Ésaïe 24

1 Voici, l'Éternel va rendre le pays vide et le dépouiller; il en bouleversera la face et en dispersera les habitants.

2 Et il en sera du sacrificateur comme du peuple, du maître comme de son serviteur, de la maîtresse comme de la servante, du vendeur comme de l'acheteur, du prêteur comme de l'emprunteur, du créancier comme du débiteur.

3 Le pays sera entièrement vidé et mis au pillage, car l'Éternel a prononcé cet arrêt.

4 Le pays est triste et mort; la terre est morte et languissante; les grands du peuple du pays sont languissants.

5 Le pays était profané par ses habitants; car ils ont transgressé les lois, ils ont violé l'ordonnance, ils ont enfreint l'alliance éternelle.

6 C'est pourquoi la malédiction dévore le pays, et ses habitants portent leur peine; c'est pourquoi les habitants du pays ont été consumés, et il n'est resté que très peu d'hommes.

7 Le vin doux pleure, la vigne languit, tous ceux qui avaient le cœur joyeux soupirent;

8 Le son joyeux des tambourins a cessé, le bruit de la gaieté a pris fin, le son joyeux de la harpe a cessé;

9 On ne boit plus de vin en chantant; la boisson forte est amère à ceux qui la boivent.

10 Elle est détruite, la cité déserte; toute maison est fermée, on n'y entre plus.

11 On crie dans les rues parce que le vin manque; toute joie a disparu; l'allégresse du pays s'en est allée!

12 Il ne reste dans la ville que désolation; la porte tombe en débris sous les coups!

13 Car il en est, au milieu du pays, parmi les peuples, comme lorsqu'on bat l'olivier, comme au grappillage après la vendange.

14 Mais ceux-ci élèvent la voix, ils jettent des cris de joie; des bords de la mer ils chantent la majesté de l'Éternel:

15 Glorifiez donc l'Éternel aux lieux où naît la lumière; glorifiez le nom de l'Éternel, le Dieu d'Israël, dans les îles de la mer!

16 Du bout de la terre nous entendons chanter: Honneur au juste! Mais j'ai dit: Je suis perdu, je suis perdu! Malheur à moi! Les pillards pillent, les pillards s'acharnent au pillage!

17 La terreur, la fosse et le filet vont t'atteindre, habitant du pays!

18 Et celui qui fuira au bruit de la terreur, tombera dans la fosse; et qui sera remonté de la fosse, tombera dans le filet. Car les écluses d'en haut s'ouvrent, et les fondements de la terre tremblent.

19 La terre se brise, la terre se rompt, la terre chancelle.

20 La terre chancelle comme un homme ivre; elle vacille comme une cabane; son péché pèse sur elle; elle tombe, et ne se relèvera plus!

21 En ce jour-là, l'Éternel châtiera, en haut, l'armée d'en haut, et sur la terre, les rois de la terre.

22 Et ils seront rassemblés captifs dans un cachot, et enfermés dans la prison; et après un grand nombre de jours ils seront châtiés.

23 La lune rougira, et le soleil sera honteux, quand l'Éternel des armées régnera sur la montagne de Sion, à Jérusalem; et devant ses anciens resplendira la gloire.

Ésaïe 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

The desolation of the land. (1-12) A few shall be preserved. (13-15) God's kingdom advanced by his judgments. (16-23)

Verses 1-12 All whose treasures and happiness are laid up on earth, will soon be brought to want and misery. It is good to apply to ourselves what the Scripture says of the vanity and vexation of spirit which attend all things here below. Sin has turned the earth upside down; the earth is become quite different to man, from what it was when God first made it to be his habitation. It is, at the best, like a flower, which withers in the hands of those that please themselves with it, and lay it in their bosoms. The world we live in is a world of disappointment, a vale of tears; the children of men in it are but of few days, and full of trouble, See the power of God's curse, how it makes all empty, and lays waste all ranks and conditions. Sin brings these calamities upon the earth; it is polluted by the sins of men, therefore it is made desolate by God's judgments. Carnal joy will soon be at end, and the end of it is heaviness. God has many ways to imbitter wine and strong drink to those who love them; distemper of body, anguish of mind, and the ruin of the estate, will make strong drink bitter, and the delights of sense tasteless. Let men learn to mourn for sin, and rejoice in God; then no man, no event, can take their joy from them.

Verses 13-15 There shall be a remnant preserved from the general ruin, and it shall be a devout and pious remnant. These few are dispersed; like the gleanings of the olive tree, hid under the leaves. The Lord knows those that are his; the world does not. When the mirth of carnal worldlings ceases, the joy of the saints is as lively as ever, because the covenant of grace, the fountain of their comforts, and the foundation of their hopes, never fails. Those who rejoice in the Lord can rejoice in tribulation, and by faith may triumph when all about them are in tears. They encourage their fellow-sufferers to do likewise, even those who are in the furnace of affliction. Or, in the valleys, low, dark, miry places. In every fire, even the hottest, in every place, even the remotest, let us keep up our good thoughts of God. If none of these trials move us, then we glorify the Lord in the fires.

Verses 16-23 Believers may be driven into the uttermost parts of the earth; but they are singing, not sighing. Here is terror to sinners; the prophet laments the miseries he saw breaking in like a torrent; and the small number of believers. He foresees that sin would abound. The meaning is plain, that evil pursues sinners. Unsteady, uncertain are all these things. Worldly men think to dwell in the earth as in a palace, as in a castle; but it shall be removed like a cottage, like a lodge put up for the night. It shall fall and not rise again; but there shall be new heavens and a new earth, in which shall dwell nothing but righteousness. Sin is a burden to the whole creation; it is a heavy burden, under which it groans now, and will sink at last. The high ones, that are puffed up with their grandeur, that think themselves out of the reach of danger, God will visit for their pride and cruelty. Let us judge nothing before the time, though some shall be visited. None in this world should be secure, though their condition be ever so prosperous; nor need any despair, though their condition be ever so deplorable. God will be glorified in all this. But the mystery of Providence is not yet finished. The ruin of the Redeemer's enemies must make way for his kingdom, and then the Sun of Righteousness will appear in full glory. Happy are those who take warning by the sentence against others; every impenitent sinner will sink under his transgression, and rise no more, while believers enjoy everlasting bliss.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 24

This chapter contains a prophecy of calamities that should come upon the whole world, and the inhabitants of it, for their sins; of the preservation of a remnant; of the visitation of the kings of the earth; and of the appearance of Christ in his glory and majesty. The miserable condition of the world, and its inhabitants, especially all within the Romish jurisdiction, is set forth by various phrases, Isa 24:1-4 the causes of which are the transgression and mutation of the laws and ordinances of Christ, Isa 24:5 the effects of which are the cursing and burning of the inhabitants, Isa 24:6 cessation of all joy among them, Isa 24:7-9 and the destruction of their chief city, Rome, Isa 24:10-12 then follows a prophecy of a remnant that shall escape, and be brought into a very comfortable condition, and sing for joy, and glorify God in the midst of the earth, and in the uttermost parts of it, Isa 24:13-16 but it is intimated it shall go ill with others for their perfidy and treachery; fear and danger shall attend them everywhere, Isa 24:16-18 yea, in the issue, the world shall be shaken, and moved and removed, and be utterly dissolved, fall and not rise more, Isa 24:19,20 when the kings and great ones of the earth shall be taken prisoners, and punished by the Lord, Isa 24:21,22 and then Christ shall take to himself his great power, and reign with his people gloriously in the New Jerusalem state, Isa 24:23.