Isaiah, the prophet, starts today’s reading with a word against the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon. God will judge this influential marketplace of the world. Then Isaiah moves on to the entire earth. Yes, Isaiah speaks of a time when God visits the whole earth, all nations and peoples, for their wickedness. Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth and scatters the people. Priests and laypeople, servants and masters, maids and mistresses, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, bankers and debtors—none will be spared. The earth will be completely emptied and looted. The Lord has spoken! (Isaiah 24:1–3, NLT)
While this prophecy sounds heavy, it is necessary, much like the flood in Noah’s day was required. In Noah’s day, the earth was so full of wickedness that the thoughts and imaginations of people were only continually evil. The people of the earth then were on a path to utter self-destruction. Isaiah speaks of a time to come much the same, except God will judge with fire, not water. Notice why…only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right. Your kindness to the wicked does not make them do good…the wicked keep doing wrong and take no notice of the Lord’s majesty. (Isaiah 26:9–10, NLT) At some point, God’s kindness and patience become nothing to the wicked, and God must judge.
Amidst all this trouble, what does the prophet say to those who fear the Lord? You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3, ESV) As believers, our minds need not be shaken—keep our minds on Him; in Him is perfect peace!
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Isaiah 23-27.