The Way of the Cross (29)

It has often been said that the prophet Isaiah could be counted as the fifth evangelist - his prophecy is, in places, so very clear in describing the person and work of the Lord Jesus that it's as if it's another Gospel account. As we've already seen, and will continue to see for a few more days, the foretelling of the passion is fairly detailed. But it's not just the passion we're focusing on in these days of Lent, leading up to Easter. We're also seeing the prediction of new life, the promise of resurrection in Jesus.

As we come to Isaiah 25, the prophet portrays a great feast on 'this mountain.' The mountain he's talking about is Jerusalem, the city on the mountain. There's mention of rich food and well-aged wine, but of particular interest is what the LORD himself swallows at the feast:

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the LORD God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the LORD has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
"Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the LORD; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." (Isaiah 25:6-9)

The Lord swallows up the covering, the veil that covers all people - the covering of death. Death is swallowed up in victory, as the immortal one dies - the grave cannot hold him, death cannot swallow him.

So on that mountain of the Lord, the hill of Jerusalem, death is swallowed up and defeated. Jesus has won the victory, life is his to give, so that all tears are dried up and wiped away. Here's another reason to join in another of Isaiah's salvation songs - let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation!