Isa 25:2 | KingComments | STEP | It is no wonder that after the revelation of the glory of the Lord Jesus in His reign in the last verse of the previous chapter there is now a hymn of praise. This chapter and most of the following consist of a song of thanksgiving. The song of thanksgiving in this chapter comes from the mouth of Isaiah as the voice of everyone who belongs to the God-fearing remnant after the great tribulation (cf. ). It is more the testimony of personal faith in this chapter. In the next chapter the song of praise is no longer individual, but we hear the whole remnant singing, with Isaiah as the choir director, as it were. The vast majority of the people of Israel, the unbelieving mass, has already been judged by the Assyrians. The antichrist has been dethroned. Then comes the harvest of the prophetic earth ( ; ). What remains in Israel has been purified. This remnant forms the core of the new Israel. It is the one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed. For them “the time has arrived for singing” ( ). First there is the grateful acknowledgment that the LORD is their God ( ; ; ). It is the expression of the believer who rejoices in his personal relationship with Him. At the same time, it is the spirit of thankfulness that characterizes the whole remnant. They praise God’s faithfulness to His covenant with His earthly people. To give thanks to His Name is to praise Him for the revelation of His Being. That revelation can be seen in the wonder of judging His enemies. He overthrew the hostile city, the capital of the world empire, Babylon, or the restored Roman Empire ( ). “The fortified city” is symbolic of all that man has built up in his pride on earth. God will judge that entire system. The consequence of His judgments, “therefore”, is that “a strong people … cities of ruthless nations” – Babylon or the restored Roman Empire – will be in awe of what the LORD has done and will forcibly honor Him ( ). All proud organizations of people will have perished. And once again the assurance sounds that Babylon will never be rebuilt. The redeemed remnant gratefully remembers how the LORD was a strength and shelter in the time of the great tribulation and reign of the antichrist ( ; ; ). This verse has been and still is a comfort for many believers in trials. When we have gone through a time of great trial, we can also give thanks for His keeping. There is no bitterness in the remnant for what has been done to them. Nor should it be so with us. The LORD has subdued the uproar of the enemy, He has silenced their chant of victory ( ). He has stopped them in His time. Therefore, not all the people perished and some were spared ( ).

‏ Isaiah 25:2

The Remnant Exalts the LORD

It is no wonder that after the revelation of the glory of the Lord Jesus in His reign in the last verse of the previous chapter there is now a hymn of praise. This chapter and most of the following consist of a song of thanksgiving. The song of thanksgiving in this chapter comes from the mouth of Isaiah as the voice of everyone who belongs to the God-fearing remnant after the great tribulation (cf. Isa 12:1-6). It is more the testimony of personal faith in this chapter. In the next chapter the song of praise is no longer individual, but we hear the whole remnant singing, with Isaiah as the choir director, as it were.

The vast majority of the people of Israel, the unbelieving mass, has already been judged by the Assyrians. The antichrist has been dethroned. Then comes the harvest of the prophetic earth (Isa 24:1-4; Rev 14:14-20). What remains in Israel has been purified. This remnant forms the core of the new Israel. It is the one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed. For them “the time has arrived for singing” (Song 2:12).

First there is the grateful acknowledgment that the LORD is their God (Isa 25:1; Hos 2:23; Zec 13:9). It is the expression of the believer who rejoices in his personal relationship with Him. At the same time, it is the spirit of thankfulness that characterizes the whole remnant. They praise God’s faithfulness to His covenant with His earthly people. To give thanks to His Name is to praise Him for the revelation of His Being.

That revelation can be seen in the wonder of judging His enemies. He overthrew the hostile city, the capital of the world empire, Babylon, or the restored Roman Empire (Isa 25:2). “The fortified city” is symbolic of all that man has built up in his pride on earth. God will judge that entire system. The consequence of His judgments, “therefore”, is that “a strong people … cities of ruthless nations” – Babylon or the restored Roman Empire – will be in awe of what the LORD has done and will forcibly honor Him (Isa 25:3). All proud organizations of people will have perished. And once again the assurance sounds that Babylon will never be rebuilt.

The redeemed remnant gratefully remembers how the LORD was a strength and shelter in the time of the great tribulation and reign of the antichrist (Isa 25:4; Isa 32:2; Psa 61:4). This verse has been and still is a comfort for many believers in trials. When we have gone through a time of great trial, we can also give thanks for His keeping. There is no bitterness in the remnant for what has been done to them. Nor should it be so with us.

The LORD has subdued the uproar of the enemy, He has silenced their chant of victory (Isa 25:5). He has stopped them in His time. Therefore, not all the people perished and some were spared (Mt 24:22).