Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · Isaiah Chapter 25

Isaiah 25:1. O Lord, thou art my God— The elegance of the prophet is observable in this verse, which he begins without any connecting particle or introduction; bursting out immediately into praise, upon a sight of the great deliverance spoken of in the last verse of the preceding chapter. It is commonly thought that the elders and teachers of the people are here introduced as the first speakers. Thy counsels of old, or from far, signify not only those long before taken, but also which had been long before declared and published by the prophets. Faithfulness and truth, is in the Hebrew, אמן אמונה emunah omen, the truest truth, or, the most faithful faith, an emphatical expression, shewing that there is the most exact analogy between the promise and the completion of the promise; so that the completion exhibits the most pure fidelity of God. Vitringa. See 1Ma 4:24.

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Isaiah 25:2. For thou hast made of a city, an heap— The prophet here plainly speaks of the destruction of a city; but respecting what city is meant interpreters greatly vary. Vitringa seems to have proved clearly that Babylon is meant, which was emphatically called the city; which was remarkably fortified, and which was inhabited by strangers, as the Assyrians and Babylonians are commonly called in prophetic language; and in the destruction of which the ancient believers rejoiced most especially, having therein a pledge and earnest of future deliverance, and particularly a type of the deliverance of the Christian church from persecution by the fall of spiritual Babylon. See Revelation 18:20; Revelation 19:1; Revelation 19:21.

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Isaiah 25:6. And in this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts— The words in this third gradation are to be understood partly as a commemoration of the benefit performed, partly as continuing and perfecting the prophesy concerning it. The sense of the metaphor is, that God would provide on mount Sion, for all people, matter of great and consummate joy; which should arise not from temporal causes only, but principally from spiritual ones; which should bring to the mind tranquillity, comfort, and acquiescence in its present state. See Zechariah 14:0. With respect to the prophetical part, this may refer primarily to the proselytes who were made to the Jewish religion after the times of the Maccabees; and secondarily to the Gospel-feast. See Matthew 8:11.Psalms 22:27; Psalms 22:27; Psalms 22:31. Wines on the lees, might perhaps with more propriety be rendered, Wines from the lees; as the expression seems to denote wines which were purified and made fit for drinking.

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Isaiah 25:9. And it shall be said— This verse contains the proposition of the antistrophe, or antiphonal part of this doxology, wherein the people may be supposed to sing in reply to the former part, which as we have observed, was the song of the elders. It was to be sung on that day, or at that time, in which God had wrought his wonders for the salvation of his people. The expressions are strong and glowing, and are well suited to that state of mind which is the consequence of high favours and signal deliverances vouchsafed from God.

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