Christ in the Old Testament

Isaiah 25:8

He will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken. (NIV)

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 25:1-12

We should look back at Isaiah 24 to get some context into what Isaiah is telling us in chapter 25. Isaiah 24 begins, “See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it.” Isaiah gives a prophecy that God will destroy the earth to bring justice due to the curse of sin. Isaiah 24:19 says, “The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken.” So in chapter 24 we see the destruction of the earth.

Chapter 25 is a prophecy of what will take place in the aftermath of these events. Isaiah 25:2 says, “You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin, the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.” The earth has been destroyed by God and the events of the end of time are well under way.

Isaiah 25:6 tells us, “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.” This is the great feast we have heard about from many other prophets. Jesus spoke about it as well many times and included this feast in some of his parables:

• “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west,and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 8:11).
• “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son” (Matt 22:2).
• “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut” (Matt 25:10).
• “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matt 26:29).
• “When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, ‘Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God’” (Luke 14:15).

The apostle John also saw this feast in his vision in Revelation: “Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” (Rev 19:9).

Turning back to our text, Isaiah gives us some great details about what is being served at this great feast. Isaiah tells us the Lord will prepare:

• “a feast of rich food”
• “a banquet of aged wine”
• “the best of meats”
• “the finest of wines”

Also notice in verse 6 that Isaiah says that the “LORD Almighty” prepared all of this rich food and He prepared it for “all peoples.” God is the Great Chef welcoming His people into their eternal home with a feast for the ages. If we are counted in the Book of Life, we will set at God’s dining table and eat and drink the meal prepared by the Creator of all things.

Then notice what is on God’ plate. What is God eating at this feast? As opposed to what is on everyone else’s plate, God has death on his plate. God “will swallow up death forever” (Isa 25:8). The main course for God in this great feast is death itself, while we are given this lavish course of life.

Paul speaks about this event and quotes this verse in Isaiah:

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the deadwill be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’” (1 Cor 15:51-54).

Through Jesus’ death on the cross, God doesn’t simply defeat death but he swallows it up so that we will never have to taste it. This great feast is our welcome home party where we will live for all eternity and never experience the pains of this world ever again.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’” (Rev 21:3-4).

Today’s Prayer: Thank you Jesus! I praise you as I look forward to that day when we will feast at the Lord’s table!