The Destruction of the Earth
Isaiah spoke of the destruction of the earth in chapter 24. Because of ramped up sinful lifestyles, God promised to devastate their land and scatter them.
Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth and scatters the people. Isaiah 24:1
In chapter 23, Isaiah foretold the destruction of the shipping ports of Tyre. Which served as the center of commerce for the world.
They brought you grain from Egypt and harvests from along the Nile. You were the marketplace of the world. But now you are put to shame. Isaiah 23:3-4
In Isaiah 24, the focus turned to God’s people. Isaiah called it the destruction of the earth. It’s not talking about the whole earth. Just where the Israelites lived.
The Lord is no respecter of persons. This devastation included people from all walks of life.
Priests and laypeople, servants and masters, maids and mistresses, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, bankers and debtors—none will be spared. Isaiah 24:2
God brought destruction to the earth once before with a flood. He promised though, that He wouldn’t do that again. But when it comes to sin, He will never look the other way.
The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted God’s instructions, violated his laws, and broken his everlasting covenant. Isaiah 24:5
In this chapter, Isaiah said, singing and celebrations ceased, joy turned to gloom, with gladness banished.
Therefore, a curse consumes the earth. Its people must pay the price for their sin. They are destroyed by fire, and only a few are left alive. Isaiah 24:6
A Picture of Isaiah’s Prophecy of Devastation
Isaiah continued this prophecy in chapter 25. Verse 1 begins with honor and praise to God for the wonderful things He does. Verse 2, however, is a different story.
You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins. Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble. Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear and will never be rebuilt. Isaiah 25:2.
As I am writing these words, we are getting a picture of what that scene looks like. According to news reports the Russian army is creating mass devastation in Ukraine.
They are turning cities into ruins, which may never be rebuilt. Death has struck people of all ages and walks of life.
I am not saying what the Russians are doing is fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. But it does give us a picture of what he said.
What is happening to the Ukrainians is more in line with what Jesus said about the end times.
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Matthew 24:6-7
Destruction and devastation will happen and continue to happen until Jesus comes back again.
Whether we just read about it or see it in our backyards, we must remain faithful to the Lord. Even if it looks like the destruction of the entire earth.
The Destruction of the Earth Means the End of Sin
When it comes to dealing with sin, God does not fool around. Sin started with Lucifer which caused his expulsion from heaven.
And through his efforts, he brought sin’s contamination onto man. With that, we all have a sinful nature.
We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Isaiah 64:6
Because God hates sin, every person who ever walked on the earth must choose their eternal destiny. We can choose to spend it with God or away from Him.
Jesus, when speaking with His disciples told them (and us) how they can see the heavenly Father.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6
The Only Way to Heaven
The only way to get to heaven is by accepting what Jesus did for you. He died on the cross and rose again making intercession for all who call upon His name.
All other ways, including making no decision, will result in spending eternity away from God. Only through Jesus can anyone have eternal life.
And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15
The destruction of the whole earth is a reality, but it will come at the end of time.
Lord, there are many things we don’t understand. One thing we know though, we must trust you through everything that happens
Check out this related post called Does the Mud of Sin Need to be cleansed from Your Life?
Read the entire chapter of Isaiah 24.
To receive each new devotional post delivered to your inbox, subscribe below by giving us your first name and email address.
