God’s salvation is for everyone, sort of. God calls His house a house of prayer for all peoples. All people are welcome. He chose Israel to be His people, yes, but He chose all people to become part of Israel.

The first part of Isaiah 56 is speaking to foreigners. God is assuring them that they are welcome in His house of prayer.

God promises an everlasting name to not just any foreigner, but to ones who minister to Him, who love His name, who serve God, who keep His Sabbath.

God delights to show mercy. He revels in the idea that He will even gather more besides those already gathered to Himself. His desire is that all men be saved.

But not all are saved. People are scattered. The shepherds appointed to gather and keep them have no understanding and have gone their own way, abandoning the flocks. We’re told they have gone after their own gain.

They might not be after money in that, but there are many ways to seek a gain for oneself. It could be in looking for power, prestige, popularity. They could be making a name for themselves instead of lifting up the name of the Lord.

God will have different words for leaders like these than the joyful ones for the foreigners brought near.

Being chosen by God to be brought near wasn’t about their past and certainly not about their race. It was about their hearts before Him. The ones whose hearts were humble before Him and turned toward loving and serving God not self were the ones brought near.