Isaiah 24:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

NIV: The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant.

NASB: The earth is also defiled by its inhabitants, for they violated laws, altered statutes, and broke the everlasting covenant.

CSB: The earth is polluted by its inhabitants, for they have transgressed teachings, overstepped decrees, and broken the permanent covenant.

NLT: The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted God’s instructions, violated his laws, and broken his everlasting covenant.

KJV: The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

NKJV: The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant.

The prophet answers an unspoken question likely to be on everyone's mind when judgement (Isaiah 24:1–2) comes: Why is this happening? Why has the earth been devastated and laid bare? Why has the world become plundered of nearly all life (Isaiah 24:3–4)?

His answer is simple: Humanity has broken the laws of the Lord. The people of the world have violated God's will. They have broken the "everlasting covenant" with Him. They may have lived in this state of negligence and unbelief for so long that they decided there was no God (Psalm 14:1) who cared about how they lived. His explosive, inexhaustible judgment on the earth will prove them wrong. The Lord will hold His creation accountable for their choices.

Only the nation of Israel was given an explicit formal covenant with God. So how could the entire human race be held accountable for God's laws and covenant? The short answer is that God holds every person accountable according to His own standards. He can hold people accountable because He is God. Paul develops the longer answer in Romans (Romans 1:18–32). It begins like this: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" –(Romans 1:18–20).

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).