Isaiah 24: God's Ultimate Judgment on the Earth

Isaiah provides the first notion of the destruction of the world and the idea of a "new heavens and a new earth" (Isa 24, 65:17-25) that is then expounded upon by John in Rev 21 and 2 Pet 3.  To begin with, we want to remember the purpose of God's judgment is ultimately to reunite us (his creation) with himself.

  • No position or status will enable escape (Isa 24:2)
  • "The Lord has spoken" (Isa 24:3) - a declaration of certainty
    • Used 9 other times in Isaiah (Isa 1:20, 21:17, 22:25, 25:8, 37:22, 38:7, 38:15, 40:5, 58:14)
  • The haughty will languish (Isa 24:4) - remember the discussion from Isa 3:16-17
  • The reason for God's judgement on the Earth - peoples' transgression (Isa 24:5)
    • "The laws"
      • God's commandments
    • "The ordinance"
      • Proper ways of worshiping God
    • "The everlasting covenant"
      • Abrahamic covenenant?
        • Gen 17:7,13,19; 1 Chr 16:15-17; Ps 105:8-10, 111:5-9
        • But this is an unconditional covenant
      • Mosaic covenant?
        • Ex 19:3-6
        • But this is only to the nation of Israel
      • God's moral law?
        • Rom 2:14-15
        • God has created us in His image and therefore we are covenanted with Him to live accordingly
  • "Woe to me" (Isa 24:16)
    • Compare to Isaiah's call in Isa 6:1-7
  • "The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously" (Isa 24:16)
    • Israel forsaking God (Jer 5:7-13)
  • "the windows from on high are open" (Isa 24:18)
    • Judgment, as God did with water/flood during Noah's day, but this time not with water, but with fire (2 Pet 3:5-7,10-13)
    • Cf. , Rev 8
  • The judgement of the "World" is not limited to just the "Earth" (Isa 24:21)
    • God will punish the "exalted ones" on high (Eph 6:12-13)
      • And cast into the pit (Isa 24:22, Rev 9:1-12)
      • "After many days they will be punished" - Millennium (Rev 20:1-3)
    • God will also punish the kings of the earth
    • God will destroy the "host of heaven" (sun, moon, stars, ...) (Isa 24:23, 65:17, 60:19-20)
      • They will replaced by God himself (Rev 21:22-26)