Chapter 24
((See the notes down a little ways from 2024, where they're all stacked together. This is what I believe 24 is really about.))
This chapter is about the destruction of the planet. It is a prophecy that encompasses the whole earth. In that sense, it is like Revelation. Not complete destruction though because some will survive. It starts like this:
Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Isaiah 24:1 ESV. It is hard to NOT see the judgments of Revelation in these words. There will be earthquakes, upheavals, mountains moved from their places. It goes on like this for three verses, and it says that none will escape these events. Not rich or poor, master or slave, and so on. No one will be safe from this "emptying of the land".
2024 - Vss 1-2 tell us that this is about a time when all people will be equal. Wealth won't matter. Social status won't matter. The playing field will be entirely level in the face of the collapse of worldwide infrastructure. This ties in very nicely with my interpretation of the effects of the first five Seal Judgments. All civil authority gone, economies collapsed down to the local level. In vs 4 "the exalted of the people of the earth fade away." Here are the verses in Rev 6: 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" [Rev 6:15-17 ESV]. So I think this gives us the "when" of this prophecy. This is immediately after the rapture...and that means immediately at the end of the Age of the Gentiles. Wow. Isaiah has skipped completely over the church age to the very moment that follows the rapture...if you put the rapture in the Sixth Seal, and what an awesome argument for a 6th Seal rapture this is!!!
This verse:
5 The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. [Isa 24:5 ESV]. I believe this is given as the reason the earth is to be laid waste. It has been defiled by the people who live on it. It is not the perfect original creation that God meant for it to remain, but it has been polluted, abused, and defiled by generations of fallen human habitation. The next verse confirms this as a reason and then:
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. Isaiah 24:6 ESV
MSB says 24:1-27:13 are about God's ultimate victory over His enemies in "that day". It says the judgements in this chapter look forward to the events in Revelation 6ff. Might be a one to one correspondence to those events, but MSB doesn't have a chart or anything that ties them together.
2024 - So when it says in vs 5 that "the earth is polluted by its inhabitants", we can understand that the church has just been raptured out, and that ONLY THE LOST are left on earth at this time. EVERYTHING associated with man is corrupt. There is nothing to save...except God's chosen, when the blindness and the deafness are finally removed as God's wrath against them finally comes to an end!
2022 - Barnes says this is about the next several years in Isaiah's time. He does not mention Revelation, though I think we can see this chapter as near far. Barnes says this is about first the Assyrian invasion, then the Babylonian. Both carried captives away from the land (Barnes and one other commentator say that in 24:1, it should have been translated "the Lord will empty the land".) If you use land, then vs 3 makes a lot of sense. Israel and Judah end up so utterly devastated by these two conquering nations that commerce is non-existent. There are not enough people, and not enough stability - civil or governmental - to carry on anything but local - and even that quite limited - commerce. The land of Canaan is going to be "bombed back into the stone age" essentially.
2024 - I think an important factor in how we interpret this chapter so far has to do with the use of words like "earth" in vs 1, which NASB95 makes lower case. Same thing again in vs 3, vs 4, 5 and 6. All use this lower case earth. So what they are saying in doing it this way is that we are NOT talking about planetary devastation but something more local. We might substitute "even the dirt" for "earth". Hmm...that won't work in vs 4b, "of the people of the earth".
2024 - Digging a bit deeper...in 24:1 the word translated lower case "earth" is from the root word transliterated "eres", Strongs H776. In the outline of Biblical usage in BLB, this word can mean the whole world, some small part of the world, or just about anything in between. It can even mean a people of the world. So no help there! Not only that, but this word is used 2,504 times in the KJV, and 1543 of those times it is translated "land" and it is translated earth, lower case, only 712 times. All the instances of "earth" in vss 4-6 are this same word. So we cannot say that earth here means Earth. We cannot definitely say that this is about Revelation. But it surely seems to tie with the verses above from Revelation, even though Barnes says no.
2024 - One more idea...maybe important, maybe not...in vs 6 it says "the inhabitants of the earth are burned". And there is this...right after the Seals: 7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. [Rev 8:7-10 ESV]. Now it does NOT say people were burned up, but look at the repetition of burning. Can a third of the earth, trees and grass burn up and no "live person" be burned up with it?
2024 - I think these verses speak to end times though: 17, 18, 19, and then look at this last phrase of 20: "And it will fall, never to rise again..." That cannot be about Jerusalem nor Judah nor Israel. These WILL rise again. I think this is very definitive that Isaiah is here talking about end times.
2024 - In vs 21 we once again find that phrase we are coming to rely on for interpreting these prophecies - "in that day". So let us look for a "skip" to another time from vs 20 to vs 21ff. What do we see? Punishing the host of heaven? That can only be a judgment of Satan and his angels. There just isn't anything else. Angels judged in heaven, Kings on earth...These verses:
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. [Rev 12:7-10 ESV]
Look how vs 22 ends: "After many days they will be punished..." Here are the verses:
7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison ...
9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. [Rev 20:7, 9-10 ESV].
These verses are at the end of the Millennial. That would be after many days from the time Satan is thrown out of heaven with his angels. In Rev 20, they have all been locked in the pit for 1000 years.
2024 - And then it ends with vs 23: 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. [Isa 24:23 ESV]. Sounds a lot like these verses:
23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. [Rev 21:23 ESV]
5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. [Rev 22:5 ESV]
2024 - CONCLUSION: I am going to disagree with Barnes here. Chapter 24 is a short version of the book of Revelation. It ties. One interprets the other, and vice versa. That's what Chapter 24 is about.
2022 - This verse, though:
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. [Isa 24:6 ESV]. It is surely a simple matter to think of this as a description of Great Tribulation. But, if the prophecy of Tyre was of the near future, looking only out to Cyrus, then this prophecy too might be limited in that way. It is just not really possible to say whether this is near, far, or both. I am betting on both. But I am very interested in the "near" also, as proof of the divine inspiration of these prophecies, all of which came true in a "reasonable" time after they were proclaimed.
A few more verses describing the state of things when this comes to pass:
There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished. Isaiah 24:11 ESV
2021 - So much of this is reminiscent of the trumpets, and even more the bowl judgments. So many will die, vegetation wiped out, oceans devoid of fish, no crops, and so on. Isaiah doesn't seem to be talking about these individual aspects, but certainly could be about the combined effects on the earth of all these judgments. Add to that the rapture, which has taken out all the saved. None of God's people are left on earth. So 24:5a is very true - the earth is defiled under its inhabitants. Even those converted by the preaching of the 144,000 will have to suffer through this - the time of Jacob's trouble. This is the crucible that the Jews of that time must go through in order to dissipate the last of God's great wrath toward them.
Hmm...Are vs 14-16 the voices of the converted Jews, as they recognize what is happening and realize that God is fulfilling His promises to them? They seem like they'd be about the only ones rejoicing in such a time!
The last part of verse 16 is interesting:
[Isa 24:16b ESV] ...But I say, "I waste away, I waste away. Woe is me! For the traitors have betrayed, with betrayal the traitors have betrayed." I wanted to see what this looked like in Hebrew. Here are the transliterated words from BLB Interlinear:
amar razi ani razi ani oy (meaning but I say I waste away I waste away) You can see it! I say "waste away waste away I"
ani bagad bagad baged bagad bagad (meaning Woe is me, traitors traitors betraying traitors traitors) A world reeking with traitorous people intent on betraying, looking for ways to betray, hoping to promote themselves by betraying. A world where no one can be trusted, because they WILL betray you. What a horrible awful world to live in!
And just look at the rhythm and rhyme in these phrases! Reading them phonetically, they are hugely memorable, easily memorized! Such a lament, so easily sung by the Jews who, though they see the work of "the righteous one" in all that is happening, it is still an awful, terrible time for them, as the forces of the Antichrist seek them out, spy on them, infiltrate them intending to promote themselves by betraying the faithful. This is not a time you want to experience!
2022 - Rhetorical device?:
"16 ...Woe is me! For the traitors have betrayed, with betrayal the traitors have betrayed." [Isa 24:16b ESV]. No specific comment about this verse in Barnes.
The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.
Isaiah 24:19 ESV
I have no idea to what time this refers. Possibly during great trib. (Yes, I think this is great trib.) Many will die during that time, and the earth and the water also. It will stink of dead bodies, both man and beast.
2021 - You just have to look at all three of these verses:
[Isa 24:17 ESV] Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!
[Isa 24:18 ESV] 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.
[Isa 24:19 ESV] The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.
[Isa 24:20 ESV] 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.
How could I not know last time what this was contemplating? This is wrath of God stuff. Nowhere to run, hiding in the clefts of the rock, begging the mountains to fall on them. Moon turns to blood, sun black as sackcloth. Talk about terror! And then the wording of vs 18. no matter how you try to escape, no matter where you run, it will just get worse! And as unspeakable awful as this will be? The Lake of Fire is next. The only escape from Great Tribulation is hell itself, prepared to be the worst place that can possibly exist.
This chapter absolute goes with the Book of Revelation, and I think is about Great Tribulation. What else could it possibly be???
But then there is this verse:
On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth.
Isaiah 24:21 ESV
MSB says this is about the climax of the Day of the Lord. References Eph. 6:12 where it talks about cosmic forces ruling and about spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. He does not reference anything in the Revelation. However, isn't it during this time that Satan is thrown out of heaven once and for all, and no longer allowed to accuse mankind before God? This verse indicates that he still has followers in heaven also - that the spiritual battles ongoing are not confined to earth, but are going on in heaven also. I see no way that this chapter does not tie in with Revelation. This verse:
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. [Isa 24:22 ESV] There is the place in Revelation where that angel opens the pit, and lets the demons run free on the earth. But they will eventually - after many days - be confined back there, and Satan with them, to receive eternal punishment. This is saying that same thing.
2021- I think vss 21-23 are about what happens after t/gt. The fallen angels will be confined for the thousand years. Satan too will be confined. Those unsaved who die during t/gt will be confined in Sheol, or Hades, whichever term you prefer, and will burn there until the GWT judgment at the end of the Millennial. This seems too plainly correct an interpretation to even argue about.
So the question is whether to put this chapter with the "prophecy" notes, or put it with the "end times" notes. I am leaning strongly to end times.
Finishes with this verse:
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. [Isa 24:23 ESV]
The consummate clue to when this is. Signs in the heavens come only from God, and mark work that is His. These signs are so we know that the events are being orchestrated by God according to His word and prophecy, and NOT fake events meant to deceive us, as those performed by the Beast and the False Prophet will be. Their signs will not be signs in heaven. This chapter goes with end times.
2021- One more thought...What John tells us in Revelation is simply an expansion, an amplification, the details of what Isaiah is telling us here in Chapter 24. What a truly remarkable chapter this is. What a truly remarkable book the Bible is.
2022 - This year, I think the signs that Isaiah mentions in vs 23 tie us directly to Rev. 6, and to the sixth seal. This is a lot of verses, but just look at how many "ties" there are to Isa 24:17-23! This is just amazing!
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, [Rev 6:12-16 ESV]