708_The triumph of the redeemed (Isaiah 25)
Isaiah 25:6-10 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
10 For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain,
and Moab shall be trampled down in his place,
as straw is trampled down in a dunghill.
A group of prisoners of war was finally released after years of captivity. For a long time they had lived behind barbed wire, uncertain whether freedom would ever come. They had survived on rumors and fading hope. But one morning the gates opened. Soldiers arrived announcing that the war was over and they were free. Some of the prisoners stood in silence, almost unable to believe it. Others wept openly. A few fell to their knees. Years of suffering gave way to overwhelming joy at the long-awaited victory.
Isaiah 25 describes something of this atmosphere. The previous chapter describes worldwide judgment, devastation, and the shaking of the earth itself. But then suddenly, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds, Isaiah gives us a glimpse of what lies beyond judgment for the people of God. He hears the song of the redeemed. He sees the triumph of God’s kingdom. He looks ahead to a day when sorrow will end, death will be defeated, and God Himself will wipe away every tear.
For the story of God’s people does not end in defeat. The final chapter belongs to the Lord.
The chapter opens with worship. Isaiah declares, “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things” (Isaiah 25:1, ESV). The redeemed are not simply acknowledging God’s existence; they are rejoicing in belonging to him.
Isaiah says God has done “wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” The people of God have always known that the Lord’s purposes will never fail – and now they see their faith realized. Through all the confusion of history, through wars, suffering, delays, and judgment, God was still carrying out His eternal plan.
That truth matters deeply because life often feels unresolved. We pray and wait, but circumstances hardly change. We wonder why evil seems to prosper. We question why suffering lingers. Yet Isaiah reminds us that God’s plans are “faithful and sure.” Nothing is outside His sovereign hand.
The redeemed also praise God for His righteous judgments. Isaiah speaks about the downfall of the “strong city,” representing human pride and rebellion against God. Throughout Scripture, humanity repeatedly prefers to trust in power, wealth, military strength, intelligence, exulting in its self-sufficiency. But every kingdom that exalts itself against God eventually falls. History proves this again and again.
But God’s kingdom stands forever. Evil will not reign forever. Injustice will not have the final word. The Lord sees all things clearly, and one day He will set all things right.
Isaiah then describes God as “a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat” (Isaiah 25:4, ESV). Where the world admires the strong and ignores the weak, God draws near to the needy. He becomes a refuge for those who depend only on him.
When we feel overwhelmed by pressures, fears, disappointments, or uncertainty about the future. Isaiah reminds us that God Himself is a shelter for His people. The storms may rage around us, but as Psalm 46 reminds us: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” The redeemed do not escape suffering, but discover that God is faithful in the middle of it.
Isaiah’s vision then shifts to a glorious feast. “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food” (Isaiah 25:6, ESV). Throughout Scripture, meals symbolize fellowship, acceptance, joy, and peace. This feast represents the celebration of salvation itself.
God does not merely rescue His people from judgment; He welcomes them into His presence. Salvation is not only deliverance from danger, but communion with God.
And the invitation extends to “all peoples.” God’s saving purpose reaches beyond one nation. Revelation describes a redeemed multitude “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” worshiping before the throne of God.
What a contrast Isaiah paints. In chapter 24 the earth is devastated and empty. In chapter 25 the redeemed are gathered around God’s table in joy.
But Isaiah also speaks of a veil covering the nations. Sin causes spiritual blindness, darkness and confusion. People struggle to see the truth about God and about themselves. They search endlessly for meaning but remain separated from God. This is real death, spiritual death.
Second Corinthians 4 says that “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,” but through the gospel, people are able to see the glory of God that is in the face of Jesus Christ. His life is the light of the world. When his word is believed and followed, he shines His light into darkened hearts. And one day, when he returns, death will lose its power forever.
For this is the climax of the chapter. Isaiah says the Lord “will swallow up…the covering that is cast over all peoples”, “He will swallow up death forever” (Isaiah 25:7,8, ESV).One day the Lord’s victory over death will be revealed, and all deception, confusion, and unbelief will finally disappear.
Death is humanity’s greatest enemy. Every person faces it. Kings cannot conquer it. Wealth cannot prevent it. Science cannot eliminate it. Every cemetery reminds us that death reigns over this fallen world.
But Isaiah sees beyond the grave, a day when death itself will be destroyed. And 1 Corinthians 15 is a direct quote from Isaiah 25, speaking about the resurrection. Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead, he defeated the power of death over his people. His resurrection is the guarantee and reason for our own resurrection.
Death is not the final word for those who are in Christ. That does not mean death is painless. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. But death was conquered by him.
Isaiah continues with the promise: “The Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8, ESV). The God who rules nations will comfort every one of his children in their grief. And one day he will soothe and recompense them for every hidden sorrow, every grief and disappointment carried silently, every painful memory of loss or rejection. His comfort will cause them to forget their grief forever in the exceeding joy of his love and their great reward.
Revelation 21 echoes this promise: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more.” The triumph of the redeemed is not merely their survival, but full restoration.
Therefore the redeemed cry out, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us” (Isaiah 25:9, ESV). They do not say, “This was our religion,” or “This was our tradition.” They say, “This is our God.” For generations God’s people waited through suffering, persecution, confusion, and unanswered questions. But their waiting was not wasted. For faith has become sight.
Many believers today are still waiting for healing, for justice, for answers. They wait for Christ’s return. Isaiah reminds us that this waiting is never meaningless. The day is coming when we too will say with joy, “This is our God.” And until then, we live with hope. Not wishful thinking, but confident expectation rooted in the promises of God.
The triumph of the redeemed is certain because the victory belongs to the Lord.
So let us hold firmly to Him. For us who are in Christ, the final word is not defeat, but worship. Not despair, but rejoicing.
And one day, together with all the redeemed, we will say, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.” God bless.