Bible Study on Foreshadow of the Desolation of Judah (Isaiah 24:1-13) (Thesis Sample)

Bible Study on Foreshadow of the Desolation of Judah
(Isaiah 24:1-13)
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Introduction
The principle study verses for today’s lesson is based on the events and occurrences foreshadow on the desolation of Judah and Jerusalem as stated on Isaiah 24:1-13. The central theme of the bible passage to be studied focuses is The Prophesy of a great destruction and desolation that was to occur to Judah and Jerusalem as a result of them polluting their God-given land. During the course of the lesson, we should be able to note and understand the key points and illustrations used in the passage. We should also be able to have an understanding on what had transpired before that led to the making of such announcement on the desolation of Judah and Jerusalem. During the course of the lesson, we will be able to discuss the significance and how we can apply this bible message today in our Christian lives.
Events leading to the Formulation of this Prophesy
We can examine the events that illustrated the spiritual and moral condition of the land from the study of the Kings that ruled over the land during this period. The Judean Kings that ruled over the area were not faithful to Jehovah God. Even during the reign of the few who served God, such as King Jotham, Some Israelites still continued to serve foreign gods. A description of the condition of the land in 2Kings 21:11-15 show that evilness ruled over the land. Also, its moral and religious conditions were worse than when the Canaanites had ruled it before it was given to the Israelites. Therefore, would Jehovah play favourites and show obedience of persons? He declares to rain a calamity over the land, and wipe out its inhabitants, similar to the way one wipes a handleless bowl clean, wiping it clean and turning it upside down. All those impressions illustrate how frustrated God was about the inhabitants of the land, He solemnly swears to clean it up.
A flashback on the conditions of the Covenant between God and Israelites (Exodus 24:3-8)
Recall that the Israelites has willingly engaged in a covenant with God about 800 years before Isaiah’s day. That agreement would hold only if the Israelites agreed to abide by God’s commandments. They would receive God’s blessings if they abode by his commandments, and would lose God’s blessings in times that they went astray. The promises were true, as the nation received vast blessings during the times when they followed God’s commandments. Hence, the area was once described in Deuteronomy 27:3 as “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
During the making of the covenant between God and this nation, as they were about to get into the Promised Land, they were told that the Canaanites were being dispossessed as a result of their religious corruption. They were cautioned against copying the same bloodthirsty, immoral pagan religion as the consequences would be dire to them, just the same way it was dire to the Canaanites. The polluted and nauseated land would, therefore, vomit them out to cleanse itself. However, the Israelites ignored the warning; and were vomited out as stated in that prophesy.
The First fulfilment (Read Isaiah 24:1)
In this scripture, Isaiah begins his prophesy by stating, “Behold, the LORD [Jehovah] will lay waste the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.” This prophesy comes to fulfilment many years later when the Babylonian army, under King Nebuchadnezzar march to Jerusalem in 607 B.C. They destroy the city and the temple. It is also fulfilled when inhabitants of Judah are wiped out by sword, famine and plague. The land is left desolate as most Jewish subsister are taken captive into Babylon; the few left in the aftermath flee to other neighbouring countries, such as Egypt. Not even the domestic animals remain there. The remains of the land of Judah are ruins, inhabited only by wild animals and birds.
The treatment Israelites are to receive in captivity
In Israel, there were distinctions or classes of people, there were priests, the rich, the poor, servants among others. However, will anyone in Judah receive discriminatory treatment during this coming judgement? The preceding to verses in today’s lesson illustrate the treatment Israelites were to receive. Read Isaiah 24:2, 3. At this moment of judgement, not even one’s wealth, or temple privileges are to make any difference. No exceptions are to be made in the judgement since the land is so corrupted that everyone from any class, be it a master, servants or priests who survive the incident are to be taken into exile.
People of the land had disobeyed God’s laws and violated the statutes issued to protect them. They had broken the law covenant given to them through Moses and was to last till an indefinite, concealed time. The law was to safeguard the Israelites till the time of Messiah’s coming. However, their continual failure to abide by the rules of the covenant had the consequence of their removal from the land, into Babylon as captives.
No mercy to be shown,“Initial Withering being of the High ones”
The next three verses illustrates more about this prophesy. Read Isaiah 24:4-6. God’s judgement is to show no mercy. Isaiah takes note on the way the people of Israel had degraded God’s standards. They had frequently failed to keep the indefinitely lasting covenant. They had also regularly broke the laws, and the state of the land was filthy before God. Hence, God’s wrath is to fall on the land, they will be sent off from the land, and that forthcoming judgement is to show no mercy. In order to illustrate how merciless the judgement would be, the prophesy continues and states that the first to wither are to be the high ones. This might have been the outcome of bad rulership that the kings practiced. They are the ones who led Israelites astray most of the times, and led the persecution the minority who were still faithful to God, such as prophet Isaiah.
This prophesy comes into fulfilment when Judean Kings are made at first made vassals by the Egyptian Kingdom. Later, when the Babylonian army invades Jerusalem, King Jehoiachin’s royal family become the first to be taken into captivity.
Rejoicing departs the land
Israel was an agricultural society, as illustrated by the farming they practiced, the mentioning of harvests, and fruits in the scripture. The law also forbade working on the farm on a Sabbath day. The land was full of joy in times that the Israelites were in good terms with God. The three spiritual festivals were organized to coincide with the harvesting seasons. Also, a successful vintage was always considered to be as a result of God’s blessings on the nation. However, rejoicing departs the land as a result of their disobedience. Read Isaiah 24: 7-12. At this point, rejoicing departs the land when the vines produce no grapes and vineyards begin to whither, a symbol that shows that Jehovah has removed his blessings from the people of Israel. Isaiah appropriately illustrates the withdrawal of happiness from the land with withering of the vineyards to exemplify the conditions that would come into being when God withdrew his blessings from the nation.
Finally, Isaiah represents the aftermath of the desolation in Isaiah 24:13 (read). Similar to the way some fruits remain on olive tree or vineyards after a harvest, Isaiah symbolizes that there will be survivors in that upcoming judgement.
Lessons Christians can garner from this Prophesy
Christians today live in a similar times as those of Isaiah. The world has been polluted, both physically, morally and spi...