In This Mountain

Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 30th July service and hymns are below.

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Our principal verses are:

Isa 25:6  And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

Isa 25:7  And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

Isa 25:8  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Isa 25:9  And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Isa 25:10  For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest

 In This Mountain

This is a delightful passage full of gospel truth and containing many insights concerning the saving and keeping work of Jesus Christ. How blessed the Lord’s remnant people have been to have received, read and recalled these promises in their periods of trouble and fear. Long before Babylon and Rome ever rose in power to afflict the Jews or worry the church their destruction had been foretold. However, with the eye of faith it is Christ’s own glory we see shining in the chapter.

Mt Zion, the church

The ‘Lord’s mountain’ is a type of the redeemed church of Christ. Sometimes Isaiah calls it Mt Zion or the mountain of the Lord’s house. Sometimes it is described as a high mountain for the lofty esteem in which God views His beloved people. God speaks of the church as ‘my holy mountain’ where His throne dwells. Chapter 24 ended with the Lord reigning in Mt Zion in the midst of ‘his ancients’. These are Christ’s spiritual people, all those loved with everlasting love, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, secured in the covenant of peace and viewed in Christ before the world began.

The song of the ‘ancients’

The chapter begins with a statement of praise for God’s glory. This is a song of victory following the account of God’s worldwide judgment against sin. It is Isaiah’s song but it is sung by all God’s people in all ages. Despite the troubles, trials and persecutions that beset the church of Jesus Christ, the elect not only persevere, they do so with praise on their lips and worship in their hearts. They confess, ‘thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels (or decrees) of old are faithfulness and truth’.

Wonderful redemption

While the Lord has granted many amazing deliverances to His people throughout history it is the work of redemption that most fully exemplifies God’s wonderful works to the children of men. Our Lord Jesus is our strength and defence as poor and needy sinners. He is our ‘refuge from the storm’, our ‘shadow from the heat’ when the blast of condemning law, the devil’s accusations and the flesh come raging against our souls.

Tears wiped away

Even death itself has no more dread for the Lord’s people. By dying and rising again our Lord Jesus has defeated death. It is no longer the penalty for our sin. Christ confirmed His power and authority to deliver from death’s grip all for whom He died. Death is swallowed up in victory. ‘The Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth.’

A table fitly spread

Isaiah foresees three great works God purposes to do in the church amongst His elect people ‘in this mountain’. First, He will give gospel blessings to nourish our souls and to refresh and strengthen our spirits. These are likened to a feast of good things. ‘A feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees.’ The Father promises not only to save His people but also to bless with all spiritual blessings those He calls by His Spirit to follow and worship Christ. 

A veil removed

Second, the Lord will ‘destroy the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations’. Here we have the lifting of spiritual ignorance in gospel days. Blindness and natural antipathy towards God is removed, not by man’s will but by God’s power. The rending of the veil in the temple at Jesus’ death spoke of the opening of a new and living way into the presence of God. Similarly, the lifting of the veil speaks of the new birth and eyes, once blind, opened to see the way of life by Christ’s death.

An enemy humbled

Finally, we learn that ‘Moab shall be trodden down under him and he shall bring down their pride’. Moab is given here to represent all the foes of God’s remnant people. Our Saviour in His death defeated all our enemies and it is absolutely true that all for whom Christ died will be saved. Yet, in God’s purpose, the Lord will also have His people witness and experience their deliverance from all manner of opposition inflicted by the world, the flesh and the devil. The spiritual victory accomplished on the cross will be confirmed, corroborated and attested in time by the humbling of all the Lord’s enemies and ours.

Amen

Our hymns are below.

Hymn 1

Gadsby selection 3

The Power of God. Exod. 15. 6; Ps. 62. 11

R. Burnham                                               L.M.

1
God is my everlasting King;
God is my Strength, and I will sing;
His power upholds my feeble frame,
And I’m victorious through his name.

2
Devils retreat when he appears;
Then I arise above my fears,
And every fiery dart repel,
And vanquish all the force of hell.

3
Through the Redeemer’s precious blood,
I feel the mighty power of God;
Through the rich aid divinely given,
I rise from earth, and soar to heaven.

4
Dear Lord, thy weaker saints inspire,
And fill them with celestial fire;
On thy kind arm may they rely,
And all their foes shall surely fly.

5
Now, Lord, thy wondrous power exert,
And every ransomed soul support;
Give us fresh strength to wing our way
To regions of eternal day.

6
There may we praise the great I AM,
And shout the victories of the Lamb;
Raise every chorus to his blood,
And triumph in the power of God.

Hymn 2

Gadsby selection 1134

“Lead me in thy truth.” Ps. 25. 5; Isa. 25. 9

S. Browne   8.8.6.

1
Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove,
With light and comfort from above,
Our waiting souls set free;
Be thou our guardian, thou our guide,
O’er every thought and step preside,
And draw us after thee.

2
Conduct us safe, conduct us far
From every sin and hurtful snare,
That we may not thee grieve;
Apply thy word that rules must give,
And teach us lessons how to live,
And firmly to believe.

3
Lead us to Christ, our only rest,
And in his love may we be blest,
While in his name we meet;
Let precious drops of heavenly dew,
Our courage and our strength renew,
And make the promise sweet.

The mountain of the Lord is His church. God’s elect people are redeemed by Christ’s blood, called in grace by the Holy Ghost and protected in the palm of The Father’s hand. This is Mt Zion where God reigns in the midst of His people. Isaiah gives us three promises from the Lord concerning what He shall do ‘in this mountain’. In God’s church He will feed His people with gospel fare, unveil their eyes to heavenly truth and destroy their enemies that they be no longer troubled.

30 July 2023