Isaiah 24:1-12 – Devastation
The Hebrew word that we have translated here in verse 1 as earth or world – a very common use of it is to mean the land, meaning the land of promise. In this chapter, everything centres upon the destruction coming to unfaithful Judah and Jerusalem. We see here the devastation that God is about to bring upon them through His tool of Babylon.
In verses 1-12 we see the desolation of judgment. At the very beginning, in verse 1, the earth is made empty. We can see how he does this in verse 1, 3, and 6. The people are scattered and destroyed. A second thing we want to notice here is that this involves everybody. Common people, common members of the people of God, and their leaders as well. No matter who you are, if you live in these lands, God’s judgment will come upon you. The people are humbled and despondent. In verse 4; we see that the world languishes and withers. The picture here is of people who are wilting because they’ve not been watered by hope. Their merriment is turned to despair. In verses 10-12, which is looking to Jerusalem in particular, the city is broken down. Every house is shut up so that none may go in. At least one commentator that I read said that this may well be a picture of the rubble. The rubble is so deep in places folks can’t even get in the front door.
Why does all this happen? Simply — sin. Not only the sins of individual people, but the sins of the societies and especially of those people who were set in the midst of the nations to be a light to them. Instead of being a light to them, they ended up being an example of newly invented sin (Ezekiel 16 and 23). Sin is the cause of this. There is a God, and He does judge sin. That was the case in Isaiah’s day. That is the case in our day. God judges individuals. He lays judgment upon families. He judges the church and brings it to discipline. Jesus himself, in John 15, talks about being the vine, and the branches that bear no fruit are cut off are punished, are destroyed. And even the godly ones are pruned.
Questions
- What kind of devastation is described?
- Why does this happen?
Prayer Points
- Pray that God would bring society around us to repentance.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.