Isaiah 56:7

7 Even 1those I will bring to My 2holy mountain And 3make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on 4My altar; For 5My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples."

Isaiah 56:7 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 56:7

Even them will I bring to my holy mountain
The church, called a "mountain" for its height, visibility, and immovableness; see ( Isaiah 2:2 ) , especially for the latter; the true members of it being such who are interested in the unchangeable love of God, in the immovable grace of election, in the unalterable covenant of grace, are on the Rock Christ Jesus, and are secured by the favour and power of God; and it is called a "Holy One", because in it holy men are, holy doctrines are preached, holy services performed, and the holy God, Father, Son, and Spirit, grant their presence: and hither the Lord "brings" his people; he shows them the way thither; he inclines their minds, and moves their wills, to come hither; he removes the objections that are in their way; he constrains them by his love; and he does it in a very distinguishing way, takes one of a city, and two of a family, and brings them hither; and he who says this is able to do it; and, when he has brought them there, will do for them as follows: and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
or "in the house of my prayer" F16; not made by him, as say the Jews F17; but where prayer is made unto him, and is acceptable with him; every man's closet should be a place of private prayer; and every good man's house a place of family prayer; but a church of God is a house where saints meet together, and jointly pray to the Lord: and here he makes them joyful; by hearing and answering their prayers; by granting his gracious presence; by discovering his love, and shedding it abroad in their hearts; by feeding them with his word and ordinances; by giving them views of Christ, his love and loveliness, fulness, grace, and righteousness: by favouring them with the consolations of his Spirit, and his gracious influences; and by showing them their interest in the blessings of grace and glory: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine
altar:
which is Christ, who is not only the priest that offers up all the sacrifices of his people, but is also the altar on which they are offered up, ( Hebrews 13:10 ) , and is the only One, and the most Holy One, which is greater than the gift, and sanctifies every gift that is upon it, and makes both the persons and the offerings of the Lord's people acceptable unto God; for by these offerings and sacrifices are not meant legal but spiritual ones; good deeds, acts of beneficence, rightly performed, with which sacrifices God is well pleased; sacrifices of prayer and praise; and even the persons of saints themselves, their bodies and their souls, when presented, a holy, living, and acceptable sacrifice unto God, ( Hebrews 13:15 Hebrews 13:16 ) ( Romans 12:1 ) , the prophet here speaks in figures, agreeably to his own time, as Calvin observes, when speaking of Gospel times; so he makes mention of the sabbath before, instead of the Lord's day, or any time of worship under the Gospel dispensation: for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people;
Gentiles as well as Jews; the sons of the strangers, as others, are all welcome to the church of God, to come and worship, and pray to the Lord there, and that is in any place where the saints meet together; for holy hands may be lifted up everywhere, without wrath or doubting, ( 1 Timothy 2:8 ) . The Jews apply this verse to the time when the son of David, the Messiah, shall come F18.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 (ytlpt tybb) "in domo orationis meae", V. L. Vatablus, Pagninus, Montanus, Vitringa.
F17 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 7. 1.
F18 T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 18. 1.

Isaiah 56:7 In-Context

5 To them I will give 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 which will not be cut off.
6 "Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD , To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD , To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant;
7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples."
8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, "Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered."
9 All you beasts of the field, All you beasts in the forest, Come to eat.

Cross References 5

  • 1. Isaiah 2:2, 3; Isaiah 60:11; Micah 4:1, 2
  • 2. Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 65:25
  • 3. Isaiah 61:10
  • 4. Isaiah 60:7
  • 5. Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46
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