Isaiah 25:6-9: Perseverance in Waiting for the Lord:
Beholding Our God
Isaiah
was prophet to Judah during the reign of serval kings including King Uziah,
whom he had a deep gratitude and affection for. With so much rich theology and
detail contained in the book of Isaiah, I have selected three verses from
chapter 25 that speak volumes about the particular issue of God’s people
persevering, particularly in times when it may seem that God is far-removed
from our lives. On that note, trust me; he is never absent from our lives as
his people. He is always in control. Throughout the prophets, we often see a
cycle occurring: 1) God’s blessing, 2) rebellion of God’s people, 3) God’s
judgment on his people, and 4) salvation of God’s people. One might think that
God’s people learn the first time, but the fact is that cycle continues even
today. I am thankful we serve a God of not only a second chance but of another
chance. Without his mercy and discipline, we would be hopeless. Chapter 25 of
Isaiah deals with the salvation part of the cycle, specifically the beginnings
of it. It is a word of encouragement for God’s people to persevere and continue
despite the difficulties, which the people of Israel brought on themselves. We
often do that though. We bring God’s discipline on ourselves, and rest assured
that he disciplines us because he loves us. Isaiah has just prophesied God’s
judgment so now he is dealing with Judah’s salvation, and while this text
regards Judah’s salvation, it is certainly relevant to us today in that it
looks forward to the salvation of God’s people, his bride, the church (not just
Judah), for we will all one day be present with him at his wedding feast. We
can live with this assurance and hope as his bride. For us to keep this in
mind, we must realize four particular imperatives that are absolutely necessary
for the ultimate and eternal salvation of God’s people.
Isaiah
25:6-9 English Standard Version (ESV)
6 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.”
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.”
The Bride of Christ, the
Church, Will Persevere (v. 6)
It is not a question of if the bride
of Christ will persevere; it is a guarantee. The only people who do not
ultimately persevere are those who are not his in the first place. God’s people
will persevere, endure, and eventually reign with him eternally. Verse 6 says
that on this mountain, the Lord will prepare a feast. The mountain spoken of
here is Zion. Zion was originally a designation for a literal hill in Jerusalem,
but it came to be a synonym for all of Jerusalem. Applying it to our context,
the New Jerusalem is heaven on earth as represented in the book of Revelation.
It is the New Jerusalem in which God reigns on high. This feast, which is
described in incredible splendor here, is the feast of Christ and his bride,
the church. All of God’s people will be a part of this feast. No matter what we
go through on this earth, this feast is our ultimate destination. God’s people
then are guaranteed to persevere. Just like Judah, there are times when our
lives may seem hopeless and meaningless. It is not though. Have faith; have
courage; be full of joy, for God’s people persevere.
The Eyes of God’s People Will Be Opened (v. 7)
In
realizing that there is perseverance in waiting in the Lord (not merely waiting
on him), we must acknowledge that we do not have any authority and that we
cannot see the full picture right now. God can though. The Apostle Paul said in
1 Corinthians 13:12 that we see in a mirror dimly but a day is coming when we
will see fully. We do not know what God, in his sovereignty and omniscience, is
preparing for us. Verse 7 says that God will swallow up the covering over his
people. There is a unique aspect to this verse though, for it is applied to the
nations. The veil that is covering all nations will be removed, and one day we
will worship him as every tribe, tongue, and nation. Our eyes will be opened,
and we will behold him in his glory and splendor and worship him like never
before. This day is coming, and it is coming for those who wait in the hope of
the Lord.
God’s People Will Live in Joy and Peace with Him Forever (v.
8)
Verse
8 begins with a humbling and encouraging word that we should note. Death will
be swallowed up forever, and the tears of God’s people will be wiped away. This
will be a great day. God’s people will not only live with him forever but will
live in joy and peace with him forever. Christ is joy, but apart from him is
despair. We will be with him so we will live in peace and joy. Keep in mind
that this earth is temporary; reigning with Christ is eternal. Yet so often
believers live this life as if it is the end. It is, however, only the
beginning of something wonderful to come. Let us live in the joy and peace of
Christ in this life as we eagerly expect his return.
The Ultimate Destination Comes Only in Waiting (v. 9)
In
verse 9, the prophet, Isaiah, says that on that day we will say, “Behold, this
is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.” Our ultimate
destination of being with Christ forever only comes in waiting but not just
waiting alone, waiting in him. The secret to waiting patiently is waiting in
Christ. In other words, we wait with a hope and expectation that comes only in
knowing Christ. It is then only after that when we will rejoice in his
salvation. We must consider in our daily lives what waiting encompasses for us.
For some, waiting on a daily basis requires great pain and struggle. For
others, it may require sacrifice or anonymity in our relationships. Whatever
the case, we must wait in the strength of the Lord, for if we do not, we will
not reach our destination. God’s people persevere. Count that as hope. Wait on
him, and say with the Apostle Paul that the trials of this life do not compare
to the glory we have in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion
God’s
people persevere. It really isn’t a secret. It is truth. Often, however, we
live as defeated people. When we behold God and his goodness, we have no choice
but to persevere and wait in him. We wait in him, not merely on him. These
imperatives are so difficult to remember in times of trial, our fault or not. God
is on our side; he is for us. Therefore, our hope is in him, and it is through beholding
him and waiting in him that we persevere.
