Year 9, Day 8: Isaiah 24

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Isaiah’s apocalypse is a fun to chapter to read, isn’t it?  Isaiah reminds us that the Lord will empty the earth.  The Lord will bring judgment upon the whole place.  The rich, the poor, the servant, the master.  All will fall under judgment regardless of one’s station in life.

The odd part of this chapter is the verses in the middle that speak about rejoicing.  Isaiah 24:14-16 tells us about rejoicing.  There are people who will be singing songs of praise as judgment is brought to the earth.  As the Lord is pouring out judgment, there will be songs praising God’s majesty.

Whenever I read that portion of scripture, it always feels out of place.  After all, what kind of people will celebrate at the judgment of the earth?  What kind of being will see fit to rejoice as the world is thrown into mourning?

The answer is simple: the faithful.  There are those who claim to know God but who cannot tolerate His judgment.  There are also people who long for God’s judgment but struggle when God gives us grace.  What God is looking for are a people who long for God’s grace, love, and mercy but who also understand the depravity of humankind and how much we deserve judgment.

The truth is that the faithful person is the one who sees God as righteous.  In His moments of grace, He is righteous.  In His moments of love, He is righteous.  In His moments of judgment, where He is ripping apart the foundations of the earth, He is righteous.  The faithful can sing praises to God even in the darkest moments of existence.

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