Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"I will punish the world for its evil"
Text: Isaiah 13:11
DIVINE PUNITIVE JUDGMENT
Some struggle with the doctrine of God meting out divine punitive judgment. Nevertheless, this is a sobering doctrine that is obviously taught in the Scriptures.
“I will punish the world for its evil,
And the wicked for their iniquity;
I will halt the arrogance of the proud,
And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold,
A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Therefore I will shake the heavens,
And the earth will move out of her place,
In the wrath of the LORD of hosts
And in the day of His fierce anger.”
Isaiah 13:11-13
1. A solemn declaration from God.
a) This prophetic statement comes from the LORD.
b) He solemnly declares that He will mete out punitive judgment.
2. Who are the people who would be judged?
a) All who practise evil.
b) All the wicked who practise iniquity.
c) All who are proud of their arrogance.
d) All who are terrible in their haughtiness.
e) These have shown no remorse or repentance of any kind.
f) Evil and wickedness cannot go unpunished.
3. The punishment would have a very severe toll.
a) Many would die because of this divine judgment.
b) Ophir was reputed to have an abundance of gold.
But still, gold was not easily mined.
c) Survivors of God’s judgment would be rarer than gold.
4. The righteous wrath of God.
a) God will shake:
i) The heavens
ii) The earth
b) This is God’s way of confirming His wrath.
i) It is the wrath of the LORD of hosts.
ii) This wrath would be poured out in the day of the LORD.
iii) It is also called “The day of His fierce anger”.
c) It is wise and correct to practise the fear of the LORD.