The Revelation of the Future Kingdom (Isaiah 24–27)

A world shakes, then a song rises. We open Isaiah 24–27—the Little Apocalypse—and follow its arc from global judgment to a kingdom where the table is set, tears are wiped away, and peace no longer fractures under pressure. This is not doom for doom’s sake; it’s a reckoning that clears space for joy, justice, and the reign of the Messiah. We talk through the collapse of Babylon’s power, the worldwide awakening hinted at in Revelation 7, and the feast in Jerusalem where people from every nation find a seat and a name.

As we move through these chapters, we lean into the lines that anchor weary hearts. Death is swallowed up forever. The reproach of God’s people is taken away. And the words we have waited for him become a banner for those who choose hope over hurry. Isaiah 26 sketches the inner life of that hope: You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. We unpack why trust, not technique, holds the key to peace now—and why the kingdom promises unbroken peace then.

Finally, we trace Isaiah 27’s vision of restoration: Leviathan defeated, Israel renewed, a vineyard tended by God until it blossoms and fills the earth with fruit. Promises kept to Israel remind us that God’s timelines are faithful, not fragile. If you’ve been searching for a sturdy hope—one that can face headlines, heartbreak, and long waiting—this journey through Isaiah offers more than comfort. It offers a calendar: live today in light of that day, when the King reigns and joy stands permanent. If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find this message of hope.

The Christian's Compass is a companion study guide that corresponds to each of these lessons along The Wisdom Journey. Download a copy for free, or cover the cost of printing and shipping and we'll mail you a booklet.

Learn More: https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/the-christians-compass

Learn more at https://www.wisdomonline.org/

Transcript

Introducing Isaiah’s Little Apocalypse

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Today's wisdom journey brings us to chapter 24 in the book of Isaiah, and these next few chapters have actually been called or nicknamed the Little Apocalypse. The word Apocalypse is a Greek term that means revelation, particularly of future events. In fact, that's why the book of Revelation is called the Apocalypse. It describes the future judgments of the tribulation, as well as all those kingdom blessings that are going to follow. In our last study, we looked at all the oracles of judgment against all those nations. Well, now Isaiah shifts here from all those nations surrounding Judah to the entire world which God is going to judge. The message for Judah in Isaiah's day is again to put their trust in the Lord, not those other nations, because they're going to experience God's judgment, if not soon in Isaiah's day, certainly in the end times, tribulation that he now begins to describe. Isaiah's message of that coming judgment is now here in chapter twenty four, and it opens in verse one. Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Now I doubt there's a seismometer that can measure an earthquake that's so powerful that it's going to twist the face of the whole earth. But that's the powerful language Isaiah uses for the trouble that's coming. Listen to this description here in verse three. The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered, for the Lord has spoken this word. The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants, for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt. Well, that's the description of God's judgment that carries us through to the end of this chapter. And I gotta tell you, thankfully, it isn't all gloom and doom. In fact, we're given a vision of a great choir singing here in verse 14. They lift up their voices, they sing for joy over the majesty of the Lord, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the righteous one. Well, the righteous one is a reference to the Messiah, the King, the Lord Jesus. And who are all the people, by the way, singing here in this choir? Well, they are among those who've come to faith in Christ during the tribulation period. A great multitude of Jews and Gentiles, many who've responded to the gospel preached, that's described over in Revelation chapter 7. In fact, the book of Revelation gives us many details of this worldwide spiritual awakening that's going to bring people from every tribe, tongue, and nation to faith in Jesus Christ. Well, now here in Isaiah chapter 25, we're given a description of this millennial kingdom, this 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth promised by the prophets. The redeemed of all time are singing God's praise during Christ's earthly reign. In fact, their words present reasons for every believer, by the way, in every age to sing the Lord's praise, even now. And the first reason is the faithfulness of the Lord. Verse one begins to sing, O Lord, you are my God, I will exalt you, I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you've made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin, the foreigner's palace is a city no more. In other words, we're praising the Lord because he's kept his promise. The city of Babylon, representing Satan's consolidated power during the tribulation, his wicked agenda even now throughout the ages, is finally crushed, Isaiah says. It's never going to be built again. Well, there's another reason to sing, and that's to sing about the fruitfulness of this coming kingdom. Verse six describes the festival, the feasting. On this mountain, that is Jerusalem, the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. Well, all this is a reference to the overflowing blessings of Christ's kingdom. Nobody's going to go hungry, thirsty, nobody will ever be unsatisfied again. In fact, over in Matthew chapter eight, Jesus had promised, many will come from the east and the west and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. I'm looking forward to having a meal, by the way, with Abraham. I'd like to know what it was like to become a father at the age of a hundred. I'd like to know what it felt like for Isaac when he got on top of that altar, willing to die. Well, that's a picture of what we'll experience in the kingdom. Now there's a third reason to sing, and it's the fulfillment of certain promises during the kingdom era. Verse 8 says, He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away. Listen, beloved, this is your future. No matter how hard, no matter how disappointing, no matter how many setbacks and valleys uh you've been through, or how many tears you're shedding even today, you're heading toward a time when life is characterized as a joyful banquet with Jesus. And let me tell you, death will not be invited, sorrow will not be invited, there will be no more farewells. I love the fact that those in the kingdom are saying here in verse 9, we have waited for him that he might save us. This is the Lord. We have waited for him. I love that expression. We've been waiting for him. We've been longing for this glorious, fulfilled life. No more sorrow, tear, separation. And finally, it's all here. Well, chapter uh twenty-six now continues the description of our joy in the kingdom. Verse one refers to that day. That day indicates Isaiah is still speaking of that thousand-year reign, that day of Christ. He says here, in that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah. Now, uh this song here describes two cities. One is the city of Jerusalem, the capital of the coming kingdom, regarding that city. In fact, verse 2 says, The Lord will open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Now being righteous here means being right with God. And being right with God means you're right with the Son of God, the Lord Jesus. You've claimed him as your Messiah. That makes you righteous or right with him. And by the way, if you don't want anything to do with Jesus right now, you'd be very unhappy in this city, because Jesus is the king, and we're going to be celebrating him. We're celebrating our salvation in this day. Isaiah adds here that those who know the Lord have perfect peace. Verse three says, You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Can you imagine a day of perfect peace? Well, we have peace today, but it's just a little taste of peace here and now. In fact, it's hard to keep your minds stayed, uh focused on Christ with all the distractions around you, inside and out. But in in that kingdom, we're going to be glorified. We're going to have perfected immortal bodies, no more sin nature, no more distractions around us. We're finally going to experience unhindered, continual, perfect peace of mind and heart. Wow, that will be wonderful. Now, here in chapter 27, he continues the millennial picture, but now Isaiah focuses on the restoration of believing Israel. Verse 1 informs us that in that day the Lord will punish Leviathan, which is a name used for Satan, by the way. That old dragon, Satan. He has sought ever since the Garden of Eden to destroy God's plan of salvation through Israel. He's done everything possible to stamp out the Messiah. Well, now here he's failed finally at last. Israel is now described as a restored nation. Verse 2, a pleasant vineyard. The Lord is the vineyard's keeper who will water it, verse 3. Israel shall blossom and fill the whole earth with fruit, verse 6. Isaiah writes here in verse 13, in that day those who were driven out, that is the Jewish people, will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. In other words, the people of Israel will finally occupy that special place in Jerusalem. And on that day, again, a reference to the kingdom age in the future, the promises of God to Israel will finally and fully come true. Well, do you know what that means for you and for me today? Well, it means you can't redo yesterday. And it also means that you don't need to worry about tomorrow. What it means is you live today, in light of that coming day when you will literally reign with Christ in his coming kingdom of joy. So today, beloved, and in light of that coming day, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.