Isaiah 24:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word.

NIV: The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word.

NASB: The earth will be completely laid waste and completely plundered, for the Lord has spoken this word.

CSB: The earth will be stripped completely bare and will be totally plundered, for the Lord has spoken this message.

NLT: The earth will be completely emptied and looted. The Lord has spoken!

KJV: The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

NKJV: The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, For the Lord has spoken this word.

A great future judgement is coming for the world. The language in this passage is like some of the earlier oracles against the various nations around ancient Israel (Isaiah 13—23). But these harsh words are directed against the entire planet (Isaiah 24:1–2).

Isaiah does not necessarily mean that the population of the planet will be totally wiped out. Instead, the earth will be empty in the context that nothing will grow. Nothing of value will remain. The planet will no longer be able to support humanity—or possibly, even life itself. The world will be dying.

The language used here resembles that of Revelation 6. It is easy to understand the response of the people who would survive this disaster:

"Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'" – Revelation 6:15–16

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).