Judging The Whole Earth

Isaiah 24:1-23

“Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.  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.  The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.  The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.” (Isaiah 24:1-4)

God created the earth, and he designed it to work in a certain fashion.  He is capable of reaching in and changing things to make things turn out differently.  He can take away the entire population or a single group or break up a group and scatter them throughout the earth.     Under human Government, some groups get preferential treatment, and others are victimized. 

God will turn our political systems upside down, making it so everyone is treated equally.  He will depopulate the world and take away everything people have had.  Those who have lived above the others will suffer just like everyone else, and ultimately the very world itself will be destroyed, as described in II Peter 3:10-13.  ”But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.   Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.  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.” (Isaiah 24:5-6)

Environmentalists are constantly worried about how mankind is polluting the world, and rightfully so.   Unfortunately their approach is doomed to failure because it ignores the cause of the pollution.   When he designed the world, God established principles or laws by which it was to function.  Some of those laws are what we call the laws of science.  Others are laws governing health, while others govern human social interaction.  Mankind has d deliberately ignored God’s laws, trying to make things work the way they want instead of the way he planned.  The result has been and continues to be constant degrading of the entire earth’s condition.   It will lead to God’s destroying the earth and making a new one.   Only a few will survive process. 

“The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.  The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.  They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.  The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.  There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.  In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.” (Isaiah 24:7-12)

As a result of God’s curse for ignoring his plan, it becomes increasingly difficult to produce the food we once enjoyed.  Historically many people have turned to alcohol to avoid facing their problems, but as time goes forward they will be unable to obtain it, and they will not be able to enjoy what they get.  Other people have turned to different religions.  In that day the many religions will be consolidated, with one major religious center, encouraging people to worship their leaders and government rather than God himself.   Ultimately that religious center will be totally destroyed.   

“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.  They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.   Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.  From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.” (Isaiah 24:13-16a)

In that day, the surviving Jews will come together like the few scattered grapes left from the main harvest.  They will turn back to God, worshipping him wherever they are.  They come because they have heard of his power and seen the evidence.

But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.  Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.   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.  The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.  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. “ (Isaiah 24:16b-20)

Before that happens, there will be a period of extreme suffering.  While there have been numerous periods of struggle for Israel, the seven year Tribulation period will be extreme, affecting the entire earth.  The government of that day will gain power through deceit, turning on the very ones who supported it once it is in power.  Anarchy, crime, disease and starvation will run rampant and survival will be difficult.  Major earthquakes and other natural disasters will become common, literally leaving the earth as disoriented and disheveled as a drunk after long bender, literally falling down and unable to recover.

“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.  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.  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.” (Isaiah 24:21-23)

In that day, The Lord will destroy the armies of the earth.   The political and religious leaders, called Antichrist and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire and the rest will be held in hell until they are judged, much like a criminal being detained until his trial.  A thousand years later all those who have followed them will be tried and cast into the lake of fire with them.