7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.
8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
10The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
13When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
15Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
16From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Its all there guys...I don't have time to go into every sentence here but just look at the first sentence of Isaiah 24-the Lord makes the earth empty and waste and flips it upside down scattering the inhabitants abroad. That's strong language from the mouth of the Lord through one of the Lord's own prophets. He said it, its going to happen. Does this jive with the idea of an inbound destroyer that jerks the earth around like a washing machine resulting in massive death destruction and devastation? You bet it does.
The evidence is there for us to see. What this means to this writer is we should be doing the things we already know we should be doing. Re-read Matt 24-25. We must be the wise virgins who are perfectly prepared to wait however long we need to for the Lords return. That is key, we must be prepared to wait. We must also be ready for the Lords return today. These are the lessons from the parable of the virgins and the parable of the talents in Matt 25.
We have no idea how much time is left. It is equally foolish to say that there is no time left as it is to say we have plenty of time left. We don't know. Our task is to be ready to wait forever, and ready to leave the earth today. This is not an easy task. We are walking a very narrow road here that leads to salvation and there are few people on this road (Matt 7:13-28).
What is the Lord saying to the churches today? Be patient AND be ready to leave today. Do not take this writers word for anything. My words are worthless. What does the Lord's Word say? Read Matt 25, the parables of the virgins and the talents. Read the end of Matt 2442Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
These are things this writer believes the Lord is saying to us today. Be watching because the Lord commanded you to. Be ready because the Lord commanded you to. Be patient because the wise virgins have oil in their lamp in preparation to wait. Be ready to leave this earth today because the Lord told us He is coming like a thief to settle accounts with us. Pray and stay in the Word of God because that is your readiness (Eph 6:15).
Keep the faith, grace and peace