Isaiah 25

God Will Swallow Up Death Forever

1 O LORD, ¹you are my God; ²I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, ³plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

2 For you have made the city ⁴a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners' palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.

3 ⁵Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.

4 ⁶For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, ⁷a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; ⁸for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,

5 ⁹like heat in a dry place. You subdue the noise of the foreigners; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down.

6 ¹⁰On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, ¹¹of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.

7 And he will swallow up ¹²on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, ¹³the veil that is spread over all nations.

8 ¹⁴He will swallow up death forever; and ¹⁵the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and ¹⁶the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, ¹⁷for the LORD has spoken.

9 It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; ¹⁸we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; ¹⁹let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

10 For the hand of the LORD will rest ²⁰on this mountain, and ²¹Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill.^[a]

11 ²²And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim, but the LORD ²³ will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill^[b] of his hands.

12 And the high fortifications of his walls he will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, to the dust.

Isaiah 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

A song of praise. (1-5) A declaration of the gospel blessings. (6-8) The destruction of the enemies of Christ's church. (9-12)

Verses 1-5 However this might show the deliverance of the Jews out of captivity, it looked further, to the praises that should be offered up to God for Christ's victories over our spiritual enemies, and the comforts he has provided for all believers. True faith simply credits the Lord's testimony, and relies on his truth to perform his promises. As God weakens the strong who are proud and secure, so he strengthens the weak that are humble, and stay themselves upon him. God protects his people in all weathers. The Lord shelters those who trust in him from the insolence of oppressors. Their insolence is but the noise of strangers; it is like the heat of the sun scorching in the middle of the day; but where is it when the sun is set? The Lord ever was, and ever will be, the Refuge of distressed believers. Having provided them a shelter, he teaches them to flee unto it.

Verses 6-8 The kind reception of repentant sinners, is often in the New Testament likened to a feast. The guests invited are all people, Gentiles as well as Jews. There is that in the gospel which strengthens and makes glad the heart, and is fit for those who are under convictions of sin, and mourning for it. There is a veil spread over all nations, for all sat in darkness. But this veil the Lord will destroy, by the light of his gospel shining in the world, and the power of his Spirit opening men's eyes to receive it. He will raise those to spiritual life who were long dead in trespasses and sins. Christ will himself, in his resurrection, triumph over death. Grief shall be banished; there shall be perfect and endless joy. Those that mourn for sin shall be comforted. Those who suffer for Christ shall have consolations. But in the joys of heaven, and not short of them, will fully be brought to pass this saying, God shall wipe away all tears. The hope of this should now do away over-sorrow, all weeping that hinders sowing. Sometimes, in this world God takes away the reproach of his people from among men; however, it will be done fully at the great day. Let us patiently bear sorrow and shame now; both will be done away shortly.

Verses 9-12 With joy and praise will those entertain the glad tidings of the Redeemer, who looked for him; and with a triumphant song will glorified saints enter into the joy of their Lord. And it is not in vain to wait for him; for the mercy comes at last, with abundant recompence for the delay. The hands once stretched out upon the cross, to make way for our salvation, will at length be stretched forth to destroy all impenitent sinners. Moab is here put for all adversaries of God's people; they shall all be trodden down or threshed. God shall bring down the pride of the enemies by one humbling judgment after another. This destruction of Moab is typical of Christ's victory, and the pulling down of Satan's strong holds. Therefore, beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; for your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 15:2
• 2. [Psalms 107:32]
• 3. [2 Kings 19:25]
• 4. [Isaiah 17:1; Jeremiah 51:37]
• 5. [Isaiah 18:7]
• 6. Nahum 1:7
• 7. Isaiah 4:6
• 8. [2 Chronicles 32:18]
• 9. [Isaiah 32:2]
• 10. Isaiah 2:2, 3; Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 24:23
• 11. [Psalms 63:5]
• 12. [See ver. 6 above]
• 13. [2 Corinthians 3:15]
• 14. Cited 1 Corinthians 15:54; [Hosea 13:14]
• 15. Revelation 7:17; [Isaiah 30:19]
• 16. [Isaiah 37:4]
• 17. See Isaiah 1:20
• 18. Isaiah 26:8; [Genesis 49:18; Psalms 27:14]
• 19. Psalms 9:14
• 20. [See ver. 6 above]
• 21. See Isaiah 15:1
• 22. [Isaiah 16:12]
• 23. [Isaiah 16:14]

Footnotes

• [a]. The Hebrew words for dunghill and for the Moabite town Madmen (Jeremiah 48:2) sound alike
• [b]. Or in spite of the skill

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 25

This chapter contains a thanksgiving, or a triumphant song, upon the destruction of antichrist, and the antichristian states, for benefits and blessings bestowed upon the church, and for the setting up of the glorious kingdom of Christ in the Jerusalem state. It begins with a form of praise, and the reason of it in general, Isa 25:1 the particular instances of wonderful things are, the ruin of a certain city described, Isa 25:2 which will issue in the fear and glory of God, Isa 25:3 the great appearance of the Lord for his poor people, in being strength, refuge, and a shadow to them, Isa 25:4,5 a rich feast made for them, Isa 25:6 the removal of the veil from all people, Isa 25:7 the abolition of death, and every affliction, Isa 25:8 the personal appearance of Christ unto salvation, Isa 25:9 the protection of the church, and the certain and utter destruction of her enemies, under the name of Moab, Isa 25:10-12