1 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:13,260 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge, 4 00:00:17,620 --> 00:00:22,090 Speaker 1: and today we're in Isaiah chapter 56, and we'll be 5 00:00:22,150 --> 00:00:26,890 Speaker 1: reading from the New Living Translation. This is what the 6 00:00:26,930 --> 00:00:31,090 Speaker 1: Lord says. Be just and fair to all. Do what 7 00:00:31,170 --> 00:00:34,379 Speaker 1: is right and good, For I am coming soon to 8 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:40,010 Speaker 1: rescue you and to display my righteousness among you. Blessed 9 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,229 Speaker 1: are all those who are careful to do this. Blessed 10 00:00:44,250 --> 00:00:47,530 Speaker 1: are those who honor my Sabbath days of rest and 11 00:00:47,610 --> 00:00:52,510 Speaker 1: keep themselves from doing wrong. Don't let foreigners who commit 12 00:00:52,570 --> 00:00:55,290 Speaker 1: themselves to the Lord say, The Lord will never let 13 00:00:55,330 --> 00:00:57,790 Speaker 1: me be part of his people. And don't let the 14 00:00:57,890 --> 00:01:00,830 Speaker 1: eunuchs say, I am a dried up tree with no 15 00:01:00,930 --> 00:01:04,630 Speaker 1: children and no future. For this is what the Lord says, 16 00:01:05,510 --> 00:01:08,450 Speaker 1: I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days 17 00:01:08,550 --> 00:01:12,449 Speaker 1: holy and who choose to do what pleases me and 18 00:01:12,510 --> 00:01:16,050 Speaker 1: commit their lives to me. I will give them within 19 00:01:16,090 --> 00:01:20,009 Speaker 1: the walls of my house a memorial and a name 20 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,420 Speaker 1: far greater than sons and daughters could give. For the 21 00:01:24,459 --> 00:01:27,900 Speaker 1: name I give them is an everlasting one. It will 22 00:01:28,060 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: never disappear. I will also bless the foreigners who commit 23 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,580 Speaker 1: themselves to the Lord, who serve Him and love His name, 24 00:01:37,140 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: who worship Him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day 25 00:01:40,380 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: of rest, and who hold fast to My covenant. I 26 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:48,020 Speaker 1: will bring them to My holy mountain of Jerusalem and 27 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: will fill them with joy in My house of prayer. 28 00:01:52,060 --> 00:01:55,900 Speaker 1: I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because My 29 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,550 Speaker 1: temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. 30 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: For the sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says, 31 00:02:05,020 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: I will bring others too, besides my people Israel. Come, 32 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:14,660 Speaker 1: wild animals of the field. Come, wild animals of the forest. 33 00:02:15,210 --> 00:02:19,510 Speaker 1: Come and devour my people. For the leaders of my people, 34 00:02:19,770 --> 00:02:24,710 Speaker 1: the Lord's watchmen, his shepherds, are blind and ignorant. They 35 00:02:24,750 --> 00:02:28,870 Speaker 1: are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes. 36 00:02:29,660 --> 00:02:33,910 Speaker 1: They love to lie around sleeping and dreaming. Like greedy dogs, 37 00:02:33,950 --> 00:02:38,870 Speaker 1: they are never satisfied. They are ignorant shepherds, all following 38 00:02:38,910 --> 00:02:44,450 Speaker 1: their own path, all intent on personal gain. Come, they say, 39 00:02:44,889 --> 00:02:47,350 Speaker 1: let's get some wine and have a party. Let's all 40 00:02:47,389 --> 00:02:50,710 Speaker 1: get drunk. Then tomorrow, we'll do it again and have 41 00:02:50,750 --> 00:02:57,890 Speaker 1: an even bigger party. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for 42 00:02:57,910 --> 00:03:00,270 Speaker 1: your word, and thank you for the privilege to be 43 00:03:00,350 --> 00:03:02,750 Speaker 1: able to look at it, to meditate on it, and 44 00:03:02,790 --> 00:03:05,489 Speaker 1: to learn from it. Lord, we're thankful for the things 45 00:03:05,510 --> 00:03:07,829 Speaker 1: that you reveal to us in this passage of Scripture, 46 00:03:08,270 --> 00:03:11,530 Speaker 1: where you tell us that foreigners and eunuchs will have 47 00:03:11,590 --> 00:03:14,519 Speaker 1: a place in your kingdom. And we know that this 48 00:03:14,580 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: is fulfilled through your Son, Jesus Christ, that anyone who 49 00:03:18,660 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: trusts in him will be rescued and redeemed and part 50 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: of your family forever. Lord, likewise, you give a caution 51 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,050 Speaker 1: to spiritual leaders in this portion of Scripture as well, 52 00:03:30,710 --> 00:03:33,570 Speaker 1: not to be people who are lazy and focused on 53 00:03:33,690 --> 00:03:37,530 Speaker 1: personal gain, but rather those who are called to spiritual 54 00:03:37,570 --> 00:03:41,170 Speaker 1: leadership should pour out their lives in pointing others to 55 00:03:41,230 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: your Son, Jesus Christ. So, Lord, if that's a task 56 00:03:45,260 --> 00:03:48,059 Speaker 1: or a responsibility that you entrust to any of us, 57 00:03:48,540 --> 00:03:50,500 Speaker 1: we pray, Lord, that by your grace that we would 58 00:03:50,540 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: take that task seriously. and that we would utilize the 59 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,710 Speaker 1: time that you entrust to us to help invest in 60 00:03:57,750 --> 00:04:01,470 Speaker 1: the discipleship of many more people. Lord, we're grateful for 61 00:04:01,510 --> 00:04:04,130 Speaker 1: your love, and we're grateful for your presence with us today. 62 00:04:04,570 --> 00:04:06,470 Speaker 1: And we commit this day to your care, and thank 63 00:04:06,510 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: you for this all in Jesus' name. Amen.