AN UPSIDE DOWN WORLD ISAIAH 24 The Lord is the only refuge from the coming storm. Background: Isaiah 24-27 , the next four chapters. After prophesying concerning eleven different nations, Isaiah enlarged his prophecy and described a judgment that would fall on the whole world . The Hebrew word erets , Earth, is used sixteen times in chapter 24 , and is translated as land, earth, and world in the NKJV. In light of context, Isaiah 24-27 describes a global judgment that will end with the destruction of God’s enemies and the restoration of God’s people, Israel, in their land. Obviously not all of this has occurred. 2
A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF CHAPTER 24 This chapter describes that the result of God’s judgment will be a world that is empty, laid waste, and distorted, and whose inhabitants are scattered. Know Jesus personally, and you can skip this part. Reminding us of Gen. 11:9 . Nobody on earth will escape, for “ God is no respecter of persons” ( Acts 10:34 ). Position, power, and wealth are no protection against God’s wrath. Why will God punish the inhabitants of the entire world? Because they have defiled the world with their sins and mistreated the nation Israel, God’s chosen people. Joel 3:1-3 When Adam sinned, God cursed the ground as a part of the punishment ( Gen. 3:17-19, Rom. 8:20-22 ) and God warned the people of Israel that their sins polluted the Promised Land. Num. 35:33 This was also the reason for the flood. Gen. 6:5-12 3
THE TRUTH IS, MANKIND IS A MESS Long before Moses gave the Law, people knew that it was wrong to lie, steal, and kill– so do we –but they did these things anyway. Rom. 1:18-2:16 Isaiah 24:16 suggests that God will also judge the world because people are treacherous and do not keep their word. Verses 6-13 give a vivid picture of what it will be like on the earth during the “ Day of the Lord”—the Great Tribulation. During that terrible time, God’s judgments will destroy the crops as well as the workers who would till the soil. Rev. 6:8, 9:15 No matter where the unsaved sinners go, they will not be able to hide from the wrath of God. Rev. 6:15-17 Jesus said that before the “Day of the Lord,” society would be as it was in the days right before the Flood — NOT GOOD! Matt. 24:37-42 4
COMING ATTRACTIONS OF THE NOT-GOOD KIND—THINGS TO COME! The Lord’s last days of judgement during the Great Tribulation will: Purge the earth of its inhabitants. Cause a polar axis shift or flip. The destruction will affect every last remaining inhabitant of the earth—so you really want to be in Heaven when this happens (AKA have a personal relationship with Jesus—by rapture or natural death). The Great Tribulation with be an unimaginable time of destruction, famine calamity, war, death, disease, earthquakes, tyranny, fear, sadness, loss and ruin. Rev. 6-19, Luke 21, Matt. 24 The earth will wobble and fall! 5
GOD HAS A BETTER PLAN I really don’t want to be here when all that happens and thanks to the Harpazo (Rapture) or my time here being over because I am “ absent from this body,” I won’t. 1 Thess. 4:15-17, 5:9-10; 2 Cor. 5:1-8 “In that day” ( v. 21 ) we will finally see the Devil and his demonic forces get their due! The Devil and his demons know that their time is coming when they are going to be cast into the abusso , awaiting final judgement. Rev 20:1-3 After a thousand years, Satan will be released for a short period, to torment those who were children born to Tribulation saints during the Millennium, who were unable to sin because of Christ’s rule but yet would still possess a sin nature. 6
OH GLORIOUS DAY! v. 23 Finally Satan and his followers will be cast into Gehenna, Hell , the Lake of Fire, a place of outer darkness. A place that is out beyond the furthest galaxy. Out into space and to the darkness beyond the light of any galaxy. Hell is no joke—it is a place of weeping and wailing, gnashing of teeth, evil and pain—total separation from God, light and goodness. Rev 20:10-15 The really good news is you do not have to fear that place if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. Because He will reign from Mount Zion in peace and joy — and no political or military force on this earth can stop Him! I can’t wait for that day. Look up—our Redeemer draws near! 7
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