Isa 24:4 | KingComments | STEP | Then what is already true for faith becomes visible, namely “that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together” ( ; ). Also the people, and among them especially the exalted ones, will lose all their glory. There is talk of “earth” and “world”. ‘Earth’ usually refers to the area where God’s government becomes visible. That area is also called the ‘prophetic earth’ because that is what the prophecies refer to. With ‘world’ the same area is meant here, but as the area where man reveals himself in his state of alienation from God. In is the reason for the judgments. Man is the cause of it ( ). God has subjected His creation to general laws and statutes that count as an eternal covenant between Him and His creation ( ). Man can never ignore and change them with impunity ( ). Above all, this applies to Israel, God’s people, whom He has made clear in a peculiar way how to receive His blessing. But Israel has transgressed His law and broken His covenant ( ; ). Man is more concerned about soil and air pollution than about the much more tragic and profound pollution of his own morality. The latter pollution is at least as widespread and serious as it was in the eighth century BC, in the days of Isaiah. God’s general institutions for the co-existence of people are being broken down one by one (cf. ). The judgments of which being “burned” is a picture ( ), which follow all this forsaking of the LORD and His ordinances, will thin out the population of the earth ( ; cf. ).

‏ Isaiah 24:4

The Cause of Judgment

Then what is already true for faith becomes visible, namely “that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together” (Isa 24:4; Rom 8:22). Also the people, and among them especially the exalted ones, will lose all their glory.

There is talk of “earth” and “world”. ‘Earth’ usually refers to the area where God’s government becomes visible. That area is also called the ‘prophetic earth’ because that is what the prophecies refer to. With ‘world’ the same area is meant here, but as the area where man reveals himself in his state of alienation from God.

In Isa 24:5 is the reason for the judgments. Man is the cause of it (Rom 8:20). God has subjected His creation to general laws and statutes that count as an eternal covenant between Him and His creation (Gen 9:8-10 ; 16). Man can never ignore and change them with impunity (Dan 7:23-26). Above all, this applies to Israel, God’s people, whom He has made clear in a peculiar way how to receive His blessing. But Israel has transgressed His law and broken His covenant (Jer 11:10; Deu 31:16 ; 20).

Man is more concerned about soil and air pollution than about the much more tragic and profound pollution of his own morality. The latter pollution is at least as widespread and serious as it was in the eighth century BC, in the days of Isaiah. God’s general institutions for the co-existence of people are being broken down one by one (cf. Dan 7:23-25). The judgments of which being “burned” is a picture (Rev 19:20 ; Rev 21:8), which follow all this forsaking of the LORD and His ordinances, will thin out the population of the earth (Isa 24:6; cf. Mt 24:22).