Scripture quotations on this page are from the World English Bible (public domain), shown in quotation marks; all commentary is written by Scripture Trove. Source: Isaiah 25 · Commentary
Isaiah 25 immediately follows the opening judgment of Isaiah 24, the "Little Apocalypse." Chapter 24 presents the complete collapse of the old creation and the dawn of Yahweh of Armies reigning in Zion. Chapter 25 immediately takes up the great feast that this reigning King will prepare for all peoples. The prophet leaps from "death covering the whole earth" (the implied backdrop of chapter 24) to "death swallowed up" (25:8) in one breath. This is the most complete picture of eschatological salvation in the entire Old Testament, directly quoted in the New Testament's Revelation and 1 Corinthians 15. This chapter is short, only 12 verses, but its theological density is arguably the greatest in the entire book.
Book One: The Book of Judgment and Hope (Isaiah 1-39) of the Little Apocalypse (Chapters 24-27)
This chapter's position: The second chapter of the four chapters of the Little Apocalypse, forming a "judgment → redemption" couplet with chapter 24. Chapter 24 presents the universal judgment of the old creation's departure, while chapter 25 presents the universal salvation of the new kingdom's arrival: the great feast for all peoples (25:6-8), and Moab trampled (25:10-12). The two chapters are a set: the prophet does not allow believers to focus only on judgment but must see the feast already prepared behind the judgment.
This chapter can be divided into the following three sections:
Praise to God, the refuge of the weak (25:1-5) Begins with "I will exalt you"; God is a refuge for the poor, a shelter in trouble; the song of the ruthless ceases.
The great feast for all peoples and death swallowed up (25:6-8) On "this mountain" (Zion), God will prepare a feast of aged wine for all peoples, remove the veil that covers all peoples, swallow up death forever, and wipe away tears from every face.
Salvation through waiting and Moab trampled (25:9-12) "Behold, this is Yahweh; we have waited for him": the waiting of the remnant is rewarded; Moab is trampled under Him like straw.
The entire chapter is a prophetic eschatological hymn, structurally moving from "individual and communal praise" (1-5) to "universal declaration of salvation" (6-8) and then to "the joy of those who wait and the end of those who resist" (9-12). The middle section, verses 6-8, is the core of the entire chapter and the most concentrated picture of eschatological salvation in the entire Old Testament. Verses 1-5 lay the groundwork for God's attribute as "refuge for the weak," making the "universal feast" of verses 6-8 not an abstract theological proposition but the eschatological completion of God's consistent compassion for the poor. Verses 9-12 return to the remnant's response: those who wait are saved, and those who resist (represented by Moab) are trampled.
Please look up at that table; it is already set. In the midst of the loss, tears, and shadow of death you are experiencing, God has already prepared aged wine, rich food, the removal of the veil, the swallowing of death, and the wiping away of tears. This is not a distant utopia; this is what "Yahweh, for whom we have waited" will surely accomplish "on this mountain" (Zion) for "all peoples" (not just Israel). 1 Corinthians 15:54, "Death is swallowed up in victory," and Revelation 7:17 / 21:4, "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes," are the New Testament's responses to this table.
| Section | Verses | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Praise Opening | 25:1 | "I will exalt you": a victorious declaration in prophetic perfect tense |
| Praise 1: Demolish Oppressive Cities | 25:2-3 | City becomes a heap of ruins, foreign cities revere Yahweh |
| Praise 2: Be a Refuge for the Weak | 25:4-5 | Refuge for the poor, shelter from storm and heat |
| Central Declaration: The Great Feast | 25:6 | On this mountain, prepare a feast of aged wine for all peoples |
| Central Declaration: Remove the Veil | 25:7 | Remove the veil covering all peoples |
| Central Declaration: Destroy Death | 25:8a | Swallow up death forever |
| Central Declaration: Wipe Away Tears | 25:8b | The Lord Yahweh personally wipes away every tear |
| Remnant's Response | 25:9 | "Behold, this is Yahweh; we have waited for him": salvation through waiting |
| End of Resisters | 25:10-12 | Moab trampled, strong high tower brought down to dust |
Brothers and sisters, chapter 25 is a love letter from the prophet to all who are weary in waiting, persistent in tears, and walking in the shadow of death.
Please pause at those two sentences in verse 8. "He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces." If you have ever stood by a loved one's bedside in their last hours, if you have ever bitten your lip during a funeral hymn to keep tears from falling, if you have ever woken at 3 AM remembering a departed loved one and silently walked into the living room to cry, please hear this verse. The prophet is not comforting you with theological theory; he is describing a real scene: Yahweh personally reaching out to wipe away the tears from your face. Not sending an angel, not issuing a command, but He Himself, the Yahweh of Armies who created the universe and punishes the hosts of heaven, He Himself reaches out.
I know sometimes this promise sounds distant. You are still sick today, still in the lingering pain of bereavement, still waiting for a response that has not yet come. The prophet understands this waiting better than you; when he wrote this verse, he himself had not yet seen this promise fulfilled. On what basis did he say this? He said it on the basis of "for Yahweh has spoken it" (end of 25:8). This Yahweh who speaks will not break His promise.
Please also pause at that table in verse 6. "In this mountain, Yahweh of Armies will make for all peoples a feast of fat things." This is what the prophet wrote for all who feel "unworthy." Not just Israel, not just church elites, not just spiritual giants: for all peoples. Aged wine, rich food full of marrow, the most abundant ingredients, prepared by God Himself. Please do not turn away from this table with the shame of "I am not worthy." God is not sifting to see who is worthy to sit at the table; He is inviting all peoples to come. In the New Testament, Jesus tells the parable of the great feast (Luke 14:15-24), where the master tells his servant, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." This is the New Testament posture of the table in Isaiah 25:6.
Please also hear verse 9: "Behold, this is our God. We have waited for him." The word "wait" (qavah) appears many times in Isaiah; it is the prophet's favorite spiritual verb. It is not passive waiting but hopeful expectation with faith; you know the answer will come, so you are not in a hurry to create one yourself. Psalm 27:14, "Wait for Yahweh. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for Yahweh": this kind of waiting is David's posture, the prophet's posture, and should be your posture today.
Perhaps today you are waiting for your children to turn to the Lord, waiting for your spouse's heart to soften, waiting for a diagnosis report, waiting for a reply, waiting for the revival of the church. Please do not view your waiting with the modern anxiety that "waiting is a waste of time." The prophet tells you: those who wait will say on the last day, "Behold, this is Yahweh; we have waited for him." Every moment of waiting in the Lord is remembered by Him. Every tear is counted by Him (cf. Psalm 56:8, "You put my tears into your bottle").
Finally, please do not overlook the opening phrase in 25:1: "I will exalt you." After the universal collapse (chapter 24) has just occurred, the prophet's first reaction is worship. Not complaining, "Why has the world become like this?" not panicking, "What do we do next?" but looking up to exalt God. This is a profound spiritual example from the prophet to all believers in turbulent times: on the ruins of judgment, the song of worship rises first. Because we know that the one who demolishes old empires is the Yahweh who will prepare a feast for all peoples. The same hand, doing the same thing.
Section Placement: In the sermon structure, this section is a "praise-filled opening." The prophet begins with the personal "I will exalt You," laying the groundwork for God's attribute as a "refuge for the weak," which is the personal foundation for the "great feast for all peoples" in verses 6-8. The way God prepares a feast for all peoples is consistent with His consistent compassion for the poor and needy.
25:1 "Yahweh, you are my God. I will exalt you! I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago, in complete faithfulness and truth."
Isaiah 25:1（World English Bible）
"Yahweh, you are my God": In Hebrew, יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי אַתָּה (YHWH Elohai attah), this is the core declaration of Israelite worship. The possessive suffix "-ai" ("my") in "my God" (Elohai) transforms worship from abstract theological knowledge into personal belonging. The prophet is not making an objective statement but speaking with a heart that has been captivated by this God.
"I will exalt you! I will praise your name": A synonymous parallelism in Hebrew poetry. The verb root for "exalt" (אֲרוֹמִמְךָ, aromimkha) means "to lift high," forming a strong contrast with "overturn" in 24:1 and "laid waste" in 24:4. God overthrows the high and mighty of the world, but the worshiper lifts Him up. This is the core posture of worship: putting God in His rightful place.
"Wonderful things" (פֶּלֶא, pele), one of the keywords in Isaiah, shares the same root as the Messiah's title "Wonderful Counselor" (Pele Yo'ets) in 9:6. The prophet says God "has done wonderful things": the verb is in the perfect tense (past tense), meaning these wonderful things have already been accomplished. This is a characteristic of end-time praise: looking back at the present from the future, as if all things are already done. This is the "prophetic perfect" in Hebrew grammar; the prophet is so certain of the end-time fulfillment that he uses the past tense to describe it.
"Things planned long ago": "Planned long ago" (עֵצוֹת מֵרָחוֹק, etsot merachoq) means "plans determined from ancient times." This declares that God's end-time salvation is not a temporary reaction but an eternal plan established before creation. Ephesians 1:4, "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world," and Revelation 13:8, "the Lamb who has been slain from the foundation of the world," are on the same theological line.
25:2 "For you have made a city into a heap, a fortified city into a ruin, a palace of strangers to be no city. It will never be built."
Isaiah 25:2（World English Bible）
The first content of praise: God demolishes the cities of empires. No specific city is named here (unlike Babylon in chapter 13 or Jerusalem in chapter 22); it is universal, referring to all cities that oppress people with violence. This echoes 24:10, "the city of confusion is broken down," and 24:12, "the city gate is battered to pieces."
"It will never be built" (לְעוֹלָם לֹא יִבָּנֶה, le-olam lo yibbaneh): This is a characteristic of end-time judgment: it is not "temporary collapse" but "eternal demolition." Once oppressive empires are overthrown in the end times, they will never rise again. This is the deepest hope of the oppressed, that evil will not cycle back.
25:3 "Therefore a strong people will glorify you. A city of awesome nations will fear you."
Isaiah 25:3（World English Bible）
"Therefore": A logical connector. God's action of demolishing oppressive cities causes "strong people" and "cities of ruthless nations" to glorify Him. This sounds contradictory: how can oppressors glorify the God who judges them?
Scholars offer multiple interpretations: there are two possibilities here:
Regardless, this verse declares that God's judgment ultimately leads to the acknowledgment of Him by all nations. This does not eliminate the severity of judgment but rather allows judgment to serve a deeper purpose: God's name is glorified.
25:4 "For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat, when the blast of the dreaded ones is like a storm against the wall."
Isaiah 25:4（World English Bible）
This verse presents a vivid image of God as a "refuge for the weak." A string of metaphors in Hebrew poetry: "a stronghold to the poor," "a stronghold to the needy in his distress," "a refuge from the storm," "a shade from the heat."
"Stronghold" (מָעוֹז, maoz), meaning "a strong refuge." This word appears repeatedly in the Psalms (Psalm 27:1, "Yahweh is the stronghold of my life"; 31:2; 37:39). The key turning point in this verse: the strong are no longer the cities of the oppressors (25:2), but God Himself, who stands with the poor.
"Poor" (דַל, dal) and "needy" (אֶבְיוֹן, evyon): two categories of people whom God particularly cares for in the Hebrew Bible. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the strong oppressing the weak was common; the Bible repeatedly declares that God is the "defender of the poor" (cf. Exodus 22:22-24, Deuteronomy 10:18, Psalm 68:5, etc.). The prophet tells us: the God who will prepare a feast for all peoples in the end times (25:6) and the God who has always stood with the poor and needy throughout history are one and the same. End-time salvation is not an abstract theory from heaven but the final completion of God's compassionate nature.
"Storm, heat": The two major natural threats in ancient Near Eastern Palestine, the two things most feared by the displaced. The prophet says God is "a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat": a tender image that brings tears to the eyes. This is the same voice as Psalm 91, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High," and Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened."
25:5 "As the heat in a dry place will you bring down the noise of strangers; as the heat by the shade of a cloud, the song of the dreaded ones will be brought low."
Isaiah 25:5（World English Bible）
"The noise of strangers" and "the song of the ruthless": the boisterous celebrations of oppressors after victory. The prophet says God will make these sounds "like the heat in a dry place brought down," "like the heat from the shade of a cloud consumed": two everyday metaphors: the intense heat of a desert afternoon dissipates under cloud cover; even the fiercest heat quiets down in the shade.
This declares a profound truth: the victory of the ruthless is temporary. Even if they are still singing songs of triumph today, God will cause that noise to be consumed under His "cloud shade." Psalm 37:35-36, "I have seen the wicked in great power... Yet he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found," offers the same comfort.
Section Positioning: In the sermon structure, this passage is the core of the entire chapter and the most complete eschatological salvation picture in the entire Old Testament. These three verses contain five declarations: ① The Great Feast ② The Removal of the Veil ③ The Destruction of Death ④ The Wiping Away of Tears ⑤ The Removal of the Reproach of His People. Each item finds a direct echo in the New Testament.
25:6 "In this mountain, Yahweh of Armies will make all peoples a feast of choice meat, a feast of choice wines, of choice meat full of marrow, of well refined choice wines."
Isaiah 25:6（World English Bible）
"On this mountain": Directly follows 24:23 "Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem." This "mountain" is Mount Zion, the center of God's end-time kingdom. This is not a specific geographical mountain, but a representative image of God's end-time presence: "It will happen in the latter days, that the mountain of Yahweh’s house will be established on the top of the mountains" (2:2).
"Yahweh of Armies": The holy name from 24:23 appears again. A feast prepared by Yahweh who reigns, this is an image of a king entertaining all peoples. In the ancient Near East, kings would hold enthronement feasts for their subjects upon ascending the throne. This verse is the end-time, final completion of this cultural background.
"for all peoples" (לְכָל־הָעַמִּים, le-khol ha-amim), a key phrase. This is not a feast exclusively for Israel; it is a feast for all peoples. This is the climax of the universal salvation theme that runs through the book of Isaiah (2:2-3, 19:23-25, 56:6-8, 60:1-3, 66:18-21) in the end times. New Testament passages like Matthew 8:11 "Many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven," the parable of the great feast in Luke 14:15-24, and Revelation 19:9 "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb" are all echoes of this verse.
"rich food, choice wines, of rich food full of marrow, of refined choice wines": The Hebrew uses the densest vocabulary for luxurious food and drink. "Choice wines" (שְׁמָרִים, shemarim, "well-aged wines") refers to premium wine that has been stored for years, with clear liquid and the best taste. "Rich food full of marrow" (שְׁמָנִים מְמֻחָיִם, shemanim memuchayim): "fat with marrow," was the most precious dish at ancient Near Eastern banquets. The prophet uses the most luxurious language to describe it, but this is not material luxury; it is the abundance of God. What God prepares far exceeds human imagination.
The special nature of this table:
This is the Old Testament root of the Lord's Supper and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb: 1 Corinthians 11, in the Lord's Supper, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes," and Revelation 19:9 "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb," are both developments of this line.
25:7 "He will destroy in this mountain the surface of the covering that covers all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations."
Isaiah 25:7（World English Bible）
The second declaration: The destruction of the veil. The Hebrew word for "veil" (מַסֵּכָה, massekhah) literally means "covering, mask." What does this "veil" refer to?
Scholars mainly have three interpretations:
All three interpretations are valid and mutually reinforcing: God will remove the shadow of death, spiritual blindness, and the signs of human sorrow, humanity's entire state of "being covered by sin."
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 Paul echoes this verse almost word for word: "But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains... but whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away": Paul uses the theology of this verse to explain spiritual enlightenment in the New Testament era.
25:8 "He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces. He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken it."
Isaiah 25:8（World English Bible）
The most complete eschatological salvation declaration in the entire chapter, perhaps the entire Old Testament, arrives in this verse.
"He has swallowed up death": The Hebrew בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת (billa ha-mavet), the verb "swallowed up" (billa) is in the perfect tense (past tense). This is again a "prophetic perfect": the prophet is so certain of the end-time fulfillment that he describes it in the past tense.
"death" (הַמָּוֶת, ha-mavet). In ancient Near Eastern culture, death was often personified as a deity (Canaanite "Mot": meaning "death": he was the son of El, the chief of the gods, and was the power that devoured all life). This verse declares: this "death," which pagans regarded as a lord, will in turn be swallowed up by Yahweh. Hebrew poetry here uses a profound irony, pitting "swallowing" against "swallowing": in Canaanite mythology, Mot (death) devours everything; in the Bible, Yahweh devours death. The devourer is in turn devoured.
"forever" (לָנֶצַח, la-netzach), not a temporary suppression, but an eternal, decisive victory. Death will not rise again.
This is the loudest prophecy of the resurrection gospel in the entire Bible. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Paul directly quotes this verse: "Death is swallowed up in victory": this is the Old Testament root of New Testament resurrection theology. Christ's resurrection is the firstfruits of Isaiah 25:8; the resurrection of believers on the last day will be the final fulfillment of Isaiah 25:8.
"The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces": A rare tender detail in Hebrew poetry. He personally reaches out to wipe away tears, not sending angels, not issuing commands, but God Himself wiping away tears with His own hand. This is the posture of a father towards his child.
Revelation 7:17 "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" and Revelation 21:4 "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more": both directly echo this verse. The New Testament book of Revelation can be said to be a complete end-time unfolding of the three verses of Isaiah 25:6-8.
"He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth": The phrase "his people" is deeply significant. The first half of this verse "for all peoples" is universal, but at the end it says "his people": God's people include both Israel and those from all peoples who turn to Him. This is the unity of the tension between universal salvation and elect salvation, not replacement theology, nor a dual-track salvation, but "all who turn to God" become His people.
"for Yahweh has spoken it": Another prophetic oracle sealing formula (same template as 1:20, 24:3). The prophet emphasizes: this is not his utopian imagination, but Yahweh's own promise.
Section Positioning: In the sermon structure, this section is "The Response of Redemption, the End of the Resisters." The prophet concludes this eschatological hymn of the last days, with the joyful declaration of the remnant in the last days being, "Behold, this is Yahweh; we have waited for him." The resisters (represented by Moab) are trampled into the mud.
25:9 "It shall be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God! We have waited for him, and he will save us! This is Yahweh! We have waited for him. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation!”"
Isaiah 25:9（World English Bible）
"In that day": Isaiah's characteristic eschatological phrase (cf. 24:21).
"Behold" (הִנֵּה, hinneh), echoes the "Behold" in 24:1 when God judges the whole earth, forming a literary inclusio. The same "Behold": chapter 24 presents a scene of judgment, while chapter 25 presents a scene of salvation.
"This is our God... This is Yahweh": A double identification. In the last days, the remnant who once doubted, once wavered, and once walked through darkness, finally see with their own eyes: "This is the one I have waited for." This joy of "finally seeing" surpasses a thousand words.
"Have waited": The Hebrew verb קִוִּינוּ (qivvinu), from the root קָוָה (qavah, "to wait, to hope"). Waiting is one of the key spiritual verbs in Isaiah. It appears in many places throughout the book:
"Waiting" is not passive waiting, but expectant anticipation with faith, entrusting one's life to God's promises. Those who wait are rewarded in the last days; this is the core posture of the remnant theology throughout the book of Isaiah.
"Be glad and rejoice in his salvation": The word "salvation" (יְשׁוּעָה, yeshu'ah) shares the same root as "Isaiah" (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, "Yahweh is salvation"). The prophet's name itself is the ultimate message he is to proclaim: Yahweh's salvation. This is the highest note of praise in the last days.
25:10 "For in this mountain Yahweh’s hand will rest. Moab will be trodden down in his place, even like straw is trodden down in the water of the dunghill."
Isaiah 25:10（World English Bible）
"Yahweh's hand will rest on this mountain": "Hand resting on this mountain" presents a blessed presence. Yahweh's hand is on Zion, the center of the new kingdom.
"Moab": Why does Moab suddenly appear here? Scholars offer multiple explanations: Moab already has a specific oracle in chapters 15-16 of this book; here, Moab, as "Israel's representative enemy" (cf. Numbers 22-24 where Balak invited Balaam to curse Israel, Judges 3:12-30 where Eglon king of Moab oppressed Israel, 2 Kings 3 where Mesha king of Moab rebelled against Israel), becomes the representative of "all who resist God." Moab being trampled in the last days represents all nations and powers that refuse to turn to God being trampled.
"Even like straw is trodden down in the water of the dung pit": One of the most unsightly metaphors in Hebrew poetry. Straw (fodder left by livestock) being trampled into a dung pit—what a humiliating scene. The prophet does not shy away from using such "crude" imagery because he wants his audience to feel the extreme contrast of the last days: those who are proud and oppressive ultimately end up in the dung pit.
25:11 "He will spread out his hands in the middle of it, like one who swims spreads out hands to swim, but his pride will be humbled together with the craft of his hands."
Isaiah 25:11（World English Bible）
"Swims" (שָׂחָה, sachah, "to swim"): This word appears only 4 times in the Old Testament, and this verse is one of them. The scene is: Moab struggling in the dung pit like a swimmer spreading out his hands, both absurd and pathetic. The prophet uses a humorous yet cruel stroke to present the oppressor's end.
"Pride together with the tricks of his hands": This is the core that God will defeat. Moab's representative sin is "pride" (cf. 16:6 "We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud; even of his arrogance, his pride, his wrath..."). Pride is the core spirit to be defeated in the eschatological last days. James 4:6 / 1 Peter 5:5 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" is the New Testament development of this theology.
25:12 "He has brought the high fortress of your walls down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust."
Isaiah 25:12（World English Bible）
"High fortifications": Refers to Moab's defensive structures, symbolizing the sense of security built by human hands. "Bring down, lay low, even to the dust" is a triple declaration; God's destruction is thorough. This echoes 25:2 "never to be rebuilt," meaning all defensive structures built by humans themselves will return to dust in the last days.
The entire chapter concludes with "dust," echoing "the foundations of the earth tremble" (24:18) in chapter 24, forming a literary inclusio. The two chapters together present: the old creation and the cities of the resisters all return to dust; only Yahweh, who reigns on Zion, and the feast he prepares for all peoples, endure.
| Vocabulary | Original | Transliteration | Verse | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My God | אֱלֹהַי | Elohai | 25:1 | The "my" suffix transforms worship from knowledge to personal belonging |
| Exalt | רוּם | rum | 25:1 | "To lift high": contrasts with 24:1 "overturn" |
| Wonderful | פֶּלֶא | pele | 25:1 | Same root as 9:6 "Wonderful Counselor" |
| Ancient plans | עֵצוֹת מֵרָחוֹק | etsot merachoq | 25:1 | "Plans from ancient times": theology of eternal plans |
| Refuge | מָעוֹז | maoz | 25:4 | "Strong refuge": God is the ultimate fortress for the weak |
| Poor | דַל | dal | 25:4 | The weak whom God particularly cares for in the Old Testament |
| Needy | אֶבְיוֹן | evyon | 25:4 | Same theme as dal |
| This mountain | בָּהָר הַזֶּה | ba-har ha-zeh | 25:6, 7, 10 | Mount Zion: center of the eschatological kingdom; repeated three times in this chapter |
| For all peoples | לְכָל־הָעַמִּים | le-khol ha-amim | 25:6 | Universal salvation: not limited to Israel |
| Aged wine | שְׁמָרִים | shemarim | 25:6 | Premium wine aged for years |
| Fat full of marrow | שְׁמָנִים מְמֻחָיִם | shemanim memuchayim | 25:6 | Fat with marrow: the most precious dish at ancient Near Eastern feasts |
| Veil | מַסֵּכָה | massekhah | 25:7 | "Covering, mask": shadow of death / spiritual blindness / sorrow and mourning |
| Swallow up death | בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת | billa ha-mavet | 25:8 | Directly quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:54: Old Testament root of resurrection theology |
| Death | מָוֶת | mavet | 25:8 | Personified as a deity in the ancient Near East (Canaanite "Mot"); ironically defeated in this verse |
| Forever | לָנֶצַח | la-netzach | 25:8 | Irreversible victory |
| Wipe away tears | מָחָה דִּמְעָה | machah dim'ah | 25:8 | Directly echoed in Revelation 7:17 / 21:4 |
| Wait | קָוָה | qavah | 25:9 | Key spiritual verb in Isaiah (8:17, 30:18, 40:31, 49:23, 64:4) |
| Salvation | יְשׁוּעָה | yeshu'ah | 25:9 | Same root as "Isaiah": the prophet's name is his message |
| Moab | מוֹאָב | Mo'av | 25:10 | Representative enemy of Israel; image of being trampled in the last days |
| Swim | שָׂחָה | sachah | 25:11 | "To swim": rare Old Testament word; image of Moab struggling in a cesspool |
| Pride | גַּאֲוָה | ga'avah | 25:11 | Moab's representative sin; Old Testament root of James 4:6 / 1 Peter 5:5 |
| Dust | עָפָר | afar | 25:12 | The destiny of resistors; echoes "the earth is broken down" in chapter 24 |
(See the structure diagram in Chapter Guide · Paragraph Structure.)
Observation of Main Structure: This chapter has a clear diamond structure, with the center being the fivefold proclamation in 25:6-8: "the great feast, removing the veil, destroying death, wiping away tears, and removing reproach." The prelude (1-5) lays the groundwork for God's attribute of compassion for the weak; the aftermath (9-12) presents the twofold response to salvation (waiting for salvation, pride being trampled). A and A' form a strong contrast: A is the worshiper "exalting" God, and A' is the resistor being "leveled to the dust": the same hand does both things.
| Theme | Ancient Near Eastern Context | Presentation in This Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Enthronement Feast | Great kings in the Ancient Near East held lavish feasts for their subjects upon enthronement, symbolizing generosity and power. | 25:6 Yahweh of Armies will make a feast for all peoples: a "great enthronement feast" in its completed, eschatological form. |
| Deity of Death | In Canaanite mythology, Mot was the god of death, son of El (head of the gods), who devoured all life. | 25:8 "He has swallowed up death": an ironic declaration: the devourer is devoured in turn. |
| Funeral Mourning Clothes | In Ancient Near Eastern funerals, faces were covered with black cloth or sackcloth, symbolizing mourning. | 25:7 "the veil that is spread over all nations" may directly echo funeral mourning clothes. |
| Sacred Mountain Cosmology | Many Ancient Near Eastern religions regarded "sacred mountains" as dwelling places for deities (Babylon's "Mountain of the Gods," Canaan's Mount Zaphon as Baal's dwelling). | 25:6, 10 "on this mountain": Mount Zion is the true "Mountain of the Gods"; others are counterfeits. |
| The Strong Oppressing the Weak | Although Ancient Near Eastern laws included provisions to protect widows and orphans, enforcement was weak, and the strong bullying the weak was common. | 25:4 God as a refuge for the poor: the unique biblical theology of "God stands with the weak." |
| Moab's Representativeness | Moab was closely related to Israel by blood (descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot) yet was a long-term enemy (Numbers 22-24, Judges 3, 2 Kings 3). | 25:10-12 Moab being trampled represents all national powers that resist God. |
| Triumphal Song Custom | Victorious nations in the Ancient Near East often celebrated victory by singing triumphal songs and erecting triumphal arches. | 25:5 "the song of the terrible ones is brought low": God terminates the oppressors' victory celebrations in the end times. |
25:1 "you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, in faithfulness and truth," 25:8 "He has swallowed up death": The verbs are in the perfect tense (past tense), but they describe events of the end times that have not yet occurred. This is a unique "prophetic perfect" rhetorical device in Hebrew poetry. The prophet is so certain that the end times will come to pass that he describes them in the past tense. This grammar itself is a theological declaration: God's promises will surely be fulfilled and can be regarded as already accomplished.
25:6, 25:7, 25:10 "on this mountain" (בָּהָר הַזֶּה, ba-har ha-zeh) appears three times, a reinforcing repetition in Hebrew poetry. This "mountain" is Mount Zion, the center of the eschatological kingdom. This chapter uses threefold repetition to emphasize that all salvation—the feast, the removal of the veil, the laying on of hands—occurs on this same mountain.
25:8 "He has swallowed up death": In Ancient Near Eastern Canaanite mythology, Mot (the god of death) devoured all life. The Bible, in contrast, declares that Yahweh devours death. This is the deepest irony in Hebrew poetry: the devourer is devoured in turn. In 1 Corinthians 15:54, Paul directly expands on this irony: "Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? ... But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
25:6 "rich food... aged wine... rich food full of marrow... well-refined aged wine": This is the "luxurious accumulation" rhetorical device in Hebrew poetry, using the densest feast vocabulary. This is not material boasting but a poetic expression of God's abundance.
25:10-11 Moab "will be trodden down in his place, even as straw is trodden down in the water of the dunghill... He will spread out his hands in its midst, as a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim": This is a rare "crude" rhetorical device in Hebrew poetry. The prophet does not shy away from using such imagery because he wants listeners to feel the extreme contrast for oppressors in the end times: those who are proud ultimately struggle in a dung pit. This forms the sharpest contrast with the luxurious feast for all peoples in 25:6.
"Exalting vs. Bringing Down": The same sovereign Yahweh lifts up those who respond and brings down those who resist. This also forms a larger two-chapter inclusio with chapter 24 "Yahweh makes the earth empty" (24:1) vs. chapter 25 "He will make a feast for all peoples" (25:6): judgment and salvation are two actions of the same hand.
25:9 "we have waited for him" is one of the important nodes of the word "wait" (קָוָה, qavah) in the book of Isaiah. The complete word chain: 8:17 / 25:9 / 26:8 / 30:18 / 33:2 / 40:31 / 49:23 / 51:5 / 60:9 / 64:4. This word chain runs throughout the book and is one of the prophet's favorite spiritual verbs.
This chapter elevates the core themes of Isaiah to the pinnacle of an eschatological salvation vision:
25:6 "Yahweh of Armies will make a feast for all peoples": This continues the declaration in 24:23 that Yahweh of Armies reigns. The "Holy One of Israel" (26+ times) throughout this book is declared in chapter 25 to be the King of all kings who prepares a feast for all peoples. This is the peak of the theology of the Holy One of Israel; He is not just the Holy One of Israel but the King of all peoples.
25:9 "This is Yahweh; we have waited for him": The end-time response of the remnant. From the remnant theology that began in 1:9, "a very small remnant," to 25:9, the remnant finally sees God's end-time salvation with their own eyes. Those who wait do not wait in vain; this is Yahweh, we have waited for him.
25:9 "he will save us": "Salvation" (יְשׁוּעָה, yeshu'ah) shares the same root as "Isaiah." The entire Messianic chain in the book of Isaiah, from 9:6 "Prince of Peace" to 11:1 "root of Jesse" to 53 "suffering servant": in chapter 25, it is presented as "the King of kings who prepares a feast" and "the Savior who destroys death." In the New Testament, Christ defeats death on the cross (Hebrews 2:14 "that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil"), becomes the first fruits in resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), and at the end of time brings about the complete fulfillment of Isaiah 25:8 for believers, which is the culmination of this line.
Chapters 24 and 25 together form the most complete example of the prophetic genre's "judgment → redemption" beat. Chapter 24 dismantles the old creation, and chapter 25 proclaims the new feast. This closely connected beat tells readers: judgment is never the end, redemption is God's deepest heart.
25:6 "make a feast for all peoples": The eschatological completion of Isaiah's main theme of universal salvation. 2:2-3 "all nations will stream to Zion," 19:23-25 "Egypt, Assyria, and Israel will worship together," 56:6-8 "foreigners will be brought in," 60:1-3 "nations will come to your light," 66:18-21 "gather all nations": all these main themes converge at the "feast for all peoples" in 25:6. The New Testament directly expands on this in Matthew 8:11 / Luke 14 / Revelation 19:9 / Revelation 21:24.
25:7-8 "remove the veil, destroy death, wipe away tears, remove disgrace": This is the first specific description of the core characteristics of the new heavens and new earth. The name 65:17 "I create new heavens and a new earth" appears, but chapter 25 is already describing what happens in the new heavens and new earth. Revelation 21:1-4 "I saw a new heaven and a new earth... God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain" is a word-for-word echo of Isaiah 25:8.
| Old Testament | New Testament Echo | Related Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 25:6 "On this mountain Yahweh of Armies will make for all peoples a feast" | Matthew 8:11 "I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven" | The Lord Jesus directly echoes Isaiah 25:6: the feast for all peoples in the Kingdom of Heaven |
| Isaiah 25:6 "for all peoples" | Luke 14:16-24 "A certain man was making a great supper... Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" | The parable of the great supper is Jesus' version of Isaiah 25:6 |
| Isaiah 25:6 "make a feast" | Revelation 19:9 "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" | The eschatological marriage supper of the Lamb: the final end-time fulfillment of Isaiah 25:6 |
| Isaiah 25:6 "aged wine... rich food" | Luke 22:18-20 "For I tell you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on, until the Kingdom of God comes... Likewise, the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood'" | The Lord's Supper echoes the foreshadowing of the end-time feast in Isaiah 25:6 |
| Isaiah 25:7 "destroy the covering that covers all peoples" | 2 Corinthians 3:14-16 "But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, not having been removed... But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away" | Paul almost word-for-word echoes Isaiah 25:7: spiritual blindness removed by Christ |
| Isaiah 25:8a "He has swallowed up death forever!" | 1 Corinthians 15:54 "Death is swallowed up in victory" | Paul directly quotes Isaiah 25:8: the Old Testament root of resurrection theology |
| Isaiah 25:8a "swallowed up death" | Hebrews 2:14-15 "that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil..." | Christ swallows up death on the cross: Hebrews expands on Isaiah 25:8 |
| Isaiah 25:8a "swallowed up death forever" | Revelation 20:14 "Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire"; Revelation 21:4 "Death will be no more" | Revelation's "death thrown into the lake of fire, no more death in the new heavens and new earth" is the end-time fulfillment of Isaiah 25:8 |
| Isaiah 25:8b "The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces" | Revelation 7:17 "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes"; Revelation 21:4 "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain" | Revelation twice echoes Isaiah 25:8: the core promise of the new heavens and new earth |
| Isaiah 25:9 "This is Yahweh; we have waited for him" | Romans 8:23-25 "Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in hope... But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience" | Waiting for salvation: Paul's description of New Testament believers directly echoes Isaiah 25:9 |
| Isaiah 25:9 "he will save us" | Matthew 1:21 "for it is he who will save his people from their sins" | The ultimate meaning of "save": Christ's name Yeshua is yeshu'ah |
| Isaiah 25:11 "his pride... will be brought low" | James 4:6 / 1 Peter 5:5 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" | Moab's pride brought low: the fate of all pride before God |
| Isaiah 25:1 "accomplished your ancient counsels" | Ephesians 1:4 "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world" ; Acts 2:23 "him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God" | End-time salvation is God's ancient plan: Paul and Peter's preaching directly expands on this |
Authoritative Commentaries
Special Topics in Eschatological Salvation Theology
Chinese Resources
Contextual Placement This chapter immediately follows the opening of the "Little Apocalypse" in chapter 24, a declaration of universal salvation that immediately ascends after universal judgment. The prophet uses an eschatological hymn of the end times to present the most complete picture of salvation in the entire Old Testament: the great feast, the abolition of death, and the wiping away of tears.
Chapters 24-27 form an independent theological unit, with an internal structure of alternating "judgment → praise → promise → praise." After the universal judgment of chapter 24, the prophet does not leave the reader in crumbling ruins but immediately bursts forth in chapter 25 with a hymn of victory: "I will exalt you." This structure of "judgment and praise in close proximity" is the deepest theology of the prophetic genre: God's judgment is never the end, but is meant to bring forth deeper salvation.
The theological density of this chapter is arguably the highest in the entire book of Isaiah: within 12 verses, it contains seven major themes: "universal protection for the weak," "the great feast for all peoples," "removing the veil," "abolishing death," "wiping away tears," "waiting for Yahweh," and "Moab trampled." Each theme resonates in the New Testament, especially 25:8, where "swallow up death" is directly quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:54, and "wipe away tears" is directly echoed in Revelation 7:17 / 21:4. This chapter can be said to be one of the highest points of Old Testament eschatological salvation theology in the entire Bible.
The writing background continues from chapter 24, with the prophet in his later years, under the shadow of the Assyrian Empire, transcending the current political and military situation to see God's ultimate kingdom. The rise and fall of Assyria and Babylon are merely a prelude; the real drama is "on this mountain" (Zion), the table God sets for all peoples.
| Dimension | Content |
|---|---|
| Era | Prophet's later years (approx. after 700 BC), continuing the "Little Apocalypse" unit from chapter 24 |
| Reigning King | End of Hezekiah's reign or later |
| Main Threat | Assyrian Empire (after Sennacherib); also looking ahead to the more distant end times |
| Theological Context | A declaration of praise after the universal judgment of chapter 24, presenting an eschatological picture of universal salvation in the end times |
| Audience | All of Judah + all the remnant waiting for Yahweh's salvation + all readers in the end times |
| Contemporary Prophets | Micah (Southern Kingdom), Nahum (slightly later) |
| Literary Style | Eschatological hymn of the end times: the pinnacle of prophetic poetry, the Old Testament root of 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation |
| Theme | Content |
|---|---|
| God is the Protector of the Weak | 25:4 God is a refuge for the poor: the personal foundation of the eschatological great feast is His consistent attribute of compassion for the needy |
| Universal Salvation | 25:6 "for all peoples" a feast: the eschatological fulfillment of Isaiah's main theme of universal salvation; the Old Testament root of Matthew 8:11, Luke 14, Revelation 19:9 |
| Theology of Abolishing Death | 25:8 "He will swallow up death forever": Directly quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:54; the most complete prophecy of resurrection in the Old Testament |
| Theology of Wiping Away Tears | 25:8 "The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from all faces": Directly echoed in Revelation 7:17 / 21:4; the central promise of the new heavens and new earth |
| Theology of Removing the Veil | 25:7 "He will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations": Directly expanded in 2 Corinthians 3:14-16; the Old Testament root of spiritual enlightenment |
| Theology of Waiting (qavah) | 25:9 "we have waited for him": A key spiritual verb in Isaiah; same theme in 8:17, 30:18, 40:31, 49:23, 64:4 |
| Theology of the Great Feast | 25:6 A feast for all peoples personally prepared by Yahweh of Armies: The Old Testament root of the Lord's Supper and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb |
| Pride Trampled | 25:11 "his pride... will be brought low": The Old Testament root of James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5 |
| Duality of Redemption | Chapter 25 both declares the salvation of all peoples (6-8) and the trampling of those who resist (10-12): Salvation is real, and rejecting salvation also has real consequences |