75. The LORD Reigns Over the Earth

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Hymns: 15 Must Tell Jesus, 28 ‘Tis the Blessed Hour of Prayer, 25 Thank You, Lord

Isaiah 24:1-23

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. 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. 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. 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.

The LORD Reigns Over the Earth

OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION

The whole earth is now in focus, not just the individual cities and nations. The LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, is King reigning over all the earth. A knowledge that seemed to have eluded modern man.

Psalm 47:2 (KJV) For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.

Man has been entrusted by God to be His steward over the earth.

Genesis 1:27-28 (KJV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

But man has sinned against God. He transgressed the commandment of God.

Every sin is a form of competition with God on the question of authority. It resulted in man declaring his independence from his Creator. [Denis Gibson]

As a result of man’s departure from God, the Apostle Paul described the present state of the earth and those on earth in Romans 8:22 (KJV) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

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

They have disobeyed His will, claimed the earth for themselves, and abused it selfishly.

Romans 1:18-19 (KJV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

It is sin that brings these calamities upon the earth. The earth is made empty, and fades away, because it is defiled under the inhabitants thereof (v5); it is polluted by the sins of men, and therefore it is made desolate by the judgments of God. Such is the filthy nature of sin that it defiles the earth itself under the sinful inhabitants thereof, and it is rendered unpleasant in the eyes of God and good men.

Leviticus 18:25 (KJV) And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Leviticus 18:27-28 (KJV) (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

Numbers 35:33 (KJV) So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

The earth never spues out its inhabitants till they have first defiled it by their sins.

Why, what have they done? They have transgressed the laws of their creation, not answered the ends of it. The bonds of the law of nature have been broken by them, and they have cast from them the cords of their obligations to the God of nature.

They have changed the ordinances of revealed religion, those of them that have had the benefit of that. They have neglected the ordinances, and have made no conscience of observing them. They have passed over the laws, in the commission of sin, and have passed by the ordinance, in the omission of duty.

Herein they have broken the everlasting covenant, which is a perpetual bond and will be to those that keep it a perpetual blessing. It is God’s wonderful condescension that He is pleased to deal with men in a covenant-way, to do them good, and thereby oblige them to do Him service.

Even those that had no benefit by God’s covenant with Abraham had benefit by His covenant with Noah and his sons, which is called an everlasting covenant, his covenant with day and night; but they observe not the precepts of the sons of Noah, they acknowledge not God’s goodness in the day and night, nor study to make him any grateful returns, and so break the everlasting covenant and defeat the gracious designs and intentions of it. [Matthew Henry]

From Israel, God’s chosen and representative, to the defiant who reject the LORD, the LORD surveyed and found man wanting.

Joshua 4:23-24 (KJV) For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

God sends a revival from time to time. Why did He do that? The first reason given in Joshua 4:24 is this: “that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty.” God does this thing from time to time, God sends revival, blessing, upon the Church in order that He may do something with respect to those who are outside Him. He is doing something that is going to arrest the attention of all the people of the earth. Here, we must always realize, is the chief reason for ever considering this matter at all. This is the main reason for calling attention to this whole subject of revival and for urging everybody to pray for revival, to look for it, and to long for it. This is the reason – the glory of God. [Martyn-Lloyd Jones]

Israel alone represented God and His glory. All the other nations of the world were pagan; they had their various gods, and they did not believe in or worship the God of Israel. But God had chosen Israel. He had made a nation for Himself in order that through them, and by means of them, He might manifest His own glory and that they might bear this testimony to all the nations of the world. That was the real function of the children of Israel, and the other nations were watching them. Whenever the nations of Israel was defeated, the other nations would say, “Where is their God? Where is their power? [Martyn Lloyd-Jones]

Isaiah was God’s prophet to jolt Israel to come back to the LORD but He is not done yet with Israel for the Saviour whom Israel prophesied in Isaiah 7:14-15 (KJV) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Also,in Isaiah 9:6-8 (KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

Psalm 43:3 (KJV) O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

God was speaking through the destruction to the haughty ones on earth through the destruction that they couldn’t be the masters of their own destinies by it is the LORD.

  • Proud Inhabitants Confounded (v1-13, 16b-23a)
  • Purified Ones Glorify the LORD (v14-16a, 23b)

When the judgment of God comes, God will not pay attention to anyone’s economic or social status (v2-3), they shall be confounded. Their joyful feast will turn into a mourning funeral (v3-13); those who try to escape will be trapped (v17-18) and proud leaders will become prisoners (v21-23). The Lord will humble the “haughty people” (v4) and “exalted ones” (v21).

What about the people of God? The LORD preserves them by His keeping strength.

Psalm 37:11 (KJV) But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Matthew 5:5 (KJV) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

  • Proud Inhabitants Confounded (v1-13, 16b-23a)

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

The prophet Isaiah announces the LORD’s judgment to confound the proud inhabitants of the earth. The word “empty” “baqaq” means “to lay waste” speaking of desolation. As it was when the global flood came upon the earth, all the living was destroyed.

We understand that the LORD’s promise is that He will not again judge the world with a global flood. The rainbow is His token of the covenant.

What then is this emptying? I believe it speaks of the desolation of war and the scattering of inhabitants as a result of war. Violence that comes through human conquest. Israel was the LORD’s instrument of judgment against the Canaanites. Just as it is the LORD has raised the Assyrians and later the Babylonians as instruments of judgment against wayward Israel (722 B.C.) and Judah (586 B.C.). As we saw in Isaiah 23 the Assyrians and the Babylonians brought Tyre, the rich city port, to desolation.

  • God will Not Pay Attention to Anyone’s Economic or Social Status

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

The prevailing norm in any society would be that the rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).

When this desolation comes, none will be excepted – the priest likewise the people, the servant likewise the master, the maid likewise the mistress, the buyer likewise the seller, the borrower likewise the lender, the usury giver and taker. The strong and the weak, the determinators and the oppressed of society will face desolation.

  • Joyful Feast to Mourning Funeral (3-13)

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

What a scene of devastation that the prophet paints would be taking place. It is confirmed by His Word.

There seemed to be a global scope to the prophecy and yet there is a focus on Israel in the transition from verse 2 to verse 3.

Deuteronomy 29:23 (KJV) And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

Deuteronomy 29:28 (KJV) And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.

Christ’s First Coming as the Lamb of God. His Second Coming is a lion from the tribe of Judah. Christ comes as King to destroy the kingdom of the Antichrist and to rule with His saints on earth for a thousand years.

Daniel 7:25-27 (KJV) And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

The Antichrist kingdom will give way to Christ’s everlasting kingdom. His saint shall reign with Him on earth for 1000 years.

The days that lead to Christ coming to judge the world will precede with the taking away of the church and the Great Tribulation will begin (Rev. 6-19).

Matthew 24:35-44 (KJV) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

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

Isaiah 2:11-12 (KJV) The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

Psalm 2:2-4 (KJV) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

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 sense is, that the inhabitants of the land were wasted away under the wrath of God, so that few were left; as the trees of the forest are destroyed before a raging fire.

1st trumpet: 1/3 Earth on fire, 1/3 Trees on fire, all grass burned.

2nd trumpet: 1/3 Sea becomes blood, 1/3 ship sunk, 1/3 fish dead

3rd trumpet: 1/3 A falling star poisons: 1/3 Rivers and 1/3 Fountains

4th trumpet: 1/3 Sun darkened, 1/3 Moon dark, 1/3 Stars dark

Revelation 8:7-13 (KJV) The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

The ultimate fire will consume all the earth from heaven – 2 Peter 3:10-13 (KJV) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

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.

The time of languishing for the inhabitants of the earth was predicted by the prophet Isaiah. The merry-making will turn to mourning. Recall, that the descendants of Cain wandered away from God, they built a city, it was man’s glory and to build the tallest building in it. The first city is called the Enoch city!

Genesis 4:17 (KJV) And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

The name Enoch means “teacher, initiated, dedicated”.

This Enoch walked not with the living and true God. He dedicated his life to himself. A life in the broad way that leads to destruction.

There are two “Enoch”s in the book of Genesis. The first man Enoch was recorded in Genesis 4, the second Enoch in Genesis 5. Genesis 5 is a description of the godly line through Seth whereas Genesis 4 is a description of the ungodly line through Cain. Though both bear the same name “Enoch”. One was dedicated to God and the other was dedicated to self. One walked with God and the other walked in pride and violence.

The “Enoch” in Genesis 4 is not the same Enoch in Genesis 5. This Enoch in chapter 4 does not walk with God. He descended from Cain who is a violent man and he is also the great-great grandfather of Lamech. Again not the Lamech in chapter 5, this is the ungodly Lamech. He started the first polygamy.

Remember Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The word “initiated” is the word “train up”, this Enoch was in the way of the world that leads to destruction – Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

On the other hand, there is the godly Enoch who walked with God. He enjoyed close communion with God. He was separated from the world. This seventh man from Adam did not walk in the way of sinners of his corrupt age. His character and conduct were a distinct rebuke to the godless around. Jude tells us Enoch functioned as a prophet, declaring God’s just judgment upon the unrighteous of his time.

Jude 14-15 (KJV) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

  • Purified Ones Glorify the LORD (v14-16a, 23b)

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… 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.

This speaks of God’s people who glorify Him even in the amidst of great apostasy.

They will lift up their voice in praise of the majesty of the LORD, as did Daniel’s three friends who refused to bow down to the image of Nebuchadnezzar and were thrown into the fiery furnace. God preserved them.

Daniel 3:12-30 (KJV) There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

CONCLUSION

May His people choose to walk with Him awaiting His soon return. Amen.