John Calvin Commentary


John Calvin Commentary
"And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering that covereth all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations." — Isaiah 25:7 (ASV)
And he will destroy the face of the covering. Here commentators also differ, for the word covering is understood by some to mean the disgrace with which believers are covered in this world, so that the glory of God is not seen in them. It is as if he had said, “Though many reproaches oppress the godly, yet God will take away those reproaches, and will make their condition glorious.”
I pass by other interpretations. However, in my opinion, the true meaning is that the Lord promises He will take away the veil by which they were kept in blindness and ignorance; therefore, it was by the light of the gospel that this darkness was dispelled.
In that mountain. He says that this will be in Mount Zion, from which the light of the word also shone on the whole world, as we have already seen (Isaiah 2:3). This passage, therefore, must unavoidably be referred to the kingdom of Christ. For the light did not shine on all men till Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, arose (Malachi 4:2), who took away all the veils, wrappings, and coverings.
Here we have another commendation of the gospel: that it dispels the darkness and takes away from our eyes the covering of errors. Hence it follows that we are wrapped up and blinded by the darkness of ignorance before we are enlightened by the doctrine of the gospel, by which alone we can obtain light and life and be fully restored.
Here, too, we have a confirmation of the calling of the Gentiles, that is, of our calling; for not only the Jews, but all nations, which formerly were buried in every kind of error and superstition, are invited to this banquet.