1 Thus says Yahweh, "Keep justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil." 3 Neither let the foreigner, who has joined himself to Yahweh, speak, saying, "Yahweh will surely separate me from his people;" neither let the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree." 4 For thus says Yahweh, "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant: 5 to them I will give in my house and within my walls a memorial 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 foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh, to minister to him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast 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 on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." 8 The Lord Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, "Yet will I gather (others) to him, besides his own who are gathered." 9 All you animals of the field, come to devour, (yes), all you animals in the forest. 10 His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they can't bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yes, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds who can't understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. 12 "Come," (say they), "I will get wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, (a day) great beyond measure."
This chapter, to Isaiah 56:9, is evidently a continuation of the same general subject which is discussed in the previous chapters, and is closely connected with the great truths communicated in Isaiah 52:13-15, and Isaiah 53:1-12, respecting the work of the Messiah. The general design of the prophet seems to be to state the happy results which would follow his coming. In Isaiah. 54, he states that that work would render the establishment and perpetuity of the church certain. In Isaiah 55:1-13, he states that it would lay the foundation for the offer of the gospel to all people, and that it should certainly be successful on the earth and finally triumph, and produce great and important changes. In this chapter Isaiah 56:1-9 the same idea is presented in another form, that no one would be excluded from the offer of salvation, and that strangers and foreigners would become connected, with equal privileges, with the people of God. At Isaiah 56:9, a new subject is introduced - the invasion of the land of Judea by foreign armies and the consequent punishment of the wicked and idolatrous part of the nation. This subject is continued in the following chapter. The following analysis will present a view of the design and scope of this.
I. The kingdom of God was near. The great work of man's redemption, to which the prophet referred, would not be long delayed, and those who were expecting the coming of the Messiah should be holy Isaiah 56:1.
II. The blessedness of those who should be admitted to the privileges connected with the kingdom of God, and the coming of the Messiah.
1. Who they would be.
(1) The man who kept the Sabbath Isaiah 56:2-4.
(2) The stranger and foreigner Isaiah 56:3-6.
(3) The eunuch Isaiah 56:3-4.
2. The privileges of thus being admitted to the favor and friendship of God.
(1) They should be brought to his holy mountain.
(2) They should be made joyful in the house of prayer.
(3) Their offerings should be accepted.
(4) These favors should be extended to all people Isaiah 56:7-8.
III. A prophecy respecting the invasion of the land on account of the crimes of the nation.
1. The invasion is represented under the image of wild beasts coming to devour Isaiah 56:9.
2. The cause of this.
(1) The indolence and unfaithfulness of the watchmen.
(2) Their selfishness, avarice, and covetousness.
(3) Their revelry and intemperance Isaiah 56:10-12.
Whoever would partake of the blessings of the Gospel is required to be holy in all manner of life and conversation. And he that will be so is declared to be accepted according to this gracious dispensation, the blessings of which are large as the human race, without any respect to persons or to nations, Isaiah 56:1-8. At the ninth verse begins a different subject, or new section of prophecy. It opens with calling on the enemies of the Jews, (the Chaldeans, or perhaps the Romans), as beasts of prey against them, for the sins of their rulers, teachers, and other profane people among them, whose guilt drew down judgments on the nation, Isaiah 56:9-12.
INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 56
This chapter contains a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and their accession to the church, and of the corrupt state of the church afterwards, especially of its rulers, which brought in men comparable to wild beasts to devour. It begins with an exhortation to the duties of judgment and justice, enforced by the nearness of Christ's salvation, and the clear relation of his righteousness in the Gospel, and by the blessedness of the man that does those duties, and lays hold on those blessings, and observes the whole of religion, instituted and moral, Isaiah 56:1, when encouragement is given to eunuchs, and strangers or Gentiles, sensible and religious persons, to hope for acceptance with God, and that they shall be welcome to his house, with an answer to their objections, and promises of special favours, Isaiah 56:3 to which is subjoined a promise or prophecy of future additions, both of Jews and Gentiles, to the church of God in the latter day, Isaiah 56:8 and then follows a call upon some savage people, comparable to wild beasts, to come and devour, which will be previous to the above prophecy, Isaiah 56:9, the reason of which is the sad corruption of the rulers of the church, their ignorance, negligence, avarice, and drunkenness, Isaiah 56:10.
(Isaiah 56:1, Isaiah 56:2) A charge to keep the Divine precepts.
(Isaiah 56:3-8) Blessings promised.
(Isaiah 56:9-12) Reproof to the careless watchmen, the teachers and rulers of the Jews.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.