Isaiah provides the first notion of the destruction of the world and the idea of a "new heavens and a new earth" (Isa 24, 65:17-25) that is then expounded upon by John in Rev 21 and 2 Pet 3. To begin with, we want to remember the purpose of God's judgment is ultimately to reunite us (his creation) with himself.
- No position or status will enable escape (Isa 24:2)
- "The Lord has spoken" (Isa 24:3) - a declaration of certainty
- Used 9 other times in Isaiah (Isa 1:20, 21:17, 22:25, 25:8, 37:22, 38:7, 38:15, 40:5, 58:14)
- The haughty will languish (Isa 24:4) - remember the discussion from Isa 3:16-17
- The reason for God's judgement on the Earth - peoples' transgression (Isa 24:5)
- "The laws"
- God's commandments
- "The ordinance"
- Proper ways of worshiping God
- "The everlasting covenant"
- Abrahamic covenenant?
- Gen 17:7,13,19; 1 Chr 16:15-17; Ps 105:8-10, 111:5-9
- But this is an unconditional covenant
- Mosaic covenant?
- Ex 19:3-6
- But this is only to the nation of Israel
- God's moral law?
- Rom 2:14-15
- God has created us in His image and therefore we are covenanted with Him to live accordingly
- "Woe to me" (Isa 24:16)
- Compare to Isaiah's call in Isa 6:1-7
- "The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously" (Isa 24:16)
- Israel forsaking God (Jer 5:7-13)
- "the windows from on high are open" (Isa 24:18)
- Judgment, as God did with water/flood during Noah's day, but this time not with water, but with fire (2 Pet 3:5-7,10-13)
- Cf. , Rev 8
- The judgement of the "World" is not limited to just the "Earth" (Isa 24:21)
- God will punish the "exalted ones" on high (Eph 6:12-13)
- And cast into the pit (Isa 24:22, Rev 9:1-12)
- "After many days they will be punished" - Millennium (Rev 20:1-3)
- God will also punish the kings of the earth
- God will destroy the "host of heaven" (sun, moon, stars, ...) (Isa 24:23, 65:17, 60:19-20)
- They will replaced by God himself (Rev 21:22-26)
