How does Isaiah 56:3 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19? Today’s Passages “Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.’ And let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’” “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Isaiah’s Promise: Outsiders Welcomed • Foreigners and eunuchs—people once barred from the assembly (Deuteronomy 23:1–3)—are assured full belonging. • The verse signals God’s covenant expanding beyond ethnic Israel. • Echoes earlier hints: Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 49:6. The Great Commission: Promise Activated • “All nations” in Matthew 28:19 picks up Isaiah’s language of outsiders. • Baptism into the triune name publicly marks inclusion in God’s family—no second-class status. • Jesus positions His church as the vehicle to fulfill Isaiah’s vision. Key Parallels • Initiative is God’s: He invites (Isaiah 56) and He sends (Matthew 28). • Scope is global: “foreigner” (Isaiah 56) = “all nations” (Matthew 28). • Identity shift: from excluded to covenant members (Isaiah 56); from nations to disciples (Matthew 28). • Same covenant heartbeat reflected in Acts 10:34-35; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:11-13. Living the Connection • Celebrate God’s longstanding plan to gather a diverse people around Christ. • Engage missions and evangelism confidently—Scripture shows this has always been God’s design. • Welcome believers from every background into full fellowship, mirroring the Lord who removes every barrier. |
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