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| 1 Thus, saith Yahweh, Observe ye justice, And execute righteousness,–For, near, is, My salvation, to come in, and, My righteousness to be revealed. |
And do justice – "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne." (Psa. 89:14) T124
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| 2 How happy the frail man, who doeth this! Yea the son of the earth-born who firmly graspeth it! Keeping the sabbath, lest he profane it, and, Keeping his own hand, from doing any wrong. |
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| 3 And let not the son of the foreigner, who hath joined himself unto Yahweh, speak, saying, Yahweh, will separate, me from his people, Neither let the eunuch, say, Lo! I, am a tree dried up! |
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| 4 For, thus, saith Yahweh–Of the eunuchs, Who shall keep my sabbaths, And choose what I delight in,–And lay firm hold on my covenant, |
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| 5 That I will give unto them–In my house, And within my walls, A sign and a name, better than sons and daughters,–A name age-abiding, will I give him, which shall not be cut off. |
A name better – The name given is made to refer to position or of official relationship, so that the position is meant when the word "name" is used. R48:2*
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| 6 And, as for the sons of the foreigner–Who have joined themselves unto Yahweh, To wait upon him, and, To love the name of Yahweh, To become his, for servants,–Every one who keepeth the sabbath, lest he profane it, And who layeth firm hold on my covenant, |
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| 7 Surely I will bring them into my holy, mountain, And make them joyful in my house of prayer, Their ascending-offerings and their sacrifices, being accepted upon mine altar,–For, my house, a house of prayer, shall be called, for all the peoples! |
My house – The Temple then was merely a figure of a greater Temple, the Church, which is now in preparation. CR420:1; R5713:2
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16) R5713:2
House of prayer – The glorified Church, symbolized by the Temple with its Shekinah glory, will be the house of prayer for all nations. R5713:6; CR457:2
Men will approach God through the glorified Church, in which his presence will be manifested, and his mercy will be available to all. R5714:1
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| 8 Declareth My Lord, Yahweh, Who is gathering the outcasts of Israel:–Yet others, will I gather unto him, Besides his own gathered ones. |
Outcasts of Israel – The publicans and sinners who heard the Gospel message gladly, but whom the Scribes and Pharisees rejected. R5004:6
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| 9 All ye beasts of the field! come ye, to devour, All ye beasts in the forest. |
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| 10 His watchmen, are blind, None of them, know, All of them, are dumb dogs, they cannot bark,–Dreaming, sleeping, loving to slumber. |
His watchmen – The clergy of today. R330:4, R717:3
Blind – Of mental perception. R718:3
Because they hold the traditions of men, they cannot see the great prize of our calling. R330:5
Describing the last, or Laodicean, stage of the Gospel house. R717:3, R718:4
Are all ignorant – Of the character and purposes of God. R718:3
"Lo, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?" (Jer. 8:9) C157
Failing to recognize, and therefore rejecting, the spiritual King now present. C179
Dumb dogs – D-- D--s. F287[F287]
They cannot bark – Cannot speak faithfully for the Master. R718:3
They refuse to awaken the household under their care to a knowledge of Present Truth. R2674:5
Ministerial etiquette intimidating and sealing the lips of any disposed to lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their sins and dangers. R2106:1
Sleeping – Dreaming or talking in their sleep. F287
Lying down – Lazy. F287
Loving to slumber – Loving ease. F287; HG712:6*
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| 11 And, the dogs, are greedy, they know not to be satisfied, Yea, they, are shepherds, who know not to discern,–All of them, unto their own way, have turned, Every man to his unjust gain, on every hand: |
They are shepherds – Ministers who outwardly pose as God's servants but in reality are hypocrites. SM134:1
Hireling shepherds, "Whose own the sheep are not." (John 10:12) D62; HG715:6
To their own way – Or ism; turned away to fables and science, falsely so-called. R718:3
Welfare, self-interest. F287, R330:4
For his gain – High-sounding titles and lucrative church appointments. R718:3, R3959:4; D61
"The priests thereof teach for hire." (Micah 3:11) F287
From his quarter – His denomination or sect. C179; D61; F287; R3449:3, R3748:2; HG715:3
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| 12 Come ye! I will fetch wine, Let us fill ourselves with strong drink,–And, like this day, shall, tomorrow, be–Great beyond measure! |
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