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Isaiah 25

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 Introduction
God sees time, history, the past and present and future much differently than we. It’s hard for us to imagine the life awaiting for us based on our senses and references to this life. But the most important fact in this regard is that we don’t have to imagine the future, but aspire to it by the way we live in the present.

1O Lord, You are my God;

I will exalt You,

I will give thanks to Your name;

For You have worked wonders,

Plans formed long ago, with perfect
faithfulness.

2For You have made a city into a
heap,

A fortified city into a ruin;

A palace of strangers is a city no
more,

It will never be rebuilt.

3Therefore a strong people will
glorify You;

Cities of ruthless nations will
revere You.

4For You have been a defense
for the helpless,

A defense for the needy in his
distress,

A refuge from the storm, a
shade from the heat;

For the breath of the ruthless

Is like a rain storm against a
wall.

5Like heat in drought, You
subdue the uproar of aliens;

Like heat by the shadow of a
cloud, the song of the
ruthless is silenced.

[Read v.1-5]

Q: To whom are these verses addressed? What does that make these verses?

A: These verses are addressed directly to God; therefore these verses are either a prayer or a hymn of praise.

 

Q: What four things are specifically mentioned for the worshipper to do in verses 1 & 3?

A: To exalt the Lord and to give thanks to His name (v.1); to glorify and revere Him (v.3).

 

Q: There are 3 phrases that begin with “For You….” They refer to the reasons to exalt, to give thanks, and to glorify the Lord. Can you name them, as well as identify other reasons?

  • “For You have worked wonders….” (v. 1b)

  • “For You have made a city into a heap” (referring to overthrowing fortified cities; v. 2)

  • “For You have been a defense for the helpless….” (v. 4)

  • “…You subdue the uproar of aliens (strangers)…and the song of the ruthless is silenced” (v. 5).

 

Q: What is the common theme in verses 1-5 for which the worshipper can worship the Lord?

A: The Lord has carried out His plans formed long ago (v. 1b) to overthrow all wickedness and powers on the earth so that God’s people can rest in peace.

 

Q: Therefore, what time in the future are these verses set?

A: In order to determine what point in time these verses refer to, we have to look generally at the whole section of Scripture. It is clear that this section is referring to the Millennial Kingdom that will be established when Christ returns.

 

[Note: Chapters 1-11 referred to judgment against Judah; chapter 13-23 referred to judgment against the nations, and chapters 24-33 have to do with judgment against the whole earth. Historically, all but the last third have taken place.]

 

Application:

  • What things do the people of God have to look forward to?

  • What items in our lives would we get rid of if these events took place now?

  • How would the government be spending its money if it didn’t have to spend it on…defense & military?...law enforcement? ...Medicaid?

  • Would we have to lock our doors at night? Would we be afraid of kidnappers? rapists? murderers?

 

The whole point is that when the Lord sets up His kingdom on earth, it is hard for us to imagine today how we might then live.

6The Lord of hosts will prepare
a lavish banquet for all
peoples on this mountain;

A banquet of aged wine, choice
pieces with marrow,

And refined, aged wine.

7And on this mountain He will
swallow up the covering which
is over all peoples,

Even the veil which is stretched
over all nations.

8He will swallow up death for all
time,

And the Lord God will wipe
tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the
reproach of His people from
all the earth;

For the Lord has spoken.

[Read v.6-8]

Q: In verses 6-8, what five things are listed that the Lord will do in that day for His people?

  1. He will “prepare a lavish banquet”

  2. He will “swallow up the covering…over all peoples” (probably referring to their spiritual blindness)

  3. He will “swallow up death for all time”

  4. He will “wipe tears away from all faces”

  5. He will “remove the reproach of His people”

 

Application #1:  Discuss each one and try to imagine what that will be like.

 

Application #2:  In what way are these things partially applicable to the believer today? How does God’s working of these things in the present life teach us something of the life to come?

9And it will be said in that day,

“Behold, this is our God for
whom we have waited that He
might save us.

This is the Lord for whom we
have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His
salvation.”

10For the hand of the Lord will
rest on this mountain,

And Moab will be trodden down
in his place

As straw is trodden down in the
water of a manure pile.

11And he will spread out his
hands in the middle of it

As a swimmer spreads out his
hands to swim,

But the Lord will lay low his
pride together with the trickery
of his hands.

12The unassailable fortifications
of your walls He will bring
down,

Lay low and cast to the ground,
even to the dust.

[Read v.9-12]

Q: Compare verse 9 with Matt. 24:13, 42-26; 25:14-28. Who will be able to rejoice?

A: Those who have endured to the end and have obeyed the Lord while waiting. This will not happen unless a person actually believes that He is coming back.

 

“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

―Matthew 24:13

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.

 

“Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

 

“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’

 

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

 

“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’

 

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

 

“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

 

“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’”

―Matthew 25:14-28

Application: What areas of our lives do we need to improve on today to be ready for tomorrow?

Q: In verses 10-12, who or what does Moab represent? Can you take a guess by referring to Numbers 22?

A: This reference to Moab refers specially to those who try to tempt God’s people away from worshipping God. The trickery referred to was the sin of Balaam.

 

Application: What things today take us away from being wholly dedicated to the Lord?