Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces… I. THE BATTLE. 1. Under what character has the Lord of life fought this battle? (1) As the Head and Representative of the elect world. (2) As their Redeemer and Deliverer (Hosea 13:14). The prey could not be taken from the Mighty One, without both price and power. (3) An a Captain or General at the head of His people (Hebrews 2:10). 2. The attack made upon Him by death. (1) Death brings up its strength against Him, i.e., the law. (2) Meanwhile he that has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14) advances against Him; Satan sets upon Him in the wilderness with most grievous temptations. (3) The congregation of men dead in trespasses and sins stir up them. selves against Him (Isaiah 53:3). Judas betrays Him, the Jews gape on Him like a lion, crying, Crucify Him; Pilate condemns Him; He is scourged, crowned with thorns, smitten on the crowned head; His body, racked till it was all out of joint, nailed to the Cross, hangs there mocked, and pierced with a spear. (4) Death comes with its sting upon Him, and pierces Him to the heart, and casts Him down dead. II. THE VICTORY CHRIST OBTAINED. 1. How it was obtained. (1) By His death. This was the decisive stroke. "That through death He might destroy death, and him that had the power of death." It was such a victory as Samson's last victory over the Philistines, when he pulled down the house, and died himself with the Philistines in the fall of it; and therefore He cried upon the Cross, "It is finished."(2) By His resurrection. 2. What sort of victory it is Jesus hath obtained over death. (1) A dear bought victory; it cost the glorious Conqueror His precious life. (2) A complete victory in respect of Himself, though not yet in respect of His members (Romans 6:9). (3) A glorious victory, saints and angels singing the triumphant song. (4) An everlasting victory. Death's power is irrecoverably broken. III. THE PURSUIT. 1. Christ looses the bands of spiritual death. 2. He looses the band of legal death. 3. He destroys the body of death in the believer. (1) It is crucified, and its destruction is ensured in the conversion of the soul to God (Romans 6:6; Galatians 5:24). (2) It is weakened and mortified more and more, in the gradual advances of sanctification (Romans 8:13). (3) At the death of the body, the body of death is utterly destroyed. 4. He dries up all the sorrows of death. 5. He brings all His people safe through the valley of the shadow of death. 6. Now, death has nothing of Christ's but the bodies of the saints, not a foot of ground in His kingdom but the grave; and these He will also wrest out of his hand at the resurrection. 7. In consequence of the absolute victory over death, it shall be shut up, and confined for the ages of eternity to the lower regions (Revelation 20:14). IV. PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 1. Be lively Christians, as those that are alive from the dead through Jesus Christ. 2. Join issue with the Conqueror in pursuing the victory in your own souls. 3. Join issue with the Conqueror in pursuing the victory in the world, especially in the places where ye live. 4. Believe this truth with application in all your endeavours after holiness. 5. Be weaned from the world, and long for the day when death shall be swallowed up in victory. (T. Boston, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. |
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