Isaiah 25

Isaiah 25 follows Isaiah 24, which depicts judgment upon the whole earth. Chapter 24 ends with the declaration that the LORD reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem (Isaiah 24:23), and chapter 25 contains a song of thanksgiving for that salvation and the promise of an end-time feast. Scholars sometimes group chapters 24–27 together as "the Isaiah Apocalypse."

Outline

• Verses 1–5 The prophet praises the LORD, who has done wonderful things in accordance with his counsels of old. The LORD has made the fortified city a heap. In the face of the ruthless, he is a strength (stronghold) to the poor, a refuge from the storm, and a shadow from the heat.
• Verses 6–8 In "this mountain" the LORD of hosts prepares a feast for all peoples, with rich food and well-aged wine. He removes the covering cast over the faces of all peoples and the veil spread over all nations, destroys death forever, and wipes away tears from all faces.
• Verse 9 In that day the people confess, "we have waited for him," and rejoice in his salvation.
• Verses 10–12 The hand of the LORD rests on this mountain, and Moab is trodden down like straw in a dunghill. Moab's pride and high walls are brought down to the ground.

Key Verses

• Isaiah 25:6 "Make unto all people a feast": This verse depicts an end-time feast to which all peoples are invited. It is often read alongside the New Testament parables of the banquet of the kingdom of God.
• Isaiah 25:8 "He will swallow up death in victory": Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians 15:54 when speaking of the resurrection. The image of God wiping away tears appears again in Revelation 7:17 and 21:4.
• Isaiah 25:9 "We have waited for him": This verse confesses salvation received after a long period of waiting.

People and Places

• The LORD: In this chapter he is called "the LORD of hosts" and "the Lord GOD."
• This mountain: In light of the preceding chapter, it is generally understood to refer to Mount Zion, that is, Jerusalem.
• Moab: A people neighboring Israel who lived east of the Dead Sea. In this chapter Moab appears as the representative of proud powers that oppose God.
• The fortified city: The text does not name it. Interpretations vary, including the view that it is Babylon.

Points for Reflection

• Views differ on the date of composition of chapters 24–27. The traditional view regards them as the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah, while some critical scholars regard them as a later addition.
• The feast of verses 6–8 is generally read as a picture of the kingdom of God to be consummated after Christ's return. Premillennial interpreters sometimes connect it with the Millennium, while amillennial interpreters may see it as a symbolic picture of the new heavens and the new earth.
• Verse 8 is regarded as one of the rare Old Testament texts that express a hope beyond death. In the New Testament it is taken up in the resurrection proclamation of 1 Corinthians 15 and in the vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21.
• The judgment on Moab in verses 10–12 appears abruptly. Some interpreters read it together with the warnings against Moab that begin in Isaiah 15.

In the Korean Church

• Verse 8 is often used as a text proclaiming hope beyond death in sermons for funeral services and Easter.