Thus says the LORD: Maintain justice and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. Happy is the mortal who does this, the one who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and refrains from doing any evil. Do not let the foreigner joined to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and do not let the eunuch say, “I am just a dry tree.” For thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant- these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Isaiah 56: 1-8, NRSV.
Holy God, we thank You for opening wide the door of salvation, that all who love You will be able to enter the community of faith, and find a place where they can serve, and be accepted. As we study, please show us how we can be more loving and kind to all. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Yesterday we looked at the Sabbath, as “the distinctive sign,” that God had established between Himself and all “mortals.” We also discovered that true Sabbath-keeping, is intimately linked to maintaining justice and doing what is right. Today, we will continue to explore this principle from other angles.
“For thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” If you look closely at this portion of our Scripture you will discover that the same two precepts that appear in the terms of acceptanceto the “mortal,” are the same two precepts that appear in the terms of acceptance to the eunuchs: “Keep my sabbaths,” [and do] “the things that please me.” I am sure that you will agree with me, that the things that please God, are for us “To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Micah 6: 8). We truly enter into God’s rest, after we have done what is just; when we have shown mercy; and, when our walk with God is in humility, with only one desire, that of bringing glory to God. In so doing, we are keeping His covenant.
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant- these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar[.]” Again, we observe the two-fold precept of obedience to God, and Sabbath observance, ascribed to “the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD.” Those who minister to the LORD, who love His name, and become His servants, are those who speak out against evil in all of its forms. When we are the slaves of Christ, we become slaves to right doing.
I believe that the reason Sabbath observance and righteous living are so closely entwined is because one cannot observe the Sabbath without recognizing God as Creator, the Giver of life. And when we do, our only desire is to please Him, by walking in His footsteps and bringing glory to His name, in gratitude for all that He has done.
Tomorrow we will look at the promises of the covenant.