Isaiah 24:1
Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.
We often have trouble when we see devastation in the world. We struggle to put it in the context of a loving God. The non-believing world certainly has this issue. They see the surface of the earth distorted by weather, quakes or mankind's lack of discipline and they wonder out loud, "Where is God?" They often ask, "If God is loving, how can He allow this to happen?" They even create a philosophy surrounding their empty thoughts. Their philosophical theory sounds something like this: "Either God isn't loving and allows this or He is impotent and can't stop it." Could it be, however, especially in light of the above verse, that the truth is God DOES bring devastation on the earth? Could it be, although they never think this way, that God actually lays the earth waste? In this portion of Isaiah the prophet is proclaiming all the devastation and destruction on the countries and cities who did not treat God's people, Israel, correctly. God will not allow evil people to treat those faithful to Him in a wrong way. God uses evil to correct evil. God uses evil to bring about His plan. When we read the destruction that came upon Job we might not realize it, but God even allowed evil to be used to correct His beloved and acclaimed servant, Job. Notice what happens and how it happens to Job in the following verse:
Job 1:17
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
God allowed Satan to touch Job's "family and things." Satan used the Chaldeans (a wicked group of raiders) to inflict devastation on Job's property. God used the evilness in the hearts of Joseph's brothers to get him to Egypt so he could later save these very brothers. Notice what Joseph himself said to the brothers after he had been imprisoned and falsely accused, but eventually raise to power:
Genesis 50:20
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
God allows evil in this world to accomplish His purpose. He allowed the imprisonment of Paul to get answer Paul's prayer and request to go to Rome. He went to Rome ... in chains as a result of false accusations done by the evilness in the hearts of the religious leaders. God allows evil to devastate our lives for the purpose of accomplishing His plan. This is the truth that Isaiah is prophesying in throughout this section of his message. We can't always wrap our mind around it, but God is using this world's bent on disobeying him and their unwillingness to honor Him, to actually bring Him honor and glory (see further down this chapter in Isaiah 1:12-16). That is a truth we can and should rejoice about. Perhaps to summarize this thought, we only have to read a few verses past our current passage:
Isaiah 24:4-6
The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
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