“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.’” — Isaiah 25:9
As we prepare our hearts for this Advent season, we are reminded that the Advent season marks a time of longing and fulfillment, a season where we look back at Christ’s first coming and look forward to His return in glory. Isaiah 25:9 is a text that encapsulates the beauty and hope of the joy and anticipation of Advent.
Isaiah’s prophetic words, spoken in a tumultuous time for God’s people, offer a profound declaration: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.” While the listeners of Isaiah’s day may have had in mind their immediate context, these words transcend their time and find their meaning in the New Testament fulfillment of Christ’s coming.
Understanding Isaiah’s Context
One must first appreciate the Isaianic context in order to unravel the beauty of what is revealed. Isaiah (740-680 BC) was a prophet of God in Jerusalem who ministered during a period of geopolitical unrest and spiritual rebellion. The Assyrians were looming large over Judah, they were God’s tool of judgment against a wayward people. Yet in the midst of this, Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned words of hope—promises of a coming Messiah who would bring ultimate salvation. While it is true that Messianic prophecies can be found in other prophetic books of the Bible, Isaiah in particular is referred to as “the evangelical prophet,” particularly due to Isaiah’s detailed predictions of the Messiah, which were fulfilled by Jesus Christ centuries later.[1]
Isaiah 25 in particular is a song of praise that anticipates the day when God’s people will see His salvation fully revealed. For the Jewish people, this was a future hope. For us, it is a reality fulfilled in Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection, and a promise still unfolding as we await His second advent.
Rejoice in His Salvation
Isaiah’s call in verse 9 to rejoice in God’s salvation resonates with the Advent season. In Christ, we behold the fulfillment of Old Testament, Messianic prophecies—that which were mysteries to the prophets but mysteries revealed to us in the gospel (Rom. 16:26). God came in human form, not as a conquering king but as a humble Saviour, born in a manger (Isa. 7:14; John 1:14; Phil. 2:6-7; Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16). The joy proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds—“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14)—echoes Isaiah’s words: “Let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
This joy is not dependent on circumstances. It is rooted in the unshakable truth of who God is and what He has done. Even in times of mourning, pain, or uncertainty, the call remains: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Phil. 4:4).
The God Who Saves
When Isaiah declares, “This is our God,” he points to the exclusivity and intimacy of salvation. The God of Israel is not like the idols of the nations—mute, lifeless, and powerless. He is the living God who hears, acts, and saves.
In the fullness of time, this God took on flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The salvation Isaiah longed for became reality in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who bore the sins of His people and triumphed over death. The long wait of God’s people was not in vain. Salvation had come. It had been announced to God’s creation ever since the first Messianic prophecy uttered in Genesis 3:15.
Anticipating the Second Advent
Our observance of Advent, however, is not only a time to remember Christ’s first coming; it is also a time to look forward to His return. Just as Isaiah pointed his readers to the day of the Lord—the first advent, we live in anticipation of the second advent, when Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead and to make all things new.
As the early church father Cyril of Jerusalem wrote:
We preach not one advent only of Christ, but a second also, far more glorious than the former. For the former gave a view of His patience; but the latter brings with it the crown of a divine kingdom.
In this season of Advent, we rejoice not only in what has been accomplished but also in what is yet to come.
A Call to Respond
As we enter this season of Advent, Isaiah’s words provokes us to examine ourselves: Are we rejoicing in the God of our salvation? Have we placed our trust fully in the God who saves? For those in Christ, Advent is a time to renew our hope and joy in the promises of God. Whereas for those who have not yet turned to Christ, the message is clear: the God who saves has come, and He calls you to Himself. In Christ, there is forgiveness, peace, and eternal life—all of which you will find in no one else.
Let us, therefore, be glad and rejoice. Let us proclaim together:
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.
Advent is here. Salvation has come. Let us prepare our hearts for the King.
[1] See Alfred Martin, Survey of the Old Testament II: Poetry and Prophecy: Job—Malachi, Revised 1994, 1996, 2004 (Moody Bible Institute: Chicago, IL, 1971).