Isaiah 24: God's Purpose in Judgement

      Chapter 24 begins the group of four chapters often referred to as 'Isaiah's Apocalypse', which look at God's judgement on the world because of its sinful state. The four chapters, from 24 to 27, describe the last days when God will make His judgement, and at that time He will finally remove the scourge of evil from the world.
      The land, as well as its inhabitants, suffered the effects of evil and lawlessness, and as we look around us in our own land today we can readily see for ourselves the effects of pollution, of drug addiction, of crime, and of poverty. There is no area of society that remains untouched by sin, and even those faithful to God will feel the effects of sin in their lives and suffer accordingly.
      If the deterioration of our society is to be halted or even slowed down, then it is incumbent on all true believers to renounce sin and speak up against the immorality and wrongdoing in our society without fear. Fear of God must outweigh our fear of man, for at its worst all that man is capable of is to take our life, but God destines the final location of our souls. Our stand against the enormity of sin is like the man who throws a pebble from the shore into the sea --- one pebble might not seem that it would make a difference, but if enough people throw just one pebble then the difference will soon be evident for all to see.
      Isaiah's prophecies were directed firstly to Judah, then to Israel and finally to the whole world. The  remnant of believers who are left after the judgement of Judah will sing praises to God's glory and righteousness, and to His victory over His enemies. It is easy for us to become despondent when we look at the evil flourishing in the world around us, but we need more than ever to hold fast to God's promises for the future, looking forward to the time when we will be in His presence for ever, singing praises to His glory.
¹ See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth
   and devastate it;
he will ruin its face
   and scatter its inhabitants—
² it will be the same
   for priest as for people,
   for the master as for his servant,
   for the mistress as for her servant,
   for seller as for buyer,
   for borrower as for lender,
   for debtor as for creditor.
³ The earth will be completely laid waste
   and totally plundered.
        The Lord has spoken this word.
⁴ The earth dries up and withers,
   the world languishes and withers,
   the heavens languish with the earth.
⁵ The earth is defiled by its people;
   they have disobeyed the laws,
violated the statutes
   and broken the everlasting covenant.
⁶ Therefore a curse consumes the earth;
   its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,
   and very few are left.
⁷ The new wine dries up and the vine withers;
   all the merrymakers groan.
⁸ The joyful timbrels are stilled,
   the noise of the revelers has stopped,
   the joyful harp is silent.
⁹ No longer do they drink wine with a song;
   the beer is bitter to its drinkers.
¹⁰ The ruined city lies desolate;
   the entrance to every house is barred.
¹¹ In the streets they cry out for wine;
   all joy turns to gloom,
   all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
¹² The city is left in ruins,
   its gate is battered to pieces.
¹³ So will it be on the earth
   and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,
   or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.
¹⁴ They raise their voices, they shout for joy;
   from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
¹⁵ Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord;
   exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel,
   in the islands of the sea.
¹⁶ From the ends of the earth we hear singing:
   “Glory to the Righteous One.”
   But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!
   Woe to me!
The treacherous betray!
   With treachery the treacherous betray!”
¹⁷ Terror and pit and snare await you,
   people of the earth.
¹⁸ Whoever flees at the sound of terror
   will fall into a pit;
whoever climbs out of the pit
   will be caught in a snare.
   The floodgates of the heavens are opened,
   the foundations of the earth shake.
¹⁹ The earth is broken up,
   the earth is split asunder,
   the earth is violently shaken.
²⁰ The earth reels like a drunkard,
   it sways like a hut in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion
   that it falls—never to rise again.
²¹ In that day the Lord will punish
   the powers in the heavens above
   and the kings on the earth below.
²² They will be herded together
   like prisoners bound in a dungeon;
they will be shut up in prison
   and be punished after many days.
²³ The moon will be dismayed,
   the sun ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign
   on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
   and before its elders—with great glory.