Rev. Don Campbell
Isaiah 23-27
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, July 18, 2019
“THERE’S A GREAT DAY COMING”
After speaking to several nations, outlining the fall and punishment of each, Isaiah turns to God’s judgment not only against sinful humanity but against the rebellious host of heaven. “Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants” (Isaiah 24:1). He goes one: “On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven and the kings of the earth on the earth” (Isaiah 24:21).
God’s judgment will be without partiality: “And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, 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 creditor, so with the debtor. The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word” (24:2-3).
Why? That question will be on the lips of many in that day. There answer: The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left” (Isaiah 24:5-6).
When? That question is not answered by Isaiah, because Isaiah did not know the answer. Jesus spoke of this same destruction but said that not even he knew the “when.” “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:36-44).
CONNECTIONS
1. We hear much talk about “readiness”: military readiness, storm readiness, and retirement readiness are a few of the calls to readiness. Jesus said, “Be ready.” What are Peter’s instructions about readiness in 2 Peter 3:11-13?
2. What comfort does Peter give us concerning the coming (revelation of) the Lord? (1 Peter 1:3-7).
