24:5Isaiah 24:5

The earth defiled under its inhabitants means the whole earth is morally corrupted and degraded by human sin, losing the reflection of God's character.Lt 416, 1907, par. 6+2 To transgress the laws is to violate God's moral law that governs every part of life and even the motives of the heart, whose perfect obedience would end oppression, crime, suffering and death.ST Oct 22, 1912+2 To change the ordinance and break the everlasting covenant is to trample God's commands while exalting human laws in their place, above all by setting aside His Sabbath and exalting a false sabbath without authority in Scripture.7MR 111.4–112.1+3 Because of this lawlessness the curse devours the earth and its dwellers are left desolate and burned, with rejoicing ended, blessings withdrawn, and disease, disaster and ruin spreading more broadly and frequently.4SP 474.1+4 This describes the world's condition just before Christ's second coming, when the wicked are destroyed, His people are taken to the city of God, and the earth is left empty as a desolate wilderness.4SP 474.1+4

The earth defiled under its inhabitants means the earth itself is morally corrupted and degraded by human sin.Lt 416, 1907, par. 6+2 The defilement is universal, for humanity has lost the reflection of God's character and the earth bears the effects of continuing transgression.Lt 22, 1900, par. 9–10 As sin increases the curse upon the earth increases, and the earth is preparing for purification by fire.Lt 416, 1907, par. 6+1 That universal corruption is reflected in universal misery, which makes medical missionary work necessary.8T 169.1

To transgress the laws is to violate God's moral law, which upholds His government and reaches every part of life, condemning every evil action and demanding perfect obedience.ST Oct 22, 1912+1 The law governs even the motives of the heart, so that selfishness itself is transgression.ST Oct 22, 1912 If it were perfectly obeyed the earth would not be corrupted, for oppression and injustice would not exist, and love, harmony and joy would be seen.ST Jan 9, 1912+1 Instead, disobedience has brought widespread iniquity, crime, suffering and death.ST Oct 22, 1912+1

To change the ordinance is to exalt human laws while God's law is trampled underfoot, and to teach human commandments in place of God's commands.Ms 117a, 1901, par. 22–24+1 Setting aside the Sabbath is a specific example of that change.Ms 106, 1893, par. 5–6 The world would be different if religious teachers revered, taught and practiced God's law instead of leaving the earth defiled by transgression.Ms 117a, 1901, par. 22–24 Disregard for God's law in this way leads to widespread wickedness and to loss of sight of His power and love.Ms 106, 1893, par. 5–6

In Noah's day the pollution of the earth was seen in violence and selfish wrongdoing filling the earth, and God declared that its corruption would be cleansed by the Flood.ST Apr 10, 1901 Sodom illustrates the same defilement, in that corrupt practices spread as people taught them to others until the city's sins brought judgment and destruction upon it.Lt 106a, 1896, par. 7 The verse has also applied to the nation's present calamity, when its inhabitants had forgotten God, turned from His law, trampled it underfoot, broken the everlasting covenant and despised His Sabbath.Ms 5, 1862, par. 3–5+1 In that setting the fourth commandment is the bond joining people to one another and connecting humanity with God.7MR 111.4–112.1

Breaking the everlasting covenant includes disregard for God's commandments handed down through generations, where parents failing to keep the law brings loss of blessing and leaves people opposed to God's purposes.Lt 19, 1893, par. 19–21 The fourth commandment is the bond of the covenant, joining people to one another and connecting humanity with God.7MR 111.4–112.1 Changing the ordinance and disregarding the law takes specific form in setting aside the Sabbath instituted by God and exalting a false, spurious sabbath without authority in Scripture.Ms 106, 1893, par. 5–6+1 Changing God's ordinance means teaching human commandments in place of God's commands, with setting aside the Sabbath as a specific example.Ms 106, 1893, par. 5–6

The defilement comes through the work of the man of sin in exalting the spurious sabbath, joined by a disloyal Protestant world wondering after the beast and by confederated kingdoms sustaining the false institution.RH Feb 6, 1900 In that setting obedience to Jehovah's Sabbath is called disloyalty to the laws of the nations.RH Feb 6, 1900 In contrast to earthly powers polluted by corruption and idolatry in a world filled with wickedness, Jesus obeyed all His Father's commandments.21MR 326.4–327.1 Those who stand firm in defense of God's laws will ultimately be vindicated and crowned conquerors.21MR 326.4–327.1

Disregard for God's law leads to widespread wickedness and loss of sight of His power and love.Ms 106, 1893, par. 5–6 Its sure result is war and bloodshed even among nations claiming to be Christian, as Satanic agencies make the earth a stage for horrors.Ms 39, 1899, par. 17–20+1

Because its inhabitants transgress the laws, change the ordinance and break the everlasting covenant, the curse devours the earth and those dwelling in it are left desolate and burned.4SP 474.1+4 The mirth of tabrets ceases, the noise of rejoicing ends, and the joy of the harp ceases.ED 180.1–2+2 This desolation belongs to the last days before Christ's second coming, when the world stirred with the spirit of war is made empty and waste, turned upside down and scattered, as the prophecy of Daniel 11 has nearly reached complete fulfilment.ED 180.1–2+2 At His coming the wicked over the whole earth are blotted out and destroyed, He takes His people to the city of God, and the earth is left emptied of its inhabitants as a desolate wilderness.4SP 474.1+2

This lawlessness brings God's cleansing judgment on the earth, and the curse and desolation that follow are the sure result of dishonoring the laws of His kingdom.Lt 21, 1904, par. 11–14+1 The corruption of truth and dishonor done to God through this lawbreaking bring the earth under divine judgment when the vials of God's wrath are poured out upon the world.ST Oct 1, 1894+1 God sees human iniquity and is preparing to punish it, while the earth groans under the sins of its inhabitants.Lt 21, 1904, par. 11–14+1

The Christian world has shown contempt for Jehovah's law by rebelling against it and by teaching and forcing others to do the same, so the Lord withdraws His blessings from the earth and removes His protecting care from them.GC88 589.1–590.1+1 God shields His creatures and hedges them from the power of the destroyer, but Satan gains control of all whom God does not especially guard.GC 589.2–3 Continued disobedience brings the curse upon the land itself, and violation of God's constitution and violation of the laws of health removes His prospering hand.SG4 122.2–123.2+1 That removal produces increasing wickedness and disease with physical, mental and moral degeneracy in every successive generation.SG4 122.2–123.2

As transgression spreads the curse extends more broadly and increases.Lt 22, 1900, par. 9–10+2 This is seen in disease in animals whose diseased meat when sold and eaten brings disease to people, while human beings suffer the consequences of departing from the commandments.Lt 59, 1898, par. 9–11+1 The defilement is universal, with humanity having lost the reflection of God's character, and sin has brought decay, deformity and death.Lt 22, 1900, par. 9–10+1 The earth groans under sin and corrupted inhabitants while preparing for purification by fire.Lt 22, 1900, par. 9–10+2

Satan has studied the secrets of nature's laboratories and uses all his power to control the elements as far as allowed in order to garner his harvest of unprepared souls.CH 493.1+1 While appearing as a great physician who can heal all maladies, he exercises his power in every place and in a thousand forms.CH 493.1+2 Through his working the defilement is followed by disease and disaster reducing populous cities to ruin and desolation.CH 493.1+1 These come as accidents and calamities by sea and by land, great conflagrations, fierce tornadoes and hailstorms, tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves and earthquakes, the sweeping away of the ripening harvest with famine and distress following, a deadly taint in the air by which thousands perish by pestilence, and destruction upon both man and beast.CH 493.1+3 These visitations become more and more frequent and disastrous before Christ's second coming, accompanying the polluted condition of the earth with famine, pestilence and distress.CH 493.1+4

The defilement of the earth under its inhabitants is the condition of the world just before Christ's second coming, the cause of the great final scenes of world history.ED 180.1–2+3 Those scenes are already casting their shadows before, so that the earth trembles and men's hearts fail for fear.ED 180.1–2 Because the laws have been transgressed, the ordinance changed, and the everlasting covenant broken, the curse devours the earth, those dwelling in it are left desolate, and the mirth of tabrets ceases, the noise of rejoicing ends, and the joy of the harp ceases.ED 180.1–2+2 Calamities and destruction accompany this defilement, with disaster, famine, pestilence and distress coming upon the earth.RH Mar 14, 1912+2 These visitations become more and more frequent and disastrous, with destruction upon both man and beast.RH Mar 14, 1912+1

The Lord makes the earth empty and waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants abroad.ED 180.1–2+2 The world stirred with the spirit of war will be laid waste in this way in the soon-coming scenes of trouble.9T 14.2–15.4 That desolation belongs to the time when the prophecy of Daniel 11 has nearly reached complete fulfilment.9T 14.2–15.4

At Christ's coming the wicked over the whole earth are blotted out and destroyed by Christ, and the earth is emptied of its inhabitants.4SP 474.1+2 Christ takes His people to the city of God and leaves the earth without inhabitants as a desolate wilderness.GC 657.2 The inhabitants become desolate and are burned because the earth is defiled by violating God's laws, altering His ordinance, and breaking His everlasting covenant.4SP 474.1+2 This rebellion bringing curse and desolation culminates in a time of overwhelming strife and destruction when the restrained winds are released.RH Nov 23, 1905

The warning that God's law is disregarded applies amid false theories and Satanic efforts to counter the truth.Lt 48, 1907, par. 21–23+1 It applies especially as the final message of mercy is given and the conflict intensifies.Ms 200, 1903, par. 19 Satan works through deceptive teaching and impressive miracles to make God and Christ seem unimportant and to undermine God's law.Lt 48, 1907, par. 21–23 God's Word, rather than human authority or false teaching, is to be followed when the earth is thus defiled by violation of God's law and setting aside of His authority.Lt 48, 1907, par. 21–23

The ruin of the earth under its defiled inhabitants is seen in men and women brought low by sin and corruption, by strong drink and fleshly indulgence, by harmful habits of eating and drinking and by indulgence in the lusts of the flesh.Ms 103, 1900, par. 5–6+2 Even so brought low they remain prisoners of hope, to be reached with help and with the call to salvation and the gospel.Ms 103, 1900, par. 5–6+1 This same corruption is reflected in universal misery and disease, which makes medical missionary work necessary.Ms 19, 1899, par. 24–26+1 Because the earth is corrupt under its inhabitants, the world's apparent perfection is valueless, while in contrast life hidden in Christ brings happiness and faith working through love purifies the soul.Ms 21, 1895, par. 4–6

Seeing the earth polluted and the mark of Satan upon people, with sin prevalent in disease and misery and in robbery, murder and sensuality, should bring serious concern but not disgust, harshness or censorious criticism.Ms 133, 1902, par. 28+1 Followers of Christ must turn attention away from sin to Jesus, whose love extends even to His enemies, and live under the laws of His kingdom.Ms 62, 1899, par. 9–12 The defilement includes licentiousness and sexual incontinence, and the misery and disease that come from giving free rein to the lower passions.CH 671.2+1 Such indulgence corrupts human nature, mars God's image and defiles the whole person, and wrongdoing practiced under a show of godliness brings especially severe retribution.CH 671.2+2 This is true when ministers use their position and the trust placed in them to lead others into licentiousness and to make transgression of God's law seem righteous, for their profession of holiness makes their guilt greater and they must answer for the souls they led into sin.Ms 9, 1880, par. 27–30+1

In these last days many do not realize what is coming because their minds are beclouded about what constitutes sin.9T 267.1–268.1 To transgress the law and break the everlasting covenant is to be fearfully deceived, to side with those with whom the Lord has a controversy, to misinterpret the messages sent, to clothe oneself in self-righteousness, to count sin as not sinful and to teach falsehood as truth by which many are led astray.9T 267.1–268.1 Those who break the law and covenant will be judged and will receive according to their works.9T 267.1–268.1+1 Unless the deceived make a decided change they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon the children of men, for failing to recognize sin leaves them deceived and unprepared.9T 267.1–268.1+1 God's Word rather than human authority or false teaching is to be followed, even when deceptive teaching and impressive miracles are used to make God and Christ seem unimportant and to undermine God's law.Lt 48, 1907, par. 21–23

The world would be different if religious teachers revered, taught and practiced God's law instead of exalting human laws while God's law is trampled underfoot and the earth is left defiled by transgression.Ms 117a, 1901, par. 22–24 As it is, the world under its corrupted inhabitants is a place of disease and universal misery.8T 169.1+1