Isaiah Chapter 24
The grim and gloomy scene depicted in this chapter echoes the warning that we hear in Hebrews 10 verse 31,
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
The people in the ancient past relied on the written and verbal description to imagine the extent of horror and misery that such a massive destruction will bring about. We on the other hand, with advanced knowledge and technology, will be able to see vividly how terrible such a devastation will be like. The unspeakable horrors when the atomic bombs were unleashed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, the decimation brought about by earthquakes, typhoon, floods, hurricane, cyclone, etc., etc. But with the aid of all these, are we more convinced and convicted to hear more intently the words of God. Or are we numb to such warnings as we have already grown accustomed to such depictions and imagery and are thus de-sensitized.
Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste,
Distorts its surface
And scatters abroad its inhabitants.
For the Lord has spoken this word.
The earth mourns and fades away,
The world languishes and fades away;
We need to recognize from these words of Isaiah is that unlike what we have experienced and seen, the destruction is not localized but global. The claustrophobic danger that we faced will be of epic proportion. One that none can escape from unless …
The God that we worship is a holy, just and righteous God. He is not one who callously rained disasters and obliterate everything in His sight without reason or cause. As Peter explained to us in 2 Pet 3:9, God is one who forebears and tolerant towards us as He harbors the hope of our repentance. Being just, He will also not turn a blind eye to all the evil and haughtiness that is going on. Hence
The haughty people of the earth languish.
The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants,
Because they have transgressed the laws,
Changed the ordinance,
Broken the everlasting covenant.
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.
Let us seriously and quickly heed the warning in 2 Pet 3:11 – 12
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
May the Lord bless us with wisdom and discernment.
