Who Gathers - Isaiah 56:6-8

Isaiah 56:6-8 ESV 

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,

to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,

and to be his servants,

everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,

and holds fast my covenant —

 these I will bring to my holy mountain,

and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

 their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house shall be called a house of prayer

for all peoples.”

 The Lord God,

 who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,

 “I will gather yet others to him

besides those already gathered.”

The holy mountain of God will be a gathering place for all peoples. His chosen people will return to this mountain and join with those who have joined themselves to The Lord in His house of prayer. This is the end seen from the beginning and the outworking of the word. 

The offerings and sacrifices of blood will give way to the sacrifice of prayer upon the alter of Christ. The new and final covenant will at last deliver the worshippers sought by God. 

This is the way to God as He predestined before the foundation of the world. This is what is meant in 1 Peter. Jesus was foreknown before the foundation of the world because God knew what He is going to do. This new thing is new only to us. 

1 Peter 1:20-21

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.