Day 333: Isaiah 56- Live Free

Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” 3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,  “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say,  “Behold, I am a dry tree.” 4 For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, 5 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.
 
6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servant, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— 7 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.” 8 The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”
Israel's Irresponsible Leaders9 All you beasts of the field, come to devour— all you beasts in the forest. 10 His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all. 12 “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.”
 
Meditation
“Live free or die” is the motto of New Hampshire. “I died so you can be free” is Christ’s reality for Christians. Why are we so quick to forfeit our freedom to idolatry and self-righteousness?
 
Living freely looks like reflecting Christ and resting in His provision. Redeemed people reflect our King by delighting in keeping justice and doing righteousness (1). These are the foundations of the Lord’s throne (Psalm 89:14) and footing for walking in the ways of the Lord (Genesis 18:19).  We find blessing when we seek God by keeping Sabbath, resting in God, and resisting evil (2).
 
The blessing of redemption is for all peoples: Non-Jews (3) who have joined by faith in the LORD, and eunuchs who will find fruitfulness (4). This quickly reminds us of Acts 8:26-40, where the Ethiopian Eunuch who keeps Sabbath, finds salvation through faith in Jesus. God is faithful to His promises!
 
The Lord gathers foreigners and outcasts, making His house “a house of prayer for all peoples” (7). Some will resist God’s desire, living in bondage to self-righteousness. Leaders become taskmasters when they do not follow God as their leader- note the descriptions of watching (9-10), devouring (10), not shepherding (11), and exploiting (12).
 
“It is for freedom Christ has set us free,” writes Paul in Galatians 5:1. Are you living free by seeking to reflect God, walking in His ways, and resting in His blessings?
 
Richly Dwelling
-Would you describe yourself as living freely? Why or why not?
 
-Saved men and women find freedom through seeking Christ, His character, and resting in His blessings/ promises. How can you grow in living freely?
 
Key Verse
1 Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.