Morning on Jerusalem’s temple height: the gate of the outer court standing open, a stone road climbing to it, a few small travelers far off on the road.

New heavens and earth

Isaiah 56

Have you ever wondered whether there is room for you?

12 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

Where we are

1–5Zion on trialJudah’s sin, the mountain raised, the vineyard’s song
6Holy, holy, holyIsaiah’s call, in the year King Uzziah died (about 740 BC)
7–12ImmanuelAhaz’s fear, the sign, the Child, the shoot of Jesse
13–23The nations judgedBabylon to Tyre: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
24–27The whole earthThe earth laid waste, and death swallowed up
28–35Woe and a KingEgypt’s help or the LORD’s, and the King in His beauty
36–39Hezekiah’s crisisSennacherib, 701 BC: the prayer, the sickness, the envoys
40–48Comfort My peopleTo the exiles ahead: Cyrus, the idols, the Servant
49–55The Servant and ZionPierced for our transgressions; Zion restored
56–66New heavens and earthA house of prayer, the Anointed One, all things newChapter 56

Salvation for Foreigners

God

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

God

Late afternoon in a quiet lane of a hill town: a wooden plow, a hoe and an empty basket set down against a house wall, the door open on a family meal laid on a mat with a lit clay lamp.

Blessed is the man who does this,

and the son of man who holds it fast,

who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it

and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Isaiah

A single dead, leafless tree standing alone on a dry, stony slope, its bare gray branches against a pale sky, a green valley far below it.

Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,

“The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.”

And let the eunuch not say,

“I am but a dry tree.”

God

For this is what the LORD says:

“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,

who choose what pleases Me

and hold fast to My covenant—

I will give them, in My house and within My walls,

a memorial and a name

better than that of sons and daughters.

I will give them an everlasting name

that will not be cut off.

Question

Quick question

A man of exactly the kind verses 3–5 speak of once sat in a chariot reading Isaiah.

Who was reading Isaiah in his chariot when Philip met him (Acts 8:27–28)?

God

Morning in the court before the temple: among Judean worshipers, three men of other peoples stand with heads bowed: an Egyptian in white linen, a Phoenician trader and a Cushite official in a long robe.

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—

all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it

and who hold fast to My covenant—

God

I will bring them to My holy mountain

and make them joyful in My house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be accepted on My altar,

for My house will be called a house of prayer

for all the nations.”

Isaiah 56:7

God

God

Thus declares the Lord GOD,

who gathers the dispersed of Israel:

“I will gather to them still others

besides those already gathered.”

Israel’s Sinful Leaders

Isaiah

Dusk at the edge of an unguarded vineyard and sheep pasture: two golden jackals stepping out of the scrub, heads low, toward the open field.

Come, all you beasts of the field;

eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest.

Isaiah

Noon at a stone sheepfold: a big shaggy sheepdog asleep in the shade of the wall, the gate standing open, the flock wandering off up the slope behind.

Israel’s watchmen are blind,

they are all oblivious;

they are all mute dogs,

they cannot bark;

they are dreamers lying around,

loving to slumber.

Isaiah

Like ravenous dogs,

they are never satisfied.

They are shepherds with no discernment;

they all turn to their own way,

each one seeking his own gain:

Isaiah

“Come, let me get the wine,

let us imbibe the strong drink,

and tomorrow will be like today,

only far better!”

Pray

Lord GOD, You gather the dispersed and still others besides. Thank You that Your house is a house of prayer for all nations, and that there is room for me. Make those who watch over Your people wakeful and true. Amen.

You’ve experienced

Isaiah 56

0 of 66 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.

Isaiah 56:7

or swipe left