Isaiah25

The prophet praises the LORD for His faithfulness and mighty deeds, particularly His judgment upon strong cities and His protection of the poor. A future feast is foretold on God's holy mountain, where death will be swallowed up in victory, and all tears will be wiped away. The chapter concludes with the joyful anticipation of God's salvation and the humiliation of Moab.
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A Song of Praise for God's Judgment

1
O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. ​
2
For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. ​
3
Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. ​
4
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. ​
5
Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

The Great Feast on Mount Zion

6
And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. ​
7
And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. ​
8
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. ​
9
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. ​

God’s Judgment Against Moab

10
For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. ​
11
And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. ​
12
And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

Study Notes for Isaiah 25

Verse 1

This opening is a hymn of thanksgiving, placed strategically after the preceding 'Oracles against the Nations' (Chs. 13-24), affirming that God's ancient plans ('counsels of old') have been executed faithfully and truthfully.

Verse 2

The 'city' likely refers to a generic powerful oppressor (e.g., Babylon, Assyria, or the archetype of all wicked cities), symbolizing the overthrow of human pride and anti-God power structures.

Verse 3

God's judgment is not only punitive but reveals His power; even the 'terrible nations' will eventually recognize and fear the sovereignty of Yahweh demonstrated through the destruction of their strongholds.

Verse 4

This verse emphasizes God’s role as the divine patron of the oppressed ('the poor' and 'the needy'), contrasting the security found in God with the violent oppression of the surrounding world ('terrible ones').

Verse 6

This feast symbolizes the ultimate blessings of God’s kingdom. The richness ('fat things,' 'wines on the lees well refined') indicates the abundance, quality, and complete joy of the Messianic age, available 'unto all people.'

Verse 7

The 'covering' or 'vail' represents the spiritual blindness, fear, and sorrow that currently afflict humanity. God promises to remove this spiritual darkness, revealing the truth and glory of salvation to all nations gathered on Zion.

Verse 8

This is a key prophetic statement regarding the ultimate defeat of death ('swallow up death in victory'). Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians 15:54 to affirm the bodily resurrection and Christ’s triumph over the grave.

Verse 9

This verse is the joyful acclamation of the saved community, recognizing that their long hope and expectation ('we have waited for him') has been fulfilled by God’s dramatic intervention and salvation.

Verse 10

Moab, a traditional enemy of Israel and symbol of human arrogance (cf. Isaiah 15-16), is used here as a representative example of all nations that resist God. Their ultimate defeat is certain.

Verse 11

The image of one swimming likely refers to Moab desperately struggling to survive or escape the judgment, while God effortlessly pushes them down. Their pride and spoils will be utterly humbled.

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