The Road to Jesus Leads to Cosmic Upheaval
Isaiah 24-27 is often referred to as the “Apocalypse of Isaiah” or the “Little Apocalypse.” Understand what we mean by “apocalyptic” – the word actually comes from the Greek word for the book of “Revelation.” The word has come to be used in a cosmic sense, typically to portray “earth-shattering events” – like a coming judgment.
Isaiah has spent chapters 13-23 showing that God will judge each nation and punish each nation. Now, in cosmic terms, Isaiah steps back and says God will destroy the world, punish the world for their collective sin. As always, the message is: Don’t trust man who will be punished; trust God who controls all.
Chapter 24 should be viewed through the same lens we understand Daniel 2:44: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”
Isaiah 13-23 is Isaiah’s elaboration on (although it comes about 130 years prior to) Daniel 2:44. Those kingdoms will be consumed into and by the Kingdom of the Messiah. Here in chapter 24, Isaiah portrays the whole earth as coming under the judgment and blessing of God.
Consider 24:1: “Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.” I understand this idea to be parallel with Haggai 2:6-7: “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.” This passage from Haggai is quoted by the Hebrew writer in 12:26 showing that it was fulfilled when the Kingdom of the Messiah was established.
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Yet, a “few men are left” (24:6). There is always hope. There is alway the remnant. There will be no end to the government of King David (Isa. 9:7).
In the midst of this destruction, there are those – the “few who are left” (vs 6) – who glorify the Lord of hosts. When God’s judgment is made visible, His faithfulness is also made visible. Here, the remnant shouts concerning the majesty of the Lord. Isaiah writes in verse 16: “We hear songs, “Glory to the righteous one!” We saw back in 2:1-5 that God’s glory would fill the earth. Here, we see people all over the earth praising the Lord of hosts.
“God’s majesty, glory, and righteousness will be on full display for all to see. Praise naturally flows from those who know God and observe what he has done” (Smith, 421). If ever the “majesty, glory, and righteousness” of God was on full display, it was at the death, burial, resurrection of Christ and the subsequent establishment of His divine kingdom on earth on the day of Pentecost.
Verse 23 is apocalyptic, using similar imagery as Joel used in Joel 2:28-32, fulfilled in Acts 2. The “white one” (moon) and the “hot one” (sun) will be ashamed when compared to the glory of the Lord. All this will happen in light of the reign of the Lord of hosts, the King Messiah, Son of David, on Mount Zion.
–Paul Holland
