Yǐsaìyàshū 56

1 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō de , nǐmen dāng shǒu gōngping , xíng gōngyì . yīn wǒde jiùēn línjìn , wǒde gōngyì jiāngyào xiǎnxiàn .

2 Jǐn shǒu ānxīrì ér bù gānfàn , jìnzhǐ jǐ shǒu ér bú zuò è . rúcǐ xíng , rúcǐ chí shǒu de rén , saì ) biàn wéi yǒu fú .

3 Yǔ Yēhéhuá liánhé de waìbāngrén búyào shuō , Yēhéhuá bìdéng jiāng wǒ cóng tā mín zhōng fēnbié chūlai . taì jiān yĕ búyào shuō , wǒ shì kū shù .

4 Yīnwei Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , nàxiē jǐn shǒu wǒde ānxīrì , jiǎnxuǎn wǒ suǒ xǐyuè de shì , chí shǒu wǒ yuē de taì jiān .

5 Wǒ bì shǐ tāmen zaì wǒ diàn zhōng , zaì wǒ qiáng neì , yǒu jìniàn , yǒumíng haó , bǐ yǒu érnǚ de gèng mĕi . wǒ bì cì tāmen yǒngyuǎn de míng , bùnéng jiǎnchú .

6 Hái yǒu nàxiē yǔ Yēhéhuá liánhé de waìbāngrén , yào shìfèng tā , yào aì Yēhéhuá de míng , yào zuò tāde púrén , jiù shì fán shǒu ānxīrì bù gānfàn , yòu chí shǒu tā ( yuánwén zuò wǒ ) yuē de rén .

7 Wǒ bì lǐng tāmen dào wǒde shèng shān , shǐ tāmen zaì dǎogào wǒde diàn zhōng xǐlè . tāmende Fánjì , hépíng ān zhaì , zaì wǒ tán shang bì méng yuènà . yīn wǒde diàn bì chēngwèi wàn mín dǎogào de diàn .

8 Zhǔ Yēhéhuá , jiù shì zhāo jù Yǐsèliè beì gǎnsàn de , shuō , zaì zhè beì zhāo jù de rén yǐwaì , wǒ hái yào zhāo jù biérén guī bìng tāmen .

9 Tiānyĕ de zhū shòu , dōu lái tūn chī ba . lín zhōng de zhū shòu , yĕ yào rúcǐ .

10 Tā kānshǒu de rén shì xiāyǎn de , dōu méiyǒu zhīshi , dōu shì yǎba gǒu , bùnéng jiào huàn . dàn zhī zuòmèng , tǎng wò , tān shuì .

11 Zhèxie gǒu tānshí , bù zhī bǎozú . zhèxie mùrén bùnéng míngbai , gèrén piān xíng jǐ lù , ge cóng ge fāng qiú zìjǐ de lì yì .

12 Tāmen shuō , lái ba , wǒ qù ná jiǔ , wǒmen bǎo yǐn nóng jiǔ . míngrì bì hé jīnrì yíyàng , jiù shì yàn lè wú liáng jí dà zhī rì .

Yǐsaìyàshū 56 Commentary

Chapter 56

A charge to keep the Divine precepts. (1,2) Blessings promised. (3-8) Reproof to the careless watchmen, the teachers and rulers of the Jews. (9-12)

Verses 1-2 The Lord tells us what are his expectations of duty from us. Be honest and just in all dealings. Also strictly observe the sabbath day. To have the blessing of God upon employments all the week, make conscience of keeping the sabbath holy. Have nothing to do with sin. Blessed is the man that keeps his hand from all things displeasing to God and hurtful to his own soul. Those who, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, will be found walking in ways of holy obedience.

Verses 3-8 Unbelief often suggests things to discourage believers, against which God has expressly guarded. Spiritual blessings are unspeakably better than having sons and daughters; for children are a care, and may prove a grief and shame, but the blessings we partake of in God's house, are comforts which cannot be made bitter. Those who love the Lord truly, will serve him faithfully, and then his commandments are not grievous. Three things are promised. Assistance: I will not only bid them welcome, but incline them to come. Acceptance, and comfort: though they came mourning to the house of prayer, they shall go away rejoicing. They shall find ease by casting their cares and burdens upon God. Many a sorrowful spirit has been made joyful in the house of prayer. The Gentiles shall be one body with the Jews, that, as Christ says, ( John 10:16 ) , there may be one fold and one Shepherd. Thanks be to God that none are separated from him except by wilful sin and unbelief; and if we come to him, we shall be accepted through the sacrifice of our great High Priest.

Verses 9-12 Desolating judgments are called for; and this severe rebuke of the rulers and teachers of the Jewish church, is applicable to other ages and places. It is bad with a people when their shepherds slumber, and are eager after the world. Let us pray the Great Shepherd to send us pastors after his own heart, who will feed us with knowledge, that we may rejoice in his holy name, and that believers may be daily added to the church.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 56

This chapter contains a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and their accession to the church, and of the corrupt state of the church afterwards, especially of its rulers, which brought in men comparable to wild beasts to devour. It begins with an exhortation to the duties of judgment and justice, enforced by the nearness of Christ's salvation, and the clear relation of his righteousness in the Gospel, and by the blessedness of the man that does those duties, and lays hold on those blessings, and observes the whole of religion, instituted and moral, Isa 56:1,2, when encouragement is given to eunuchs, and strangers or Gentiles, sensible and religious persons, to hope for acceptance with God, and that they shall be welcome to his house, with an answer to their objections, and promises of special favours, Isa 56:3-7 to which is subjoined a promise or prophecy of future additions, both of Jews and Gentiles, to the church of God in the latter day, Isa 56:8 and then follows a call upon some savage people, comparable to wild beasts, to come and devour, which will be previous to the above prophecy, Isa 56:9, the reason of which is the sad corruption of the rulers of the church, their ignorance, negligence, avarice, and drunkenness, Isa 56:10-12.