A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS

Passage: Isaiah 56:1-8

Key verse: 7

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.
Source: BibleGateway

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

The LORD tells his covenant people waiting for salvation: maintain justice and do what is right! For his righteousness will soon be revealed through the coming Messiah. Doing right and keeping from evil is also closely related to keeping the Sabbath holy. When we keep the Sabbath, it is a mark of loyalty to God’s covenant and a sign of our love to God. When we worship God on the Sabbath and live a God-centered life, we find true rest in him. 

God’s salvation is not limited to the Jews but open to anyone who grasps it by faith. Eunuchs are like dry trees with no hope of leaving a legacy, but God gives them an everlasting name if they choose to please God and hold fast to his covenant. If Gentiles commit themselves to loving God and obeying and worshiping him, they will find great joy in the LORD and will be welcomed at the altar of God. Anyone who repents and turns to the LORD is promised a place in God’s house. God wants his house to be a house of prayer for all nations. He wants to seek the lost and bring them back to him. Jesus revealed God’s heart when he said, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.” (Jn 1

:16)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your salvation in Jesus available to anyone who comes to you by faith. Help me to welcome anyone and bring them to you. 

One Word: A house of prayer for all people