Isa 56:1

Isa 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.  God urged the Jews who would soon return to Jerusalem to perform their duties to Him: “Keep ye judgment, and do justice” (v.1). The exiled Jews were discouraged. They saw no reason to perform their duties to God as long as things looked gloomy. God shook them out of this by calling them to keep judgment and do righteousness. Obviously, they had been slacking in doing them. The reason God gave that command is given: “for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed” (v.1). The dispersion has achieved its purpose in bringing the hearts of the nation back to God. We see that from the time the Jews returned to Jerusalem, they had abandoned all idols and cleaved to God with one heart. That period of one God marks the final preparation for the Messiah to come to this earth. And, the Messiah brings salvation with Him: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). God in Isaiah 56:1 has a direct reference to their impending return to their homeland. To the Jews in exile, that is salvation. God tells them to prepare their hearts to do righteousness. As we read further into the chapter, we see God has a wider audience that includes the Gentiles, even the eunuchs (v.3, 4). What is the reason for singling out the eunuchs? Because we read in Deuteronomy 23:1 that the eunuchs were forbidden to enter into the congregation of the LORD. But, Isaiah prophesied that salvation now includes the Gentiles (strangers) and eunuchs. We see this prophecy fulfilled when an Ethiopian eunuch was converted to the Lord (Acts 8:26-40). God is referring to the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ. God asks Israel to prepare their hearts for His salvation is drawing near when His righteousness will be revealed. Paul says God’s righteousness is revealed through the gospel: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16, 17). Through the gospel, we know God is righteous and He wants to make men righteous. All men have sinned and therefore, there is none righteous (Romans 3:10, 23). But, righteousness is possible through Jesus Christ: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). The word “justify” means “to declare righteous”. God will declare any man righteous on account of his faith in Jesus Christ. The result of that declaration is eternal life (John 3:16). Still, Christians who have been justified can still fall into sin: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Hence, there is a day when God will reveal His righteousness. It’s the day when He will judge the world: “And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness” (Psalm 9:8). The day we obtain our salvation in full is the day the day when God sits in Judgment to judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ (Acts 17:31). As God commanded Israel to prepare their hearts to keep judgment (obedience) and do justice, we too, must keep our hearts in obedience to His commands and live righteous with our fellow being. The former is a right relationship with God and the latter is a right relationship with men. Is our hearts right with God and men?