ISAIAH LESSON 27
We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 24:1 "Behold, the LORD maketh
the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and
scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof."
This lesson has jumped from the problems of the Mediterranean
world to the problems of the entire earth at the end of the age. We
see from the statement above, that there will be a time of trouble
such as the earth has never known. To make "the earth empty" is
saying, that most life will be gone. This is specifically speaking of
the time when the wrath of God is poured out on the earth. The few
inhabitants, that are left, are scattered.
Isaiah 24:2 "And it shall be, as with the people, so with the
priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so
with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the
lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the
giver of usury to him."
This is just saying, that the wrath is for all. It will not
matter what station you have in life, God's wrath is for the children
of disobedience. That includes the rich and poor, the young and old,
the educated and uneducated, the church leaders, as well as the
congregation. All of these, remember, are those who turned from God.
To disobey God brings the wrath of God.
Isaiah 24:3 "The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly
spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word."
This just means that there are no areas spared. The Lord warned,
and was not heeded, and it happened. In the beginning of sorrows,
there will be worldwide war.
Isaiah 24:4 "The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world
languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do
languish."
This is speaking of the time when the true believers have been
removed from the earth, so the wrath of God can be poured out. Even
though this terrible destruction includes members of the church, they
are here because they had not made Jesus Christ their Lord. They were
living in sin, pretending to be servants of God. "Languish" means to
droop, or be sick. "Haughty people" would be those who felt they did
not need God. They are too proud of themselves.
Isaiah 24:5 "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants
thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the
ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant."
"Defiled", in this instance, is speaking of soiled in a moral
sense. We see the reasons for the earth being destroyed in this verse.
Sin is transgression of God's law. They have transgressed not only the
law of God, but the law of nature, as well. God had put limits, or
ordinances, on the conduct of the people. It appears they had
disregarded God's limits, and gone beyond His limits. They changed
the ordinance of God to suit themselves. God had made a blood covenant
with His people, and they disregarded the covenant. In the Old
Testament, the circumcision of the men was a sign of keeping the
covenant made between Abraham and God. The covenant the Christian has
with God, is the acceptance of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
in full atonement for his, or her, sin. Without the shedding of blood,
there is no life.
Isaiah 24:6 "Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and
they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the
earth are burned, and few men left."
May I say right here, those who have kept covenant with God will
be in heaven when all this destruction comes. The "curse", spoken of
in the verse above, is the wrath of God poured out on the wicked. It
appears from this there will be some terrible happening, such as
global atomic war. It is almost total annihilation.
Isaiah 24:7 "The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the
merryhearted do sigh."
All of the drunken parties will stop. Those who had been
merryhearted before, now have nothing to be merry about.
Isaiah 24:8 "The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that
rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth."
"Tabrets" are the same as what we call tambourines. The harp, of
course, is a stringed instrument. It is not a time for singing
accompanied by joyful music. You think of both of these instruments
when you think of merriment.
Isaiah 24:9 "They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink
shall be bitter to them that drink it."
This drinking will be to drive their sorrow away from their
minds, not to be joyful. When a person drinks enough to get drunk, the
hangover that goes with it is worse than the problem they had before
they started.
Isaiah 24:10 "The city of confusion is broken down: every house
is shut up, that no man may come in."
This really means there is confusion in the cities. Can you
imagine what would happen in the large cities with no electricity,
nothing but contaminated water, and people running to and fro? The
houses would have to be boarded up to keep them from being looted.
Isaiah 24:11 "[There is] a crying for wine in the streets; all
joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone."
This crying for wine is to deaden the pain of their mourning.
Isaiah 24:12 "In the city is left desolation, and the gate is
smitten with destruction."
There is no need for a gate, when the walls of the city are
collapsed. You can enter anywhere, but who would want to enter into
such destruction?
Isaiah 24:13 "When thus it shall be in the midst of the land
among the people, [there shall be] as the shaking of an olive tree,
[and] as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done."
We know this is speaking of how the olive tree is stripped of
olives, and the grape vine is stripped of grapes. This is how few will
be left after the destruction spoken of. In the vineyard, there were a
few grapes left for the poor, and of the olives the same. This is what
is said here. The majority of the people will be destroyed, just a few
will remain.
Isaiah 24:14 "They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for
the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea."
We see those who remain are turned to God. In the midst of all
this trouble, they lift their voices in praise to God. There is a song
in their hearts, because the LORD has spared them. This is one reason
I believe there will be some saved during the wrath of God. Sea, in
this instance, is speaking of the people of the world.
Isaiah 24:15 "Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, [even]
the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea."
I believe the devastation that came on the earth had to do with
fire. Perhaps, the fires were from a war. Even though all is burned
out around them, they will glorify the LORD in the rubble. I, also,
believe the isles of the sea include the United States. The fires
could, also, mean the fiery trials that come on the earth.
Isaiah 24:16 "From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard
songs, [even] glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my
leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt
treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very
treacherously."
The righteous shall reign with Jesus for 1000 years upon the
earth after all of this destruction, which takes place during the
wrath of God. These who have turned to God in the middle of this
destruction have something wonderful awaiting them. The treacherous
dealers are the ungodly. I do not believe that all who are left come
to God, because the Scripture will describe some terrible happening on
the earth, and then it will be said, "they repented not". If it were
not possible for them to repent, this statement would not have been
made.
Isaiah 24:17 "Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [are] upon thee,
O inhabitant of the earth."
We are in the world, but we are not of the world, if we are
believers. The inhabitants of the earth are speaking of the unsaved.
We are told men's hearts will fail them for looking to the things that
are coming upon the earth. They are caught in the snare of their
unbelief.
Isaiah 24:18 "And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth
from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh
up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the
windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do
shake."
Fear is the opposite of faith. Those who do not have faith are
lost and headed for the pit. He that cometh up out of the pit is
Satan. We know he will be bound for 1000 years. The punishment is not
a flood, but comes from the heavenlies. The earth will shake at this
time. The largest earthquake ever in history will take place at this
time. The Bible says, even the mountains will go into the sea.
Isaiah 24:19 "The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is
clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly." Isaiah 24:20 "The
earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like
a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and
it shall fall, and not rise again."
This is speaking of the destruction of the earth, as we know it,
making way for the new heaven and the new earth. Revelation 21:1 "And
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first
earth were passed away; and there was no more sea."
Isaiah 24:21 "And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the
LORD shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and
the kings of the earth upon the earth." Isaiah 24:22 "And they shall
be gathered together, [as] prisoners are gathered in the pit, and
shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be
visited."
I believe this is speaking of the time when the judgement of God
will come on the false prophet, the antichrist, and on Satan himself.
They will be thrown into the lake of fire. Satan will be thrown in
1000 years after the false prophet and the antichrist. He will be
first chained for 1000 years, released for a little season, and then
thrown into the lake of fire with the antichrist. Revelation 19:20
"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought
miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were
cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Revelation
20:10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire
and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall
be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
Isaiah 24:23 "Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun
ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in
Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously."
Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days
shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and
the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall
be shaken:" This, and the verse above, are similar happenings, if not
the same happening. The sun and moon are for light. In the new heaven
and the new earth, there will be no need for the sun and the moon,
because Jesus will be the Light. Revelation 21:23 "And the city had no
need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of
God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is] the light thereof." Zion is
the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is made up of individuals
who belong to Jesus. The Jerusalem, spoken of here, is the New
Jerusalem. All the angels in heaven will see this.
Matthew chapter 24 and Isaiah chapter 24 are companion
Scriptures.
Isaiah 27 Questions
1. Who makes the earth empty in verse 1?
2. Where has this lesson jumped to?
3. What is meant by "making the earth empty"?
4. What is mentioned in verse 2, that lets us know station in life
will not help?
5. To _________ God brings the wrath of God.
6. Verse 3 tells exactly why all this will happen, why?
7. What does verse 4 say happens to the world?
8. What will happen to the Christians?
9. What does "languish" mean?
10. Who are the "haughty people" spoken of in verse 4?
11. What is "defiled", in verse 5, speaking of?
12. What 3 reasons are given for this defilement?
13. What was the sign of the covenant in the Old Testament?
14. What was the sign of the covenant in the New Testament?
15. Without the ________ of ______, there is no life.
16. What is the "curse" in verse 6?
17. What does this appear to be?
18. What does verse 7 say will stop?
19. What is a "tabret"?
20. What kind of instrument is the harp?
21. What will strong drink be to these people?
22. Why will they drink?
23. Describe the condition of the cities in this time of judgement?
24. Why is there no need for a gate?
25. What is verse 13 speaking of?
26. What will happen to some of those who remain after the terrible
destruction?
27. What does the author believe about fire being mentioned?
28. How long will the righteous reign with Christ?
29. Who are the treacherous dealers?
30. Christians are __ the world, but not __ the world.
31. ______ is the opposite of faith.
32. How bad will the earthquake be at the end of time?
33. What does the destruction of this earth make way for?
34. Where do we find the Scriptures that tell us who will be thrown
into the lake of fire?
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