Isaiah 24 - When the Earth Shakes

After prophesying concerning eleven different nations, Isaiah enlarged his prophecy and described a judgment that would fall on the whole world. The Hebrew word erets. Used 16 times in chapter 24, it is translated as "land," "earth," and "world" in the King James Version. It is not always easy to tell when erets refers to one country or to the whole earth, but the context usually guides us. Isa 24-27 describes a global judgment that will end with the destruction of God's enemies and the restoration of God's people, Israel, in their land.

Isaiah warned the Northern Kingdom that the Assyrians would destroy them, and he told Judah that the Babylonians would take them captive, but these local calamities were only forerunners of a vast end-times catastrophe that would engulf the whole world. The prophets call this time of terrible judgment "the Day of the Lord," and in the New Testament it is described in Matt 24, Mark 13:1, and Rev 6-19. (from The Bible  Exposition Commentary)

“When the Earth Shakes: God’s Judgment and Global Accountability”

 Isaiah chapter 24.

What would happen if God judged not just a nation… but the entire world at once? Not just one people group… not just one government… not just one culture, but the whole earth?

Isaiah chapter 24 answers that question. This chapter begins a section often referred to as “Isaiah’s Apocalypse.” It is a sweeping, sobering vision of global judgment, but also a powerful reminder that God is still in control, still just, and still worthy of worship.

Listen to how the chapter opens: “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down…” (Isaiah 24:1)

This is not a local judgment. This is not a regional crisis. This is God dealing with the entire human race. And the message is clear: No one escapes accountability before a holy God.

Tonight, I want to walk us through this chapter under five major truths. And as we go, I want you to ask yourself, not just what this means for the world, but what it means for you.

 I. THE SCOPE OF GOD’S JUDGMENT (Isaiah 24:1–6)

1 Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

2 And 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.

3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore 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.

The Bible says in verse 2: “And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest…” In other words—no one is exempt. The priest cannot hide behind religion. The people cannot hide behind ignorance. The rich cannot buy their way out. The poor cannot plead helplessness. God’s judgment is universal.

We live in a world obsessed with fairness and equality. Everywhere you look, people are demanding justice. But Isaiah reminds us of something deeper: God’s justice is the only perfect justice.

Romans 2:11 says, “For there is no respect of persons with God.”

That means God does not play favorites. He does not overlook sin because of status. He does not excuse rebellion because of position.

And then Isaiah goes even further. He says in verse 5: “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof…”

Do you see that? Sin doesn’t just affect people—it affects the whole creation. We are seeing glimpses of that even now. A world that feels unstable. A world that feels out of order. A world that feels like something is not right. Isaiah says it’s not just political. It’s not just social. It’s spiritual. The earth is defiled because mankind has turned away from God.

If God evaluated our life today without partiality, what would He find? We should all, from time to time, if not every day, take an inventory of our actions and even our thought processes. To see if we are aligning ourselves with God's word, or just doing our own thing.

 II. THE CAUSE OF GOD’S JUDGMENT (Isaiah 24:5–6)

Verse 5 gives us three clear reasons for judgment: “They have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.”

First, they have transgressed the laws. This is not ignorance; it is rebellion. Romans 1:21 says, “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God.” The problem is not that people don’t know enough. The problem is that people reject what they do know.

Second, they have changed the ordinance. That means they have redefined what God established. Does that sound familiar? We are living in a time where people are constantly redefining truth. Redefining morality, redefining right and wrong. What God calls sin, culture calls acceptable. What God calls holy, culture calls outdated.

But listen carefully: When man rewrites God’s standards, he does not remove judgment; he invites it.

Third, they have broken the everlasting covenant. That speaks of rejecting accountability to God. Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

But mankind says, “No, we will live our own way.” And Isaiah says that is exactly why judgment comes. Are there areas in our lives where we are redefining what God has already declared?

III. THE COLLAPSE OF HUMAN JOY (Isaiah 24:7–12)

7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened; the mirth of the land is gone.

12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

Now Isaiah shifts to the results of judgment. Verse 8 says: “The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth”

Joy disappears. Celebration stops. Everything people relied on for happiness begins to crumble. Verse 10 calls it “the city of confusion.”

That phrase means chaos,  disorder, breakdown. We live in a pleasure-driven world. People chase entertainment. They chase comfort. They chase distraction. And they believe those things will sustain them.

But Isaiah shows us something sobering: When God shakes the world, those things cannot hold you up.

Jesus told a story in Luke 12 about a man who had everything. He said, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up, ”But God said, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” In one moment, everything he trusted was gone.

What are you relying on for joy? Because if it can be taken away, it is not secure.

IV. A REMNANT THAT WORSHIPS (Isaiah 24:13–16)

13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.

14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

15 Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

In the middle of judgment, there is still a remnant. Verse 14 says: “They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing…” Even in the fire, there are those who worship. God has always preserved a remnant.

Romans 11:5 says, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

That means no matter how dark the world gets; God still has a people. A people who believe Him. A people who follow Him. A people who glorify Him. Verse 15 says: “Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires.”

Did you catch that? Not after the fire, not when things get better, but in the fire. That is real faith. That is real worship. Anybody can praise God when life is easy. But the remnant praises Him when life is hard.

Let us ask ourselves: Are we part of the crowd, or part of the remnant? Because the remnant stands when others fall. The remnant sings when others fear. The remnant trusts when others panic.

 V. THE FINAL TRIUMPH OF THE LORD (Isaiah 24:17–23)

17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

18 And 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.

19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

Now we come to the climax of the chapter. Verse 19 says: “The earth is utterly broken down…” Everything shakes. Everything collapses. Everything mankind built apart from God begins to fall.

Hebrews 12 says that God will shake not only the earth, but also heaven, so that only what cannot be shaken will remain.

And then Isaiah tells us something incredible. God does not just judge the earth; He judges the powers behind it.

Verse 21 speaks of “the host of the high ones.” That includes spiritual rebellion as well as earthly rulers. But the chapter does not end in destruction. It ends in victory.

Verse 23 says: “The LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion…”That is the final word. Not chaos. Not corruption. Not collapse. God reigns.

No matter how unstable the world becomes, no matter how confusing things get, no matter how dark it looks. God is still on the throne.

Let us ask ourselves: Are we living like that is true?

Isaiah 24 teaches us: God’s judgment is universal. Sin has real consequences. Earthly joy is temporary. God preserves a faithful remnant. And ultimately, God will reign.

So what does that mean for us? It means this: Do not build your life on what is temporary. Do not ignore what God has said. Do not assume judgment will never come.

Instead, Fear God. Trust His Word. Walk in obedience. And stand as part of the remnant.

Second Peter 3:11 asks: “What manner of persons ought ye to be?”

That is the question tonight. Not what kind of world we are living in, but what kind of person you are in that world.

Don’t wait for the world to fall apart before you recognize God’s authority.

Live now in reverence. Live now in obedience. Live now in faith.

Because one day, the earth will shake, but those who belong to God will stand.