Isaiah 56

56 This is what the Lord says: 

“Maintain justice 

and do what is right, 

for my salvation is close at hand 

and my righteousness will soon be revealed. 

² Blessed is the one who does this— 

the person who holds it fast, 

who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, 

and keeps their hands from doing any evil.” 

³ Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, 

“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.” 

And let no eunuch complain, 

“I am only a dry tree.” 

⁴ 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— 

⁵ to them I will give within my temple and its walls 

a memorial and a name 

better than sons and daughters; 

I will give them an everlasting name 

that will endure forever. 

⁶ And foreigners who bind 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 desecrating it 

and who hold fast to my covenant— 

⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain 

and give them joy 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 nations.” 

⁸ The Sovereign Lord declares— 

he who gathers the exiles of Israel: 

“I will gather still others to them 

besides those already gathered.” 

⁹ Come, all you beasts of the field, 

come and devour, all you beasts of the forest! 

¹⁰ Israel’s watchmen are blind, 

they all lack knowledge; 

they are all mute dogs, 

they cannot bark; 

they lie around and dream, 

they love to sleep. 

¹¹ They are dogs with mighty appetites; 

they never have enough. 

They are shepherds who lack understanding; 

they all turn to their own way, 

they seek their own gain. 

¹² “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! 

Let us drink our fill of beer! 

And tomorrow will be like today, 

or even far better.” 

 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Is 56:1–12.

STOP! 

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Theme(s): Do what is right, keep the Sabbath, all people are accepted by God for righteousness.

Best Verse(s): ⁶ And foreigners who bind 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 desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— ⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy 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 nations.” 

Command to Obey: bind myself to the Lord, minister to him, love Jesus' name, serve Jesus, keep the Sabbath, hold fast to the covenant.

Sin to Avoid: --

Promise to Claim: joy in God's house of prayer for all nations

Application to Make: God should be my first priority in 2026.

Something New About God: God is for everyone.

Reflection: God created every person, he knits everyone together in their mother's womb. God wants all to come into meaningful relationship with him. God loves everyone and wants to save everyone. If I bind myself to Jesus, if I minister to him, if I love Jesus' name, if I serve Jesus and keep the Sabbath, I will spend all eternity in loving relationship with Jesus, with my fellow christians, and with creation. I will be part of God's family, despite my nationality, and have joy in God's house. God is concerned about what is inside me, not what my outward appearance is.