Isaiah 24
Summary for Isa 24:1-27:13: 24:1–27:13 a This section is often referred to as the “Little Apocalypse” because of its similarities to the book of Revelation. In these chapters Isaiah takes readers out of the present into a vision of the future world. The universal imagery of the Little Apocalypse makes it difficult to assign the events described to any precise historical situation. That means that these chapters cannot be used to outline a sequence of events or create a historical blueprint for the future. Instead, the imagery is intended to create an impressionistic drama of an unfolding world that is both like and unlike the present. The combination of aspects of the old era with aspects of the new era (for instance, people of Zion will all be righteous [new], but still long for their redemption [old]) is consistent with the New Testament concept of the future age breaking into and overlapping with the present evil age (2 Cor 4:4 b; Gal 1:4 c). Peter, for example, wrote of believers as living in the last days (1 Pet 1:12 d; 2 Pet 3:3 e) even though the last day remains yet future (2 Pet 3:10 f).Summary for Isa 24:1-23: 24:1-23 g Here the judgments described in chs 13–23 h are extended to the creation at large. 24:1 i destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland: There is a play here on the Hebrew words baqaq (destroy) and balaq (make a wasteland). The devastation will begin with Judah and be extended to the whole world (see 1 Pet 4:17 j).
• All the earth will be destroyed, the people as well as national political structures.
Summary for Isa 24:4-13: 24:4-13 k All humanity is guilty (Rom 3:23 l) and under condemnation (see Isa 59:1-15 m). Judgment is likened to a failed grape harvest that brings drinking and feasting to a halt. 24:4 n earth ... dries up ... land wastes away and withers: The prophets often used the imagery of a drought to get the attention of people who live off the land (see also Jer 23:10 o; Joel 1:12 p; Amos 1:2 q).
24:5 r Isaiah was probably referring to the everlasting covenant that God made with all humanity through Noah (Gen 9:8-17 s). The prophet saw a parallel with the wickedness in his day and the wickedness of the pre-flood world.
24:6 t The effect of sin is so great that no earthly thing or action can adequately atone for it. Hope ultimately lies in God himself. God has reconciled the world to himself in Christ (Col 1:19-20 u).
24:7 v Merrymakers will sigh and mourn because they are dependent on wine for pleasure.
24:8 w Tambourines and melodious chords of the harp represent good times (see 5:12 x; Rev 18:22 y).
24:10 z city writhes in chaos: With normal levels of urban disarray being raised to chaotic and dangerous disorder, people will be forced to seek refuge in locked homes.
24:11 aa Gladness has been banished from the land, not by edict, but because there is no reason to celebrate.
24:13 ab stray olives left on the tree: The remnant will include godly people both from Israel (see 17:6 ac) and from other nations.
• The theme of the remnant is common in Isaiah (see thematic note for The Remnant at end of chapter; see also 10:22 ad; 14:30 ae; 16:14 af; 24:6 ag; 37:32 ah).
Summary for Isa 24:14-16: 24:14-16 ai In spite of wailing and ruin, the sound of praise is heard from all directions. Even while still experiencing the pain of the devastation of the old world, the godly will respond with joyous expectation for the new world.
24:16 aj But my heart is heavy with grief: The prophets were well acquainted with the emotional pain brought on by the sin of their people and its consequences (see 15:5 ak; 21:4 al; Jer 15:10 am; Mic 1:8 an).
• Although aspects of the new world are present, the deceit of the old world still prevails for a time.
24:18 ao No one can escape the day of the Lord (see study note on 2:5-22).
• Destruction falls like rain from the heavens (literally the floodgates of heaven are opened): The imagery is like the flood in Noah’s time (see study note on Gen 7:11-12).
• the foundations of the earth shake: An earthquake is characteristic of a theophany, a physical manifestation of God’s presence (see also Isa 6:4 ap; 13:13 aq; 19:1 ar).
24:21 as The phrase translated gods (Hebrew tseba’ hammarom, “armed host of the heavens”) might refer to pagan gods represented by the stars. It might also refer to the angels or even demons (Rev 12:4 at, 9 au). Judgment will extend to all parts of creation (Isa 13:13 av; 34:5 aw; see Eph 6:11-12 ax).
24:22 ay put in prison ... punished: See also 2 Pet 2:4 az; Rev 9:2 ba, 11 bb; 17:8 bc.
Thematic note: The Remnant
In the face of foreign invasion and the prospect of exile, the notion of the remnant was a source of hope for God’s people (see Mic 2:12-13 bd; 4:6-8 be). While the Exile would be the outworking of God’s judgment on his people, God indicated that he would not completely destroy them (see Hos 11:8-11 bf). The fact that a remnant was preserved demonstrated God’s mercy and faithfulness.
The theme of the remnant was integral to Isaiah’s message. In fact, one of his sons was named Shear-jashub, which means “a remnant will return” (Isa 7:3 bg; see 10:21 bh). Isaiah prophesied that when the Lord judged his people with destruction (which occurred at the hands of the Babylonians in 605–586 BC), he would save a small community—the remnant—to be the core of a new beginning. Because the population of Judah would be decimated (as the northern kingdom of Israel had been already), this remnant would be a very small beginning. It is depicted as a “branch” (4:2 bi), a “stump” (6:13 bj), a community of the “poor” and “needy” (25:4 bk), and “handpicked grain” (27:12-13 bl). This remnant was to put their trust in the Lord while waiting for him to establish his rule and come to reward them (see 3:10 bm; 40:10 bn). The Lord promised that this small community would swell into a huge multitude that would come out of both Israel and the Gentile nations (27:6 bo; 60:3 bp).
In fulfillment of prophecy, a remnant of God’s people were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple during the reign of King Cyrus of Persia (Ezra 1:2-4 bq). Ezra the priest recognized this preservation of a remnant as purely an act of God’s grace, an act that could be jeopardized if the people followed their ancestors in disobedience (Ezra 9:5-15 br).
The notion of the remnant serves as an encouragement to remain faithful to God in the midst of the unfaithfulness of others. In the case of the people of Israel and Judah, such faithfulness would lead to the restoration of their land and to the blessings God had promised his people.
Passages for Further Study
2 Kgs 19:31 bs; 2 Chr 36:20 bt; Ezra 9:14 bu; Isa 1:8-9 bv; 4:1-3 bw; 6:13 bx; 10:19-22 by; 11:10-16 bz; 27:12-13 ca; 28:5 cb; 37:31-32 cc; 46:3-4 cd; Jer 6:9 ce; 23:3-4 cf; 31:7-8 cg; Amos 5:15 ch; Mic 2:12 ci; 4:6-7 cj; 5:7-8 ck; 7:18 cl; Zeph 3:11-13 cm
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