Isaiah 24 - Praise & Worship on Doomsday

P r a i s e & Wo r s h i p o n Doomsday Book of Isaiah Chapt 24 Jan 14, 2024 S c r i p t u r e Re a d i n g See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants— 2 it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. 1 Against Babylon Against Cush Against Egypt Against Moab Judgement against Wo r l d Against Jerusalem Against Damascus Against Tyre ... Lord’s Judgment Breaking down the fire and brimstone (1/5) L o rd ’ s J u d g m e n t … See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants— 1 …applies to All 2 it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. Lord’s Judgment Breaking down the fire and brimstone (2/5) T h e e a r t h d e va s t a t e d by i t s p e o p l e ; f e w a re l e f t … The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word. 4 The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. 5 The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. 3 … a n d n o j oy fo r those left behind The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan. 8 The joyful timbrels are stilled, the noise of the revelers has stopped, the joyful harp is silent. 9 No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers. 10 The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred. 11 In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth. 7 Lord’s Judgment Breaking down the fire and brimstone (3/5) B o t h n a t i o n s & n a t u re will suffer… The city is left in ruins, its gate is battered to pieces. 13 So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest. 12 …still some faithful's will P ra i s e H i s G l o r y They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. 15 Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. 16 From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” 14 Lord’s Judgment Breaking down the fire and brimstone (4/5) B u t f o r “ m e ” … t h e re ’ s no escape E a r t h B ro ke n a n d S h a ke n But I said, “I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!” 17 Terror and pit and snare await you, people of the earth. 18 Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare. The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake. 19 The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken. 20 The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls—never to rise again. Lord’s Judgment Breaking down the fire and brimstone (5/5) G o d w i l l re i g n o n Mt. Zion In that day the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below. 22 They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days. 23 The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory. 21 Time Dimension • Historical Context • Foreshadowing Christ • Eschatological Themes Literary Interpretation • Symbolic Language • Literary and Rhetorical Analysis Implications for us today H i s t o r i c a l C o n t e x t , Fo r e s h a d o w i n g C h r i s t and Eschatological Themes Destruction of the Kingdom of Judah Messiah End Times Around the same time, China was in the early Spring-Autumn Warring States Era ( 春秋 ). During the Warring States Era of 242 years, 36 Kings were killed by treasons or rival kingdoms, 52 dukedoms were destroyed or merged in more than 480 battles Defended by God during Hezekiah’s reign N e a r - t e r m d e va s t a t i o n b y wa r s w i t h neighboring countries T h e e a r t h d e va s t a te d by i t s p e o p l e ; f e w a re l e f t … The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word. 4 The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. 5 The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. 3 Near-term realization of prophecies against countries Siege of Tyre (332 BCE):  by Alexander the Great  Tyre was a heavily fortified island city, and the siege lasted for seven months.  The Macedonian army ultimately breached the city's defenses, destroying much of Tyre and most of the people N e a r - t e r m f u l f i l l m e n t i n M e s s i a h’ s t i m e  Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE):  by the Roman army during the First Jewish-Roman War  The siege lasted for several months, and the eventual fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple and widespread devastation.  Josephus describes the human toll, including famine, disease, and mass casualties. Time Dimension • Historical Context • Foreshadowing Christ • Eschatological Themes Literary Interpretation • Symbolic Language • Literary and Rhetorical Analysis Implications for us today Foreshadowing C h r i s t i n I s a i a h Exploring the messianic prophecies within the text Who is it that the faithful are praising? Many passages in the Book of Isaiah are anticipations of the Messiah. The oracles against the nations contribute to the larger narrative culminating in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. …still some faithful's will P ra i s e H i s G l o r y They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. 15 Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. 16 From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” 14 Time Dimension • Historical Context • Foreshadowing Christ • Eschatological Themes Literary Interpretation • Symbolic Language • Literary and Rhetorical Analysis Implications for us today D o o m s d ay c l o c k Why? Why would God lay waste His creation? Desperate calls for repentance throughout the ages Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant. 4-6 Time Dimension • Historical Context • Foreshadowing Christ • Eschatological Themes Literary Interpretation • Symbolic Language • Literary and Rhetorical Analysis Implications for us today End times foretold by Isaiah, Jesus, John Desperate calls for repentance throughout the ages And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to 15 See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants— Isaiah 24 a third of mankind. 16 kill The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and 17 A third of mankind sulfur. 18 was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury Revelations 9 Surprising Joy In between destructions, sorrow, and doom The city is left in ruins, its gate is battered to pieces. 13 So will it be on the earth and among the nations, … 12 They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. 15 Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. 16 From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” … But I said, “I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!” 14 Time Dimension • Historical Context • Foreshadowing Christ • Eschatological Themes Literary Interpretation • Symbolic Language • Literary and Rhetorical Analysis Implications for us today Symbolic Language i n the Oracles L i t e r a r y and R h e t o r i c a l A n a lysi s I m p l i c a t i o n s o f the Book o f I s a i a h f o r Us Reflections on the theological and practical implications 1 Confirmation of Jesus as the Messiah Book of Isaiah serves as a confirmation of Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies Before God’s judgement as LORD, he came as a suffering servant. Messiah was sent here to redeem us. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 4 I m p l i c a t i o n s o f the Book o f I s a i a h f o r Us Reflections on the theological and practical implications 2 Understanding God's Sovereignty God is sovereign over human history and nations. The world is in His hand; as are we. Do you face challenges? Knowing that God has unwavering control and ultimate purposes to be revealed, are you reassured? I m p l i c a t i o n s o f the Book o f I s a i a h f o r Us Reflections on the theological and practical implications 3 Call to Righteous Living The oracles of judgment in Isaiah serve as a poignant call to righteousness and obedience to God's moral and ethical standards. Are you aligning your lives to God’s divine purpose? I m p l i c a t i o n s o f the Book o f I s a i a h f o r Us Reflections on the theological and practical implications 4 Ho pe in Restoration Surely,, Isaiah predict judgment. Does God's ultimate purpose give you hope? This enduring hope extends beyond present circumstances to a future where God's righteousness will prevail. W h e n t h e C r e a t o r t a k e a b o w. W h a t would you have chosen? “When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. W h e n t h e C r e a t o r t a k e a b o w. W h a t would you have chosen? “When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: … something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.” -- CS Lewis