Day 5
Bible passage: Isaiah 25:6–9 (ESVUK)
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Thinking about the new creation and prayer
Isaiah tells us we can look forward to a glorious feast in the new creation, where God will wipe away the tears from our face. We will enjoy this feast forever because death will be no more.
- Imagine what it will be like to be at the feast. What food do you look forward to eating—think about your favourite meal? What will it feel like to be there? Think of all your senses—touch, taste, smell, sight, sound!
- Think: list 20 things that will be gone in the new creation, where there is no threat of death. You could consider jobs related to death that will be gone (such as doctors or firemen), or places needed because death happens (such as cemeteries) or industries related to the threat of death (such as insurance). Think what the new creation will be like without these there.
- Pray: write a verse from the passage (or another verse you’ve enjoyed so far about the new creation) on a post-it note and place it somewhere in the house where you will see it regularly today (bathroom mirror, fridge door, your laptop). Give thanks now, and each time you read it for what it tells you about the new creation
Today
Memorise verse 8, to help you remember that the new creation is a place with no more death. To do this, read it and say it back to yourself now. Then, later today, at lunch, dinner and before you go to bed, say it or write it down to check you have memorised it.
Thinking further
You could share your list on WhatsApp with someone else in your Bible study group. How many things did you list that were the same? See how many things will be gone in the new creation.
Try imagining the best things in this world, but without the taint of death. As you look at the good things you enjoy in this world, give thanks for the glimpses of the new creation they give you.
