24:4Isaiah 24:4

The verse describes the final scenes of earth's history at the great judgment day, when the earth and the world mourn and fade away and the proud inhabitants languish with them under desolation.ED 180.1–2+2 Its time of trouble comes just before Christ's second coming, when the spirit of war stirs the world and the shadows of coming events already cause the earth to tremble and hearts to fail.ED 180.1–2+1 The mourning unfolds amid calamities that grow more frequent and disastrous, with disaster, famine, pestilence and destruction sweeping away harvests, tainting the air, ruining cities, and striking by sea and land through fire, storm, flood and earthquake upon both man and beast.CH 493.1+4 This desolation comes because the inhabitants have defiled the earth by transgressing the laws, changing the ordinance and breaking the everlasting covenant, so God withdraws His protecting care and prospering hand and Satan is allowed to work through the elements and gain control of those not specially guarded.ED 180.1–2+4 The same decline is hastened by violation of the laws of health, yet the cleansing judgments increase in power in stages to bring people to repentance.Lt 21, 1904, par. 11–14+1 The languishing also pictures those sunk to the lowest degradation by worldly pollution, strong drink and bodily lusts, who cannot restore themselves but remain prisoners of hope to be reached with the call to come to God and Christ's invitation.Ms 103, 1900, par. 5–6+1

The verse portrays the great final scenes in the history of the world and the great judgment day, when the earth and the world mourn and fade and languish away and the haughty people of the earth languish with them under devastation.ED 180.1–2+3 The punishment it reveals is coming and near, with the earth made empty and waste, turned upside down, its inhabitants scattered, and those who dwell in it left desolate.ED 180.1–2+1 Its events are already casting their shadows before, and the sound of their approach makes the earth tremble and men's hearts fail for fear.ED 180.1–2

Its scenes of trouble take place just before Christ's second coming, when the world is stirred with the spirit of war.9T 14.2–15.4 The prophecy of Daniel 11 has nearly reached complete fulfilment.9T 14.2–15.4

The mourning and fading come amid disaster, famine, pestilence, calamity, disease, desolation and destruction that grow more frequent and disastrous.CH 493.1+3 These worsening calamities before the second coming include storms and earthquakes, and Satan exercises power through these disasters.RH Mar 14, 1912+1 The earth wastes under calamity and its proud people suffer with it.GC88 589.1–590.1

The destruction falls upon both man and beast through increasing disasters in the last days.GC 589.2–3+1 The ripening harvest is swept away so that famine and distress follow, a deadly taint is imparted to the air so that thousands perish by pestilence, animals groan, and populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation.GC 589.2–3+2 There are accidents and calamities by sea and by land, great conflagrations, fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves and earthquakes, with visitations becoming more and more frequent and disastrous, and in them the earth mourns and fades away and the haughty people of the earth languish.GC 589.2–3+1

The earth is defiled under its inhabitants and left desolate under a devouring curse because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, and broken the everlasting covenant.ED 180.1–2+4 For that cause the curse devours the earth and those who dwell in it are left desolate, wasted and withering under calamity, disaster, famine, pestilence and destruction that grow more frequent and disastrous.ED 180.1–2+4 With that desolation the mirth of tabrets comes to an end, the noise of them that rejoice ceases, and the joy of the harp ceases.ED 180.1–2+1

As men rebel against His law, God withdraws His blessings, His protecting care and His prospering hand, and removes His hedge from those who rebel and teach and force others to do the same.SG4 122.2–123.2+4 Satan is then allowed to work through the elements as far as he is allowed, gaining control of all whom God does not especially guard.RH Mar 14, 1912+3 He favors and prospers some to further his designs while bringing trouble, disease and disaster upon others, sweeping away harvests, tainting the air, and working in accidents and calamities by sea and land, and he leads men to believe that God is afflicting them, even appearing as a great physician.GC 589.2–3+2 The earth's decline and human degeneracy also result from violating the laws of health, when continued disobedience brings the curse and God's prospering hand is withdrawn.SG4 122.2–123.2

The cleansing judgment that makes earth and its proud inhabitants languish and fade comes in stages, increasing in power to bring people to repentance.Lt 21, 1904, par. 11–14 The languishing also identifies people brought to the lowest depths and degradation by worldly pollution and corruption, strong drink, indulgence and bodily lusts.Ms 103, 1900, par. 5–6+1 Even those once wealthy or highly educated may sink into that degradation, and those so degraded cannot restore themselves.Ms 103, 1900, par. 5–6+1 Yet they remain prisoners of hope and are to be reached with the call to come to God and with Christ's invitation.Ms 103, 1900, par. 5–6+1