What does "an everlasting name" signify in Isaiah 56:5? Setting of the Promise Isaiah 56 opens a door of hope to “foreigners” and “eunuchs”—people once excluded from full participation in temple worship. Verse 5 records God’s pledge: “I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.” Who Receives the Everlasting Name? • Foreigners who “join themselves to the LORD” (v. 3, 6) • Eunuchs who “choose what pleases Me and hold fast My covenant” (v. 4) • By extension, anyone from any background who trusts the Lord and embraces His covenant mercy (cf. Acts 10:34-35; Galatians 3:28-29) What “Name” Means in Scripture • Identity – A name reveals who a person is (Genesis 17:5; Matthew 1:21) • Status and honor – A new name marks promotion or acceptance (Genesis 41:45; Revelation 2:17) • Relationship – To bear God’s name is to belong to Him (Numbers 6:27; Revelation 3:12) Therefore, “an everlasting name” speaks of a perpetual, God-given identity and honor that places these once-excluded believers among His very own household. Why Call It Everlasting? • Permanence: Unlike earthly titles that fade, this name “will not be cut off” (Isaiah 56:5). • Covenant security: It rests on God’s unchanging promise, not on physical lineage or personal achievement (Isaiah 55:3; Hebrews 13:20-21). • Eternal life: The name endures beyond death, pointing to participation in the everlasting kingdom (John 10:28; 1 Peter 1:4). Better Than “Sons and Daughters” • Cultural reversal: Eunuchs lacked physical offspring; foreigners lacked land inheritance. God compensates with something higher—eternal recognition in “My house and within My walls.” • Spiritual adoption: “To all who did receive Him…He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). • Shared heritage: Gentile believers become “fellow citizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19). Echoes in the Rest of Scripture • Isaiah 62:2 – “You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.” • Isaiah 65:15 – God’s servants receive “another name.” • Revelation 2:17; 3:12 – Overcomers receive “a new name written” that only God’s people know. • Philippians 4:3 – Believers’ names “are in the Book of Life,” an everlasting registry. Implications for Believers Today • Full acceptance: No past, disability, or ethnicity can bar entry when one clings to Christ. • Lasting legacy: Even the childless leave a memorial “in My house” through faithful devotion. • Secure identity: The world’s labels may shift, but God’s bestowed name endures. • Motivation for holiness: Those who bear the Lord’s eternal name are called to “keep justice and do righteousness” (Isaiah 56:1). The “everlasting name” in Isaiah 56:5 is God’s irrevocable pledge of eternal honor, family belonging, and covenant security granted to all who come to Him—proof that His grace reaches farther and lasts longer than any human barrier. |
    |