Many Rooms
Isaiah 56:1-8
"This is what the LORD says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for My salvation is close at hand and My righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.” Let no foreigner who is bound to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.” For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant—to them I will give within My temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—these I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Sovereign LORD declares— He who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”
Salvation in Christ extends beyond the nation of Israel, it is for all peoples, all nations, every tribe and tongue, the Apostle John tells us of his vision of the throne of the Lamb, "I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands (Rev 7:9)." Likewise, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian church, "there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28)", as he asked the Romans rhetorically, "is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too (Rom 3:29)? This was in the same place where he explains the massive truth that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom 3:23-24)." God's house is big enough for all peoples, just as much as it is spacious enough for all kinds of sinners including ourselves, indeed, we let His house of prayer, His Church be for all nations as He desires, and let us all find joy in it (v. 7). Our LORD encourages us, "do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3)", in His kingdom we will have one massive celebration in spite of our diversity and because of our unity in Him, He is preparing a place for each one of us, and we will all gather at His banquet and enjoy His company and each other's. God's amazing love is for all, let us endeavour to welcome all as we expand our tents of mission, let us be Christlike and "gather still others to them besides those already gathered (v. 8), and help others "to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants (v. 6)."
"This is what the LORD says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for My salvation is close at hand and My righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.” Let no foreigner who is bound to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.” For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant—to them I will give within My temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—these I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Sovereign LORD declares— He who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”
Salvation in Christ extends beyond the nation of Israel, it is for all peoples, all nations, every tribe and tongue, the Apostle John tells us of his vision of the throne of the Lamb, "I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands (Rev 7:9)." Likewise, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian church, "there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28)", as he asked the Romans rhetorically, "is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too (Rom 3:29)? This was in the same place where he explains the massive truth that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom 3:23-24)." God's house is big enough for all peoples, just as much as it is spacious enough for all kinds of sinners including ourselves, indeed, we let His house of prayer, His Church be for all nations as He desires, and let us all find joy in it (v. 7). Our LORD encourages us, "do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3)", in His kingdom we will have one massive celebration in spite of our diversity and because of our unity in Him, He is preparing a place for each one of us, and we will all gather at His banquet and enjoy His company and each other's. God's amazing love is for all, let us endeavour to welcome all as we expand our tents of mission, let us be Christlike and "gather still others to them besides those already gathered (v. 8), and help others "to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants (v. 6)."
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