Please explain Isaiah chapter twenty-four.

From Isaiah 13 to Isaiah 23, the prophecy of Isaiah proclaims nine burdens. Each burden is connected to a place and the burden has to do with the coming judgment on that country and/or place. Here are the nine burdens:

1. The burden of Babylon (Isaiah 13:1The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
   See All...); notice that the first burden begins at chapter 13, a number often used to denote rebellion.
2. The burden of Moab (Isaiah 15:1The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;
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3. The burden of Damascus (Isaiah 17:1The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
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4. The burden of Egypt (Isaiah 19:1The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
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5. The burden of the desert of the sea (Isaiah 21:1The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
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6. The burden of Dumah (Isaiah 21:11The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
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7. The burden upon Arabia (Isaiah 21:13The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
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8. The burden of the valley of vision (Isaiah 22:1The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
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9. The burden of Tyre (Isaiah 23:1The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
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In scripture, the number nine is related to fruit (as in the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of one's labors). The nine burdens of Isaiah 13-23 bring forth fruit in Isaiah 24. This chapter powerfully proclaims God's judgment on the earth. However, although the historical judgment of these nations may partially fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 24, the destruction described here is much too severe to have been totally fulfilled in the past. Consider the following statements taken out of the chapter:

1. "Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof" (Isaiah 24:1Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
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2. "The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled" (Isaiah 24:3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
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3. "Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left" (Isaiah 24:6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
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4. "for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake" (Isaiah 24:18And 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.
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5. "The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly" (Isaiah 24:19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
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6. "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard" (Isaiah 24:20The 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.
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These passages and others clearly point to the time of great tribulation.

This is a time in the future when the wrath of God will be poured out upon the earth. Revelation 6:17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
See All... states, "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Revelation 16:1And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
See All... adds, "And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth." The destruction of the earth as described in Isaiah 24 must either be the time of tribulation or the final destruction of the earth after the thousand year reign. However, a couple of details at the end of the chapter limit the events to the tribulation. Consider these verses:

• Isaiah 24:21And 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.
  See All... And 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.
• Isaiah 24:22And 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.
  See All... And 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.

In that day, the Lord will gather the wicked together and shut them up in prison as prisoners. Then, "after many days shall they be visited." That is, they will be brought out to receive their judgment. The "many days" would be the thousand year reign of Christ. The visitation of the prisoners after those days would match the great white throne judgment (see Revelation 20:1-11 [1] And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. [2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [3] And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. [4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. [5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. [7] And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, [8] And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. [9] And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. [10] And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. [11] And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
See All...). Notice also the last verse of Isaiah 24.

• Isaiah 24:23Then 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.
  See All... Then 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.

This time of judgment and destruction on the earth leads up to the time "when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem."

This happens during the kingdom age; that is, the thousand year reign of Christ. This pinpoints the events of Isaiah 24 as a description of events during the tribulation.