Mountain Feast

6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

9 In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

As we reflect on the beauty of God, the beauty of his creation, and the beauty of living and serving together as God’s people, it’s important also to look ahead. The Bible includes many promises about the restored beauty that Jesus brings, and about the beautiful life that this restoration invites us to live.

The world we live in now is still tainted by the pollution and ugliness of sin, but we need to remember that it is also filled with signs of beautiful hope. The Bible promises that one day Jesus will return to make all things new.

For example, Isaiah 25 points to a future celebration, a feast on the holy mountain of God. The joy and happiness that we feel at a wedding celebration or at an anniversary party is like a glimpse of the future celebration that God has in store for us. And in that beautiful future, Isaiah says, God will take away all sadness and sorrow and disgrace. The prophet was speaking to people who were in exile, who had reason to be afraid—but he gave them words of hope.

We too live in hope as we await this beautiful future. We can trust that God will keep his promises.

God of the future, thank you for the promises you give us in your Word, saying you will make all things new. Give us hope and help us to serve you as we await that beautiful day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.