Revival is a word we often hear about in Christian circles. We often speak about God bringing about revival and pray for it to happen.
But, what does revival look like? One group says that when revival happens, we will see mighty and visible signs and wonders. There are only 3 instances in the Bible as an indication that God’s Spirit is present. The first is when Moses worked great signs before Pharaoh.
The second is during the time of Elijah and Elisha, when the people had turned against God. Elijah’s signs were to persuade the people that he was speaking God’s word.
The final instance is in the New Testament, where Jesus performed miracles. But He was clear that the great works He did were not the wondrous things but testified to the word He is bringing. Jesus came as a teacher and not a miracle worker.
Therefore, this school says that we should be praying for revival in this form today.
Another group says that in a period of revival, the regular operations of the Spirit get intensified.
What do you think revival is? Regardless of what you think, Isaiah 56 essentially describes spiritual revival.
(A) The God of grace changes everything (Isa 56:1-2)
Before we look at Isaiah 56, we need to understand the structure of Isaiah. Isaiah can be broken down into 3 sections — Isaiah 1-39, 40-55 and 56-66. Each section has a distinct focus and historical context.
Isaiah 1-39 speaks of the promised Son of David (King). In this section, the Assyrian crisis dominates. The people of God had split into two — the Northern and Southern Kingdom — and were at war. The tribes of Judah (and the capital, Jerusalem) and Benjamin, in the South, are what remains of the house of David. The other 10 tribes in the North form Israel, and sides with Syria. The great nation of Assyria looms in the background, with the real threat of war. Eventually, Israel goes into exile in Assyria and Judah watches it all unfold. The question at hand is: Where is God and why has He allowed Israel to go into exile?
Yet, God’s people are to keep justice and do righteousness (c.f. Isa 1:21, 27, 9:7, 32:1, 33:5).Isaiah 40-55, also known as the Book of Comfort, speaks of the Suffering Servant of the Lord. Judah is not spared and eventually enters into exile in Babylon. Yet, God assures them that He is not done. He will save them and will bring a Servant that will work salvation on His behalf. He promises good news for very bad and undeserving people. God’s people are to look forward to His righteousness coming and to be revealed (Isa 45:8, 55:5-8)
Isaiah 56-66, the section that we find ourselves in, speak of the glorious Lord. We will see that the events written about here are future events that reveal God’s glory.
We begin this section in Isaiah 56:1, and see that these verses are given to people who are in exile. They are to keep justice and do righteousness and God promises that soon, His salvation will come and His deliverance will be revealed. The man who does this and holds it fast will be blessed (Isa 56:2a). They are to also keep the Sabbath and not profane it, and keep their hand from doing evil (Isa 56:2b).
In exile, they may be tempted to abandon obedience and following God and follow the idols of the nations instead. Rather, they are to wait in a certain way, with purpose. Perhaps, they may also need to endure injustice or pursue it in a way that’s different from the culture.
These verses show us that there is a vertical dimension to horizontal life. On the surface, God’s people may look like the other citizens of the nations but they do have a specific motivation — to worship God. God’s people strive to live in a way that reflects God’s character and nature.
The great irony here is that if they had obeyed God and lived in faithfulness, they would not have gone into exile. But regardless of their circumstances, they are to continue to obey God. This is a call to covenant faithfulness, to live before the face of God every day, even in a foreign land.
(B) Who make up the people of God are changed (Isa 56:3-5)
In Isaiah 56:3, Isaiah focuses his attention on two groups of people — the foreigner and the eunuch.
We see that this foreigner is said to have joined himself to the LORD. Notice the use of the covenantal name of God here. Thus, the foreigner — even the Babylonian — who has joined himself to the LORD is confident that He will not separate him from the people.
Similarly, the eunuchs who seek the LORD are given a promise (Isa 56:4-5). Like the foreigners, these eunuchs also acted out their faith. Notice the 3 statements that are expression of their faith: “keep my Sabbaths”, “choose the things that please me” and “hold fast my covenant”. They consider themselves to be Jews and acted upon it.
Faith, by definition, must be lived out. There is no such thing as private faith. Faith is accompanied by works (c.f. Jas 2:17).
Why is this acceptance of the eunuchs significant? In the Law (c.f. Deut 23:1, Lev 21:20), the eunuchs would have been marked as unclean, and would have been unable to enter the presence of God. This is not because God is against these individuals, but He was teaching that only wholeness and perfection can come before Him. All that is impure, unnatural, tainted, touched by death and broken by sin can enter His presence. Thus, it would be shocking to read this verse that includes, welcomes and even honours eunuchs before God.
These are also likely to be foreign eunuchs! And yet, they can enter God’s house and receive a name better than sons and daughters, and to receive an everlasting name that shall not be cut off (Isa 56:5b). We may not know what this name is, but God does, and they will know ti too. It is more important to notice that they receive it from God Himself merely by coming to Him. They will no longer be defined by disability and what they do not have. Rather, they have a new identity from Him. In Him, they will find a truer identity and a more lasting legacy.
Years later, Jesus takes these verses in Isaiah and quotes them in Matthew 19:11-12. The Apostle Paul then takes Jesus’ words and writes 1 Corinthians 7.
To the single, who may persist in singleness, Isaiah 56 is a wonderful promise and assurance that you are not second-class in the house of God. Knowing God promises us that we have a name better than the earthly, family name than we have. Spiritual children is also better than physical sons and daughters.
So too, is this promise, for our friends who struggle with same-sex attraction.
(C) The people of God are changed (Isa 56:6-8)
The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD and to be His servants is spoken of here in Isaiah 56:6-7. We see that they have been converted. Coming to God involves turning away from old gods and turning to Him, giving the self wholeheartedly to Him.
Once again, we see the horizontal realities of the vertical regard.
Isaiah 56:7 stresses the presence of God and the inner life of joy. God will bring them to His mountain and make them joyful in His house of prayer. Let it never be said that the people of God are miserable worshippers. We find pleasures forevermore in HIs presence!
Their offerings will be accepted because God’s house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples (Isa 56:7b). Why is this surprising? God’s presence on earth was marked by the temple or tabernacle. While they are in exile, they no longer have the tabernacle. Their relationship and worship of God is affected. But in these verses, God promises that He will bring the people back to worship. These are not Jews, but foreigners that God is working to bring to worship Him. The foreigners will enter His house not as a part of invasion, but as a part of worship.
Jesus quotes this when He cleanses the temple in Matthew 21:13. This explains why Jesus was angered when He saw the state of the temple. God’s promise to the people were tainted by their buying and selling in the temple.
God also promises that the great shepherd of Israel is going beyond His flock to find other lost sheep (Isa 56:8). He will gather the Gentiles and bring them to the house of Israel.
This shows us the missionary heart of God that goes out to the nation. He is the Shepherd that leaves behind the ninety-nine to search for the one. He will go to search for the nations.
These are incredibly future oriented prophecies that Isaiah would not have been able to comprehend. Yet in our time, we see some of it being fulfilled. The modern missionary journey of the past 250 years has seen the gospel going out further and wider than the years before that. In the past 100 years, American missionaries were able to go to China, started a work there and were kicked out twice with the changes in political systems and governments. Many of the missionaries desired to spread the gospel to Chinese and in God’s providence, ended up in Singapore, to continue the spread of the gospel.
Today, many of us are beneficiaries of this work. It is truly the wonderful work of God to allow us to know and even embrace the gospel and even today, have new names and new identities when we know this God.
In closing, let us read the account of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). This Ethiopian was reading Isaiah 53, and Philip explained who this is and the Ethiopian who encountered God through His word went away rejoicing. This short account fulfils what we have read in Isaiah 56, but this is not it! Like Israel, we too await the full fulfilment of this passage.
Isaiah 56 should stir in us a desire and longing for God to fulfill His promises. These verses should also prompt us to reflect on how we relate to God. Have you forgotten that God is a God of wonderfully good grace? He welcomes all who come to HIm. Today, we come to Him because He has brought us to Him. He accepts our worship if we have come to Him!
Have you forgotten the goodness of this news? Isaiah 56-66 is all about good news and it keeps getting better. As we keep turning the pages, do not lose sight of the goodness and glory of God. We will see more and more of it, beginning with the Lord Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross.
How do we grow to know the God of grace more and more? How is God’s grace still changing you?