 |
|
Isaiah, Chapter 25
[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. [2] For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. [3] Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. [4] For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. [5] Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low. |
|
What is happening in verses 1-2?
God is being praised by His followers for all the good things He has done, including destroying a city of the enemy. When is this taking place?
Praise of the Lord could be done at any time (even today), but this appears to be a future prophecy, either during Zion or during the Millennium. Based on the rest of the chapter, it would appear to be during Zion. What is being said in verse 3?
The reference to the strong people likely applies to the righteous — those who are strong in the Lord. The second part would refer to the wicked who would fear the power of God as they’re being destroyed. What is being said in verse 4?
It is general praise of the Lord for protecting the poor and needy (whether poor in terms of money or poor meaning downtrodden or oppressed). To the extent that these people are made strong by God, they could conceivably be included in the strong people mentioned in the previous verse, who are glorifying God. This is another verse that can be accurate at any time, but it will certainly apply during Zion or the Millennium. “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (Psalms 9:9) Who are the strangers in verse 5?
The strangers would be the forces that oppose God. Verse 5 describes how God will contain and defeat them. This series of articles on the Book of Isaiah is an outgrowth of a series of lessons presented at a branch level and is being offered as a study tool for all readers. The interpretations offered are not intended to represent an official position of The Church of Jesus Christ, however they have been reviewed by members of the ministry and can be considered a reliable supplement to any reader’s study of the Book of Isaiah.
|
0 Comments