Isaiah 25:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the high fortifications of his walls he will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, to the dust.

NIV: He will bring down your high fortified walls and lay them low; he will bring them down to the ground, to the very dust.

NASB: The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, Lay low, and throw to the ground, to the dust.

CSB: The high-walled fortress will be brought down, thrown to the ground, to the dust.

NLT: The high walls of Moab will be demolished. They will be brought down to the ground, down into the dust.

KJV: And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

NKJV: The fortress of the high fort of your walls He will bring down, lay low, And bring to the ground, down to the dust.

This concludes the Lord's judgment of Moab. In this context, Moab is merely a symbol of all people who refuse to trust in the Lord to save them from their sin. They reject the Lord's gift of an eternity without death or the reproach of sin (John 3:16–18). In their pride, they refuse to wait on the Lord (Isaiah 25: 10–11). God will destroy their pride, their reputation, and all their accomplishments.

The Lord will also knock down Moab's walls. Human defenses will be useless when the Lord's judgment comes. There is no safe refuge from judgment other than in the Lord Himself, through faith in Christ. Any other defense is utterly worthless (John 3:36; Acts 4:12).

Chapter 25:6–12 describes a celebratory feast, hosted by God Himself, at the inauguration of His kingdom. The Lord will completely remove death and the shame of sin from His people. He also describes how the Lord takes away death forever for those who are His. The salvation which Israel long expected will come at last. In contrast, those who still refuse God's authority are crushed and humiliated. Moab, symbolic of all the nations who hated Israel, is depicted writhing in a cesspit under God's heel.

Isaiah's description of the Lord's judgment on the earth is followed by celebration. This comes at the beginning of the Lord's reign over all the earth. The prophet declares his own praise for God's wonderful works and righteous plans. The Lord protects the needy from the ruthless. At the inaugural banquet, the Lord swallows up death forever and wipes away every tear. All the people declare that they were right to wait on their Lord to save them. The Lord judges unbelieving Moab by trampling them into their place.

In the previous chapter, the Lord of hosts is said to reign on Mount Zion following His judgment of the entire earth. Here, Isaiah declares His praise for the Lord who protects the poor and needy. At an inaugural banquet for His kingdom, the Lord swallows up death forever. He also takes away the shame of His people's sin while wiping away their tears. The people rejoice and are glad for waiting on the Lord's salvation. The Lord destroys Moab—symbolic of nations who reject God—in judgment for not trusting in Him.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 5/4/2024 6:32:09 AM