By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 24

PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE ENDING OF THE
AGE
(Isa. 24:1-27:13)

JEHOVAH JUDGES A SINNING WORLD

    Isaiah 24 describes a time of fearful judgment through which the earth must pass before "the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem". So severe will be this judgment that only a remnant will be left. Then Chapter 25 will describe the actual reign of Messiah, on the earth, over a restored and re-united Israel, and an unspecified number of Gentile nations.

   BEHOLD, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 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. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled for the LORD hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 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. The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted do sigh. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. There is crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. In the city is left desolation and the gate is smitten with destruction.

    1. Though the picture of the Lord's emptying the earth (land) may refer to Judah first, it may also be applied universally, (vs. 1, 19-20; 2:19; 13:13); its inhabitants will be scattered without respect of persons - priest and people, buyer and seller, servant and master, etc., (vs. 2; comp. Ezek. 7:12-13; Hosea 4:9; Rev. 6:15).
    2. Emptied and laid waste at the word of Jehovah, the land and its lofty inhabitants are pictured as mourning, languishing and fading away, (vs. 3-4; 6:11-12; 3:26; 33:9; 2:12; comp. Rev. 18:22-23).
    3. Judgment has come upon the earth that was polluted by the sins of men, (vs. 5; 10:6; Gen. 3:17; Num. 35:33).
      a. They have "transgressed" (cut across, or turned aside from) the fulfilling of God's purpose as set forth in His Word, (58:1; 59:12; Ezra 9:5-7).
      b. They have perverted the ordinances, (10:1-2; 29:21; 59:4, 13; Psa. 94:20).
      c. They have also "broken the everlasting covenant", (Gen. 9:16; 17:13; Lev. 24:8; Deut. 31:16-20; Josh, 23:16; 2 Sam. 23:5; I Chron. 16:17; Psa. 105:10; Jer. 11:10). This should cause those who assume that "the everlasting covenant" is a one-sided (unconditional) affair, wherein God assumes all the responsibility, to re-examine both their philosophy and the scriptures.
    4. Thus, the earth is cursed for the sins of its inhabitants who are scorched by the fire of divine indignation, (vs. 6; comp. 34:5; 43:28; Zech. 5:3-4).
    5. Verses 7-12 depict the result of this curse:
      a. The vineyards are dried up so that there is no new wine - bringing sighs from those who were once merry-hearted.
      b. No longer does the sound of music cheer the heart.
      c. Strong drink produces no song; it is bitter to those who drink it.
      d. The city is broken down, desolate; its houses closed up that none may enter - its very gates battered down, (comp. 34:11).
      e. In the streets there is mourning because there is no wine, (Jer. 14:2; 46:12; comp. Isa. 16:10; 32:13).
      f. The picture is one of desolation, darkness and utter hopelessness, (comp. 14:31; 45:2).

   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 of grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.

    1. The earth is pictured as so depopulated, by God's judgments, that relatively few, a remnant, are left, (vs. 13; Matt. 24:22).
    2. Out of the gloom and confusion of judgment there arises a distant song of praise - a holy remnant exults in the majesty of the Lord, (vs. 14; 12:6; 52:8-10; 54:1).
    3. From East to West, the isles of the sea to the ends of the earth, are heard psalms of glory of the Righteous One, (vs. 14b-16a; 28:5; 42:10-12; 60:9; Mal. 1:lla).

   But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, yes, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, 0 inhabitant of the earth. 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. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed likes cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to peas 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. 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. 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.

    1. The prophet mourns over what is to befall his people through deceit and treachery.
      a. The leaders of his people have turned from the true God to make a covenant with the man of sin, (Dan. 9:27; Jn. 5:43).
      b. But, Daniel foresees the antichrist breaking that covenant - attempting to exterminate the Jewish people, (Dan. 11:28-32).
    2. Upon sin, which culminates in such deceitful teaching, comes the judgments set forth in verses 17-22.
      a. There is no escape for sinful men; fear, the pit and a snare await all - as the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble, (vs. 17-18; Lk. 21:25-26.)
      b. In verses 19-20 the intensity of judgment is likened unto an earthquake, (1:28; Num. 16:31-33; Isa. 66:24).
      c. "The host of the high ones on high" (vs. 21, R.V.) are identical with the myriads of wicked spirits who have joined the satanic rebellion against God - "principalities and powers in the heavenlies", and "the powers of the heavens" that shall be shaken, (Eph. 6:12; Matt. 24:29; Lk. 21:26; Rev. 12:7-9; 2 Thess. 2:6-10; Heb. 12:14-29).
      d. These will be imprisoned with Satan for 1,000 years, in a bottomless pit, before receiving their final punishment, (vs. 22; Rev. 20:1-3, 7-10).
    3. The last verse is an allusion to the coming of Messiah, the Christ, to rule gloriously from Mt. Zion, as King of kings and Lord of lords.
      a. So gloriously brilliant will be His appearance that the sun and moon are pictured as being confounded and ashamed, (13:10; 60:1-5, 19-20; Joel 2:10; Zech. 14:6-9; Mal. 4:1-3; Lk. 21:27-28; Rev. 21:23; 22:5).
      b. He comes to establish His kingdom on the earth - a day of triumph, joy and praise for the faithful of all ages, (Micah 4:6-8; Isa. 25:9; Mal. 3:16-17; Rev. 22:20).