LHC Midday Word: The Book of ISAIAH

Salvation for Others

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.

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.”

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.”

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—

to them I will give within my temple

and its wall a memorial and a name

better than sons and daughters;

I will give them an everlasting name

that will endure forever.

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—

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.”

The Sovereign Lord declares—

he who gathers the exiles of Israel:

“I will gather still others to them

besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Come, all you beasts of the field,

come and devour,

all you beasts of the forest!

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.

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.

“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.”

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Isaiah 56: “bound” (v.3)

It’s one thing for a person to be “bound”, and another entirely to have “bound himself” (v.3) [i.e. freely and voluntarily]. There is no virtue in being forced to be and behave rightly; what counts is making the correct choice. It’s true as well that for some such a decision is difficult. For a “foreigner” [i.e. an outsider] to commit to God is a lot harder than for someone brought up to honour him. Realise joining an organisation is merely horizontal, but one needs to link oneself vertically.

Folk need to “bind themselves to the Lord” (v.6) – that’s the real deal!

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The Book of ISAIAH- Chapter 56

- Read by David Suchet -