“Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate,
and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
It shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;
as with the slave, so with his master;
as with the maid, so with her mistress;
as with the buyer, so with the seller;
as with the lender, so with the borrower;
as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered;
for the Lord has spoken this word.
The earth mourns and withers;
the world languishes and withers;
the highest people of the earth languish.
The earth lies defiled
under its inhabitants;
for they have transgressed the laws,
violated the statutes,
broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
and few men are left.
The wine mourns,
the vine languishes,
all the merry-hearted sigh.
The mirth of the tambourines is stilled,
the noise of the jubilant has ceased,
the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
No more do they drink wine with singing;
strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
The wasted city is broken down;
every house is shut up so that none can enter.
There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
all joy has grown dark;
the gladness of the earth is banished.
Desolation is left in the city;
the gates are battered into ruins…
They lift up their voices, they sing for joy;
over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the west.
Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord;
in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
of glory to the Righteous One.'” Isaiah 24:1-12,14-16a
Image after image of devastation on the earth deepen the reality of the doom and destruction of judgment. A twisted, plundered, desolate land mourns under a languishing, cursed people. None is immune, none escapes. Gladness and hope are stilled, all is scorched, wasted, dark. And yet, a song…
How does praise rise from ruin? Where the majesty in tumult and suffering? Could it be that the prophetic warning is a merciful beckon to repent? Is the very act of judgment a clarion call to praise God’s perfect justice? His word that issues commands is the one that curses the defiled and defiling. It is one righteous pronouncement. The guilty cannot go unpunished.
When we observe present ravaging consequences of sin, and that they do not discriminate, we can snarl in derision at offenders, or bemoan that we are made to suffer. But if we pray, and weigh what is happening against repeated themes in Scripture, we might find ourselves as culprits deserving the curse. If so, fly to God’s mercy! Christ has taken the curse for us! Take heed of His warnings! He’s spoken for our sake! Look for His splendor, righteousness, and grace amidst the rubble and sing of the glory there!
How will I respond to the Scripture’s promised judgment? Recoil in pride, refuse to listen, or regard the Holy One who speaks and executes the word, and rejoice?
Lord, help me recognize Your character and delight in Your majesty through even difficult Scripture, to your praise.
As the rain and snow 