Isaiah 24:7-16. This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on July 3, 2016.
Tomorrow we will be celebrating The Declaration of Independence by the United States of America. In that document we appealed to the “Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions.” Rectitude means the straightness or righteousness of our intentions. Today, it does not seem that many in our government are concerned about the Supreme Judge of the world. Our passage today reminds us why it was so important to do so back then and why we should be doing it now. God is not just potentially the judge of the world, but He has appointed a day in which all the nations of the earth will be brought into judgment before Him, at the end of this age. Whether in the Church or in our government, we need leaders who have such a fear of God that they feel compelled to make their case before the God of heaven. We need leaders who will make their case in conformity with the Word of God (straight intentions) rather than in defiance of it. My cry this morning is for Christians to not fail in their duty to conform their intentions to the straightness of God’s Word. We must be about our Father’s business because the devastating day of Judgment that we will continue to read about today.
In verses 1-6 the prophet lets us in on the vision he has had of God judging the whole earth. There he referred to the “withering” of the earth. In verse 7 we see that this withering is a reference to drought conditions that bring an end to the joyful harvests. The drought will also have an impact on their celebratory drinking of wine. Of course a global drought would affect all crops, wine was the staple of their celebrations and where their hearts truly lay. Thus the judgment upon the crops is more of a judgment upon their joyful celebrations. God will bring them to an end. He will do so because all of their jubilations are done without regard for Him and His ways. They only give thought to earthly matters and ignore His warning of judgment. Thus Isaiah mentions that the new wine fails. There is not enough grapes that survive the drought in order to make new wine, and in fact the vines themselves are failing as well. Thus the future of their wine is in jeopardy also. The “merry-hearted” that are mentioned are the partiers and revelers. They will groan because the drink is diminished, but also because there is nothing to take joy in; everything is being destroyed on the earth. All of their labor is coming to nothing and being destroyed.
Thus verse 8 speaks to the festivals of the merry-hearted. All mirth, noise of jubilations, and anything of the sort will come to an end and cease. Man was not created to fixate his life on amassing material commodities, while ignoring their Maker. Rather we were created to enjoy the material things before God while giving Him praise. Our rejoicing should be in Him more than it is in the material gifts that He provides.
In verse 9 we see that what wine is consumed will be done in bitterness rather than in joy. Like Naomi complaining that God had dealt bitterly with her, so they will lack anything over which to be joyful. They may still have stores of wine to drink, but they will bring them no joy.
In verse 10 we have this phrase, “the city of confusion.” It could be a description of any of the capitol cities that God had warned in Isaiah 13-23. It could be a generic label for all the Cities of Man that are raised up and ignore God. These will all be brought to destruction. They have been a place of confusion in that they have rejected the ordinances of God and His proper order. They have led and taught men to do the same within their streets. So God will bring them into Judgment and cause them to be confusion. The word that is translated confusion is the same word that is translated “formless” in Genesis 1:2. It is as if God will “uncreate” them so to speak. They will be so destroyed that nothing can live their without a new act of creation by God. I say this because both Isaiah and the book of Revelation point to a new heavens and a new earth. It is also possible that Isaiah is also hinting at what Revelation calls “Mystery Babylon.” There it is the great city that rules over all the kings of the earth. Thus it is the head city of confusion. The destruction of Mystery Babylon is part of the emphasis of God’s judgment.
Thus Isaiah sees that the city will be broken and all the doors shut up. Instead of open doors and partiers in the streets, the city is broken and no one is out and about. The devastation that the Lord will bring leaves the city unable to function. The rubble of the destruction both blocks the doors and is probably used as a barricade for protection by the few inhabitants that are left.
Verse 11 points to the cry for wine in the streets. Sadly the cry is not in repentance towards God and asking for mercy. The inhabitants of the earth are so fixated on material things that, even when God takes the material away, repentance cannot be found. This is in contrast to the righteous. They cry out for God even in the midst of plenty because they know it can all be gone tomorrow. But the wicked ignore or spite God in plenty or in lack. We must not let our eyes be blinded and our hearts be hardened by the spirit of this world. Let the Spirit of god soften it today that we might raise up a righteous cry before God, rather than one of greed and selfishness. Let us raise up a cry of repentance and desire for Him.
Verse 12 then reminds us that the vision has not happened yet, “When it shall be thus…” When it does happen there will be little of any good left over. The imagery of the earth being reaped is thus connected to judgment. Interestingly in the book of Revelation we are shown two different reapings of the earth. One harvest is that of the righteous who are pictured as grain gathered into the barn. Though the grain may be treaded down, it will only break off the hard chaff and what is good will be left behind and spared by God. The other harvest is that of the wicked. They are pictured as clusters of grapes that are tossed into the pit and treaded underfoot in judgment. The grapes will not survive. Thus their lust for wine becomes a kind of prophecy pointing towards the poetic justice of their end. They lust for wine so much that God has appointed a day when they will be caught up in the “wine making” process.
In verse 14 there is a shift in the vision. The “they” that will lift up their voice and sing for the majesty of the Lord does not fit with the city of confusion and the people of the earth who long for wine. So why are they praising? Though it is not made explicit, the context demands that they praise Him for bringing Judgment. Clearly the singers are from all over the earth due to the phrases used of them. “From the sea” is often connected with the West and refers to the Mediterranean Sea. “In the dawning light” is connected with the East where the sun rises. The “coastlands” was a reference to the faraway places that had to be sailed to. Lastly we have “the ends of the earth.” All of these phrases emphasize that the singers are not from any one place. In the midst of those who are to be judged are a group of people that have not cried for wine. Rather they have praised the God of heaven.
In the vision it is as if the song of praise is replacing the sons of mirth that the earth dwellers have been singing. As the songs of ignorance are silenced the song of praise is raised up. This becomes the first sign in the vision that, though the earth be destroyed; it is so that all things may be set back in order. Just as the sons of God sang at the first creation so the new sons of God will sing at the New Creation. Thus history comes back full circle upon itself.
Yet, the day of joy that Isaiah glimpses in the future is overshadowed by the judgment that must first happen. Isaiah is so overwhelmed with the heaviness of the judgment that he cries out that he is ruined. Thus he sees that for now the treacherous will continue in their treachery. They will only grow worse until the final judgment. This is reminiscent of Revelation 22:11,12, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.” The wickedness of this world will have its payday from the Lord. It will grow worse and worse until the day in which the Lord tramples out the vintage of the grapes of wrath. Until then, it is our job as followers of Jesus Christ to be His last offer of peace to those who are blinded to the plight of this world. May God help us to boldly lift up a song of praise to him before all who are around us, so that they might see Him and be saved!