Welcome to this week’s blog. This week I was inspired to write about the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 24, Verse 1-23 (NIV), the "Lord's Devastation of the Earth" or also known as "Day of the Lord" also found in the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 2, Verse 6-22 (NIV). Another reference to Day of the Lord, God's judgment day, is my 8th Book, Day of the Lord, the last generation and the fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy.
Some scholars claim Isaiah 24 is also referred to as "Isaiah's Apocalypse." Isaiah prophesized God's judgement on the entire world for its sin. The Book of Isaiah is in the Old Testament, and he prophesized "Day of the Lord" near the end of his life, around 681 B.C. even before Jesus' time on earth. Much of Isaiah's writings contained predictions (prophesy) that foretold soon-to-occur events, and future generational events at the same time.
Isaiah's writings reveal to us a call to action for us to study and understand prophesy, and how does God's purpose in judgement apply to our generation today. Isaiah, Chapter 24, describes to us the last days when God will judge the entire earth. And, it is at this time He will finally and permanently remove evil once and for all.
It's important to also point out that not only will all peoples, of all nations and tribes, suffer on this day, but even the land will also suffer the effects of generations of evil and lawbreaking. Today we see the results of our sin in our own land. We see an overwhelming amount of pollution, crime, addiction, drug and sex trafficking, adultery, racism, counterfeit religions, and poverty every day, regardless of where we live. Sin affects every aspect of society so extensively that those faithful to God suffer as well.
Even though believers suffer too, we must not blame God for these conditions because it is human sin I mentioned above that has brought destruction and sin about, not God. The more we as believers renounce sin, speak against immoral practices, and spread God's Word with others, the more we show our society's deterioration. We must not give up; sin is rampant all around us, but we can make a difference. And, the first step starts with each of us devoting our lives to understanding God's Word. Remember, God is the creator of all things, and He will return to restore what man has destroyed through sin.
Take time to read each verse below individually, and pause to take a moment to think about the message for each of us - open your hearts to doing what you can in your own life to change the lives of evil doers and sinners. The Lord has spoken.
Isaiah, Chapter 24 (NIV):
1 See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants—
2 it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor.
3 The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The LORD has spoken this word.
4 The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth.
5 The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.
7 The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan.
8 The joyful timbrels are stilled, the noise of the revelers has stopped, the joyful harp is silent.
9 No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers.
10 The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred.
11 In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
12 The city is left in ruins, its gate is battered to pieces.
13 So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.
14 They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the LORD’s majesty.
15 Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” But I said, “I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!”
17 Terror and pit and snare await you, people of the earth.
18 Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare. The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake.
19 The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls—never to rise again.
21 In that day the LORD will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.
22 They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days.
23 The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory.
As the above scripture may be shocking or painful to read, there is hope. On the Day of the Lord, when God brings judgment not only to all of mankind, but also the to the entire land, it is all believers who will sing to the glory of God's righteousness. He knows His children who follow Him. Even our ancestors like Isaiah, prophesized this would happen in the Book of Isaiah 24. For Isaiah grieved for the sinful people of his time, and of his disastrous worldly conditions. As God instilled this message in the tablet of Isaiah's heart, God also intended to warn future generations what is yet to come. All prophesy in the Old Testament has been, and will continue to be fulfilled in the New Testament and in the last generation. We must not become depressed or lose hope by this news, nor by the evil that surrounds us today. Be patient and trust in the Lord. We must prepare ourselves for His return. We must study His Word to gain knowledge and understanding of what is to come. May your lanterns be filled with oil, and your hearts filled with His Word. We must all prepare, according to God's instructions and commandments, for there will be a day we too will be judged before our Lord.
Therefore, without delay, Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you, hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by. - Isaiah, Chapter 26, Verse 20 (NIV).
As believers in the hope of salvation, of our Lord Jesus Christ and Savior, we must hold onto God's promises for our eternal future with Him, a New Heaven and a New Earth that God has promised will be free of sin, pain and misery. We must share this good news with others! All to sing praises to Him everyday until His return, regardless of how devastating this world may seem. Because there will be a day our Savior will restore Heaven and Earth as it was in the beginning of time, and before sin entered the earth through man, the final victory of the Lord.
See, the Lord is coming out of His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed on it, the earth will conceal its slain no longer. - Isaiah 26, Verse 21 (NIV).
Blessings until next week,
Debra Pauli Unstoppable Believer
Scripture Quotes: Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV) / New King James (NKJ) / English Standard Version (ESV)
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