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Daily Devotionals
Our Daily Homily - Volume 2
Isaiah 25:8—He will swallow up death in victory.
In this ode, which Isaiah prepared for singing when Babylon the first should have fallen, the apostle, taught by the Holy Ghost, saw an anticipation of the triumph of the saints, when the strong bastions of death should be destroyed before the coming of Him who is the resurrection and the life. "This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." In these words he refers to the first stage in the Second Advent, when the living saints shall be changed, and those who have died shall be raised; and then he proceeds to quote these words, "When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
There can be no doubt that this is Paul’s prayer for himself. He says, "We would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life." No doubt it would be very delightful! None of the pains of dissolution; no going forth of the unclothed spirit; but the sudden subliming and transfiguring of the mortal, as ice passes into water, or water into vapor. It is not to be wondered at that the prophet adds, "The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces." In the rapture of reunion, in the glad embrace of eternity, in the consciousness that death and trouble are for ever behind, and that God has kept his word, we shall forget how to weep!
The prophet also records the triumphant song which will break from myriads of glad spirits, when the hope of the Church will be realized, and her long patience rewarded: "It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God: we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."
