What does Isaiah 25:11 mean?
The future celebration of the Lord's reign over the earth concludes on a stark note. Those who trusted in the Lord are freed forever from death and the reproach of sin. These believers (John 3:16–17) celebrate and praise God. They declare to each other that because the Lord is their God, all their waiting was worthwhile. Their trust has been proven right by His salvation (Isaiah 25:7–9). However, many will refuse to trust in Christ who died to save them from their sin (John 3:36). They will refuse to wait, placing their confidence in other gods or their own might. Some will even mock those who patiently trust the Lord. They will sneer at those who waited on God's promises without any obvious change in their circumstances.The prophet uses Israel's neighbor and frequent enemy Moab (Joshua 24:9; Judges 3:12; 2 Kings 1:1) to symbolize those who did not trust the Lord. These committed enemies of God are now suffering God's judgment. Isaiah pictures the Lord with one hand on Mount Zion and His foot crushing Moab down into his place; this is like a man stomping straw into a manure pile (Isaiah 25:10).
Here, Isaiah's imagery becomes even more grotesque. What's described here evokes someone who falls into a cesspit or a massive pile of waste. Like someone trying to swim, he flails around but cannot escape the filth. In the end, those who refuse to come to God in faith will face shame and humiliation (Daniel 12:2).
Isaiah identifies the root of Moab's sin. It is the cornerstone error of all who refuse to humble themselves before the Lord and trust in Him alone: pompous, self-inflating pride. The Lord will prove that Moab's accomplishments, abilities, and reputation will become nothing. This is the fate of all who follow that path.