Isaiah 24:1-13: a reflection

1Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants. 2It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest. 3The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for the LORD has spoken this word. 4The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish. 5The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. 7The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh. 8The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases. 9They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it. 10The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in. 11There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone. 12The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction. 13For it will be so within the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.

Isaiah describes a sweeping judgment upon the earth, and one of its striking features is how it falls upon everyone alike, regardless of station. It will be, he says, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the debtor, so with the creditor. No rank, no wealth, no position exempts anyone; the judgment levels all, coming upon the high and the low, the strong and the lowly, the same.

Notice how the judgment makes no distinction of status. In ordinary life, position, wealth, and rank make great differences between people; the master is not treated as the servant, nor the creditor as the debtor. But before God's judgment, these distinctions fall away; priest and people, master and servant, rich and poor stand alike, all accountable, none exempt. The things that divide and rank us in this world give no exemption before God.

That is a leveling and sobering truth. We are prone to think that some people, the important, the wealthy, the influential, stand on different ground before God than the ordinary and the lowly; and we may quietly count ourselves safer or more deserving because of our own position. But before God, all stand alike, all accountable, none exempt by status. This humbles the high and, in a way, comforts the low, for all are on level ground before God. Do not trust in any position or advantage to exempt you before God, nor look down on others as beneath you; all of us stand alike before him, equally accountable and equally in need of his grace. Come to God not on the ground of your status, which gives no exemption, but on the ground of his mercy, which all alike need.

Lord, Isaiah describes a judgment that falls on all alike, priest and people, master and servant, rich and poor, so that no rank or position exempts anyone. Sober me with that leveling truth. I am prone to think that some people, the important, the wealthy, stand on different ground before you than the ordinary and the lowly; and I may quietly count myself safer or more deserving because of my own position. But before you, all stand alike, all accountable, none exempt by status. The things that divide and rank us in this world give no exemption before you. Humble me if I am high, and keep me from looking down on others as beneath me; and comfort me if I am low, for all are on level ground before you. Help me come to you not on the ground of my status, which gives no exemption, but on the ground of your mercy, which all alike need. We all stand before you the same; have mercy on me.