Isaiah 56:3:  “Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I [am] a dry tree.”

 

Deuteronomy 23:1: “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.”

 

Here is an interesting question.  The Mosaic law strictly forbids a eunuch from being a member of the congregation of the Lord, yet here we have the prophet Isaiah saying that such people were not to be separated from congregation.  Their disgrace was that they were barren.  A dry tree is a Hebraic  idiomatic expression for being barren.

 

So why is Isaiah saying that it will be ok to be eunuch and  barren.  Isaiah is referencing the time of captivity.  During this time many Gentiles were greatly influenced by the worship of God Jehovah and many Gentiles sought to become proselytes and join the Jewish faith.  God was saying that when this great evangelistic opportunity arises don’t let all you ancient doctrines and beliefs prevent them from coming into the faith.

 

Years ago when foreign missions was growing in the later nineteenth and early twentieth century missionaries would go to a country like Africa and gain many coverts.  The first thing they did was to teach them English so they could read the King James Bible and then they dressed them up in Western clothes cutting them off from the culture. Fortunately, today we have abandoned such ideas and like my brother who is a Wycliffe Bible Translator we have missionaries who translate the Bible into the language of the people and allow them to run around in the same clothes that fits their culture and climate. There are many issues found in our Western faith that are strictly cultural.  Passing an offering plate, using music in worship, hour long services, Wednesday prayer meetings are all cultural and not Biblical.  Not that these things are bad, but they are not necessary.  In fact the whole idea of attending a church on Sunday is a cultural experience.  The Sabbath is really Saturday and there is nothing in the Bible about attending a church service on Saturday or Sunday.  Although church attendance is a good way to celebrate the Sabbath and fellowship with other believers.

 

Isaiah was not saying that the law for eunuchs no long applied but that this was given for a purpose only within with Jewish camp and would not be applicable to any Gentile converts and when circumstances made it difficult if not impossible to maintain that law. The word eunuch in Hebrew is saris and  is really a reference to a eunuch by implication.  It is really speaking of a valet or chamberlain. In the Aramaic and Akkadian however, it does mean to castrate.  But in the Hebrew it could mean both a castrated and uncastrated official. The context here would be an obvious reference to a castrated officer or royal official.  I think this word took on its ambiguity because God intended a future reference as well.  I mean does this verse give us any spiritual lesson?  We do not practice castration today in our society except in extreme cases such a medical or criminal. However,  I still believe that there is a reference here for us today.

 

It was common for the royal officials in the Babylonian and Persian empire to be castrated as they believed this created a sense of loyalty to the king.  It was also used for foreign captives who were members of the royal family.  They would be castrated so as to cut of the royal line and then would be indoctrinated into the service of the king.

 

So from a historical context some of our favorite characters like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo who were members of the royal family would have been castrated once they were brought into the Babylonian court.

 

So now we have a situation where our beloved Daniel was in violation of the Hebrew law and had to be separated from his people. Not fair you cry.  God feels the same way, not fair. So He instructed Isaiah to tell the people that when you are in captivity many of the rules will not apply.  Some of God’s greatest servants will be in violation of the law through no fault of their own so they are not to be cut off.

 

So what does that have to do with us today?  Today we have many spiritual saris.  How about that woman who is so gifted in working with children, music and other gifts that God has given her and is married to an abusive husband or an adulterous husband and is forced into divorce.   In many churches she would no longer be allowed to teach Sunday School to the children or play the piano.

 

The church I grew up in would not allow a person to become a member if they were divorced, even if the reason for the divorce was adultery.   We pour over every little nuance of Scripture on divorce, we argue the fine points of a Biblical reason for divorce and remarriage and if remarriage is even allowable no matter the reason for divorce. Becoming a eunuch in the Hebrew camp was about as disgraceful as divorce is today in many of our churches and the eunuch was cut off from any service to God as some divorced people are cut off from any service to God because of their divorce.  How about that teenage unwed mother?  How about that alcoholic or drug addict who is really struggling. Just when they need the church the most, they are cut off and separated.

 

I think in Isaiah 56:3 God telling us, “Go ahead and argue the fine points of divorce and remarriage, unwed mothers, drug addicts etc.,  but if a person wants to worship me, love me and even serve me, don’t hinder it.  Let them be a part of your worship service.  I have forgiven any sin associated with any transgressions, can’t you forgive?  Are you better than Daniel a eunuch, Mary and unwed mother? Are you better than David an adulterer and murderer, the Apostle Paul a mass murderer?  By our standards they would not be allowed to worship or serve in many of our churches.  Daniel would have been cut off and separated from the Hebrew race were it not for Isaiah’s prophecy in 56:3.

 

Subscribe to our free Daily Hebrew Word Study for in-depth commentary using Biblical Hebrew!

* indicates required