Isaiah 24 vs 19-23 & 25 vs 1-12
Isaiah Chapter 24 Verses 19 – 23
· Isaiah says that the earth will be violently broken, split open, shaken exceedingly and will reel to and fro like a drunkard. Revelation 16:18 tells us that near the end of the Great Tribulation there will be “a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.”
· The host of exalted ones (v21) probably speaks of the judgment of the fallen angels. The kings of the earth gathered together…, their education, money, acclimations, all their worldly success is meaningless when righteousness is what is required…
· Revelation 19:19-21, “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”
· Its then that “the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and Jerusalem and before His elders, gloriously.” At the end of the Great Tribulation, God will begin what’s described in Revelation 20:4 as the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. A thousand years on this earth before all is rolled up, put away, and all things are made new. Precisely what God can do with a life today of anyone who would say, “I’m done being armed by and aligned with the enemy of my own soul,” and puts Jesus on the throne of their heart…
Isaiah Chapter 25 Verse 1
· In the midst of all of the trouble in the nation, all of the trouble of his people and all of his trouble personally, Isaiah shows us his trust in the Lord and this is it. It’s this heart of worship. The acknowledgement that although outward circumstances are perishing, his hope is in the Lord His God and therefore the inward man is somehow mysteriously being renewed day by day (just as Paul talked about in 2 Corinthians 4).
· And we see some causes, some catalysts, some encouragers and supports that enable this condition… Things only Isaiah can do for himself in a personal way…a personal relationship with God. He says, “I will exalt You.” It’s one word in the Hebrew and the heart-cry, the meaning of this is worship and praise, yes…but he says I will praise you next…so that’s not all it is. It’s actually a key contributor in why he is in this mindset and his strength hasn’t failed. Even though outwardly things are tough, inwardly things are strengthening, why?
· This word, or better said, this phrase, “I will exalt You,” this one word simply means, “God, I set you higher.” Higher than the circumstance, higher than my fear, higher than my fret, higher than my sin and higher than myself. It’s You I trust. And as that plays out physically, actionably in my life, my inner man strengthens no matter the circumstance.
· Then he says, “I will praise your name!” It’s a confession of God’s greatness, His might, His care, His involvement and His highness of stature. And here’s the thing, next up, “For You have done wonderful things!” Go ahead, set God higher than self. Go ahead, confess His greatness in your daily decisions…, go ahead and receive His grace that covers every sin…, and you WILL see wonderful things. Think wonderful things. Feel wonderful things. You may even be in danger of being quite wonderful yourself! All because your heart learns and begins to solidly trust God; for He is incessantly consistently faithful and true!
· It’s interesting, exalt and praise anything other than God in your life and the result will not be strength of heart. Why? Extremely practical. Money, power, success, relationships, sex, shopping, financial flourishing, none of these things are faithful and true. All of them fail you. It’s why we see for the most part the people that have everything are the ones most likely to destroy themselves…
Isaiah Chapter 25 Verses 2 – 5
· I love this picture and perhaps it’s more difficult to get behind during March when it’s still quite cold but have you ever been in the heat of the day in the intensity of the Colorado sun and then here comes a cloud? It’s incredibly relieving. The same thought here for the presence of the Lord or perhaps better said, a heart that is conditioned through personal decision over time to trust in the Lord.
Isaiah Chapter 25 Verse 6
· Many Bible commentators believe that this is speaking of the coming Marriage Supper of the Lamb that is mentioned in Revelation 19:9, “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” Which can be interpreted to be a victory type celebration at the onset of Jesus’ Millennial Reign on this earth. Aligns well to Isaiah 25 (or maybe I would say, aligns enough…)
· But I like the wording here that this feast is offered and prepared for “all people,” which doesn’t well align to what’s typically accepted as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. I think what we are reading here in Isaiah 25 is an invitation. That whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, whosoever would come to the Lord He will in no way reject. John 3:37 and John 3:40 says, “Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him has everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
· It’s goats and sheep in my mind. Sheep eating in a good pasture what is good for them under the protection and guidance of the Good Shepherd while goats will eat anything. Tin cans, old shoes, trash… God has a feast for you and you’re invited. I’m invited. And nothing I’ve done, no mistake I’ve made is going to rip me off from receiving what God truly desires to give to me…
Isaiah Chapter 25 Verses 7 – 8
· Three groupings of people are mentioned here. All people, all nations and His people. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. So, in the eyes of God, the opinion of God, who are His people? All people, all nations, and every tear on every face is His business. Does that mean everyone is saved? No. What it means is that His love, His heart extends to everyone, saved or unsaved.
· However today, there is a covering cast over all people, a veil that is spread over all nations and that heavy weight of burden is sin. We know that because to deal with sin in finality, (FATALITY, ha!), we read, “He will swallow up death forever!” Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death,” and Romans 5:12 says, when “sin entered the world, death entered through it, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…”
· But when the Lord calls an end to this present way and ushers in what is ahead, at the final judgement, Revelation 20:14 says, “Then Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death…” Literally, the work of Jesus is to kill death… and that weight of burden like a blanket lies upon each person, place and thing presently on this planet. Until the day He removes it for good.
· But that also speaks of what you have available and accessible to you right now in giving your life to Jesus and even in trusting Him with whatever situation…. He literally destroys destruction. Takes away the rebuke of His people, wipes away tears… Because it’s as Paul described in 2 Corinthians 3:16, “Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away!”
· You’ve never been loved the way Jesus loves you. Here’s just one picture. He doesn’t put His arm around you to console you or comfort you. He doesn’t give you His shirt to wipe your tears and blow your nose. He cares so much more than that. He is so much more involved than that. He Himself wipes away your tears which speaks of drying your eyes even in the process… I love that often overlooked yet often Biblically stated action and picture of how He cares for me…
Isaiah Chapter 25 Verse 9
· These are statements of faith and have a present and a future flavor to them. We HAVE waited for Him. That word in the Hebrew means we have BOUND TOGETHER for Him, we have COLLECTED for Him, we have GATHERED for Him which speaks of fellowship and corporation but it also speaks of action. We have bound our flesh; we have collected even moments and days and seasons to offer to Him… And so there in these statements is an element of suffering, discipleship and devotion…
· And yet there is also a future compensation, premium, a future flavor of a sure salvation and gladness and rejoicing! I truly believe that whatever we give for the Lord, to the Lord in terms of heart-work, hand-work and even a work of sacrifice not only benefits us HUGELY today in maturity, character and grit, (even humbling and gentling of the Spirit, a peace in our inner person), but what is done in secret will one day be rewarded openly. Are you looking forward to the day when the secrets of your heart are openly revealed!?! Christian, if you’re living for Him, if you love Jesus, YOU SHOULD BE!
Isaiah Chapter 25 Verses 10 – 12
· I love this picture. Jesus reaches out and takes hold of the spirit of pride, which is the veil that lays today upon all nations, the very character of sin…, the strength and presence of death. And like a butler shakes out a rug, Jesus pulls the veil away from creation and the fortress that holds every heart is destroyed and freedom sets in! This is what I want today. But it costs me… And that’s ok.
· One, because I know that I will rejoice in choosing God over my own pride. And two, because I love beating down the bully. When I walk in pride, the trickery of the flesh, man and the enemy get the glory. And I love to put to shame that which puts so many to harm. Choose the Lord. Isaiah did so in the midst of a broken generation and he himself was so not broken that we’re talking about him still today, learning from him still today. How awesome is Isaiah!?
· And yet even in His day, this benefit of generational and even eternal notoriety and promotion meant nothing to him because in his day he lived with freedom of heart and power of spirit. And I realize, maybe you do too, I have no reason to not have the same…