Isaiah 24

Isaiah 24:1-23 . THE LAST TIMES OF THE WORLD IN GENERAL, AND OF JUDAH AND THE CHURCH IN PARTICULAR.

The four chapters (the twenty-fourth through the twenty-seventh) form one continuous poetical prophecy: descriptive of the dispersion and successive calamities of the Jews ( Isaiah 24:1-12 ); the preaching of the Gospel by the first Hebrew converts throughout the world ( Isaiah 24:13-16 ); the judgments on the adversaries of the Church and its final triumph ( Isaiah 24:16-23 ); thanksgiving for the overthrow of the apostate faction ( Isaiah 25:1-12 ), and establishment of the righteous in lasting peace ( Isaiah 26:1-21 ); judgment on leviathan and entire purgation of the Church ( Isaiah 27:1-13 ). Having treated of the several nations in particular--Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Edom, and Tyre (the miniature representative of all, as all kingdoms flocked into it)--he passes to the last times of the world at large and of Judah the representative and future head of the churches.

1. the earth--rather, "the land" of Judah (so in Isaiah 24:3 Isaiah 24:5 Isaiah 24:6 , Joel 1:2 ). The desolation under Nebuchadnezzar prefigured that under Titus.

2. as with the people, so with the priest--All alike shall share the same calamity: no favored class shall escape (compare Ezekiel 7:12 Ezekiel 7:13 , Hosea 4:9 , Revelation 6:15 ).

4. world--the kingdom of Israel; as in Isaiah 13:11 , Babylon.
haughty--literally, "the height" of the people: abstract for concrete, that is, the high people; even the nobles share the general distress.

5. earth--rather, "the land."
defiled under . . . inhabitants--namely, with innocent blood ( Genesis 4:11 , Numbers 35:33 , Psalms 106:38 ).
laws . . . ordinance . . . everlasting covenant--The moral laws, positive statutes, and national covenant designed to be for ever between God and them.

6. earth--the land.
burned--namely, with the consuming wrath of heaven: either internally, as in Job 30:30 [ROSENMULLER]; or externally, the prophet has before his eyes the people being consumed with the withering dryness of their doomed land (so Joel 1:10 Joel 1:12 ), [MAURER].

7. mourneth--because there are none to drink it [BARNES]. Rather, "is become vapid" [HORSLEY].
languisheth--because there are none to cultivate it now.

8. ( Revelation 18:22 ).

9. with a song--the usual accompaniment of feasts. "Date wine" [HORSLEY].
bitter--in consequence of the national calamities.

10. city of confusion--rather, "desolation." What Jerusalem would be; by anticipation it is called so. HORSLEY translates, "The city is broken down; it is a ruin."
shut up--through fear; or rather, "choked up by ruins."

11. crying for wine--to drown their sorrows in drink ( Isaiah 16:9 ); Joel 1:5 , written about the same time, resembles this.

12. with destruction--rather "crash" [GESENIUS]. "With a great tumult the gate is battered down" [HORSLEY].

13. the land--Judea. Put the comma after "land," not after "people." "There shall be among the people (a remnant left), as the shaking (the after-picking) of an olive tree"; as in gathering olives, a few remain on the highest boughs ( Isaiah 17:5 Isaiah 17:6 ).