Overthrow
of the powers of wickedness in the heavenlies and on the
earth
Chapter 24 sets before us
the overturning of everything in the earth. The land of
Israel is first in view. But there all the elements of
all the systems of this world will be gathered together
and judged. We have already remarked that this extends to
the judicial overthrow of the power of wickedness in the
heavenlies, as well as of the kings of the earth upon the
earth: the succeeding chapters shew us with what intent.
Without it the evil would not be set aside and put a stop
to. Hence when Christ rides into Jerusalem in Luke it is
said, "peace in heaven." For till the power of
evil is set aside thus, any blessing established on the
earth is soon corrupted and fades.
Before examining them, let
us retrace the objects of the judgments we have spoken
of; let us retrace them in their moral order. We have
Babylon, the power of organised corruption, where the
people of God are captive; the public open enemy of God
and His people—the Assyrian; the inward
enemy—the Philistine; then Moab, the pride of man.
Damascus is that which has been the enemy of God's
people, but allied with the apostate part of that people
against the faithful part. From all these the people are
delivered. Afterwards we find, under judgment, Egypt, or
the world in its state of nature, the wisdom of which is
lost in confusion; Babylon, now desert in the midst of
the nations; Dumah, the liberty, the independence, of
man; Jerusalem, the professing people; Tyre, the glory of
the world; and, finally, all that is on the earth, and,
to sum up all power, spiritual wickedness in the heavenly
places, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
Isaiah 24 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Chapter 24 sets before us the overturning of everything in the earth. The land of Israel is first in view. But there all the elements of all the systems of this world will be gathered together and judged. We have already remarked that this extends to the judicial overthrow of the power of wickedness in the heavenlies, as well as of the kings of the earth upon the earth: the succeeding chapters shew us with what intent. Without it the evil would not be set aside and put a stop to. Hence when Christ rides into Jerusalem in Luke it is said, "peace in heaven." For till the power of evil is set aside thus, any blessing established on the earth is soon corrupted and fades.
Before examining them, let us retrace the objects of the judgments we have spoken of; let us retrace them in their moral order. We have Babylon, the power of organised corruption, where the people of God are captive; the public open enemy of God and His people—the Assyrian; the inward enemy—the Philistine; then Moab, the pride of man. Damascus is that which has been the enemy of God's people, but allied with the apostate part of that people against the faithful part. From all these the people are delivered. Afterwards we find, under judgment, Egypt, or the world in its state of nature, the wisdom of which is lost in confusion; Babylon, now desert in the midst of the nations; Dumah, the liberty, the independence, of man; Jerusalem, the professing people; Tyre, the glory of the world; and, finally, all that is on the earth, and, to sum up all power, spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.