Isaiah 56:4, commentary and pictures

The Lord promises acceptance and inclusion among His faithful covenant people to those who are physically barren yet keep His Sabbaths, choose what pleases Him, and hold fast to His covenant, rather than separation because of their condition. To them He gives a place in His house and within His walls and an everlasting name better than sons and daughters, a name that will never be cut off. Taking hold of the covenant means entering the same covenant He made with Israel at Mount Sinai to do and obey all He said, with loyalty shown by obedience. In return He pledged to keep them in the way and bring them to the prepared place, to oppose their enemies, to prosper them, and to bless their provision and remove sickness, a covenant kept through the wilderness wandering and still in force for the obedient. Keeping the Sabbath from pollution, doing justice, and keeping the hand from evil while holding fast to the covenant is the great test that brings blessing as salvation draws near, so that neither the stranger joined to the Lord nor the faithful eunuch is cut off from His people.

Eunuchs Included and Blessed

The promise is spoken to eunuchs who keep the Sabbaths, choose the things that please God, and take hold of His covenant, and on those conditions they are accepted and counted among His faithful covenant people. Their physical condition does not separate them from His people nor shut them out from His favor and blessing. To such faithful ones He gives a place in His house and within His walls, and an everlasting name better than that of sons and daughters, a name that shall not be cut off.

Though the eunuch is as a dry tree, regarded as barren and unable to have children, faithful service brings a greater blessing and honor than having children. The inability to have sons and daughters does not exclude, for God grants an honored and lasting place in His house that is better than the legacy of children. That same blessing reaches a woman who does not take a child to care for, so that she need not feel condemned, because God may have greater work for her in teaching those who do not know Him to do His will.

Those who walk closely with God discern the present situation and feel that bringing a child into the world is no matter of rejoicing, so the blessing on childless Sabbathkeepers applies to choosing not to have children now. Those who meet the conditions of keeping the Sabbaths and holding fast to the covenant can serve as missionaries and take children into their homes to care for them and give them needed education. In that path God guides them in knowing and doing His will.

Covenant Meaning and Application

To take hold of the covenant is to enter the same covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai, when they promised to do and obey all He said, and holding it fast means loyalty expressed through obedience. In return God promised to send His Angel to keep them in the way and bring them to the prepared place, to be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, to bring them safely to the promised land and prosper them above all nations, and to bless their bread and water and take sickness from among them. That covenant He kept during the forty years of wilderness wandering by blessing those who obeyed, and it is still in force so that through obedience heaven's richest blessings of protection, victory, provision, and health can still be received.

Sabbathkeeping joined with choosing what is right and holding fast to the covenant is the great test, more than believing exactly alike. It involves keeping the Sabbath from polluting it, doing justice, and keeping the hand from doing any evil, and it brings blessing as salvation is near to come and righteousness to be revealed, so that neither the stranger joined to the Lord nor the eunuch is separated from God's people. The mention of keeping God's Sabbaths and holding to His covenant connects with the Sabbath instruction given to Israel, as in Exodus 31:12-18. The wider passage brings to view two parties, and those who obey are assured that the love of God shall be upon them. God is ready to impart blessing to those who follow on to know the Lord, believers are given opportunity to form character after the direction of the Word, and everyone should study the Scriptures carefully to stand in the assured party and glorify God.

The verse applies to present experience when time is passing rapidly and presses the need to understand what needs to be done in right lines. It calls for obedience and walking in the light regardless of the world's opinions or conduct. It is to be given now with earnestness and fervor as an invitation for everyone to seek to know God, and to be read to believers and unbelievers to bring them to fuller knowledge of truth. This urgency is because trouble all over the world and persecution of those who proclaim the truth is right upon us and there is no time to delay, and those who respond receive light in darkness and true education and honor better than worldly honor and learning.

The chapter calls for diligent study and presents the Lord's message to awaken professed believers so they share gospel light with others. As part of Isaiah 50-58 it was given to leaders in the cause and those connected with institutions to study. It holds the Lord's reproof to His people for accepting only the word they choose and not making thorough consecration to God. It warns those in high positions carrying great responsibilities who have had great light about neglected duty to warn the people what is truth. It is God's call upon His people to cooperate with Him in the great work to be done by institutions established by His direction, by refusing human principles that find no sanction in the Word and refusing self and pride of opinion pressing to the front and giving the enemy room to intrude and hinder the work.

The verse stands among God's promising words of inspiration given for the encouragement of churches and to be claimed in times of emergency. Together with the thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah it is to be read when disappointed by spiritual lack in churches and individuals, when meeting those not willing to be helped, and when finding halting and disaffection and a strong spirit of unbelief among believers worked by evil angels in the form of believers. At such times it calls for strong faith in God, refusal to become discouraged, taking hold of God's mighty assurances, and bringing a true heart to the help of the Lord against satanic agencies. The verse is also to be read in connection with caring for God's loyal, commandment-keeping people, whose Sabbathkeeping and covenant loyalty mark them as belonging to God, so that they receive special care when obedience to the truth leaves them poor, homeless, or unable to earn a living.