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 wit... [ Continue Reading ]
O LORD, THOU [ART] MY GOD,.... Not by creation and providence only, but by covenant and grace. This is the first and foundation blessing of grace, and secures all the rest; in this true happiness consists, and is preferable to every other enjoyment; the knowledge of it is come at in effectual callin... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU HAST MADE OF A CITY AN HEAP,.... Which is to be understood, not of Samaria, nor of Jerusalem; rather of Babylon; though it is best to interpret it of the city of Rome, as Jerom says the Jews do; though they generally explain it of many cities, which shall be destroyed in the times of Gog an... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SHALL THE STRONG PEOPLE GLORIFY THEE,.... To whom the Lord is strength, as in the following verse Isaiah 25:4; who are strong in the Lord, in the power of his might, and in the grace that is in him; or such of the antichristian party as shall be awakened and convinced by the judgments of G... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU HAST BEEN A STRENGTH TO THE POOR, A STRENGTH TO THE NEEDY IN HIS DISTRESS,.... The people of God, who are poor and needy, both in a literal and in a spiritual sense; and especially when under afflicted circumstances, in times of desertion, temptation, bodily affliction, and persecution from... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT BRING DOWN THE NOISE OF STRANGERS,.... Such as are strangers to God and godliness, to Christ, his Gospel, and truths, to the Spirit and his operations of grace; the clamour and noise of such against true religion, and the professors of it, their persecuting rage and fury, this the Lord in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THIS MOUNTAIN SHALL THE LORD OF HOSTS MAKE UNTO ALL PEOPLE A FEAST OF FAT THINGS,.... Which is to be understood, not of the ultimate glory of the saints in heaven; which is sometimes represented by a feast; and the participation of it, by sitting down with the saints at a table in the kingdom... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WILL DESTROY IN THIS MOUNTAIN THE FACE OF THE COVERING CAST OVER ALL PEOPLE,.... Or, "the covering of the face" f; that which has covered the face of all people; that darkness which has been spread over them, partly by Mahomet, and his Alcoran, and partly by the pope of Rome, and his party; t... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL SWALLOW UP DEATH IN VICTORY,.... Or, "for ever" g. This is to be understood, not of a spiritual death, which is swallowed up in conversion, and of which those that are quickened shall never die more; nor of the conversion of the Jews, which will be as life from the dead; nor of the civil dea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE SAID IN THAT DAY,.... When the feast will be made for all the Lord's people; when the veil and covering shall be removed; when death will be swallowed up in victory; when all tears shall be wiped away from the saints; when their rebuke shall be taken away from them; all which will be... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IN THIS MOUNTAIN SHALL THE HAND OF THE LORD REST,.... Where he will make the feast of fat things, Isaiah 25:6 even in his church, which is his resting place, and where he delights to dwell; and over whom his hand is, and abides for their protection and safeguard; and where he gives rest, as the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL SPREAD FORTH HIS HANDS IN THE MIDST OF THEM,.... In the midst of Moab, in the midst of the enemies of the church of God; and so it denotes the utter destruction of them; for the spreading forth of the hands is to be understood of the Lord, that should do so: AS HE THAT SWIMMETH SPREADE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FORTRESS OF THE HIGH FORT OF THY WALLS SHALL HE BRING DOWN,.... That is, their high and, fenced walls, which were about their cities, the fortifications of them; these should be destroyed by the Lord, be battered and brought down, not being able to stand against his mighty power. The Targum... [ Continue Reading ]