Judgment of The World
May 20, 2020
Commentary
In chapters 24-27 of this book Isaiah declares three ways that God will comfort His chosen people in this awesome day of judgment:
The Lord will judge His enemies – Chapter 24The Lord will preserve His people – Chapter 25The Lord will restore the nation – Chapter 26Position, power and wealth will be no protection against the wrath of God. God will merely speak the word and the world will fade away (vv 1-4). Next is what it will be like on the earth during “the Day of the Lord” (vv. 5-13). In Israel the harvest was a great time of joy, but now there will not be joy because there will be no harvest. Like a farmer harvesting the last grape, God’s judgments will destroy the crops as well as the workers (v. 13). The only joy expressed during this time will be done by the believing remnant who trust God. (vv 14-16).
In that day God will shake everything; man will stagger like a drunk and collapse like a flimsy hut (vv. 17-20). This time will effect not only the earth and its people, but also Satan and his hosts. God will judge the power in the heavens above but also the kings on the earth below (vv. 21-22). The climax of all this will be when “the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion (v. 23).
Application
As we see the results of sin in our land today, we can become depressed. However, I need to hold on to God’s promises for the future and look forward to singing praises to Him.
Isaiah 24:1– 23 (NET)
1 Look, the Lord is ready to devastate the earth and leave it in ruins; he will mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
2 Everyone will suffer—the priest as well as the people, the master as well as the servant, the elegant lady as well as the female attendant, the seller as well as the buyer, the borrower as well as the lender, the creditor as well as the debtor.
3 The earth will be completely devastated and thoroughly ransacked. For the Lord has decreed this judgment.
4 The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and withers; the prominent people of the earth fade away.
5 The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty.
6 So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people.
7 The new wine dries up, the vines shrivel up, all those who like to celebrate groan.
8 The happy sound of the tambourines stops, the revelry of those who celebrate comes to a halt, the happy sound of the harp ceases.
9 They no longer sing and drink wine; the beer tastes bitter to those who drink it.
10 The ruined town is shattered; all the houses are shut up tight.
11 They howl in the streets because of what happened to the wine; all joy turns to sorrow; celebrations disappear from the earth.
12 The city is left in ruins; the gate is reduced to rubble.
13 This is what will happen throughout the earth, among the nations. It will be like when they beat an olive tree, and just a few olives are left at the end of the harvest.
14 They lift their voices and shout joyfully; they praise the majesty of the Lord in the west.
15 So in the east extol the Lord, along the seacoasts extol the fame of the Lord God of Israel.
16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs— the Just One is majestic. But I say, “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away! I’m doomed! Deceivers deceive, deceivers thoroughly deceive!”
17 Terror, pit, and snare are ready to overtake, you inhabitants of the earth!
18 The one who runs away from the sound of the terror will fall into the pit; the one who climbs out of the pit will be trapped by the snare. For the floodgates of the heavens are opened up and the foundations of the earth shake.
19 The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently.
20 The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again.
21 At that time the Lord will punish the heavenly forces in the heavens and the earthly kings on the earth.
22 They will be imprisoned in a pit, locked up in a prison, and after staying there for a long time, they will be punished.
23 The full moon will be covered up, the bright sun will be darkened; for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will rule on Mount Zion in Jerusalem in the presence of his assembly, in majestic splendor.
Illustration: A Defendant on Trial For Murder
A defendant was on trial for murder. There was strong evidence indicating guilt, but there was no corpse. In the defense’s closing statement the lawyer, knowing that his client would probably be convicted, resorted to a trick: “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all,” the lawyer said as he looked at his watch. “Within one minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk in that door.” He looked toward the door. The jurors, somewhat stunned, all looked on eagerly. A minute passed. Nothing happened. Finally the lawyer said, “I made up the previous statement. But you all looked with anticipation. I therefore say to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed and insist that you return a verdict of not guilty.” The jury, clearly confused, retired to deliberate. Minutes later, the jury returned and pronounced a verdict of guilty. “But how?” inquired the lawyer. “You must have had doubt, as all of you stared at the door.” The jury foreman replied: “We looked, but your client didn’t.” (Source Unknown)