Isaiah now goes through a number of chapters talking about judgments coming to various
nations. All of these were prophecies and all were carried out exactly as stated. He deals with
Babylon (with allusions to The Day of the Lord) Ch. 13, Assyria and Phylistia Ch. 14, Moab
Ch. 15, 16, Damascus Ch 17, Ethiopia Ch. 18, Egypt Ch 19,20--walked naked for three years
to symbolize captivity, Babylon, Edom and Arabia Ch 21, Tyre Ch 23,
--Point of all of it is that God is in control and is the judge over all on earth:
Isaiah 24:1-6
Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down,
and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2And it shall be, as with the people, so with the
priest; as with the servant, 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 taker of usury, so
with the giver of usury to him. 3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the
LORD hath spoken this word. 4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and
fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5The earth also is defiled under the
inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the
everlasting covenant. 6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein
are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
God shifts from judgment on nations to worldwide judgment based on sin. Judgment comes on
all men regardless of position.
Isaiah 24:17-20
Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18And it shall come to
pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up
out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open,
and the foundations of the earth do shake. 19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is
clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20The earth shall reel to and fro like a
drunkard, and shall be removed (tremble) like a cottage (shack); and the transgression thereof
shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
The coming judgment harkens back to Noah’s flood, windows of heaven were open. This is
worldwide just as the flood was. But there is a remnant!
Isaiah 25:8,9
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces;
and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath
spoken it. 9And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he
will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his
salvation.
Isaiah 26:1-4
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God
appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the
truth may enter in. 3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because
he trusteth in thee. 4Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting
strength:
The answer is always faith, trust in the Lord, the humble respond this way, they keep coming to
Him. Righteous people live by faith! Mind--attitudes and goals
Isaiah 26:9,10
With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early:
for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
10Let favour (chanan--grace, mercy) be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn
righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of
the LORD.
Few actually see God for who He is, many experience His grace, all do, but if you are not
learning righteousness you do not truly have His favor and judgment is still on you. If His grace
does not teach you righteousness, His judgment will!
There is a link between grace and righteousness
1) It’s who God is
Psalm 112:4
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and
righteous.
Psalm 116:5
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
1 Corinthians 1:30--grace and truth came by Christ
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption:
Gracious and righteous our God is, if we are in Him we become this as well.
2) It’s what He uses to save people--we must be made righteous and this must come as a
gracious gift, we can’t get it on our own.
Romans 5:17-21
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin has reigned unto death, even so might
grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:14-16
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
--Be not slaves to sin but rather slaves to righteousness
Romans 9:29-33
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as
Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. 30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles,
which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness
which is of faith. 31But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to
the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by
the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33As it is written, Behold, I lay
in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed.
--in between two quotes from Isaiah is Isaiah’s point--you need faith!
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.
Next Verse--2 Corinthians 6:1
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God
in vain.
--6:3--give no offence in anything
Grace and righteousness go together. You know grace has taken root in your heart when
righteousness becomes a desire of yours and an increasing reality in your life.
Titus 2:11-15
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this
present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and
our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15These things speak, and
exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Christ gave himself for us so we would be brought out of judgment and righteous living is the
result of being brought out of judgment, out of all those things the Lord hates.