Read Isaiah 24 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
24:1-15 {s} The earth and its inhabitants, of the city of chaos, left desolate
24:16-20 {s} The inhabitant of the earth shall not escape the terrible earthquakes
24:21-23 {p} Idols and idolaters will receive their punishment, for YHVH will reign in Mt. Zion
The Strong theme:
24:1-23 {s+s+p} The inhabitants of the city of chaos are desolate, for YHVH will reign
The Chiastic structure:
The central axis: YHVH is glorified from the isles of the sea, from the edges (or ends) of the earth. It’s a Hebrew way of saying from the whole kit and kaboodle.
But the inhabitants of the earth have woe. In prophetic passages like this one, I like to remind myself that the Father often speaks symbolically through the prophets:
“I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.” Hos 12:10
That is, natural things can “stand in” for something else. So in Revelation, stars “stand in” for angels (Rev 1:20). In Joseph’s dreams, wheat sheaves “stood in” to indicate his brothers (Gen 37:5-7).
So then, who is an inhabitant of the earth? He whose citizenship is in the kingdoms of the earth, instead of in the kingdom of heaven. That’s all. It’s a chapter of joy and rejoicing for those who belong to the King who reigns on Mt. Zion, and a chapter of mourning and woe for those who belong to the earth or to the world. This chapter shares many similarities with Revelation, as we will see when we get to Revelation next year.
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