Isaiah 24:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished.

NIV: In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.

NASB: There is an outcry in the streets concerning the wine; All joy turns to gloom. The joy of the earth is banished.

CSB: In the streets they cry for wine. All joy grows dark; earth’s rejoicing goes into exile.

NLT: Mobs gather in the streets, crying out for wine. Joy has turned to gloom. Gladness has been banished from the land.

KJV: There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

NKJV: There is a cry for wine in the streets, All joy is darkened, The mirth of the land is gone.

The prophet Isaiah's words here sound familiar because people tend to follow patterns. The Lord's judgment of the earth will leave few left alive (Isaiah 24:6). The destruction has completely killed off the harvest of wine grapes and likely most other plant life (Isaiah 24:7–9). The cities are quiet, desolate ruins: faint echoes of the bustling, brightly lit chaos that used to be normal. People stay inside, behind locked doors, avoiding much interaction (Isaiah 24:10). Until they don't.

Earlier, Isaiah described how loss of wine—a metaphor for all the resources and comfort which have been lost—led to the loss of community gatherings. Now, the people come together to air grievances over these hardships. They may be expressing outrage that some authority hasn't solved this problem. Or it could be that looting and rioting take over as frightened, starved people shout their fury at the sky and each other.

In times like that, it seems no happiness is possible. It's as if joy has been exiled from the world, forbidden to return. In such a world, it seems that sadness is not merely normal; it is the only option. King David described how his own sin led him to live in sorrow, as well:

"For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
and my bones waste away"
–Psalm 31:10.

Sin always results in sorrow and loss of joy, eventually. That may be the most lasting result of the Lord's judgment (Isaiah 24:1). The people are left alone with their thoughts and nothing to numb the pain of their existence apart from the life-giving Lord.

Isaiah 24:1–13 describes the Lord's judgment of all humanity during the end times. This destruction comes in response to human sinfulness. God will bring a calamity on earth that will tear the people from their homes. All will suffer equally. Everything will wither, and the few survivors will be scorched. Music, wine, and joy will end: what's left of civilization will be like the olives missed by workers at harvest.

Isaiah describes terrible judgment the Lord will bring on the earth during the final days. The Lord will twist the surface of the earth, scattering the people. All will suffer equally regardless of status, and the earth will be fully emptied. Everything will wither and languish. The Lord will do this because of human sinfulness against Him. Few will survive, and there will be no wine, music, or gladness. The only exception to this will be the singing of those who praise the Lord. Massive earthquakes will destroy the earth, and the Lord will lock up all who stood against Him before beginning His reign as king.

Chapter 24 follows the oracles of Isaiah against the nations in chapters 13–23. However, this prophecy is against the entire earth. Here, we find the description of the judgment of the Lord on all humanity during the last days. God will destroy the world in response to human sinfulness. He will ruin the face of the earth, causing people to scatter. Few will survive. Wine, music, and gladness will disappear. Earthquakes will destroy the earth. The Lord will gather the powers from heaven and earth and lock them up together before beginning His reign on earth.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).