went before. The section title in MSB is "Israel's Irresponsible Leaders". But it doesn't read that way to me. It is really hard to tell who is being indicted here. Not clear to me anyway. MSB agrees with the section title.
2020-It seems that Isaiah has come back to the present from the prophecy of the Millennial age that is coming. It is like his vision of the future ends with vs. 8, and he begins to address the Israel of his own time in vs 9.