The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

} “wine” Notice the different kinds.1. aged wine, BDB 1038 II, this refers to wine left to settle2. refined wine, BDB 279, KB 279, Pual PARTICIPLE, this refers to strained or filtered wine afterit has settled for a long time, which made it a premiere qualitySee Special Topic: Alcohol and Alcoholism at 1:22.25:7 “And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples,Even the veil which is stretched over all nations” This is extremely significant. Notice againthat God is going to remove something (lit. “faces” [BDB 815], “covering” [BDB 532, KB 523, QalACTIVE PARTICIPLE], “which covers” [BDB 532, KB 523, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE]; the parallel phrase isliterally “the veil” [BDB 697], “that is spread” [BDB 651 II, KB 703, Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE], or“weaved” [BDB 651 II, NASB marginal note, NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 253]) from the Gentiles (“over allpeople” parallel with “over all nations,” these are inclusive, universal phrases) that they might come toHim. There have been several theories about this “covering.”1. death itself (cf. v. 8, repeats the VERB of v. 7)2. a sign of mourning for the dead (cf. II Sam. 15:30)3. a sign of shame (cf. II Sam. 19:5; Jer. 14:3)4. spiritual blindness (cf.II Cor. 3:15-16; Eph. 4:18)5. the Hebrew root -&) (BDB 532) occurs only here. It is related to )- (BDB 532), whichmeans “secret” (cf. Ruth 3:7; I Sam. 18:22; 24:4 and often refers to idolatry, cf. Exod. 7:22;8:7,18).The “covering” may refer to false religions that have blinded the eyes of fallen humanity (cf. Rom. 1:21-32).25:8 “He will swallow up death for all time” What a marvelous statement! The original status ofEden is restored (cf. 65:19-20). Sinful, rebellious humans can be redeemed permanently! Resurrectionis specifically mentioned in 26:19 (cf. Job 14:14; 19:25-27; Ezek. 37:12-14; Dan. 12:2; I Corinthians15).Death reigned from Adam to Christ (cf. Rom. 5:12-21), but with Jesus’ resurrection, death hasbeen defeated (cf. Hosea 13:14 quoted in I Cor. 15:55-57).In the OT the soul that sins will die (cf. Ezek. 18:4,20; Rom. 6:23). The Mosaic covenant was aperformance-based covenant (cf. Lev. 18:5; Gal. 3:12), but because of the Fall (cf. Genesis 3) andhuman weakness it became a death sentence, a curse (cf. Gal. 3:13; 4:5). Jesus, the Messiah, willdeliver us from the death sentence (cf. Col. 2:14).} “the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces” Notice it is the covenant God of Israel (lit.Adon YHWH) who does the wiping (BDB 562, KB 567, Qal PERFECT, cf. 43:25; 44:22; Ps. 51:1,9).Also note it is “all faces” (BDB 481 and BDB 815)!This theme of sorrow, remorse (judgment), and joy (salvation) restored is recurrent in Isaiah (cf.30:19; 35:10; 51:11; 65:19; also note its usage in the NT, Rev. 7:17; 21:4).} “He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth” This has two possible meanings.1. it relates to the new covenant in Ezek. 36:22-38 which repairs the image of Israel among thenations2. it relates “His people” to all people (cf. Rom. 2:28-29; Rom. 9:6; and 11:26; also note Gal.6:16; I Pet. 2:5,9; Rev. 1:6). Reproach is the result of sin. Its removal is an act of forgivenessand restoration. This is a divine plan of universal redemption (v. 1)!} “For the LORD has spoken” Here again is the certainty of events because God has said it (cf. 24:3;30-31; 40:8; 55:10-11).250