Isaiah 25:9 - Meaning and Application

Here is the welcome the church will give to the blessings promised earlier (Isaiah 25:9). It will be said in that day, with humble but holy joy, “Look, this is our God. We have waited for him!” In this way, the church’s rescue from long and bitter trouble will be celebrated. It will be like life from the dead. Those who looked for the Redeemer, and for redemption in Jerusalem through him, will greet the good news with this same joy. Glorified saints will enter into the joy of their Lord with a triumphant song like this.

First, God himself must have all the glory. “Look, this is our God. This is the Lord. What has happened is his doing, and it is amazing in our eyes.” In this, he has acted as only he can, showing his wisdom, power, and goodness in a great way. He has also acted for us as our God, the God who is bound to us in covenant, that is, a holy promise of faithful relationship. Our joy should not end with what God gives us. It must go on to God himself, who gives every blessing. This is our God. Do any of the nations have such a God to trust in? No, their rock is not like our Rock. There is no one like the God of Jerusalem.

Second, the longer a mercy has been expected, the more welcome it is when it comes. “This is the one we have waited for, trusting his promise and believing he would come at the right time. We were willing to wait his time, and now we see that waiting for him was not wasted. At last the mercy has come, and it more than makes up for the delay.”

Third, this is a matter of joy beyond words. “We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Those who share in its blessings will join together in thankful praise for it.

Fourth, this gives hope for the continuing and full completion of this salvation. “We have waited for him, and he will save us.” He will carry on the work he has begun, for as for God, our God, his work is complete.

There is also a promise of more blessings to secure and preserve this salvation. The power of God will be committed to them and will keep standing on their side. “In this mountain the hand of the Lord will rest” (Isaiah 25:10). The church and people of God will keep seeing proof that God is present with them and among them. His hand will remain over them to protect them, and stretched out to supply their needs. Mount Zion is his resting place forever. There he will dwell.

At the same time, the power of their enemies, which is set against them, will be broken. Moab stands here for all the enemies of God’s people, especially those who trouble them. They will be trampled down, or threshed like grain, and then thrown out like straw on a dung heap, fit for nothing else. Since God’s hand rests on this mountain, it will not be a weak or idle hand. He will spread out his hands in the midst of his people, like a swimmer moving through the water. This means he will use his power strongly for them, working on every side, pushing back every obstacle to his gracious purpose, and acting steadily on their behalf.

He will bring down the pride of their enemies, and Moab was especially known for pride (Isaiah 16:6), by one humbling judgment after another. He will strip them of the things they boast about. He will also bring down the spoil they have taken, taking away what they gained by violence and robbery. He will break the arms they lift against God’s Israel, completely shattering their power and making them unable to do harm.

He will also tear down all their strong defenses (Isaiah 25:12). Moab has walls and high forts that he thinks will keep him safe and let him attack God’s people. But God will bring them all down, lay them flat, and level them to the dust. Those who trusted in them will be left exposed. No fortress can stand against Almighty God. No wall is too high for the Lord’s arm to reach over and bring down.

This destruction of Moab points ahead to Christ’s victory over death, which was spoken of in Isaiah 25:8. It also points to his stripping away powers and authorities through his cross (Colossians 2:15), his breaking Satan’s strongholds through the preaching of the gospel (2 Corinthians 10:4), and his reign until all his enemies are made his footstool (Psalm 110:1).