What Happens To God's People When Judgment Comes Upon The Earth

As I watch things get very dark in my country (America) and the world as a whole I always live between two poles of thought. Judgment must come to the land and what about God's people when it comes? 

Isaiah 25 is the answer. 

In this chapter, Isaiah is able to praise God after the judgment he has declared will come from God in Isaiah 24. 

Isaiah 25:1–2 (ESV) 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. 2 For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners’ palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.

Notice the language of the prophet. He speaks of the LORD as "MY God". And when He is YOUR God, you don't have to stress over His judgments, you can rejoice over His righteousness. Because the Lord is strong in judgment, ruthless nations fear Him and His people can take cover in Him. 

Isaiah writes:

Isaiah 25:3–5 (ESV) Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. 4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall, 5 like heat in a dry place. You subdue the noise of the foreigners; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down.

Then, after the judgment of the nations who rebel against Him, the Lord will establish a place for His people to receive the rich food He offers in His word and through His presence. 

Isaiah 25:6 (ESV) On this mountain 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.

Even more, the Lord will wipe out that which hangs over our heads - death and sorrow. Isaiah uses the imagery of a veil in the next verses to illustrate:

Isaiah 25:7–8 (ESV) And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 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 from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 24-25 layout the exact order John uses in Revelation. After the tribulation will come the culmination of life everlasting for the people of God. 

Revelation 21:4 (ESV) He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

God's people will be protected and shielded from the judgment that is to come! And that is why Isaiah can rejoice. He knows His own and He will bring them through what is to come upon the world. 

So what is our response in the meantime? Notice what Isaiah stipulates in verse 9:

Isaiah 25:9 (ESV) It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

First, we wait. We know He is in charge and He will save us. Second, we speak. Now is the time to share the good news and be agents of salvation from the judgment to come for anyone who will hear. And finally, we rejoice. We gather as God's people on the first day of the week knowing that the finished work of salvation is complete and the coronation of our king is soon to come. We must stay awake and vigilant in these things lest the enemy or busyness of life cause us to fall asleep.