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Read Isaiah 56
 
Isaiah 56:2 & 4-7 Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”…4 For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant – 5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. 6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant – 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
 
AS we know, the LORD God is about saving his people into the kingdom of God. Isaiah 53 is a prophecy of Jesus’ saving ministry. Chapters 54 & 55 foretell the gospel’s good news. Now in Isaiah 56:1-9 is something else that is new: God will welcome all people who obey his commands.
   When the apostles began to minister the gospel, Acts 10 records the Spirit moving on Cornelius, a Roman centurion, to invite Peter to tell the good news. Peter wondered why a Gentile would want to know. He also wondered if it were appropriate to teach Jesus Christ crucified, risen and ascended to non-Jews. After his successful ministry in Cornelius’ home, the ruling apostles called him to Jerusalem to explain why he ministered to the Gentiles. Thankfully, Peter told specifically of the Spirit’s anointing to do this work. His true testimony enabled the apostles to realize, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” (Acts 11:18)
   This is Isaiah’s prophecy – even foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord, those who keep the Sabbath God will take to his holy mountain and to his house of prayer.
   He will welcome the eunuchs, too. The LORD is changing his stipulations from Deuteronomy 23:1 No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord. It was the LORD’s will to forbid eunuchs and foreigners from the assembly.
   In the First Covenant God formed and used Israel to be a people under his commands, so the world would know who he is. From Israel has come the gospel. In Christ, our sins are forgiven as we confess and believe in the Spirit’s power.
   As we might consider God unfair to restrict some from the assembly, let’s now remember who God used to take the gospel to Africa: Acts 8:27 So Philip started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship. Philip evangelized the gospel, reading from Isaiah! Then eunuch desired baptism, then joyfully went home. The earliest church in Africa is in Ethiopia!
   This is the Lord’s gracious work. He determines beyond our understanding how he will proclaim righteousness to the world. It is our joy to trust and follow him.