Most Bountious Gift – Isaiah 25:6-9

A text – Isaiah 25:6-9

25:6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
25:7 And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever.
25:8 Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
25:9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

A reflection:

Here is the prophesy, the prediction of Jesus’s mission for his work on earth: The saving of all people by “swallowing up death forever.”

Isaiah says in verse 6 there will be a feast, a celebration for all peoples (not just the house of Israel). The best of the best will be catered into this celebration – well-aged wines strained clear, and rich food. Nothing meager about it – the best of the best.

And why? Verse 7: the shroud, the burial garment that every one of us is destined to wear, will be destroyed. And death will be swallowed up – it’s permanent power to erase us will be gone.

And then? Verse 8: God, like a doting parent, will wipe the tears from all faces, lovingly brushing the tears aside. And everyone’s disgrace, for whatever reason they were disgraced, will be removed from the entire planet.

And how will we respond? Verse 9: We will praise God for his keeping his promises, for his coming to save us. We will rejoice.

So when you lose someone, as lonely as you feel in your earthly life at that moment, know that God promises the absence is temporary. We will all be glad and rejoice in his salvation. We are all, from all nations, saved by the generosity of the gracious God and Father of us all. God’s bounty and love know no end. Even if we cannot quite comprehend it, it is still true.

Amen.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for your generous gift of salvation. We have trouble believing it, or even comprehending its size and scope. But it’s true, and we thank you for it. Help us to live each day admitting that you have given us something we cannot even understand but that is real for us, forever.  Amen.