Isaiah 24 - Bible Study in 5 Minutes

Isaiah 24 Short Summary:

In previous chapters, God used Isaiah to prophesy His judgements, which were directed towards specific nations. In Isaiah 24, God prophesied that He would judge the entire earth. The whole earth was corrupted by sin and rebellion against God, and in response, God promised to empty the earth of its inhabitants and make it desolate.

Isaiah 24 Bible Study

TIMELINE:

• The prophetic ministry of Isaiah spanned the reigns of King Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

• We do not know the date Isaiah spoke/recorded this prophecy.

KEY CHARACTERS:

• Isaiah – The son of Amoz (1:1). God commissioned Isaiah as His prophet to Judah.

• The Earth – The earth is the object of God’s judgement in Isaiah 24. This could refer to the whole earth, to every nation, but scholars say the term can also be translated “land”, which may indicate Isaiah was talking about only Israel, Judah, and their surrounding neighbors.

DEFINITIONS:

• Everlasting Covenant (24:5) – Several covenants between God and men are referred to as everlasting/eternal covenants in the Bible: (1) God’s promise to Noah not to flood the earth (Gen 9:16), (2) God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants (Gen 17), (3) God’s promises to Israel and her priests (Lev 24:8), (4) God’s promise to David to establish his throne forever (2 Sam 23:5), (5) God’s promises through Jesus in the New Covenant (Heb 13:20).

OUTLINE:

• THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD OVER ALL THE EARTH (24:1-23):

  • God promised to empty the earth and make it desolate.

  • The powerful men would be humbled and there would be no distinction between them and a slave.

  • The earth would mourn, languish, wither, and be emptied out because of the judgement of God.

  • The earth would be afflicted by a curse (sin), a curse brought about by its inhabitants ignoring the laws and “everlasting covenant.”

  • Isaiah prophesied that the earth would be scorched and few men left.

  • In those days, there would be no reason to rejoice, no occasion to drink wine or make merry with instruments.

  • The cities of the earth are described as desolate and the gates of those cities in ruins. The cities will be as bare as olive trees after harvesting.  

  • The righteous who remained on the earth would praise God.

  • The wicked who remained would be snared and fall into a pit.

  • The earth would be like a drunk man that stumbled, never to rise again.

  • “On that day, the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.” (24:21-23).

APPLICATION:

• Isaiah 24 is a hard chapter to interpret, with many commentators and Bible teachers suggesting differing interpretations.

• What do you do when you can’t understand a part of the Bible.

• Should you skip it? Should you just accept the interpretation of your favorite Bible teacher, even if their interpretation doesn’t sit well with you?

• I think the best thing to do is to study the passage, familiarize yourself with the themes, and then file the information away in your mind.

• It could be that you’ll come across information in future study that shines light on the mystery passage. The Bible is its own best interpreter, but sometimes it takes a while to connect all the dots.

• Sometimes the best way to understand a passage is just to keep reading and then to come back to the that passage at a later date.