(1)
Scripture Reading: Isa. 24; Isa. 25; Isa. 26; Isa. 27
This message and the message following will cover four main things: Jehovah's reaction to Israel's degradation, His reaction to the nations' excessive action on Israel, Israel's turn to Jehovah, and Israel's return to the Holy Land for restoration.
Isaiah 24:5 speaks of Israel's degradation.
The earth is polluted under the weight of its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated statutes, and broken the eternal covenant. The laws here are principles, and the statutes are ordinances with judgment.
In 24:16b and 20b we see that the unfaithful deal unfaithfully, even most unfaithfully. The earth's transgression weighs heavily upon it.
In chapter twenty-four we also see Jehovah's reaction to Israel's degradation.
Jehovah makes the earth desolate and lays it waste; He distorts the surface and scatters its inhabitants (vv. 1, 4). This means that He makes the land of Israel's habitation a chaos.
According to verse 6, a curse devours the earth, and the inhabitants of it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
The city of chaos is broken down, and every house is shut up that none may enter. In the city desolation remains, and the gate is crushed to ruins (vv. 10, 12). This indicates that the entire city is destroyed.
The foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken asunder, it is split through and through, it is shaken violently, and it staggers back and forth like a drunkard and sways about like a field hut (vv. 18b-20a).
The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, and all the merryhearted sigh (v. 7). The mirth of the tambourines ceases, the noise of those who exult stops, and the mirth of the harp ceases (v. 8). Men do not drink wine in song, and liquor is bitter to those who drink it (v. 9). A cry for wine is in the streets, all joy is darkened, and the mirth of the land is departed (v. 11).
In the universe, between God and man, God always does something first. Then man reacts to what God does. Then God comes in to react to man's reaction. This is somewhat like a cycle, like the exchanging of words between husband and wife. The husband speaks to the wife, and the wife reacts. Then the husband reacts to his wife's reaction. A similar exchange of words often takes place between God and man. God may tell us that we should love Him, and we may respond by saying that we are not able to love Him. Then God may say that He will be the strength for us to love Him, but we may say that we do not know how to apply this strength. This cycle of action and reaction can be stopped only by our realizing that we are not the head. We are not the one who has the right to say yes or no. This is submission.
Because Israel had become rebellious, God used Assyria to discipline them. But the action of Assyria was excessive; it went too far, overstepping the limit set by God.
The nations assumed to be other lords besides Jehovah and were master to Israel (26:13a). In assuming to be lords and acting as if they were the master, the nations went too far.
To Israel the nations were like leviathan the fleeing serpent and the crooked serpent and like the dragon (or, monster) in the sea (27:1).
Jehovah will punish on high the host on high and the kings of the earth on the earth (24:21). Here the host on high refers to Satan and his angels in the air. Jehovah's reaction will deal both with Satan's army in the air and with the kings on the earth. They will be gathered together like prisoners gathered in a dungeon and will be shut up in prison. After many days they will be punished (v. 22).
Jehovah has made of a city of the nations a heap and of a fortified town of the nations a ruin (25:2a). Because of Jehovah's reaction, a palace of strangers becomes no city at all; it will never be rebuilt. Therefore, a strong people will glorify Jehovah; the cities of terrifying nations will fear Him (vv. 2b-3).
In 25:10b-12 we see that Moab will be threshed in his place by Jehovah, even as straw is threshed in the water of a dung heap. Moab will spread out his hands in the middle of the water, as a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim. But Jehovah will abase his pride together with the trickery of his hands. The lofty fortification of his walls Jehovah will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, even to the dust.
According to 26:5 and 6, Jehovah has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low to the ground; He casts it into the dust. The foot of the poor and the steps of the weak will trample it.
Isaiah 26:14 tells us that Jehovah has visited and destroyed those who assumed to be lords over Israel. He has caused all memory of them to perish.
Isaiah 26:21 speaks of Jehovah coming forth from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.
Finally, 27:1 reveals that in His reaction to the nations' excessive action on Israel, Jehovah will punish, with His harsh, great, and mighty sword, leviathan, the fleeing serpent and the crooked serpent. He will slay the dragon (or, monster) that is in the sea.
