Chapter 25
((After much progress on 23-24 in 2024, I am out of gas. Just ready through 25...but it sure seems to be end times.))
1 O LORD, thou [art] my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful [things; thy] counsels of old [are] faithfulness [and] truth. [Isa 25:1 KJV]
A favorite verse of mine, best expressed by the KJV - in my opinion.
These two verses speak of a time when peace will reign, even though evil will still exist. The Millennial will be like that:
4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall, 5 like heat in a dry place. You subdue the noise of the foreigners; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down. [Isa 25:4-5 ESV]
2021 - Vss 1-5 are perhaps a look back - in more detail - to 23:18, which I think was about the Millennial.
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.
Isaiah 25:6 ESV
Pretty good wine I'd say...
2021 - Surely a reference to the Millennial.
And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.
Isaiah 25:7 ESV
Next verse talks about swallowing up death. So this must be about end times... then this verse to confirm:
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." [Isa 25:9 ESV]. This seems to speak of Jesus, on the throne of David, ruling over the Jews who have finally recognized him, and come home to him.
2022 - These first 9 verses read like the beginning of the Millennial reign.
Then there is a prophecy about the fall of Moab. It seems to be something that Jesus will do in that time. Not sure how this fits in. I don't recall Moab being mentioned in Revelation, or being part of any of those last great battles. Review Isaiah's prophecy about Moab. It had survivors I think....In Isa 16 Zion is told to shelter those fleeing from Moab's destruction. So presumably some survived to return. All of Moab is within present day Jordan. Here are the verses:
10 For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill. 11 And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim, but the LORD will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands. 12 And the high fortifications of his walls he will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, to the dust. [Isa 25:10-12 ESV]
MSB says Moab represents "the rest of the nations" as Edom does elsewhere. So just a placeholder, not a specific prophecy? That doesn't seem right...