“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; 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 a house of prayer for all people.”
— Isaiah 56:6-7
The Sabbath is about Jesus, for he is Lord of the Sabbath day (Matt 12:8). The holy mountain refers to Jesus, for the joy of the whole earth is mount Zion (Ps 48:2), and in him are all families of the earth blessed (Gen 12:3). He is the true temple, for when it was destroyed he raised it up on the third day (John 2:19-21, Mark 14:58). He is the perfect once for all sacrifice for the sanctified ones (Heb 10:10). He is the true altar. Before the ceremonial law of Moses, Jacob made an altar with stones gathered rather than carved (Gen 28:18 because we cannot add our works to the gospel of Christ, who is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that destroys the image of iron, brass, gold, silver, and clay (Dan 2:45). A rough, jagged stone will be rejected by the builders of this world, but unto you therefore which believe he is precious (1st Pet2:7).
The seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), called in Isaac (Rom 9:7), redeemed by the blood of the lamb out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation (Rev:5:9), is the proper fulfillment of this marvelous prophecy in Isaiah 56. In the days of national Israel, all were welcome to become citizens and partakers of the covenant if they took hold of it by faith, and walked in God’s law. There was no distinction to be made between a Israelite born in the land and an Israelite who was born abroad and joined the nation (Ex 12:48, Eze 47:22-23).
Solomon’s prayer for the first temple is echoed in verse 7 of Isaiah 56. He prayed that the temple would be a house of prayer for both Jew and gentile, that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel (1st Kings 8:43, 2nd Chron 6:33). God’s marvelous plan of redemption always included all nations because he is Lord of heaven and earth and everything within both realms.
"The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." — Psalm 24:1
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