Tuesday 20 February 2024

Psalm 89:1-13

Background 

The people of Israel have been through the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile in Babylon, and now, many generations later, the faithful are returning to Jerusalem to rebuild. This last section of the book of Isaiah (chapters 56–66) prophesies the hope that God’s faithful servants will enter into the New Jerusalem, inheriting the kingdom of God.    

For a people who became fragmented during the exile and shapedby their experiences of a different culture and religion in Babylon, it is understandable that they are trying to closely guard their religion and identity. As they try to rebuild Jerusalem, so they are rebuilding their religious identity, in the hope of being those faithful servants who will inherit the kingdom of God.   

So this passage from the book of Isaiah is a problem for them, because God is opening the doors to all people. Verses 1 and 2 are fine; the faithful want to "maintain justice, and do what is right"  (v. 1) and keep the sabbath (v. 2), but mention of those who are different to them, the ‘foreigner’ and the ‘eunuch’ is a whole different matter! Yet, God is not only saying that they are welcome, but wanting the people of Israel to reassure the ‘foreigner’ and the ‘eunuch’ that they have a place in God’s kingdom. It is one thing to say ‘all are welcome’, but a completely different thing to go out of your way to actively reassure those who are doubting their place in the kingdom, "Do not let [them]… say…" (v. 3).   

But God is making it clear that those "who join themselves to the Lord… and hold fast my covenant" (v. 6) are more than welcome in the house of God; they will be made joyful and their offerings and sacrifices will be accepted (v. 7). These ‘foreigners’ are not to be just tolerated as "those who are different to us and yet come along" but will be given a "name better than sons and daughters" (v. 5).  Welcoming the foreigner changes the community.    

And should the faithful be reticent to welcome ‘all peoples’ to the house of prayer (v. 7), they are reminded that they, themselves, ‘the outcasts of Israel’ (v. 8), have already been gathered in by God and that God gathers others to them too.   

To Ponder:

• What does a church look like if it is a ‘house of prayer for all peoples’? 
• February every year is LGBT History Month. LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) have in the past not always felt welcomed into Church, and that can still be true today. Perhaps you could spend some time exploring these pages of the Church website.  
• The Methodist Church is committed to being an inclusive Church. Can you spend some time familiarising yourself with the Inclusive Methodist Church webpages?  Who could you reassure of their place in the church and the kingdom of God?  

Prayer 

Welcoming God, you gather all people in to your house of prayer.  May we be willing to welcome the foreigner and the stranger as we join together in worship of you. Amen.