Isaiah 24:3

The effect of God’s judgement is total. And it will all happen because God has said so.

The terrible state of the earth

v4 The land has become very dry. Nothing will grow. The strong leaders of the people have become weak. v5 These things have happened because people have not obeyed God’s laws. They have broken the ancient agreement between God and his people. That agreement was to last for always. v6 Therefore God has *cursed the land. Its inhabitants are guilty and so they are suffering. Therefore the inhabitants of the land are becoming fewer because of their evil behaviour. v7 The *vines have no water. So there is not enough *wine for people to enjoy. v8 The sound of cheerful music has stopped. Nobody now hears the noise of merry voices. v9 People no longer drink *wine to the sound of happy songs. Beer tastes bitter to people who drink it. v10 Everything in the city is in confusion. People lock the doors of their homes for safety. v11 People shout in the streets because there is no more *wine. Nobody is happy. There is now nothing to cause any joy. v12 Nothing remains of the city’s buildings. The gates of the city are broken into pieces. v13 This is what will happen all over the world. And among all the nations. It will be like the end of harvest. All the fruit has gone. The trees are bare.