Isaiah 24 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Isaiah 24

Judgment on the Whole Earth

24:1   Behold, the LORD will empty the earth¹ and make it desolate,
    and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
2   And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;
    as with the slave, 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 earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered;
    for the LORD has spoken this word.
4   The earth mourns and withers;
    the world languishes and withers;
    the highest people of the earth languish.
5   The earth lies defiled
    under its inhabitants;
  for they have transgressed the laws,
    violated the statutes,
    broken the everlasting covenant.
6   Therefore a curse devours the earth,
    and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
  therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
    and few men are left.
7   The wine mourns,
    the vine languishes,
    all the merry-hearted sigh.
8   The mirth of the tambourines is stilled,
    the noise of the jubilant has ceased,
    the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
9   No more do they drink wine with singing;
    strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
10   The wasted city is broken down;
    every house is shut up so that none can enter.
11   There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
    all joy has grown dark;
    the gladness of the earth is banished.
12   Desolation is left in the city;
    the gates are battered into ruins.
13   For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth
    among the nations,
  as when an olive tree is beaten,
    as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is done.
14   They lift up their voices, they sing for joy;
    over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west.²
15   Therefore in the east³ give glory to the LORD;
    in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
16   From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
    of glory to the Righteous One.
  But I say, “I waste away,
    I waste away. Woe is me!
  For the traitors have betrayed,
    with betrayal the traitors have betrayed.”
17   Terror and the pit and the snare⁴
    are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!
18   He who flees at the sound of the terror
    shall fall into the pit,
  and he who climbs out of the pit
    shall be caught in the snare.
  For the windows of heaven are opened,
    and the foundations of the earth tremble.
19   The earth is utterly broken,
    the earth is split apart,
    the earth is violently shaken.
20   The earth staggers like a drunken man;
    it sways like a hut;
  its transgression lies heavy upon it,
    and it falls, and will not rise again.
21   On that day the LORD will punish
    the host of heaven, in heaven,
    and the kings of the earth, on the earth.
22   They will be gathered together
    as prisoners in a pit;
  they will be shut up in a prison,
    and after many days they will be punished.
23   Then the moon will be confounded
    and the sun ashamed,
  for the LORD of hosts reigns
    on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
  and his glory will be before his elders.

Footnotes

[1] 24:1 Or land; also throughout this chapter
[2] 24:14 Hebrew from the sea
[3] 24:15 Hebrew in the realm of light, or with the fires
[4] 24:17 The Hebrew words for terror, pit, and snare sound alike

Commentary

v1-3: Widespread judgment, because of widespread sin. No human position or reputation could avoid this judgment, for God does not show favouritism. We are not deceived into thinking that people are naturally good.

Isaiah looks forward many generations, to the final winding up of human history. There is some fulfilment during the period between the testaments; see Jer 25.15-27; Hag 2.6-7. During this period, mighty empire was followed by mighty empire, as prophesied by Daniel. The power of human ingenuity was manifest, largely in ignorance of the ways of the true God.

v4-6: The people are referred to as proud, lawless, corrupt, setting aside the standards of God. They bring the curse upon themselves, getting what they deserve. It is in God's mercy and long-suffering that such judgment does not fall more often.

v7-13: The ordinary, joyful life of many is stopped.

v14-16: The testimony of the very few righteous, declaring "Glory to the Righteous One." Since God is righteous, His people must be also.

v17-20: No escape for the people, as judgment after judgment falls. Those who think they have avoided one terror are caught by another.

v21-23: The judgment upon the earth is followed by specific events;

the host of the exalted ones are punished, Rev 20.2-3, 10; see the fallen angels in Heb 10.27; Jude 6. We note that it is the Lord who exercises judgment upon 'the powers in the heavens above.'
men kept in chains are later punished, Rev 20.13;
sun and moon affected, Joel 2.31; Matt 24.29.

The Lord's reign from Jerusalem is preceded by these 'general' judgments; and He reigns gloriously.