No More Tears (Isaiah 25:6-9)
When I was an early teenager, someone in the congregation passed away. I don’t remember who died, but I remember that all five of us—Mom, Dad, and all three boys—went to the funeral home for visitation.
The following Sunday, a fella asked Dad if we had gone to the funeral home, and Dad responded affirmatively. This fella then said: “We didn’t go; my wife and I just don’t enjoy going to the funeral home.”
Over lunch, Dad explained his conversation. Mom said, “Yeah, we go to the funeral home because it’s fun. We just can’t wait for the next person to die, so we can go back!”
All of you have been to the funeral home, and not a single one of you enjoyed it. You’ve all gone to the funeral home to say goodbye to someone who meant the world to you. You’ve likely gone to the funeral home to attend the service for a good friend. Maybe you went to the funeral home when a young person died and you wondered why. Maybe you’ve gone to the funeral home for a classmate, and you pondered your own mortality. You might have even gone to the funeral home to make pre-arrangements for your own funeral.
However, in Isaiah 25:6-9, Yahweh promised to rid the world of death. Isaiah looked forward to the Messiah’s coming, saw the marvelous benefits of his coming, and declared, “Death will be destroyed.”
Scripture (Isaiah 25:6-9)
verse 6:
God would make a feast for everyone “on this mountain.” Ancient Near Eastern kings often gave great banquets when they were enthroned. The picture here, then, seems to be the inauguration of the heavenly kingdom; “this mountain” would be Mt. Zion—heaven—and God, after just conquering the world, throws a great banquet for his people.
verse 7:
God would remove “the veil that is spread over all nations.” The veil here is the veil of mourning, but there are a couple possibilities about the exact meaning.
- The mourning here could be over sin; God will remove all sin in heaven.
- The mourning here could be over death; God will destroy death in heaven.
Both ideas really fit God’s heavenly kingdom, so I’m unsure which we should accept.
verse 8:
Yahweh “will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces.” At inaugural banquets, ancient kings often performed some heroic feat; the King of the Universe will perform the most heroic feat of all at his inaugural banquet—annihilating death.
God will also remove “the reproach of his people,” likely the guilt of sin.
verse 9:
The people will respond favorably to God and honor and worship him for removing death from them.
Application
“Death will be destroyed.” Today is Easter, the day the world remembers Jesus’s resurrection. Of course, we remember the Lord’s resurrection every first day of the week, but it’s right on this day that we remember that Jesus was raised from the dead. Because Jesus was raised, “Death will be destroyed.” “In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor 15:20-22).
Because “Death will be destroyed” you need to add two things to your life.
Confidence
Because “Death will be destroyed” you need to live your life with Confidence. There is no reason for you to worry about dying (if Jesus doesn’t come back first, you will); there is no reason for you to worry what tomorrow holds, and there is no reason for you to worry about the guilt of your past sin. Jesus came “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb 2:14-15).
You don’t want to hear the doctor say you have cancer. You don’t want to leave your family behind. You don’t want to walk through into the unknown. However, you must understand that for the Christian being dead is better than being alive. When the rich man asked for water to cool his tongue in torment, Abraham said to him, “Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish” (Lk 16:25).
Not only is the Christian better off dead than alive, God will one day destroy death completely: “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. . . . Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire” (Rev 20:13-14). “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4).
Therefore, why spend your life worrying? Why not grab the Confidence God offers you?
Celebration
In Isaiah 25:9, the people on the mountain had a Celebration because “Death will be destroyed,”: “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.”
You, too, need to Celebrate the God who gives life eternal. He is worthy of all your praise. “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim 1:17). The 24 elders fell down before God’s throne saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Rev 4:11). Thousands upon thousands of angels sang of the Christ: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev 5:12).
How much glory and honor and blessing are you giving to the Father and the Risen Christ? Do you assemble with the saints every first day of the week, or do you miss the assembly if something comes up? When you assemble, do you worship with your heart? Do you forget everything else and concentrate on the Father and his Risen Christ? Do you go through the motions, or do you worship with your all? Understand that God and his Risen Christ deserve all your praise. God defeated death when he raised Jesus from the dead, and one day “Death will be destroyed,”
Are you ready for that day?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.