Breaking Dawn | Part 10 - Best of the Best | Dr. Stephen G. Tan

Apr 26, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Shelter From the Howling Storm

Isaiah describes God as a refuge from the storm, a shade from heat. The prophet paints a desert traveler scrambling toward a rock overhang as sand whips through the air. God doesn’t just mute life’s storms—He becomes the fortress walls around His people. Remember the marathon runners who carried AJ to the finish line? God lifts the exhausted through trials. [06:30]

This imagery reveals God’s proactive care. He doesn’t watch from a distance—He runs into the storm to rescue. Jesus demonstrated this when He calmed the sea and healed the sick. His protection isn’t partial; it’s complete, like a roof that stops every raindrop.

Where is your storm right now? Financial pressure? Family conflict? Health fears? Stop trying to outrun the wind. Let Him be your shelter. When did you last acknowledge His presence in your chaos?

“For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat… The song of the terrible ones will be diminished.”
(Isaiah 25:4-5, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal His nearness in one specific struggle. Thank Him for being your storm-stopper.

Challenge: Write three fears on paper. Pray over each, then tear the paper while declaring Psalm 56:3 aloud.

Day 2: Feast of Choice Pieces

Isaiah 25:6 depicts a lavish messianic banquet—prime rib, aged wine, marrow-rich bones. This isn’t a potluck but a king’s feast. Jesus previewed this when He turned water to fine wine at Cana, saving the best for last. The resurrected Christ even cooked fish for His disciples, proving His delight in physical abundance. [12:05]

God’s blessings aren’t rationed. He doesn’t say, “Save room for dessert.” The cross proves His generosity—if He gave His Son, why withhold lesser gifts? The Father prepares endless joy for His children, from sun-shaded pools to eternal banquets.

What scarcity mindset limits your view of God’s goodness? Do you hoard His blessings or share freely? Which earthly pleasure can you enjoy today as a foretaste of His kingdom?

“And in this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees.”
(Isaiah 25:6, NKJV)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific blessings you often take for granted—a meal, a relationship, a moment of beauty.

Challenge: Share a treat (coffee, dessert, flowers) with someone while explaining it’s a glimpse of God’s generosity.

Day 3: Swallowing Death’s Shadow

Isaiah 25:7-8 declares God will “swallow up death forever” and wipe every tear. This echoes Revelation 21:4, where mourning and pain cease. Jesus enacted this at Lazarus’ tomb, weeping before conquering death. The resurrection wasn’t a metaphor—He ate fish, showed scars, and promised we’ll do the same. [20:57]

Eternal life isn’t disembodied bliss. It’s physical, relational, and unending. God’s plan reverses Eden’s curse, restoring creation to its original design. Your aging body, broken relationships, and grief aren’t permanent—they’re birth pangs of redemption.

What loss or decay weighs heaviest today? How might Jesus’ resurrection redefine your view of this struggle?

“He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people… He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.”
(Isaiah 25:7-8, NKJV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve let death’s shadow dim your hope. Claim Christ’s victory over it.

Challenge: Text a grieving friend: “I’m praying God reminds you this pain isn’t the final page.”

Day 4: Stayed Minds, Unshaken Peace

Isaiah 26:3-4 links perfect peace to a mind “stayed” on God. The Hebrew word implies a braced wall—focus fortifies. Like a swimmer stretching forward, trust requires active concentration. The hymn “Like a River Glorious” captures this: peace grows deeper as we fixate on Christ’s sovereignty. [33:51]

Worry thrives on hypotheticals. Peace flourishes in present trust. When Peter walked on water, he sank when staring at waves. Jesus didn’t calm the storm first; He demanded focused faith. Your circumstances may not change today, but your anchor holds.

What “storm gaze” distracts you from Christ’s presence? How can you physically reorient your focus—scripture on your mirror? Worship music during chores?

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”
(Isaiah 26:3-4, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one anxiety you’ve rehearsed. Replace it with a truth from today’s passage.

Challenge: Set a phone alarm labeled “Isaiah 26:3.” When it rings, pause and whisper the verse aloud.

Day 5: Unforced Rest in Sovereign Hands

Isaiah 26:12 acknowledges God ordains all things for His people. The pastor’s critics faded when God vindicated him through external confirmation. Like David refusing to kill Saul, we fight battles on our knees, not through manipulation. Rest comes from believing God controls outcomes. [40:04]

Jesus slept during a life-threatening storm. His peace wasn’t passive—He’d already chosen trust. You honor God more by resting in His governance than by striving for perfect outcomes. Your job isn’t to control the universe but to obey the Controller.

Where are you playing defense attorney for your reputation or plans? What would it look like to close your case and let God judge?

“Lord, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works in us.”
(Isaiah 26:12, NKJV)

Prayer: Confess one situation you’ve tried to micromanage. Release it with: “Your will, not mine.”

Challenge: Write a worry list, then cross out each item with “God’s job” in red ink.

Sermon Summary

Isaiah 25:1 to 26:4 presents a prophetic vision of the millennial reign in which God pours out unparalleled blessings on those who trust him. The chapter opens with triumphant praise for God’s faithfulness and a depiction of nations and fortified cities brought low, proving God’s sovereign rule and prompting worldwide worship. God then appears as a shelter in the storm and a shade from fierce heat, an active rescuer who steadies the weak and carries survivors through persecution to safety. Vivid images portray divine protection as thorough and unyielding, not partial or temporary.

The scene shifts to a lavish banquet on the mountain, where choice cuts and the finest wines flow without scarcity. That feast symbolizes abundant material provision but also points to deeper spiritual generosity: God delights to give his best, not leftovers. The abundance reflects a Creator who owns all and freely bestows lavish gifts out of love, echoing the gospel promise that nothing held back in divine grace.

Isaiah then moves to the ultimate reversal of the curse. God will remove the covering over the nations, swallow up death, and wipe away every tear. The prophecy promises full restoration to the original creation intent—no more death, no more sorrow, no final separations for God’s people. This deliverance grounds the certainty of salvation and eternal life, portraying resurrection bodies that enjoy fellowship, food, and celebration without the limitations of the fallen order.

Finally, the vision culminates in the assurance of perfect peace for minds fixed on the Lord. The new Jerusalem stands as a strong city whose gates open to the righteous, and trusting hearts find uninterrupted calm because God holds all things. Trust translates into steady minds, prayerful dependence, and a life that does what it must while leaving outcomes in God’s hands. The whole passage forms a coherent promise: God provides complete protection, lavish abundance, ultimate salvation, and lasting peace. These gifts arise from divine love and sovereign purpose and call believers to live confidently, anchored in trust and hope in what God will accomplish for his children.

Key Takeaways

1. Complete protection from all harm God shelters his people like a refuge from storms and a cloud shielding heat. That protection extends beyond sporadic help to a complete, victorious safety that silences the enemy’s boasts and secures the faithful through trial. Trust rests on God’s proven sovereignty over enemies and nations. [10:24]
2. Abundant lavish earthly blessings God prepares a banquet of choice pieces and the finest wines to illustrate limitless provision. The imagery stresses not scarcity but overflowing generosity, a divine delight to give good gifts because of love rather than merit. Expect abundance as a reflection of God’s character. [12:05]
3. Salvation removes death forever God will swallow up death and wipe away every tear, restoring creation to its original design without sorrow or final separation. This promise anchors hope in the finished work of Christ and envisions resurrection life that transforms sorrow into unending fellowship with God and loved ones. [20:33]
4. Perfect peace through steadfast trust The new city welcomes the righteous into safety where minds fixed on the Lord enjoy perfect peace. Peace results from an active trust that does the work called for and then leaves outcomes to God, replacing worry with calm confidence in divine governance. [30:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:46] - Family hospitality anecdote
[01:30] - God gives the best
[02:36] - Isaiah 25 context and transition
[03:41] - Triumph, worship, and victory
[06:04] - God as shelter and shade
[12:05] - The mountain banquet of abundance
[20:33] - Death defeated and restoration
[26:26] - Salvation and everlasting life
[30:02] - Perfect peace through trust

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Isaiah 25:1–26:4 (NKJV)

Observation questions

What images does Isaiah 25:4-5 use to describe God’s protection, and how do these relate to everyday struggles?
How does Isaiah 25:6-8 describe the banquet God prepares, and what details emphasize abundance and joy?
According to Isaiah 25:8 and 26:3, what specific promises does God make about death, sorrow, and peace?
In the sermon, what real-life example illustrated God’s protection during trials? [07:00]

Interpretation questions

Why might God use a lavish banquet (Isaiah 25:6) to symbolize His blessings instead of a simpler metaphor? How does this reflect His character?
Isaiah 25:8 says God will “swallow up death forever.” How does this promise shape a believer’s perspective on suffering and loss today?
The sermon emphasized that perfect peace comes from trusting God’s control. What might it look like practically to “keep [one’s] mind stayed on [God]” (Isaiah 26:3) in a chaotic world?
How does the story of the marathon runners helping AJ ([07:00]) deepen our understanding of God’s role as a rescuer?

Application questions

When have you experienced God’s protection in a “storm” or “heat” season of life? How did that strengthen your trust in Him?
The sermon highlighted God’s delight in giving “the best of the best.” Where do you struggle to believe God wants to bless you abundantly, and how can you shift that mindset?
The hope of “no more death or tears” is central to Isaiah’s vision. How might this truth change how you grieve losses or face fears about the future?
What area of your life feels furthest from “perfect peace” right now? What would it look like to actively entrust that situation to God this week?
The sermon shared an example of choosing not to defend oneself ([38:06]). When have you struggled to “leave outcomes to God” instead of taking control? What step could you take to practice surrender?
Isaiah 26:4 calls believers to “trust in the Lord forever.” What practical habit (e.g., prayer, Scripture meditation) could help you fix your mind on Him daily?

Sermon Clips

42s

#EternalVacation

“But what if the promise of God is an everlasting vacation where you can freely explore a new heaven and a new earth? And it's all free and there's no bills to worry about. You're not tired because you have a resurrected body and you will always be together as it never ends, you and your friends and your family. And there will be no dreadful work you have to return to because this eternal vacation is in the best of places and it lasts forever. This sounds wonderful. Right? Well, this is the truth of what awaits all of God's children who have placed their trust in Jesus and gained salvation and eternal life with God.”

37s

#GraceNotGold

“It doesn't matter how much material wealth you have. No one can escape death nor can they buy their way out of the inevitability of having the sins of my life and our lives called to account by the great just judge of the world, Jesus Christ. But because of God's love and grace and through the finished work of Jesus, God has swallowed up death forever to provide us eternal life with him and saved us from our sins and from this sinful world so that he can wipe away our tears. If that isn't the best of the best, I don't know what is.”

49s

#PeaceThroughTrust

“But its gates are open because there's no fear of evil people because the one ruling the city is the almighty God. Those who enter this city can be in perfect peace as verse three says because they can trust that the ruler of the city will protect them. They do not have to worry. People who trust in the living God, my friends, whose minds are fixed on him and whose hearts and attention are rightfully focused on him will naturally find perfect peace. Because of who he is and what he can do, those who place their trust in him and in nothing else will find peace. That is what God provides, perfect peace.”

32s

#DivineProtection

“The percentage may be small with perhaps a 1% success rate. But if you're living in Israel, as many of my friends are, because it's not a 100% protection, you would be fearful that a missile or a drone could still hit your home. Complete protection is when nothing gets through and you don't have to run to the shelters every time you hear an air raid siren. My friends, our protective care from the Lord is perfect and complete. Not a single missile will get through.”

43s

#DoYourPartTrustGod

“Now this doesn't mean we don't need to do anything as if they abdicate our God given responsibilities. But we are to do what we're called to do and then leave the results to God by trusting in what he can do. So that our mindset and our hearts can be in perfect peace knowing that you have entrusted to God your concerns while fulfilling your responsibilities. We do what we're called to do and then leave the results to God. And God says, let me take it from here. You can be in perfect peace. I'm in control. I'm in charge. It's on me. And this is truly the best of the best.”

41s

#DeathConquered

“That's why verse eight says, he will swallow up death forever. Meaning, there will never again be separation from God nor separation from our loved ones for those who have placed their trust in Jesus. The great sadness and immense grief that comes with death today is forever gone all because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. There will be no more tears as God wipes them away from all faces. That speaks of the eternal comfort we will have of knowing that for all eternity, we will never be separated from God.”

38s

#FreedFromSin

“And knowing that we are saved from our sins, we never have to live in a sinful fallen world again with all of its problems, its issues, and its heartaches. Verse eight says, God will remove the rebuke of his people from all the earth. Meaning, he will remove the stain of people living in slavery to sin from this earth forever. Sin and its terrible effects will be no more forever because of God's love as seen through his salvation of mankind through his son Jesus Christ.”

41s

#GodsLavishBanquet

“Why would he prepare such a lavish banquet like this in the future? It's definitely not because we deserve it. It is because of his love. He delights to bless his children. My friends, never forget that. So he gives us his best. I'm reminded of Romans chapter three verse 32. I love this verse. Romans chapter eight verse 32. He who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

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