Many prophetic oracles are themselves poems. The passage we are reading today does not read like any poem because we are reading an English translation of a Hebrew poem. When we read this poem in Hebrew, we will appreciate its niceties. This poem talks of the end of the world because death will be conquered (Isaiah 25:8a). From Isaiah 25, we are able to take a glimpse of what life will be like after the end of the world.
In ancient time, the most joyful thing was to attend banquets. Therefore, Isaiah and many other prophets liked to employ the banquet image to describe the happiness in heaven. Isaiah 25 is no exception.
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined (Isaiah 25:6).
We should pay attention to the identity of God. He is "the Lord of hosts". This title has a rather military overtone, conveying the might of God. God exercises His might to defeat, to conquer an opposing power before the end. In the end, God wins and this will be the true ending. The end of the world is celebrated with a banquet of fat things and wine in heaven.
What shall we be celebrating?
And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death for ever, 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 (Isaiah 25:7-8).
What veil is that? What covering is it?
God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle within the Tent of Meeting. He told Moses to put up a veil to separate the ark of covenant with the 10 commandments from the other ordinary places (Exodus 26:33). When Moses encountered God for 40 days to bring down the 10 Commandments for the Israelites, his face shone like an angel and Moses put on a veil to hide his glory away (Exodus 34:35). St. Paul has a different interpretation. Moses was aware that his glory is incomparable with that of God's. There, Moses hid his fading glory behind a veil (2 Corinthians 3:13-16) Never mind about Paul's arguments. When Jesus came to reveal the Father to us, he had removed the veil between the covenant and men. A veil covers the face of a person. In heaven, we will be able to see God face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). There will be no more obstacles between God and me.
The last thing God destroys will be death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). He will wipe away tears from our faces. We will rejoin our deceased relatives and friends. I will be meeting Rita and many friends of mine. What a touching scene!
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined (Isaiah 25:6).
We should pay attention to the identity of God. He is "the Lord of hosts". This title has a rather military overtone, conveying the might of God. God exercises His might to defeat, to conquer an opposing power before the end. In the end, God wins and this will be the true ending. The end of the world is celebrated with a banquet of fat things and wine in heaven.
What shall we be celebrating?
And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death for ever, 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 (Isaiah 25:7-8).
What veil is that? What covering is it?
God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle within the Tent of Meeting. He told Moses to put up a veil to separate the ark of covenant with the 10 commandments from the other ordinary places (Exodus 26:33). When Moses encountered God for 40 days to bring down the 10 Commandments for the Israelites, his face shone like an angel and Moses put on a veil to hide his glory away (Exodus 34:35). St. Paul has a different interpretation. Moses was aware that his glory is incomparable with that of God's. There, Moses hid his fading glory behind a veil (2 Corinthians 3:13-16) Never mind about Paul's arguments. When Jesus came to reveal the Father to us, he had removed the veil between the covenant and men. A veil covers the face of a person. In heaven, we will be able to see God face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). There will be no more obstacles between God and me.
The last thing God destroys will be death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). He will wipe away tears from our faces. We will rejoin our deceased relatives and friends. I will be meeting Rita and many friends of mine. What a touching scene!
Dear Lord, I am fully satisfied. There is no more I will ask for. Amen.
Appendix:
וְעָשָׂה יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת לְכָל-הָעַמִּים, בָּהָר הַזֶּה, מִשְׁתֵּה שְׁמָנִים, מִשְׁתֵּה שְׁמָרִים: שְׁמָנִים, מְמֻחָיִם, שְׁמָרִים, מְזֻקָּקִים
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined (Isaiah 25:6).וּבִלַּע בָּהָר הַזֶּה, פְּנֵי-הַלּוֹט הַלּוֹט עַל-כָּל-הָעַמִּים; וְהַמַּסֵּכָה הַנְּסוּכָה, עַל-כָּל-הַגּוֹיִם
And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations (25:7).בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח, וּמָחָה אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כָּל-פָּנִים; וְחֶרְפַּת עַמּוֹ, יָסִיר מֵעַל כָּל-הָאָרֶץ--כִּי יְהוָה, דִּבֵּר
He will swallow up death for ever, 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 (25:8).
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