Isaiah 25:8, commentary and pictures

God will forever end death itself, dry every tear, and lift all shame and reproach from His people across the whole earth. This takes place on the mountain where He spreads a rich feast for all peoples and tears away the covering and veil spread over all nations. It is fulfilled at the final deliverance when Christ returns in glory with the holy angels to gather His waiting remnant, completing redemption and bringing full joy in His salvation. Death is swallowed in victory at the resurrection, when the righteous dead are raised incorruptible and the living faithful are changed to immortality, a triumph secured by Christ's own resurrection over Satan and the powers of darkness. For those made ready in the righteousness of Christ, all sorrow, condemnation, and disgrace are reversed into honor, joy, and life with the Lord forever.

Feast Setting and Fulfillment

In the mountain of the Lord of hosts He makes a rich feast of fat things for all peoples, and there He destroys the covering cast over all people and the veil spread over all nations. In that mountain He swallows up death in victory, wipes tears from off all faces, and takes away the rebuke of His people from off all the earth. This comes when He has been strength to the poor and needy in distress, and a refuge from storm and heat. At the same time He brings down the noise of strangers and the branch of the terrible ones, and destroys all pride and self-exaltation, oppressive power, Moab, and high fortresses brought down to dust.

His counsels of old to His covenant people are faithfulness and truth, with mercy and righteousness founded on understanding and obedience to His will. These are among His wonderful works leading to the day when those who have waited for Him will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. In that day they will say, this is our God who has saved us.

The promise is fulfilled at the final deliverance, when Christ comes in glory with the holy angels to gather the remnant church from among the nations. Then death is overcome, every tear is wiped away, and the reproach of His people is removed throughout the earth. This marks the completion of redemption, the fulfillment of His purpose, and the honoring of His kingdom's principles. It is the time of salvation in which those who waited for Him rejoice in His saving work.

Because the Lord has spoken it, the promise is certain and assures salvation. The feast is the blessing of pardon, and the taking away is the removing of sins by free access of grace to the riches of His glory. Receiving and practicing the living Word of God now is the preparation to come into church relationship. The wedding garment needed to remain at the feast is the righteousness of Christ.

Death Defeated, Tears Removed

Death will be swallowed up in victory at the resurrection, when the sleeping saints are raised incorruptible and the mortal who remain faithful are changed to receive immortality and live forever with their Lord. That hope is meant to keep believers steadfast and active in the Lord's work. Christ's own resurrection proclaimed in heaven that by rising He had vanquished Satan and the powers of darkness. His resurrection is a vivid picture of the resurrection of the just at His second coming.

At that second coming all the righteous dead will rise to glorious, immortal life. Christ's triumph over death in His resurrection will then be fully revealed as His victory over death and Satan. God wiping away tears from off all faces will be fulfilled when Christ comes soon in glory for those who have made themselves ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. That readiness is confessing Christ now in word and life and character, being robed in the righteousness of Christ and reflecting His image.

For them, death swallowed up in victory means life that runs parallel with the life of God, and Christ will lead them by the side of living waters in heaven. The darkness and death brought by sin will not last. Death will be swallowed up in victory, and God's glory will no longer be shrouded by its pall.

Reproach Removed and Vindication

The rebuke of His people shall be taken away from off all the earth, so that the reproach they have borne is fully removed. They are then publicly made known as His holy and redeemed people, no longer mourning and distressed but given joy and honor. This belongs to the future glory of Zion, where His people are holy, secure, and established in righteousness.

At their deliverance God brings their grief and public reproach to an end, wiping away every tear and removing every cause of sorrow. The condemnations, disgrace, and human judgments that branded them as criminals on earth are reversed, and those once condemned and disgraced are vindicated. They receive white robes and open recognition as the Lord's redeemed, and they live with the Lord in glory.

That removal of reproach comes with forgiveness and full acceptance through Jesus, by which they are called holy and redeemed. God's restoration in this way puts joy in place of mourning and praise in place of heaviness.

Though the faithful may for a time endure persecution and trials and the loss of earthly comfort, the Lord's promised deliverance will surely come. They will rise into the light of His glory, and peace will dawn. This hope calls believers to remain steadfast and active in the Lord's work.