.56:1-8.

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Isa 56:1-66:24 PRESENT SHAME AND FUTURE GLORY

Having looked beyond the Babylonian captivity to the Jews’ imminent return to their homeland, the prophet now sees the people resettled in and around Jerusalem. What he sees causes him to realize that this is not the golden age after all. Social and religious sins once again become a characteristic of the national life of Israel. The prophet contrasts this corrupt state of affairs with conditions in the ideal Jerusalem of the future.

In this section, as in the previous sections (Chapters 40-48 and 49-55), we must remember that we are reading poetry, where the pictures are vivid and the language exaggerated. We do not need to interpret the prophecies literally (e.g. mountains do not literally have voices and trees do not literally have hands; cf. Isa 55:12).

The important consideration for the reader is not merely what the prophecies say, but what they mean.

Of particular importance is the spiritual significance of the prophecies, and this is the aspect that the New Testament emphasizes. The prophecies of Isaiah take on new meaning once Jesus Christ has come.

Thus, the glorious kingdom that God promised Israel is, above all, a spiritual kingdom centred in Jesus the Messiah (Isa 32:1-8; cf. Luke 17:21).

The faithful remnant of Israel is in fact the true Israel (Isa 10:20-23; cf. Rom 9:6-7,27-33).

The spiritual, not the natural, descendants of Abraham are the real people of God (Isa 41:8; cf. Gal 3:29).

The salvation of God is proclaimed worldwide and people of all nations join in one body to be his people (Isa 54:1-3; cf. Gal 4:26-28).

The new Jerusalem for which believers hope is not material and earthly like the old, but is spiritual and from heaven (Isa 60:1-22; cf. Rev 21:1-4; 21:22-27).

True worshippers (Isa 56:1-8)

God reminds his people that life in the rebuilt nation must be based on his law. This applies to laws that concern social justice as well as those that concern religious practices (Isa 56:1-2).

When the Jews returned to Jerusalem, some Gentile converts returned with them. Among these were several eunuchs, possibly people who were previously connected with the palaces in Babylon and Persia. The law of Moses made it plain that eunuchs were to be excluded from the tabernacle worship, probably to discourage the Israelites from making their own people eunuchs (Deut 23:1).

But in the new Jerusalem all foreigners, eunuchs or otherwise, who honour God and keep his law should be allowed to worship in the temple along with godly Israelites (Isa 56:3-5).

Love and obedience towards God, not physical or national characteristics, are the important things in God’s sight. The temple is for the use of all people, not just Jews, because God’s mercy is for all people (Isa 56:6-8).