Isaiah

Isaiah Chapter 24

• Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

This verse should be enough to cause all nations to fear the Lord. Just think, at His word a nation rises and at His word a nation falls. We need drastic change but it will only happen perfectly by Jesus Himself. God can still use those that really submit to His will and live by His word but only under Jesus will everything run perfectly.

• Isaiah 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
• 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.

At His judgment maids, master, buyer sellers will be equal. When everyone has nothing, they tend to become equal. This seems to indicate a failed economy. If everyone has nothing then it makes everyone the same and no one exalted above another.

• Isaiah 24:4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
• 5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Just as we begin to wonder, who and why is this judgment coming, the Lord gives answers.

In verse 4 we see pride rear its ugly head again with "the haughty people of the earth do languish."

In verse 5, we see that the earth is defiled. There is mass transgression of the laws, a changed ordinance and a broken everlasting covenant. We begin to see the reason for judgment here. The earth is defiled. What causes defilement. Not air pollution, water etc. as some would have us think but because the inhabitants transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance and broke the everlasting covenant. God's laws were broken, the worship of God ignored, mankind went their own way and left off observing His ways. This brought a curse.

• Isaiah 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

This must be a future prophecy, perhaps during the coming tribulation period when many parts of the earth is burnt up and few inhabitants are left. The book of Revelations describes this more in detail and the reason also for the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth's inhabitants.

Because of sin and the breaking of God's laws, desolation, destruction, and devastation takes a huge toil on mankind. The biggest sin of all is the persecution and murder of those that try to bring the gospel which will save the lost and bring them back into fellowship with God our creator.

• Isaiah 24:7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.
• 8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
• 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
• 10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
• 11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
• 12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

Rejoicing and merrymaking stops. Judgment, despair and desolation causes laughter and celebrations to cease.

• Isaiah 24:13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.

So bad is the destruction that the few are left similar to few grapes that are left after a harvest is done.

• Isaiah 24:14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
• 15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
• 16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
• 17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

This calamity causes a lifting up of voices. They are instructed to glorify the Lord. This is something we should do without tragedy striking first. To praise and glorify the Lord.

• Isaiah 24: 18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

Inhabitants of the earth will flee from one calamity and run into another. There is to be no escape from judgment.

• Isaiah 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
• 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

The earth reel to and from like one who is drunk from too much alcohol. Transgression and sin causes this fall from which is never rises.

• Isaiah 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
• 22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
• 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously

Now we see more clearly that this seems to indicate a latter day fulfillment about the time of the future tribulation period. The wrath of God centers around the area of Jerusalem and spreads further unto perhaps all the earth. These catastrophes affect even the sun and moon.

At the end of this judgment, the Lord of hosts which we believe to be Jesus Christ shall reign and rule the earth. I'm looking forward to that day when there shall at last be peace and holiness in the earth. We will not have it until then. People talk of peace but there is none. As long as we sin and ignore God and His word by "doing our own thing," we will not have peace. God gave us the bible to teach us right from wrong, show us the way to get rid of sin and become a new creature in Christ Jesus. He gave us His Holy Spirit to abide with us and teach us how to walk and live before Him.

We can be born again and walking in the newness of life; yet many do not choose to take advantage of this good way. Many prefer to ignore the gift of God and eternal life and keep their sin, neglect of their spiritual need and go their own way. When mankind continues in this vein, the results are such sin and filth that the judgment of God has to come to stop it. It will happen but it doesn't have to happen to us.

We can be free. It is our own choice. Which way will you choose?

Isaiah 25

Isaiah Index