56:2God commanded his people to rest and honor him on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11). He wants us to serve him every day, but he wants us to make one day special when we rest and focus our thoughts on him. For the Israelites, this special day was the Sabbath (Saturday). Some Christians set Saturday aside as this special day, but many accept Sunday (the day of the week that Jesus rose from the dead) as the “LORD’s Day,” a day of rest and honor to God. Do you make Sunday special?
Life Application Study BibleIsaiahChapter 56
Isaiah 56
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1179, 1180
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
56Isaiah 56
Blessings for All Nations
156 This is what the LORD says:“Be just and fair to all.Do what is right and good,for I am coming soon to rescue youand to display my righteousness among you.
2Blessed are all thosewho are careful to do this.Blessed are those who honor my Sabbath days of restand Keep themselves from doing wrong.
3“Don't let foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD say,‘The LORD will never let me be part of his people.’And don’t let the eunuchs say,‘ma dried-up tree with no children and no future.’
4For this is what the LORD says:I will bless those eunuchswho keep my Sabbath days holyand who choose to do what pleases meand commit their tives to me.
5I will give them—within the walls of my house—a memorial and a namefar greater than sons and daughters could give.For the name I give them is an everlasting one.It will never disappear!
6“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD,who serve him and love his name,who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest,and who hold fast to my covenant.
7Iwill bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalemand will fill them with joy in my house of prayer.Iwill accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices,because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.
8For the Sovereign LORD,who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says:I will bring others, too,besides my people Israel.”
Sinful Leaders Condemned
99 Come, wild animals of the field!Come, wild animals of the forest!Come and devour my people!
10For the leaders of my people—the LORD’s watchmen, his shepherds—are blind and ignorant.They are like silent watchdogsthat give no warning when danger comes.They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming.
11Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied.They are ignorant shepherds,all following their own pathand intent on personal gain.
12“Come,” they say, “let's get some wine and have a party.Let's all get drunk.Then tomorrow we'll do it againand have an even bigger party!”57 1 Good people pass away;the godly often die before their time.But no one seems to care or wonder why.No one seems to understand
Life Application Notes 4 notes
56:3Isaiah clearly proclaims the radical message that God’s blessings are for a// people, even Gentiles and eunuchs, who were often excluded from worship and not even considered citizens in Israel. Whatever your race, social position, work, or financial situation, God’s blessings are as much for you as for anyone else. No one must exclude in any way those God chooses to bless.
56:7Jesus quoted from this verse when he threw the money changers out of the Temple (Mark 11:17). See the note on Mark 19:15-17.
56:9-11The “watchmen” were the nation’s leaders. The leaders of Israel were blind to every danger and thus did not warn when dan- §7:7, 8 Marriage is an exclusive relationship in which a man and a woman become one. Adultery breaks this beautiful bond of unity. When the people turned from God and gave their love to idols, God said they were committing spiritual adultery—breaking their exclusive commitment to God. How could people give their love to worthless wood and stone idols instead of to the God who Made them and loved them so very much?
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ger was coming. Apathetic about their people's needs, they were More concerned about satisfying their own greed. Leadership's special privileges can cause leaders to either sacrifice for the good of their people or to sacrifice their people for their own greed. If you are in a leadership position, use it for the good of your people.