'A Banquet for All the Peoples'

Like a loving father, Jehovah not only protects but also feeds his children, especially in a spiritual way. After liberating his people in 1919, he set before them a victory banquet, an abundant supply of spiritual food:  "Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow of wind kept on the dregs, filtered." -Isaiah 25"6.

The banquet is spread in Jehovah's "mountain."  What is this mountain?  It is "the mountain of the house of Jehovah" to which all nations stream "in the final part of the days."  It is Jehovah's  "holy mountain," where his faithful worshipers do no harm and cause no ruin.  (Isaiah 2:2; 11:9)  In this elevated place of worship, Jehovah spreads his lush banquet for faithful ones.  And the spiritual good things now supplied  so generously foreshadow the physical good things that will be provided when God's Kingdom becomes the sole government of mankind. Then hunger will be no more.  "There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow." -Psalm 72:8, 16.

Those who now partake of the divinely provided spiritual feast have glorious prospects.  Listen to Isaiah's next words.  Comparing sin and death to a suffocating  "woven work," or "envelopement," he says:  "In this mountain [Jehovah] will certainly swallow up the face of the envelopement that is enveloping over all the peoples, and the woven work that is interwoven upon all the nations.  He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces." -Isaiah 25:7, 8a.

Yes, no more sin and death! (Revelation 21:3, 4) Moreover, the lying reproach that Jehovah's servants have endured for thousands of years will also be done away with. "The reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it." (Isaiah 25:8b)  How will this happen?  Jehovah will remove the source of that reproach, Satan and his seed.  (Revelation 20:1-3)  Little wonder that God's people will be moved to exclaim:  "Look! This is our God.  We have hoped in him, and he will save us.  This is Jehovah. we have hoped in him.  Let us be joyful and rejoice in the salvation by him. -Isaiah 25:9.

Next time: The Haughty Are Abased

From the Book Isaiah's prophecy Light for all Mankind, 2000