When God destroys sinners and the land

ISAIAH CHAPTER 24

Isaiah tells of the Lord about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland; scattering the people over the face of the earth. Priests and laypeople, servants and masters - none would be spared. Then he foresees the earth drying up and crops withering and no rain. The earth then suffers for the sins of its people because they have twisted the instructions of God.

So all the joys of life will be gone and few will survive. But all who are left will shout and sing for joy and those in the west will praise his name. And the eastern land will give him glory and so too the coastlands. But the heart of the Lord is heavy with grief and he is discouraged for evil still prevails. Terror and traps and snares will exist and those who flee will fall into a trap and those who escape a trap will fall into a snare. For the world will be shaken and everything is lost and confused.

In that day, the Lord will punish the fallen angels in the heavens and proud rulers of the nations of earth. They will be rounded up and put in prison until they are tried and condemned. Then the Lord Almighty will mount his throne on Mount Zion. He will rule gloriously in Jerusalem, in the sight of all the leaders of his people. There will be such glory that the brightness of the sun and moon will seem to fade away.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Chapters 24 thru 27 are called "Isaiah's Apocalypse". They show God's judgement on the entire world for its sin. These chapters discuss the last days when God will judge the whole world and at that time he will permanently end all evil.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? It was interesting to see that God does not only eliminate the people who sinned, but also eliminated the land which suffered from the lawbreaking. Don't you see the effects of our sins today which shows in air pollution, contamination of our waters, crime and poverty in our streets. These things are the way sin manifests itself on people and on the land and seas around us. We can slow our society's deterioration by helping to renounce sin, speak out against immoral practices and share the word of the Lord. You too can be a "light in the darkness". Shine your light for all the world to see!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Pray for Gabe. Pray for Logan during her difficult pregnancy.
Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.