Isaiah 56

According to the law of Moses, certain restrictions were placed upon eunuchs and foreigners which kept them from taking full part in the worship of Israel (see Exodus 12:43; Deuteronomy 23:1–8). These restrictions will be removed in the Messianic age; all will be welcomed equally. All will be brought to God’s holy mountain (see Isaiah 2:2–3) and experience joy in His house of prayer, the temple (verse 7). Solomon himself had anticipated that this would happen²¹⁰ (see 1 Kings 8:41–43).

In verse 8, Isaiah refers to the Lord as he who gathers the exiles of Israel (see Isaiah 11:11–12). But then the Lord says, “I will gather still others to them . . .” These “others” are those outside Abraham’s family line—namely, the Gentiles (see John 10:16). Thus in this passage Isaiah clearly teaches that within God’s family there will no longer be a division between Jew and Gentile, but all will be one in Christ (see Galatians 3:28–29; Ephesians 2:11–22).

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked (56:9–12)

9–12 Here Isaiah changes his tone and talks about the evil conditions in pre-exilic Israel.²¹¹ He rhetorically invites the beasts of the field (enemy nations) to come and devour Israel. Why? Because Israel’s watchmen, the spiritual leaders, have become blind (verse 10), and each seeks only his own gain (verse 11); indeed, they have become wicked. Isaiah warns that judgment is coming