Isaiah 25 Devotional
by Pastor Mark Hudson
In this section, chapters 24-27, we see God’s triumph over the nations. In this chapter we see God triumphing over the nations and especially Moab near the end of the chapter. The chapter can be divided into three promises: vs.1-5 Protection; vs. 6-9 Provision; 10-12 Punishment. Chapters 24 and 25 are closely related. Chapter 25 is a response to chapter 24’s announcement of judgment.
Isaiah has a personal and intimate relationship with God as we see in vs. 1-2, “You are my God, I will exalt you, I will praise your name.” He knows God has done wonderful things and all that God does is planned. Nothing God does is off the cuff or haphazard. God is not casual. He orders, plans, ordains and then executes. And all that is does is just, perfect, holy, loving and good for us.
Believers praise God for His wrath, “You have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin,” which implies loss of property and possibly life. Yet, v. 3, “cities of ruthless nations will fear you” which means that nations that do not know God will praise God for His justice. We need justice now and we need justice in the future, and we need justice on that final day. We should always praise God for His justice.
God can at once be a judge meting out judgment and at the same time “stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in distress.” Isaiah, in verse 4, never allows the judgment he sees to distort his view of God. God is like a shelter from a storm and shade from the heat of the Middle Eastern sun which can cause sickness or death. God is both a comfort and a judge. God is not just loving. Not just compassionate. God is not only full of wrath. He is all that and a thousand times more. He is everything good, just, holy, and wonderful. He is greater than any human could ever imagine. Heaven will surprise us with the beauty, grace, brilliance, and glory of God.
Now we see the promises of provision in v. 6-9. Here we see this grand feast for all peoples. This food is rich, expensive, and delicious. The wine is well refined. We should be serving God and He is providing for us! It would be enough to have simple fare but He, once again, lavishes food upon us like He does in Eph 1:7-8, “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight . . . .” We will wonder for ages why God is such a giver.
Then in verse 8, God will swallow up death forever. He best destroys by swallowing whole. We eat delicious food and God eats death. What a way to destroy death! We swallow a bite of tasty morsel; God swallows death. So in that regard He seems gigantic and all powerful, far beyond what we can imagine. But now He is close to us in softness and care. Notice the comfort God extends. He gets as close as one can get by wiping away tears from our faces. How tender, how close, how compassionate. We do not touch another person’s face like this unless the person is our spouse or our child. When God wipes away our tears, there is no rebuke just grace. He wipes away tears (Rev 7:17; 21:4). Then God takes away our reproach.
In v. 9, God’s people are overwhelmed with the vision of God. v. 9, “Behold, this is our God.” This is a personal declaration of faith. The believers know God saves and they are glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Then in 10-12, the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain, yet His foot rests on Moab. As God’s hand is on His mountain, Moab’s hands are in filthy sewage. This is one way to judge Moab. Moab is a proud nation. Soon it will be swimming in sewage. A rather picturesque description of judgment.
Father, You are the most giving Being in the universe. You finally judge after multiple warnings. But You provide for Your own with the most lavish feast. How can we ever thank You for what we have in store for us in heaven? You are a stronghold to the poor and the needy in distress. You protect us from anyone or anything that will hurt us. We are Your people in Your hands. Your hands will judge with wrath all those who hate you. But since Your hand smote Christ, Your hand will extend unending blessings to us. In the One who died for us, Amen.