The Victory Over Death of Isaiah 25

[EarlyActs]

We know from the apostles that the victory of Isaiah 25, even though cast in terms about Jerusalem and neighbors, was the Gospel event of the death and resurrection.

This usage is no different from Jesus' reply to Judaism's leaders about the temple 'Tear down this temple, and I will rebuild it in three days.' He is Christocentric, and he taught that to the disciples in the 40 days.

Actually, one view of v24 is that it is about destroyed Jerusalem no longer being a foreigner's stronghold. In other words, just as the icon of Israel's history is decimated, Isaiah announces the huge victory of God for his people: the removal of the shroud of death over all nations.

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8  he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
9 In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

People may think there is something amiss, here or that the Bible is saying two divergent things at once. But a study of the OT quotes of the NT show that numerous metaphors are used about Christ, to preach him to the nations.

There is a fake issue out there about a 'spiritual' meaning. Spirituality in Christ is a good thing; the fake issue is about metaphor vs literal usage. Well, metaphors about Christ from OT passages are a good thing too!

The Bible clarifies this in Hebrews (written to the Hebrews), that we have come to one mountain (heaven's) and not another (earth's or Judaism's).

The Bible is not teach two divergent programs at once; that would cause serious headaches. It is incoherent. The passage is not saying one mountain on all the earth is where everyone must come for proper worship of God for the Gospel over death which he provided. The mountain them is used in the prophets to designate a vast, established place, but they don't mean one particular hill geographically. This is why Jesus said as much in Jn 4 to the Samaritan woman, who, by the way, subscribed to another mountain for worship from Jews; that was not a particularly smart card to play to the true Messiah!

I once stepped into a church which had just finished a study of Jn 2 and the 'destroy this temple' passage, I was there to pick up someone. When I learned to topic of the night was 'I will rebuild it in 3 days' I exclaimed that it was a theme-setting passage. The pastor immediately told me that if I thought there would not be a literal temple in the future in Israel, that I was to leave the building. He had managed to 'explain away' a 'problem' passage for his view. He did allow me to meet the child at the kids program. But really, it was quite a welcome!

 

[Josheb]

When I learned to topic of the night was 'I will rebuild it in 3 days' I exclaimed that it was a theme-setting passage. The pastor immediately told me that if I thought there would not be a literal temple in the future in Israel, that I was to leave the building.

I have had many similar experiences in congregations that subscribe to Dispensational Premillennialism. Some of which require members to adhere to DPism as a function their bylaws and statement of faith. I once observed to one such pastor that I was unaware that subscribing to any one particular eschatological point of view was a requirement for membership in the body of Christ. That did not go over any better than your just and accurate observation. On that occasion, I was called names and labeled with unkind words. But, to be fair, I have also had this conversation (and the one you've asserted in the Acts 2 thread) with many DPers had had a respectful conversation. No progress, but respectful.

We know from the apostles that the victory of Isaiah 25, even though cast in terms about Jerusalem and neighbors, was the Gospel event of the death and resurrection.

the pastor of the congregation I attend has been going through the "songs of the suffering servant" passages in Isaiah. Once read, those songs greatly inform Isaiah 25 and there is an uncanny resemblance or corresponding to these chapters in Isaiah and Matthew 21:1-26:5 and, of course, Paul puts a decisive cap on the Isaiah 25 text when he states,

1 Corinthians 15:20-27
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until He has put all his enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under his feet....

And John later reports,

Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

That fiery lake thing is so lethal that even death dies .

Psalm 110:1
The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

The Lord remains seated at the LORD's right hand until the LORD defeat's all the Lord's enemies. The NT repeats this at least a half-dozen times! Isaiah tried to warn them.

Isaiah 9:19-20
By the fury of the LORD of hosts the land is burned up, And the people are like fuel for the fire; No man spares his brother. They slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry, and they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied; Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm.

Isaiah 41:8-13
But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend, you whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent. "For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.'

The Jews thought that was about the geo-political nation-state. They were wrong. That is why they missed the Messiah when he stood in their midst and did exactly as prophesied.