In one
sense Isaiah ends with a strong note of inclusion, evidenced by the vision of
restored ones going to the ends of the earth to help Yahweh gather all people. The
gathered foreigners will make the pilgrimage to Zion, and God will make some of
them priests and Levites (66:18–23; cf. 2:1–4). This alludes to the table
of nations in Genesis 10 and seems to indicate a redefinition of Yahweh’s
people. To complete the picture, God promises the new heavens and earth, in
which all flesh will worship him (66:22–23; cf. 40:5). (Holly Beers, The
Followers of Jesus as the "Servant": Luke's Model from Isaiah for the
Disciples in Luke-Acts [Library of New Testament Studies 535; London:
T&T Clark, 2015], 48)
Their
reception of the Spirit shows that Cornelius and his household are accepted
into the people of God (10:44). This may coincide with the co-texts of the
servant passages, especially Isa. 56:6–8 and its message of inclusion for
foreigners who join themselves to God. Isaiah 66:21 takes this even farther
and envisions foreigners as priest and Levites. (Ibid., 152)
