Isaiah Chapter Fifty-Six Commentary

Contents

I. Introduction

Our purpose is to render a commentary on Isaiah chapter fifty-six. Having melded such good news in the previous chapter: “…Ho, every thirsty one, come ye to the waters, And he who hath no money, Come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Without money and without price, wine and milk. Why do ye weigh money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which is not for satiety? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat good, And your soul doth delight itself in fatness…” (Isaiah 55:1-2, “Isaiah chapter Fifty-five Commentary”), this chapter finds Isaiah (the Holy Spirit) opening with yet more blessing, then taking us gently by the hand to the Waters to meet God, whereupon we are made privy to the dissatisfaction of our concerned-for-our-Salvation-God with certain of His minsters’ influences upon us His beloved.

We will follow this format:

Verse of Scripture utilizing the YLT text followed by an NASB mouseover of that verse. Key words in the YLT text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Hebrew text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word (we are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye).
Commentary We shall be commenting on this passage keeping before us at all times the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.

II. Isaiah Chapter Fifty-six Commentary Verses

56:1-2 An Old Testament Beatitude

YLT TEXT: Thus said Jehovah [1]: ‘Keep [1a]- ye judgment [2], and do [2a] righteousness [3], For near is My salvation [4] to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.’ O the happiness [5] of a man who doth this, And of a son of man who keepeth hold on it, Keeping the sabbath [6] from polluting [7] it, And keeping his hand from doing any [7a] evil (Isaiah 56:1-2, cf. Isaiah 56:1-2, NLT; please consider in this context Matthew 5:17; that which our Lord has done is so weighty).

COMMENTARY: Heaven here speaks an Old Testament beatitude specifically to ancient Israel that unmistakably anticipates the great Teacher Jesus’ beatitudes ultimately spoken to Jew and Gentile alike (“The Beatitudes”-part of the great holiness-of-God-revealing-Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 5-7]): “…For near is My salvation to come, And My righteousness to be revealed…” Given a post-Cross vantage point one can hardly miss Jesus here. The beatitude couplet is apparent (because of its relevance please allow us to use New Testament terminology we have used before-Fig. 1)—the sanctification leg is: “…keep ye judgment and do righteousness…”, which leg is itself right soon delineated as honoring Jehovah’s (the Speaker’s) blessed Sabbath rest charge (an usward directed love command no less): “…keeping the sabbath from polluting it…”, and further as staying one’s hand from clutching any manner of evil: “…keeping his hand from doing any evil…” That is the sanctification in view—it is the sanctification of worship and walk. And the beatification leg is blessedness: “…O the happiness of a man who doth this, and of a son of man who keepeth hold on it…” Blessedness, not only ultimately, but here and now is inferred. There can be no question that Jesus, through His blessed Spirit, is behind these words some eight centuries before He preached His very similar Sermon on the Mount. My how He softens up next-generation-hearers, leaving them/us without excuse.

Blessedness, this beatific state, redounds to those who love God. It redounds to those who in this intimate spirit of love with rejoicing gratefully place Him upon the throne of their heart (“Psalm One Commentary”), for thus they commensurately receive of His blessed Spirit, who in turn sanctifies them; that is, who in turn helps them to keep Judgment and do Righteousness—which goal all along the way in its outworking in divine fellowship is precisely blessedness. Why? The unbeliever may be confused here. Beloved friend, blessedness, the beatific state, is singularly closeness to and intimacy with God (“Salvation part A”—here and now—tracks just like that; how terrific, amen?! And “Salvation part B,” the eternal grand finale, is yet to come beloved friend, “ A Letter of Invitation”). O friend, blessedness—the beatific state—is a living, it is a loving vital fellowship with our blessed God, which is born out of a heart of deep love for Him that holds dear that which He holds dear, that loves what He loves—in this way happily identifying with Him (Jhn 14:21)—which identification in our context is keeping Judgment and doing Righteousness. O may our God through His enduring, surpassing Spirit make it real for you dear friend; this in Jesus’ strong Name is our prayer for you dearest reader.

So let us prepare to be blessed. Let us look at the particulars in this context and identify with God. How does one keep our engaging God’s Sabbath? Friend, God made this one easy, even a blessing, because Sabbath is all about blessed rest. Sabbath is a love charge. It is a beckoning to come before God unencumbered such that connectedness to God might overflow the bounds of low-plane busyness unto high-plane intimacy with Him. It is a love charge to come before God specifically in worship with spirit, soul, and body rested, with nary a taxing distraction, so that He may engage one fully, intimately, personally, leading one thus unencumbered by the hand into an escalating (dynamic, led to ever new vistas of blessing to His praise) relationship with Him that resonates (1) with His consuming love that itself so completely envelopes one, and that resonates (2) with His anchoring peace that is so still, so calm, so exceedingly transcendent that it is inexplicable, and that resonates (3) with the joy attending this His consuming, enveloping love and anchoring, inexplicable peace, which themselves motivate (imagine that) God’s engaging Sabbath love charge (Jehovah the living God is a God of relationship, “Jehovah the Living God”). Here is blessedness. Sabbath is a love charge in that it is a beckoning to come before God in worship in such a way that He might engage one fully. And of course it is a love charge simply by virtue of the fact that it stipulates rest (this is already a blessing—who doesn’t like rest?); it stipulates that one be rested, not least to be unencumbered, unduly taxed in spirit, soul, and body, with this and that, so as best as humanly possible to reciprocate and engage the living God of Relationship. It follows that polluting God’s Sabbath means polluting by way of self-imposed, uninterrupted encumbrances one’s otherwise crystal clear God-given sensitivity to His Relationship-beckonings (“Isaiah Chapter Fifty-five Commentary”). Surely this is a form of idolatry, wherein said encumbrances are made gods/objects of worship. In short, encumbrances effectively serve to “tune God out” because they so heavily tax one in spirit, soul, and body. So the negative then is that to break Sabbath in this way communicates to God that His passion to engage one (=blessing) is of relatively less value over against_______. Let us each in honesty fill in the blank. Clearly here is a slighting insult (a form of Sin).

Let us now consider the other sanctification charge in this beatitude (the beatification blessing is the same as above)—the sanctification charge is: ‘…keep one’s hand from doing any evil…’ Here God reveals His holiness (His own sanctification)—the charge in this is nothing short of perfection, which is identically the sanctification of God (the sanctification He qualifies [Mat 5:48]). Beatification, even Blessing in this sense, demands perfection; this theme is consistent throughout Scripture. That in part is why Salvation by grace, not human effort, is similarly a consistent theme throughout Scripture. But more specifically, why Salvation by grace, not human effort? Because Jehovah God will get the Glory for humankind’s Salvation and the Beatification which bespeaks of said Salvation, not least by showing Himself to be a God sacrificially motivated by Relationship—were Salvation a function of human effort, this sanctification charge would not be realized, thus there would be no such thing as Beatification nor the blessed Salvation which bespeaks of Beatification [8]. But Truth communicates quite the opposite: the program of God as communicated by His Word in Scripture is in fact all about Salvation (Beatification); it is all about Salvation through Jesus Christ—He quite efficaciously sanctified Himself, even perfectly (John 17:19-we can mark it down—when Jesus does something, it is done perfectly, as here in this verse). Is that all there is to it then, or so to speak may one now rest as it were (with regard to Salvation part A), seeing Jesus satisfied the sanctification leg? Yes and no. Yes, in that the sanctification that Jesus wrought is sufficient for the believer’s Beatification (Salvation parts A and B), but no in that the Seal of Salvation, the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30), sent to do a sanctifying Work (1Peter 1:2) by the great savior God Himself (John 14:16, 26, 15:26), who seals and indwells the believer (Jhn 14:15-20), must presently be allowed to effect said sanctification in the believer (Salvation part A is the domain of the Holy Spirit presently), which sanctification is transformation into the very image of the One, Jesus, who wrought the believer’s Sanctification. But what is meant by: the Holy Spirit must be “allowed” to effect sanctification; allowed how? By engaging and keeping His Sabbath love charge; that is, by “tuning in” and responding to the Spirit of God, unencumbered (He the blessed Indweller alone on the throne of one’s heart), day by day, as He convicts of Sin (expressions of enmity toward Jehovah God [or, enmity toward Holiness]); as He convicts, that is, of ‘…the hand clutching/doing any evil…’

56:3-8 My House of Prayer, Peoples I Gather From There

YLT TEXT: Nor speak let a son of the stranger [9], Who is joined [10] unto Jehovah, saying: ‘Jehovah doth certainly separate [11] me from His people.’ Nor say let the eunuch [12], ‘Lo, I am a tree dried up,’ For thus said Jehovah of the eunuchs, Who do keep My sabbaths, And have fixed on that which I desired, And are keeping hold on My covenant [13]: I have given to them in My house [14], And within My walls a station [15] and a name [16], Better than sons and than daughters, A name age-during I give to him That is not cut off. And sons of the stranger, who are joined to Jehovah, To serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, To be to Him for servants [17], Every keeper of the sabbath from polluting it, And those keeping hold on My covenant. I have brought them unto My holy mountain [18], And caused them to rejoice in My house of prayer [19], Their burnt-offerings [20] and their sacrifices [21] Are for a pleasing thing on Mine altar [22], For My house, ‘A house of prayer,’ Is called for all the peoples. An affirmation of the Lord [22a] Jehovah, Who is gathering [23] the outcasts [24] of Israel: ‘Again I gather to him — to his gathered ones.'( Isaiah 56:3-8, cf. Isaiah 56:3-8 NLT).

COMMENTARY: Here in logical sequence God names the beneficiaries of the Beatification that was conditionally set forth in the introductory verses; indeed the beneficiaries upon whom God has set His heart if only they might set their heart upon Him (O if only they might thus present themselves for sanctification). And who are they? They are Covenant People upon whom God has set His heart: “…Who do keep My sabbaths, And have fixed on that which I desired, And are keeping hold on My covenant…” (“Covenant People”). Compare the introductory verses: “…Thus said Jehovah: ‘Keep- ye judgment, and do righteousness, For near is My salvation to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.’ O the happiness of a man who doth this, And of a son of man who keepeth hold on it, Keeping the sabbath from polluting it, And keeping his hand from doing any evil…” They are Jew and Gentile, all peoples thus sanctified—the stranger (Gentiles), the outcast (including the beloved first-born who has broken covenant, to this day rejecting Jehovah their Savior here speaking to them [Messianic Jewish brethren excepted], even Jesus Christ who, notwithstanding, still labors and longs to beatify them). And so too in logical sequence unfolds their promised Beatification, in detail: “…thus said Jehovah of the eunuchs [again must be included spiritually impotent first-born Israel], Who do keep My sabbaths, And have fixed on that which I desired, And are keeping hold on My covenant: I have given to them in My house, And within My walls a station and a name, Better than sons and than daughters, A name age-during I give to him That is not cut off…” When found within the circumference of that which Jehovah God requires and within the circumference of that which pleases Him one is straightaway found within the circumference of His walls, even within His House, which bespeaks of Family, and by association a family Name imparted that certainly can never be be cut off (sons and daughters of the living God bear His Name—“O, That Name!” for a feeble look at this great Name, ever a work in progress). And moreover God promises: “…And sons of the stranger [Gentiles], who are joined to Jehovah, To serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, To be to Him for servants, Every keeper of the sabbath from polluting it, And those keeping hold on My covenant. I have brought them unto My holy mountain …” (Isaiah Chapter Fifty-four Commentary”). When one brings one’s heart unencumbered before God: “…keeper of the sabbath…”, in this spirit a heart but for Him only to claim: “…joined to Jehovah, To serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be to Him for servants…”, He straightaway brings such a one to His Holy Mountain [18]. O my this is terrific—with all respect dear reader, can you see why God does this? It is because such a one, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, even hungering and thirsting for Jehovah God, must needs straightaway be filled with the same (here is a divine principle at work; cf. Jesus when He repeats Himself to another generation-Mat 5:6; more generally, cf. Gal 6:7-8). And are we surprised then, that it is in this way a rejoicing being filled with that which was sought?! “…and caused them to rejoice in my house of prayer…” [19]. There, then, on His Holy Mountain as it were, engaged in prayer, all is ready for God to accomplish in said lover and seeker of God that protasis sanctification which He set forth in our opening verses: “…keep ye judgment and do righteousness…” There are no “wasted moves” if you will when deity acts.

When we bring our gifts of worship, prayer, personal sacrifice, and tithe to the Lord’s House, our God studies our heart, and so determines the degree of love and fear associated with each gift. Those gifts offered in: (1) obstinacy, or ignorance, or misunderstanding (Deuteronomy 12:8, Isaiah 53:6, 66:3, John 4:22, 1Corinthians 14:10-14, Acts 17:22-24), (2) spiritual-adultery, or falsehood (Mark 12:33, Hbrews 12:28-29, Proverbs 15:8, Isaiah 1:15-17, Isaiah 29:13, Isaiah 66:1-2, Hosea 6:6, Zechariah 7:4-6), or (3) miserliness, or cold-heartedness, or perfunctory-ritual, or haste and frenzy ( Exodus 22:29, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Malachi 1:14, 3:7-9), are abominations to the Lord (Proverbs 28:9, Isaiah 1:13-17, Malachi 1:7-8). By analogy to the offerings presented to Him by His backslidden ancient people, these abominable gifts are similar, respectively, to the (1) blind, (2) torn, or (3) diseased animals that were then offered on His altar—under pretense of love and devotion. How grievous to cheatingly treat the God of Relationship like that, slighting His omniscience and intelligence as though He did not know what was going on, and slighting His surpassing Essence as though He were second-rate, not really worth one’s best. God is not squarely on the heart’s throne when that happens—other things have pushed Him off that throne and have become exalted. This sort of thing does not happen when God alone occupies the throne of one’s heart (here is a litmus test of sorts). When He reigns in the heart, that which is offered to Him has the class befitting an offering unto God Most High, even such a One, exceedingly loved and adored. Of course God is not mocked—respectfully considerate and loving heart-offerings only are acceptable to Him, as He relates here: “…their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices Are for a pleasing thing on Mine altar…” But if the offering is not pleasing to Him it might as well be “junked” as modern parlance would put it (either “junk it,” or get the heart right so that the offering, by default then classy, pleases our classy God [again, note 20]). In this way then, God values, or, appraises prayer. More specifically, how? In our day prayer is offered to God in the Name of Jesus (John 16:22-23, Colossians 3:17, Ephesians 5:20), which Name either has a central place in the heart, or not—in which case prayer, indeed, communion with God, is but blind, and/or torn, and/or diseased. Since the first advent of Jesus Christ it follows that God’s House is a House of Prayer for all peoples: “…For My house, A house of prayer, Is called for all the peoples…” only according as peoples come before God in the Name of Jesus. We believe this passage is prophetic, anticipating Jesus Christ, He zealous, no less, for said in-Gathering-House (Psalms 69.9, cf. Jhn 2:14-17), and is precisely fulfilled by Him [25]. We are now in a position to connect to the title of this section (“My House of Prayer, Peoples I Gather from There”).

It is the passion and manifest work of the living God of Relationship to gather to Himself peoples, Jew and Gentile, specifically through Jesus Christ (John 6:44, 12:32, 14:6): “…An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Who is gathering the outcasts of Israel: ‘Again I gather to him — to his gathered ones.’….” This fellowship with Him is Salvation. Salvation potentially begins and certainly ends, or, is potentially initiated and is certainly consummated, in God’s House of Prayer, even that heart-Space He claims [19]. For it is there, precisely there, that volitional creatures meet God, and it is precisely there where volitional creatures either enthrone or dethrone Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (Rom 10:9-13, 14-15, 16-21-here probably we see the outcasts of Israel [24]). That is to say, it is precisely there where volitional creatures pass judgment on that meeting with God, thus passing judgment on God presently revealed to them by Jesus Christ, to their in-gathering…or not.

56:9-12 No Heart, No Light, No Bark, No Bite

YLT TEXT: Every beast [26] of the field, Come to devour [27], every beast in the forest. Blind [28] are his watchmen [29]– all of them, They have not known [30], All of them are dumb dogs [31], they are not able to bark [32], Dozing, lying down, loving to slumber [33]. And the dogs are strong of desire [34], They have not known sufficiency [35], And they are shepherds [36]! They have not known understanding [37], All of them to their own way they did turn, Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter: ‘Come ye, I take wine, And we drink, quaff [38] strong drink, And as this day hath been to-morrow, Great — exceeding abundant!’ (Isa 56:9-12, cf. Isa 56:9-12, NLT).

COMMENTARY: Say friend, what’s the difference in this scenario: to invite trouble on in through the gate undeterred, or to have a blind watchman posted at the gate as a deterrent to keep trouble out? There’s hardly much of a difference: “…Every beast of the field, Come to devour, every beast in the forest…” Might as well give invitation is the point, because the watchmen are blind: “…Blind are his watchmen – all of them…” All of them says God here; my. And why are they blind? Because their mind is blind. Their mind, following their heart, is blind to the things of God, but fully sighted to the lust of the eyes; yea, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1John 2:16). The fruit of these things they “know.” And their mind, following the lead of a heart overflowing with these things, is empty to the things of God, which things of God it follows they must needs not know: “…They have not known…” They are dumb dogs, quite unable to bark, to sound the bark of conviction of sin, for Sin is that which fills their heart, a familiar friend, but the things of God are strange and unfriendly to them—they might all the sooner bark at the things of God (yea, at God), than the Sin that warms their heart: “…All of them are dumb dogs, they are not able to bark…” As all of them are blind watchmen, so necessarily all of them are unable to bark. And here follows said overflow that so warms their crusty, diseased hearts (updated 04/03/2015, A.s.): laziness: (oversleeping, a pattern of last minute sermon preparation, truncated sermon preparation, not visiting the sick, the elderly, the alone/lonely, the dying, not helping the marginalized, the poor, not studying God’s Word diligently, on it could go here): “…Dozing, lying down, loving to slumber…”; greed, endlessly satiating the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life: “…They have not known sufficiency…”, and again: “…And the dogs are strong of desire…”; obstinacy, staunch and loud and proud champions of ‘isms’ (not ‘Hisms’), brow beaters for their own sake: “…All of them to their own way they did turn…”; fleecers of the Flock: “…Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter…”, and party-boys, O let’s party, party a lot, party hearty: “…Come ye, I take wine, And we drink, quaff strong drink, And as this day hath been to-morrow, Great –exceeding abundant!…” Well, with an exclamation of disgust surely it is to be taken, God says to these whom He revealed Himself so that they might educate peoples about who He is, and about His ways, which Person and Ways would lead peoples to Salvation, and whom He entrusted with the care and protection of His beloved Flock: “…And they are shepherds!…” Four words, and an exclamation mark of shame.