Isaiah 25:6

25:6-8 The kind reception of repentant sinners, is often in the New Testament likened to a feast. The guests invited are all people, Gentiles as well as Jews. There is that in the gospel which strengthens and makes glad the heart, and is fit for those who are under convictions of sin, and mourning for it. There is a veil spread over all nations, for all sat in darkness. But this veil the Lord will destroy, by the light of his gospel shining in the world, and the power of his Spirit opening men's eyes to receive it. He will raise those to spiritual life who were long dead in trespasses and sins. Christ will himself, in his resurrection, triumph over death. Grief shall be banished; there shall be perfect and endless joy. Those that mourn for sin shall be comforted. Those who suffer for Christ shall have consolations. But in the joys of heaven, and not short of them, will fully be brought to pass this saying, God shall wipe away all tears. The hope of this should now do away over-sorrow, all weeping that hinders sowing. Sometimes, in this world God takes away the reproach of his people from among men; however, it will be done fully at the great day. Let us patiently bear sorrow and shame now; both will be done away shortly.

Isaiah ‘IN THIS MOUNTAIN’ THE FEAST ON THE SACRIFICEIsaiah 25:6 . There is here a reference to Sinai, where a feast followed the vision of God. It was the sign of covenant, harmony, and relationship, and was furnished by a sacrifice. I. The General Ideas contained in this Image of a Feast. We meet it all through Scripture; it culminates in Christ’s parables and in the ‘Marriage Supper of the Lamb.’ In the image are suggested:- Free familiarity of access, fellowship, and communion with Him. Abundant Supply of all wants and desires. Festal Joy. Family Intercommunion. II. The Feast follows on Sacrifice. We find that usage of a feast following a sacrifice existing in many races and religions. It seems to witness to a widespread consciousness of sin as disturbing our relations with God. These could be set right only by sacrifice, which therefore must precede all joyful communion with Him. The New Testament accepts that truth and clears it from the admixture of heathenism. God provides the Sacrifice. It is not brought by man. There is no need for our efforts-no atonement to be found by us. The sacrifice is not meant to turn aside God’s wrath. Communion is possible through Christ. In Him God is revealed. Objective hindrances are taken away. Subjective ones are removed. Dark fears-indifference-dislike of fellowship-Sin-these make communion with God impossible.

At Sinai the elders ‘saw God, and did eat and drink’ Here the end of the preceding chapter shows the ‘elders’ gazing on the glory of Jehovah’s reign in Zion. III. The Feast consists of a Sacrifice. Christ is the food of our souls, He and His work are meant to nourish our whole being. He is the object for all our nature. The Sacrifice must be incorporated with us. It is not enough that it be offered, it must also be partaken of. Now the Sacrifice is eaten by faith, and by occupation with it of each part of our being, according to its own proper action. Through love, obedience, hope, desire, we may all feed on Jesus. The Lord’s Supper presents the same thoughts, under similar symbols, as Isaiah expressed in his prophecy. Symbolically we feast on the sacrifice when we eat the Bread which is the Body broken for us. But the true eating of the true sacrifice is by faith. Crede et manducasti -Believe, and thou hast eaten.

Isaiah 25:6-7 . And in this mountain — In mount Zion, namely, God’s church, very frequently meant by the names of Zion and Jerusalem, both in the Old and New Testaments; shall the Lord make unto all people — Both Jews and Gentiles, who shall then be admitted to a participation of the same privileges and ordinances; a feast of fat things — A feast made of the most delicate provisions: which is manifestly meant of the ordinances, graces, and comforts given by God in his church. Of wines on the lees — Which have continued upon the lees a competent time, whereby they gain strength, and are afterward drawn out and refined. He will destroy the face of the covering — The covering of the face, or the veil, as the next clause expounds it, namely, of ignorance of God, and of the true religion; cast over all people — Which then was upon the Gentiles and the Jews, 2 Corinthians 3:14-16 . This is a manifest prophecy concerning the illumination and conversion of the Gentiles.

And on this {h} mountain shall the LORD of hosts make to all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. (h) That is, in Zion, by which he means his Church, which would under Christ be assembled of the Jews and the Gentiles, and is here described under the figure of a costly banquet, as in Mt 22:2.

In this mountain; in Mount Zion, to wit, in God’s church, which is very frequently meant by the names of Zion and Jerusalem, both in the Old and in the New Testament. Make unto all people, both Jews and Gentiles, who shall then be admitted to the participation of the same privileges and ordinances, a feast of fat things; a feast made up of the most exquisite and delicate provisions; which is manifestly meant of the ordinances, graces, and comforts given by God in and to his church. Of wines on the lees; which have continued upon the lees a competent time, whereby they gain strength, and afterwards drawn off from the lees, and so refined, as it is explained in the next clause.

6. in this mountain—Zion: Messiah's kingdom was to begin, and is to have its central seat hereafter, at Jerusalem, as the common country of "all nations" (Isa 2:2, &c.). all people—(Isa 56:7; Da 7:14; Lu 2:10). feast—image of felicity (Ps 22:26, 27; Mt 8:11; Lu 14:15; Re 19:9; compare Ps 36:8; 87:1-7). fat things—delicacies; the rich mercies of God in Christ (Isa 55:2; Jer 31:14; Job 36:16). wines on the lees—wine which has been long kept on the lees; that is, the oldest and most generous wine (Jer 48:11). marrow—the choicest dainties (Ps 63:5). well refined—cleared of all dregs.

6 . in this mountain ] Mount Zion (cf. Isaiah 24:23 ), shewing that the author lived in Jerusalem. a feast (lit. “banquet”) of fat things … full of marrow ] The fat parts of the animal, which in ordinary sacrifice were reserved for the deity, were regarded in the East as the choicest delicacy. The same image is used in Psalm 36:8 ; Psalm 63:5 of the highest spiritual enjoyment in fellowship with God. wines on the lees well refined ] i.e. wine that has been left to stand long on its sediment, in order that its strength, flavour, bouquet , &c., might be enhanced by repeated fermentation (cf. Jeremiah 48:11 ; Zephaniah 1:12 ). Such old wines had to be strained before being used; hence the expression “well-refined” in E.V. The choice of terms in the Hebr. is partly dictated by the assonances: fat things corresponding to wines on the lees , and full of marrow to well refined . For the image of the feast as an emblem of the blessings of the kingdom of God cf. ch. Isaiah 55:1-2 ; Psalm 23:5 ; Matthew 8:11 ; Matthew 22:2 ff.; Luke 14:15 ff.; Revelation 19:9 . 6–8 . This section attaches itself directly to the concluding thought of ch. 24. The feast of Isaiah 25:6 may be regarded as a coronation-festival, inaugurating the reign of Jehovah on Mount Zion ( Isaiah 24:23 ), although of course the state of things which is thus symbolised is not transitory but eternal.

What is signified is the admission of all nations to communion with the one true God, and, as a consequence of this, the cessation of all the evils of human life. The whole passage, standing out as it does from a gloomy background of judgment and terror, is one of the most remarkable and fascinating in the Old Testament.

Verses 6-8. - The blessings of the final state are now touched upon, as a special subject for thanksgiving. They are not enumerated; but a certain number are set forth, as specimens from which we may form a conception of the general condition of the "saved." These are: (1) a heavenly feast, in which they will all participate (ver. 6); (2) a removal of the "veil," or "covering," which is in this life over all things, causing men to have an indistinct vision, and an erroneous estimate of their value; (3) the abolition of death, which will no longer hang over them as a thing to be feared; and (4) the cessation of tears, or the entire freedom of the saved from all sorrow. Verse 6. - In this mountain ; i.e. the heavenly Zion - the "mountain of the Lord's house" ( Isaiah 2:2 ; comp. Isaiah 24:23 ). Unto all people ; rather, unto all peoples . There is no restriction of salvation to any particular race or nation - "Jew, Greek, barbarian, Scythian, bond, free" ( Colossians 3:11 ), are equally invited, and some of each come in (comp. Daniel 7:14 ; Matthew 8:11 ; Revelation 5:9 ; Revelation 7:9 ). The Church of the redeemed contains men and women of all "nations and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues." A feast of fat things .

It follows from many passages of Holy Scripture that there is something in the final beatitude of man which is best represented to us in our present condition by the image of a "feast" - something very different, no doubt, from the festive joy of which our Teutonic ancestors hoped to partake in the halls of Odin, but yet figured to us most fitly and appropriately by terms ordinarily used to describe earthly feasting. Our Lord tells of a "marriage supper," to which he will invite his friends ( Matthew 22:2-12 ); and the scene of the "marriage supper of the Lamb, "according to St. John in the Revelation" (Revelation 19:7-9), is heaven. There man, it would seem, will partake of a sacrificial feast with his glorified Lord ( Matthew 26:29 ) - will eat the "heavenly manna," which is "angels' food" ( Psalm 78:25 ), and drink a spiritual drink which may be called "the fruit of the vine," deriving from this "eating" and "drinking" life and joy and strength. It has been already observed, in the Commentary upon Exodus (p. 581), that the sacrificial meal on Sinai, whereto the seventy elders were admitted ( Exodus 24:9-11 ), prefigured this heavenly feasting, and throws a certain light upon it. All gross and carnal ideas must, of course, be subtracted from the conception of the heavenly festivity; but it seems to be true to say that our author, and also St.