Isa 24:22 | KingComments | STEP | In two groups are mentioned that the LORD will punish. One group is “on high”, which is heaven (cf. ; ). The other group is “on earth”. The first group consists of the evil powers in the heavenly places, the fallen angels (cf. ; ). They have incited the nations to rebel against God. They are thrown out of heaven ( ). The second group are the leaders of the rebellious peoples. They are all “the kings of the earth” under the leadership of the beast of the sea, which is the leader of the restored Roman Empire, and the beast of the earth, which is the antichrist, the false king of Israel ( ). They have allowed themselves to be deceived by them and are fully responsible for this. They enter the “prison”, which for the demons is the abyss ( ) and for the kings of the earth, the rulers now in control, the realm of the dead. They will be confronted with that responsibility. “After many days they [will be] punished” that is, after thousand years, they will stand before the great white throne ( ; ). The demons will be thrown into hell without any form of trial. We see this distinction in judgment in Revelation 19 ( ).

‏ Isaiah 24:22

Judgment on Heavenly and Earthly Inhabitants

In Isa 24:21 two groups are mentioned that the LORD will punish. One group is “on high”, which is heaven (cf. Job 16:19; Psa 68:18a). The other group is “on earth”. The first group consists of the evil powers in the heavenly places, the fallen angels (cf. Lk 10:18; Eph 6:12). They have incited the nations to rebel against God. They are thrown out of heaven (Rev 12:7-10).

The second group are the leaders of the rebellious peoples. They are all “the kings of the earth” under the leadership of the beast of the sea, which is the leader of the restored Roman Empire, and the beast of the earth, which is the antichrist, the false king of Israel (Rev 13:1-10 ; 11-18). They have allowed themselves to be deceived by them and are fully responsible for this. They enter the “prison”, which for the demons is the abyss (Rev 20:1-3) and for the kings of the earth, the rulers now in control, the realm of the dead.

They will be confronted with that responsibility. “After many days they [will be] punished” that is, after thousand years, they will stand before the great white throne (Isa 24:22; Rev 20:11-12). The demons will be thrown into hell without any form of trial. We see this distinction in judgment in Revelation 19 (Rev 19:20-21).