The earth is filled with violence and destruction today. Hatred, wars, terrorism and large scaled devastation are in front of our eyes daily. The spiritual and physical degeneration of men is on exhibit all around us. The prophet Isaiah saw similar situations, and gave us much food for thought. Isaiah prophetically saw the ruin of earth and its inhabitants, but also showed us the opposing move of God. We will be looking in Isaiah 24 and 25.
In Chapter 24, great devastation has come upon the whole earth. The cause of this wasting is the corruption of man:
"The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; the haughty people of the earth languish. The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance (engraved, inscribed commandments, prescribed limit, set time), broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left." Isa. 24:4-6
In Isaiah's vision, because of man's pride and wickedness, a curse has come to the earth to destroy it. However, spiritually, in the midst of the devastation, a cry and a song go forth to glorify the majesty of the LORD:
"Therefore glorify the LORD in the dawning light (KJV: "in the fires"; Hebrew: "Owr"- from the East which is the region of light, the original light of creation, revelation, root: to shine, become brighter), the name of the LORD God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: "Glory to the righteous!" (v. 15-16).
Isaiah reveals that this exalted praise comes in the middle of the devastation. It is born out of the light, the "owr" light of Christ, the same light that He commanded His disciples to be, and the "owr" light of revelation.
However, Isaiah sees something that interrupts this moment of spiritual rebirth for him. He is horrified by what he sees. He cries, "I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously." (v. 16). The Hebrew word used here for "treacherous", and "treacherously", is the word bagad. The pictographic meaning of each of the letters of the word could mean "a house within which is gathered those whose way of life is self-willed and proud". The translated meaning of the word bagad is: transgressor, deceitfully, unfaithful man, offend, to be covered or act covertly and fraudulently, to oppress, to afflict, perfidy (meaning: fraudulent, deceptive, covert methods used in order to attack, and do violence on the unsuspecting). We especially see perfidy today in the form of terrorism, which operates under various agendas: political, social, religious, racial, economic, financial. It is terrorism, or perfidy, committed by individuals, groups, nations. Not only are there natural terrorists committing perfidy, but spiritual as well. Jesus warned of those who are inwardly ravening wolves, who come among the flocks of believers disguised in sheep's clothing (Mt. 7:15-16). These are false prophets (religious imposters; uttering falsehoods under the name of divine prophesies), according to Christ, with an agenda of destruction, however, we are able to identify them by their fruits. Satan, himself, is the king of perfidy, disguising himself as an angel of light in order to destroy God's people (2 Cor. 11:14-15).
Isaiah's eyes are drawn in terror and hopelessness to this treachery of men. However, the LORD assures Isaiah and us that He has already ordained His opposition:
"Fear (pakhad: sudden alarm, great terror, the fear God causes, God as the object of fear and reverence, revere, tremble, make shake)) , and the pit (pakhath: to dig a hole in a path to catch animals), and the snare (pakh:calamities, to spring a net, that by which anyone falls, to plot against anyone, a sheet of lightning) are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall be that he who flees from the noise (voice, crying out in a loud voice of joy or sorrow) of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken." v. 17-18
Those who are treacherous have already been prophetically caught, and will not find escape from their ordained future. Jesus spoke of the Day of the LORD coming upon the whole earth like a snare, or "pakh" in Hebrew. God's people must be watchful, He warned, and pray that they escape from these snares meant to capture and destroy the treacherous. God's people are meant instead to be worthy to stand before the Son of man (Lk. 21:31-36).
In Chapter 25 of Isaiah, once again, because God has already planned and determined the end of those who bring the devastating curse upon the earth, great and magnifying praise is declared:
"O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels (purpose, plan, devise, determine) of old (distance, long ago, remote) are faithfulness and truth...therefore the strong people will glorify You;,,,for You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat..." Isa. 25:1-4 (excerpt)
The praise here has its source in the fact that God has already done the work. His plan and purpose was set in motion and accomplished in past time and distance. That plan if faithful and it is true, and it will come to pass. The fear that God uses against the treacherous ones is the noise, or sound of a voice. One of the great sounds of a voice is the sound of praise, whether from heaven, or from the earth. In many instances of terror and despair, King David lifted his voice in praise to God, his Deliverer (example: Psalm 57).
The prophet in Chapter 25 exposes "the terrible nations", and "the terrible ones" (v. 3-5). The Hebrew word here is arets. It is translated: oppressor, violent, striking terror, terrifying, ruthless, harass. However, these "terrible ones" have been disarmed and made powerless like a strong wind that blows ineffectually against a wall (v. 3-5). How has the Almighty God already defeated these terrible ones? He overcame the terror of their most powerful weapon - He overcame death itself:
"He will swallow up death forever, and the LORD God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, "Behold this is our God...this is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." v. 8-9 (excerpt)
When I first read these two chapters from Isaiah, my eyes were on the devastation of the curse, the treacherous ones, and the terrible ones. I almost missed the overcoming praise, and the victory obtained in God's plan formed from before the beginning. He sent Christ to disarm the power of the enemy, and as Christ comes again, His prepared snare will capture those who are determined to deal very treacherously.
The suffering is great, but the majesty is even greater. The Terror has indeed come to the earth, but it can never overcome the power of the light of Christ, which is also the light inside each of us. It is very easy for our eyes to be caught in the Terror, but that is not the place where the power of God resides. Be caught up into the majesty, and the praise, and the omniscient counsels of old, instead. As we see the Terror all around, the place of praise is also sounding. The Book of Revelation shows us that as seals, trumpets, bowls of wrath, and thunders are being released upon the earth from heaven, the greatest praise ever heard is also coming forth. Now, more than ever, it is the time to press into the presence of our Father. Receive His Son in a new, deeper way, because worthy is the Lamb:
"And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings
And priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth."
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,:
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory, and blessing!"
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them saying:
"Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"
Rev. 5:9-13 (Listen Here)
Be reconciled anew with the Father through His Son. Don't let Terror pull your eyes away from the One Who overcame the world (Jn. 16:33, 1 Jn. 4:4). During these days, there are many important things required from the people of God, but sometimes, in the midst of the Terror, we forget the beauty and power of praise, as revealed here by Isaiah. Disarm Terror's power by keeping your eyes and praise even more so on the finished work of our Father, and of His Son, and of His Holy Spirit.
Our Father has already seen it, known it, provided for it, and done it.
"I Will Praise You in This Storm"
