Isaiah 24: 1 – 23
Earth Day
1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants. 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 creditor, so with the debtor. 3 The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; The haughty people of the earth languish. 5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. 7 The new wine fails, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. 8 The mirth of the tambourine ceases, the noise of the jubilant ends, the joy of the harp ceases. 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. 10 The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in. 11 There is a cry for wine in the streets, all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12 In the city desolation is left, and the gate is stricken with destruction. 13 When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people, it shall be like the shaking of an olive tree, like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done. 14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing; For the majesty of the LORD. They shall cry aloud from the sea. 15 Therefore glorify the LORD in the dawning light, the name of the LORD God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea. 16 From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: “ Glory to the righteous!” But I said, “I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.” 17 Fear and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 And it shall be that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; For the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken. 19 The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall, and not rise again. 21 It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, and on the earth the kings of the earth. 22 They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison; After many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before His elders, gloriously.
Some people enjoy reading and listening to terrible things that have happened and will also occur in our lifetimes. I know I don’t. In truth, I do not think our Holy Lord does either. Yet, in His love He does this to warn us of the things that will occur to sinful rebellious mankind while also encouraging us that He Is in charge of everything and that He loves us and has good things stored up for us who remain faithful to His Commandments.
If you think you are having a hard time hearing about all the destruction upon all the various nations, how do you think Isaiah felt? Not only did he hear of these future horrible situations, but as you remember from some of our previous studies, he actually saw them occur, as our Lord gave him his own movie in the form of a vision. And don’t forget he was then told to put everything on paper and then go tell everyone the ugly facts.
There is a saying that challenges us to be careful in what you ask for. You want a certain thing and when you get it, it turns out to be something terrible. If you ever did marriage counseling then you would know exactly what I mean.
Anyway, I can just picture Isaiah thinking about all the tribulations that everyone would undergo especially his nation and the nations surrounding Israel. Then he must have thought that if the things are pretty bad in his day, what would they be like in the world in the end times?
Oh, oh, bad thought Isaiah for now you will find out. Because of sin the whole earth will be dealt with.
1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants. 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 creditor, so with the debtor. 3 The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; The haughty people of the earth languish. 5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
We read in our Bibles in the book of Genesis chapter 1 this, “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Right from the start Satan has begun his attack against God’s Holy Word. We read that in the beginning ‘God created the heavens and the earth.’ So, how did Satan attack? He did it by putting doubt in our minds that our Lord did not create everything. They teach ‘Hey, everything just came into existence over millions of years and that is how we got here.’ Do you see how important this is to know? For if you fall in with Satan’s lies and somehow buy into this theory then you might as well forget the rest of what is written in the Bible. Do you see how this destroys our beliefs? So, you have to get this fact down pat. Our Lord Created the heavens and the earth.
If you look at the 10 Commandments, which commandment does our Lord want us to especially remember to keep? Which Commandment does He give the most description of? The answer is the 4th Commandment - 8 “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.’
Our Lord takes special attention to the fact that He Is our Creator. Yes, You are Precious El-Olam – our Everlasting God.
Another ploy that Satan has used is the ‘Gap Theory’. It goes somewhat like this. Some have suggested that something happened to the earth between verses 1 and two. Verse 1 says ‘ 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ Now verse 2 says ‘2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.’ So, they suggest that something happened that caused God to destroy the earth and start over in verse 2. The reason I bring this up is because critics use verse 1 of Isaiah to try to prove this point - 1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants.’
At first you may say, ‘hymn. It does look like what they claim might be true.’ Well, you got a little problem with this because if you look at verse 6 of Isaiah we read - 6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.’
There is much destruction but mankind is not entirely wiped out. Do you see the significance of this point – few men are left. The earth will go through a great tribulation but it is not entirely destroyed until the end of time. The ‘Gap Theory’ tries to use the verse in Isaiah 24:1 as a proof of past total devastation, but what we read in Isaiah is future tribulation but not total destruction. Do you see how important it is to dig deep into God’s Word so we can’t be duped into buying into false beliefs?
Our Lord says that the rain falls on the good and the bad. When you look on your TV’s and watch the weather network you can see amazing natural destructions. They have interviews with survivors and you do not know the background of these people. Have they been living good lives or were they doing evil? We see this fact in verse two how everyone is affected when disaster hits - 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 creditor, so with the debtor.’
Not only will the people suffer for our sins, but also the land suffers the consequences of natural and man applied desecration. Today we see the results in pollution, crime, addictions, poverty, etc. Look at these descriptions from Isaiah - 3 The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; The haughty people of the earth languish. 5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
If it wasn’t for our God’s direct intervention we would wipe ourselves off this planet.
7 The new wine fails, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. 8 The mirth of the tambourine ceases, the noise of the jubilant ends, the joy of the harp ceases. 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. 10 The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in. 11 There is a cry for wine in the streets, all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12 In the city desolation is left, and the gate is stricken with destruction. 13 When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people, it shall be like the shaking of an olive tree, like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done.
A reality that alcoholics realize in their addiction is that drinking is no longer pleasurable. A nice glass of wine with a meal does not satisfy the desire to consume as much alcohol as possible. The same applies when terrible situations occur. Can you imagine people in say Joplin, Missouri who survived the horrible tornado that wiped their town off the map breaking out a bottle of wine and celebrating? This thought is ludicrous. You are just looking for the basic items for survival, you know, water, food, a shower, clean clothes, and a place to sleep.
This is principally what our Precious El-Roi – The Strong One Who Sees All Things Is confronting mankind with – Look we me again at these passages - 7 The new wine fails, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. 8 The mirth of the tambourine ceases, the noise of the jubilant ends, the joy of the harp ceases. 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. 10 The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in. 11 There is a cry for wine in the streets, all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12 In the city desolation is left, and the gate is stricken with destruction. 13 When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people, it shall be like the shaking of an olive tree, like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done.’
When I see the survivors of disasters talk to reporters I tear up. When they have realized that they still have their loved ones safe, in all reality, material things isn’t that important anymore. God Is given recognition for His Great Mercy in sparing them just as we read here from the prophet Isaiah.
14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing; For the majesty of the LORD. They shall cry aloud from the sea. 15 Therefore glorify the LORD in the dawning light, the name of the LORD God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea. 16 From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: “ Glory to the righteous!”
This is the cry of the righteous for they know that God Is for them and all that He has done. They exalt in Who He Is. They rejoice that we are His children and that we belong to Him.
However, this is not the same for all humans for some hate Jehovah Shammah – The Lord Who Is Present. In the book of Revelation we read of the end time tribulations and see the response that they make towards our Holy God in chapter 6, “ 12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
Man has been rebellious since the beginning of time. Instead of listening and trusting our God of Love, they have tried to go it alone. We have listened to false leaders and teachers promising us safety and prosperity. There will come a time when the whole world is going to explode that men will have to stop and face reality. They will acknowledge that there is a God and that He rules the Heavens and the earth.
But I said, “I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.” 17 Fear and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 And it shall be that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; For the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken. 19 The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall, and not rise again. 21 It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, and on the earth the kings of the earth. 22 They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison; After many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before His elders, gloriously.
What is this message that our Precious God wants us to understand? Our Lord has been sending strong messages to us inhabitants of His earth that He is coming back. What we read about in Isaiah has been described for us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Luke chapter 21, “25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
For some, our Lord’s return will seem like a thief in the night. However, for those of us who seek Him daily, we will be ready and anxious for His return, as Psalm 46 comforts and encourages us, “1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
