Isaiah 24 - World Judgment

I. Desolation of the earth and the world city (1-16)

This chapter speaks about God's judgment on the whole Earth and not just the cities in the Middle East like the past few chapters.  God will "empty the earth and make it desolate." (v1).  While this applied to many cities in history through warfare, it will ring especially true during the coming Great Tribulation period (Matt 24:21-22).  At that time, one third of humanity will die in the wars and natural disasters. Figuratively, it was as if the Lord had made the earth "empty."

The priests and the people, the maid and the mistress, those who owes money and those who lends them will all suffer the wrath of God. The earth lies defiled because the people have "transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant." (v5).  We have had 7000 years to fix ourselves and God even sent His son to save us, but we would not listen. Man had been self-serving and pleasure-seekers, so now their "joy" and "gladness" with alcohol and partying are taken away.

When the Lord judges a city or nation, it doesn't matter if you are educated or not, and what level of job you have, how much you make, and how much power you have over people. What you do does not matter but who you believe will matter. Even though the rain falls on the righteous and unrighteous, the righteous knows the heart and the hands of He who brings the judgment. The righteous will have the joy of the Son and will the light of the Word even in the midst of suffering. 

However, I believe that Christians will not be on earth during the great tribulation that is to come. There will be a rapture (removal of Christians), and we will meet Christ in the clouds, and will dwell  with Him forever. (1 Thess 4:17)

But there is hope for earth; not all the people will be wiped out. Isaiah sees a day when people will give glory to God from coast to coast, and "from ends of the earth we hear songs of praise , of glory to the Righteous One." (v16)

II) Details of the Judgment (17-23)

The "inhabitants of earth" will see terror and will fall into the pit and the snare. There will be no way to escape. The foundations of the earth will broken and shake violently, just as Revelation revealed. In that day, God will punish those who rebelled against him, both the humans as well as angelic beings in heaven. Both the creatures will be gathered and put together in the same pit. 

Isaiah ends with a word of hope again - that the Lord will reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and will show His glory to the elders.