MY SALVATION IS CLOSE AT HAND

Passage: Isaiah 56:1-8

Key verse: 14

NIV

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice(A)
    and do what is right,(B)
for my salvation(C) is close at hand
    and my righteousness(D) will soon be revealed.
2 Blessed(E) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(F) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

3 Let no foreigner(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(H)
And let no eunuch(I) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

4 For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant(K)—
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls(L)
    a memorial(M) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(N)
    that will endure forever.(O)
6 And foreigners(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister(Q) to him,
to love the name(R) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(S) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain(T)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(U)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.(V)”(W)
8 The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(X) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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ESV

Salvation for Foreigners

56 Thus says the Lord:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
(A)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,
(B)who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

3 Let not (C)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 (D)a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs (E)who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose the things that please me
    and hold fast my covenant,
5 (F)I will give in my house and within my walls
    a (G)monument and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
(H)I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.

6 “And (I)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 (J)who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
    and holds fast my covenant—
7 (K)these I will bring to (L)my holy mountain,
    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
(M)their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for (N)my house shall be called a house of prayer
    for all peoples.”
8 The Lord God,
    (O)who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
(P)“I will gather yet others to him
    besides those already gathered.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Blessed is the one who does this... (1-2) In view of God's coming salvation, we are called to live differently: maintaining justice and doing what is right. God blesses those who do so. With no temple or priesthood or altar, to keep the Sabbath in exile was an act of faith in God alone. It revealed trust in God and living hope in his coming salvation. 2. God's promise to foreigners and eunuchs (3-8) Among the exiles, foreigners who believed in God may fear being excluded, and Eunuchs were not allowed in the assembly of God (Dt 23:1). Jewish law may exclude them from God's salvation, Yet God includes them, giving special promises to them, reflecting his broad heart and love. God blesses all who hold fast to his covenant by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He promises an eternal name to eunuchs, and will accept the sacrifice and service of foreigners. The house of our God is a house of prayer for all nations.

Prayer: Father, help me hold fast to your covenant, trusting in you alone by keeping the Sabbath.

One Word: Hope in God's coming salvation