And I think Isaiah confirms this.
Is. 56: 1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
I think there is something slightly different going on there, but certainly related. The people in this passage wanted to join themselves to the Lord, but had an extra impediment.
Isaiah 56 is describing those proselytes who were not allowed to join the assembly of the Lord, such as Eunuchs, or some foreigners. But Isaiah shows a future time when they would be able to do so, despite these limitations. Here is the background text:
Deuteronomy 23:1-8
1 “He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not enter the assembly of the LORD.
2 “One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD.
3 “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD forever, 4 because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 Nevertheless the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. 6 You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever.
7 “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land. 8 The children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD. (NKJV)
Some people were specifically barred from entry to the assembly.
In Isaiah's prophecies we see impending judgment on Jerusalem and Judah, and eventual destruction, with the remnant being dispersed. As you quoted Ezekiel (after Isaiah, but contemporary with the fulfillment of the destruction and the deportation to Babylon), they had profaned God's name. But for His own sake He would restore them, which both Isaiah and Ezekiel point to (and Jeremiah, etc.)
So the passage in Isaiah is in that context of destruction of the temple, then the restoration of the people and temple of God, and its future glory. And as part of that even those who despaired of joining the people would now do so.
Now by the way, we already see some exceptions to the text in Deuteronomy quoted, prior to Isaiah's time. For instance, King David, and Jesus Himself had Ruth the Moabitess in their family line.
But Isaiah says that the restoration of Israel will result in even more expansion of His people.
Isaiah 56:1-8
1 Thus says the LORD:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come,
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;
Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Do not let the son of the foreigner
Who has joined himself to the LORD
Speak, saying,
“The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”;
Nor let the eunuch say,
“Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the LORD:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
5 Even to them I will give in My house
And within My walls a place and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off.
6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
7 Even them 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 nations.”
8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,
“Yet I will gather to him
Others besides those who are gathered to him.” (NKJV)
So we see that in this time ahead that Isiah foretells the destroyed temple will be restored, the outcasts of Israel will be gathered, and others besides them--Gentiles--would be gathered as well.
The house of prayer to all nations indicates that all the places where Israel were dispersed would now worship the Lord. The emphasis on holding fast the covenant--including the sign with Israel, shows that they would be accepted, whereas before in the law some could not.
And we actually see this fulfilled. For instance, before Philip caught up to the Ethiopian Eunuch he as traveling back from Jersualem, having worshiped.
We also see in Acts 2 Jews from every nation under heaving dwelling in Jerusalem.
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. (NKJV)
And the new temple, expanded by Herod, became one of the wonders of the world. The Gentile court allowed Gentiles to still be in the temple grounds, though not with full access. Of course full proselytes would have even more access.
The text in Isaiah mentions these previously excluded people now also offering burnt offerings. We see that even before the NT era Gentiles were able to have sacrifices offered for them by priests in the temple.
For example, in Jospephus' Antiquities of the Jews Book XVI chapter 2 the Roman general and friend of the Emperor, and at that time Governor of Syria, Marcus Agrippa visited Herod the great and went to Jerusalem and offered a large number of animals at the temple to God. This was prior to Jesus' birth. Herod's expansion of the temple made it a wonder of the world.
So Isaiah correctly prophesied not only the return and regathering of Israel, but others being brought there.
However, the other texts you quote, such as from Malachi, after the restoration, etc. point out another problem. The people and leaders of Israel were heading to judgment again.
The temple became became not just a place of prayer for all the nations, but also became a place where Gentile sacrifices were encouraged for commercial benefit. Even in the case of Marcus Agrippa he appears in the narrative to be seeking favor with the people as Governor more than sincerely worshiping. He fed and gave gifts to them at that time per Josephus.
But I am sure there were still many who were sincere, like the Etheopian Eunuch.
Now this brings us to Jesus quotation of this verse.
Luke 19:41-46
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” 45 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, “It is written, My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.’ ” (NKJV)
Mark 11:17
17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves.’ ” (NKJV)
Jesus notes that Isaiah was right that His house became a house of prayer for all nations. However, the leaders had now turned it into a den of thieves. The temple would soon be leveled. The expansion that Isaiah saw for that temple had an end point because the temple itself was coming to and end.
Not only would it be destroyed in 70 AD, but it was already left to them (the religious leaders) desolate.
8 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ” (NKJV)
Just as God's glory departed the temple in the time of Ezekiel, because of the sins of the people and the impending judgment, Jesus said "your house" (no longer His, but theirs, a den of theives instead of its intended house of prayer) is left to you desolate. Because He has now left that temple.
Jesus likewise said a change was coming in that they would neither worship in Jerusalem or Mt. Gerizim, but would worship in spirit and truth:
John 4:19-23
19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (NKJV)
I think "inside the gate" was to be a refuge for all men who Loved the Name of the Lord, but the Priesthood "after the order of Aaron" corrupted themselves and blasphemed God's Name among the heathen. All these things were written for our examples, so that we, who also profess to know God, will not lust after the same disobedience they lusted after.
Yes, that seems accurate.
I really like reading your posts, and your perspective, but felt it prudent to share mine, I hope you don't mind.
Thank you!
In closing, you talk about Gentiles "outside the gate". Rahab was outside the gate, but had not only heard of the God of Abraham, but believed that HE was the one true God. What are the odds that of all the people in that great city of Jericho, it was just a coincidence that God sent Joshua to the One house, where a Gentile lived who wanted to sojourn with Israel.
Great discussion
Yes, and she too became an ancestor of David, and Jesus.
