Isaiah 56

Isaiah 56:1

Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

And now, that ye may be worthy of this high calling of God, do ye approve yourselves careful to perform all acts of charity and justice one to another: so shall ye be capable of that deliverance and salvation, which I have determined unto you.

Isaiah 56:3

Neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

Neither let the man, who is sensible of his own defects and unworthiness, say, Behold I am not a man meet to receive grace from God.

Isaiah 56:4

For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

For, thus saith the Lord unto those self-dejected souls, who yet make conscience of keeping my sabbaths, and desire to be approved of me, in those things which I have required, in an honest and humble simplicity;

Isaiah 56:5

Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Even to them will I be gracious, above their desire and expectation: I will honour them in my Church; and more than supply unto them those blessings, whose want they so much bewailed; and I will give them a blessing and lasting memory amongst my saints.

Isaiah 56:6

Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, &c.

Those, who are the sons of them which are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, that yet are now, by a holy profession, joined unto the Lord, &c.;

Isaiah 56:7

Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.

Those will I gladly admit into thy temple, and into that Church whereof the temple is a figure, and give them true spiritual joy in my service.

Isaiah 56:8

The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel,

saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him. The Lord God, whose only grace and mercy it is to gather together his dispersed Church, saith, Yet will I also gather the Gentiles into the fold of Christ my Son; beside those, which do already profess his name.

Isaiah 56:9

All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

Yet, before there be room for these comfortable promises, ye must make account of great calamity to befall my people: come, therefore, all ye beasts of the fields and forests; ye savage Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, and the rest; and, for the time, make havock of my flock.

Isaiah 56:10

His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

Alas, the watchmen of my people, their spiritual overseers, are altogether blind and ignorant; and not so only, but as they are blind, so they are dumb also; not opening their mouths, to give warning of the dangers of my people, and the judgments which are imminent over them; even like unprofitable dogs, which, being set to keep the house, have no tongue to bark, nor eyes to see, but lie sleeping in a corner to no purpose.

Isaiah 56:11

Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough.

Yea, as they are blind and mute, so they are also ravenous and devouring: their appetite is ever craving and insatiable.

Isaiah 56:12

Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

And, besides all these, they pamper themselves, and flatter the security of my people; and are ready to say, Tush, however the prophets foretel these grievous things, let us make much of ourselves, and eat and drink and be merry; these sad events shall not happen: we shall, in the times to come, speed as well as we have done; yea, better and more happily.