Isaiah Speaks

On World Calamity

By Dan Baxley

Isaiah is not the only prophet with strong words of warning but when you realize Isaiah is speaking as if YHWH, the God of Israel, is speaking and these are not the words of Isaiah but of the Living God, Creator, Savior, we should feel the shiver run through out souls.  What is written down by Isaiah is something that has not happened, yet, but is coming.  Much of what Isaiah wrote is meant for a time in the future, as is a lot of what other Prophets of the Scriptures have recorded as coming from YHWH.

   I will attempt to expand upon some of what Isaiah has written, not to make new words but to help the modern mind to understand why a repentant attitude is a must.  There will be plenty of “scoffers”, you do not need to be one of them. 

   You are invited to think for yourself -- all questions and new insights are encouraged –  email:  servant@yahshuaservant.com

   Now, let’s have a look at what Isaiah wrote, from the God of Israel and Savior of mankind, spiritually as well as physically –

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 (Scriptural quotes from NIV)

(Isa 24:1)  See, the LORD (YHWH) is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants—

   There are those that would have you believe these devastating remarks, (threats?) are symbolic.  The commentators do not always say this or that is a “symbol”, no, they just tell you what it means and it never means what it says.  Okay, let’s look at an example from a famous commentator:

Barne’s Notes, on Isaiah 14:1: “Maketh the earth empty - That is, will depopulate it, or take away its inhabitants, and its wealth. The word ‘earth’ here (???  'a¯rets) is used evidently not to denote the whole world, but the land to which the prophet particularly refers - the land of Judea. It should have been translated the land (see Joe_1:2). It is possible, however, that the word here may be intended to include so much of the nations that surrounded Palestine as were allied with it, or as were connected with it in the desolations under Nebuchadnezzar.”

  My Note: This remark concerning “earth” means the whole “earth” and not to be confused with only the “land” of Israel as is assumed here.  How can I say that? 

Genesis 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

    You will see the same exact word used by our Creator in describing the whole world, not just a small part of it.  When we check Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary we see the same word for “earth” used in both places.  No one would suggest that in the beginning our Creator only made part of the earth. 

    (Strong’s #H776 -- From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): -  X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.)

(Isa 24:2)  it will be the same for priest as for people, for master as for servant, for mistress as for maid, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor.

   This verse reminds me of Revelation 6:15-16 where we see a calamity coming on the whole earth from which no one is exempt from what is to come.  I’m thinking this is the same event described Isaiah mentions and if this is so it makes one point clear – everyone will be struck by this worldwide (earthly) event, preachers, priests, servants, mistress  -- everyone.

(Isa 24:3)  The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The LORD (YHWH) has spoken this word.

(Isa 24:4)  The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish.

(Isa 24:5)  The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant.

   We are told we are under the New Covenant now and the Scriptures of the Old Testament laws and statutes are done away are nullified.  Is this what our Savior taught? 

   YaHshua Speaks –

(Mat 5:17-19)  Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.   I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.  Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

   How is the earth defiled?  Read Isaiah 24:5 again.  I heard it said once, that people like me live in the Old testament.  The people like me are in good company, not only the company of YaHshua but of His Apostles also.  Read what Paul has to say about his battle with sin in his life and what he thought and taught about the LAW – Romans 7 – Read it in full context not just the selected verses as some do, read the whole and you will see, he never says the Law is done away or abolished but instead he calls it “holy and good”.  We need to remember, the Apostles all taught from the Hebrew Scriptures of the day, the New  Testament writings were not yet compiled.  What is called the New Testament is actually four Gospel accounts followed by a short historical account of the first century Church followed by the letters of the Apostles then finished off by a book very similar to the books written by the prophets of the Old testament – the book of Revelation.  Read the beginning of this Book of Revelation and you see it is not the Book of John but the Book of YaHshua and the message is from His Father, our Heavenly Father.  This is very similar to other messages delivered to a Prophet who then records it.  Just as we see in Isaiah, he speaks but not for himself.  These words are from YHWH (YaHWeH).

(Isa 24:6)  Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.

(Isa 24:7)  The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan.

(Isa 24:8)  The gaiety of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the revelers has stopped, the joyful harp is silent.

(Isa 24:9)  No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers.

(Isa 24:10)  The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred.

(Isa 24:11)  In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all gaiety is banished from the earth.

(Isa 24:12)  The city is left in ruins, its gate is battered to pieces.

(Isa 24:13)  So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.

   “Among the nations”?  This is the verse that supports the “whole earth” opinion as opposed to only a portion of “land”.  Notice the rest of the wording.  An olive tree is beaten to get its fruit to fall, this action rattles and shakes the tree violently and the “gleanings” after a grape harvest is the result of trhe vines being ravaged.  See the article, Great Quake of Revelation 6.

(Isa 24:14)  They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the LORD's (YHWH) majesty.

   Now we see a glimmer of hope coming out of these earth shaking events. 

(Isa 24:15)  Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea.

(Isa 24:16)  From the ends of the earth we hear singing: "Glory to the Righteous One." But I said, "I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!"

(Isa 24:17)  Terror and pit and snare await you, O people of the earth.

(Isa 24:18)  Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare. The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake.

(Isa 24:19)  The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken.

(Isa 24:20)  The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls--never to rise again.

(Isa 24:21)  In that day the LORD (YHWH) will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.

(Isa 24:22)  They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days.

(Isa 24:23)  The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD (YHWH) Almighty will reign on MountZion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously.

   This, along with Zechariah 14 is how we know YHWH and YaHshua are one and the same  See the article, YaHshua is YaHWeH for more on this revealing look at our Savior and His point of origin.