Scripture of the Month
May, 2003
“. . . For my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:7
When God chose the Jews to be His Chosen People, it is easy to misunderstand God’s exclusivism. But careful reading of both the Old and New Testaments leads us to realize that it has always been God’s desire to have all nations come together to worship Him. He chose the Israelites to proclaim His greatness to the nations, but they failed. Now, this important mission is on the shoulder of His chosen—the Church.
Isaiah, a pre-exilic prophet, certainly understood God’s desire. The house of God is open to everyone who wants to be filled, because all have the same need, all are equal, and all are welcome. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the water; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (55:1) God made it crystal clear that no one will be excluded from the house of the Lord. Even the undeserved foreigner—those who used to worship false gods—and the eunuch—those who were considered to be worthless by many—were offer a seat in God’s house (56:3). The partition between people and God had tumbled down. All are welcome, but the inclusiveness doesn’t mean that all will be saved; only those who hold fast to God’s covenant, to love, to worship, and to serve God will be given an everlasting name (56:4-6). A personal decision is involved.
There is a progression in verse 7: all the people who have made a personal devotion to Yahweh will be welcomed to the place where the Lord is found (the holy mountain), into His presence and family (my house of prayer), and to participate in the services which guarantee acceptance and fellowship (my altar). The concluding thought of this passage is, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. It has always been God’s heartbeat for us to enjoy communication with Him; therefore, all our activities should be built upon His desire. Praying is not an obligation, but an enjoyment in God’s presence, and through it, we’ll come to know better of His Will.
What does this passage have to do with Missions? It has everything to do with Missions. Through this, God allows us to see His Will in inviting everyone to have fellowship with Him, and He has given us the mission to carry out His desire. So, let us involve in Missions with a pure motive—to please Him. God wants His house to be called a house of prayer for all nations. Let our church be one of the houses of prayer, and let our praying be spontaneous. Let us understand that praying is not the last option, but the first priority.
