FRAMEWORKS: Isaiah 25: Subsequent Praise to the Lord

 

Context:

1.3 God's Outworking of the End Judgment Ch.24-27

Ch.24 – The Lord's devastation of the earth

Ch.25 – Subsequent Praise to the Lord

Ch.26 – An extension of the song of praise

Ch.27 – Deliverance by Discipline of Israel

   

This Chapter:

v.1-5 God the all-powerful one

v.6-8 God the provider & protector and remover of death

v.9-12 He will be seen as the Protector from enemies

    

[Introductory Comment: The previous chapter concluded with God reigning from Jerusalem which will evoke praise in His people [v.1] as they rejoice in His victory over their enemies [v.2], bringing all to the level of worshiping Him [v.3], a God who is there, providing for and protecting His people [v.4,5]. They will enter into wonderful fellowship with Him enjoying the wonder of His provision [v.6] and removing the spectre of death from them [v.7,8], secure in the salvation He has brought [v.9], and safe from their enemies [v.10-12]. This is a song or psalm of appreciation of the works that God will bring about at the end-time, revealing the wonder of life with Him.]

 

 

v.1-5 God the all-powerful one

 

v.1 (The prophet praises the Lord for His great acts) Lord, you are my God;
    I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
    you have done wonderful things,
    things planned long ago.
v.2 (God brings down [rebellious] cities) You have made the city a heap of rubble,
    the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners' stronghold a city no more;
    it will never be rebuilt.
v.3 (The strong and powerful are brought to worship) Therefore strong peoples will honour you;
    cities of ruthless nations will revere you.
v.4 (Yet He is there for the poor & needy, a protector from storm and invaders) You have been a refuge for the poor,
    a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
    and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
    is like a storm driving against a wall
v.5  and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
    as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
    so the song of the ruthless is stilled.

     

   

v.6-8 God the provider & protector and remover of death

 

v.6 (At His temple He will abundantly provide all we need) On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine –
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
v.7 (At His temple He will remove death) On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
v.8   he will swallow up death for ever.
(He will thus remove fear and mourning) The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people's disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

   

  

v.9-12 He will be seen as the Protector from enemies

 

v.9 (Experiencing salvation will build trust) In that day they will say,

‘Surely this is our God;
    we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'

v.10 (He will bring down their enemies) The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;
    but Moab will be trampled in their land
    as straw is trampled down in the manure.
v.11  They will stretch out their hands in it,
    as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim.
(He will bring down the pride of their enemies) God will bring down their pride
    despite the cleverness of their hands.
v.12  (He will bring down their strength in their fortifications) He will bring down your high fortified walls
    and lay them low;
he will bring them down to the ground,
    to the very dust.

           

    

Continue to Chapter 26