Sunday, July 1, 2018

Judgment and salvation

Isaiah 24:1-23
See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate(蹂躪) it; The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered.
The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.
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.
From the particular - God's judgment on specific nations - we move to the universal; the time when God will judge the whole world and everyone in it. Life will not go on for ever just as it is. One day God will step in and end the world as we know it. There will be a shaking of the foundations, and the world, weighed down by sin, will collapse. Isaiah was in no doubt about this. Neither was Jesus.
But God's purpose is not just to condemn. One chapter(24) on judgment is followed by three(25-27) on rescue and saving.
Why?
Because of the sins so the earth are devastated, the earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered.
So the judgment of the Lord will come and finally God will rule over this world again.
God's glory will be exalted from the east, means new people in the east nations.
How?
God is the sovereign Lord, do not surprise to the bad news on the world. God has his judgment and salvation.

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