1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, Distorts its surface And scatters abroad its inhabitants. 2 And it shall be: As with the people, so with the priest; As with the servant, so with his master; As with the maid, so with her mistress; As with the buyer, so with the seller; As with the lender, so with the borrower; As with the creditor, so with the debtor. 3 The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, For the LORD has spoken this word. Isaiah 24:1–3 (NKJV) 

1 Look, the Lord is destroying the inhabited world and will desolate it, and he will uncover its face and scatter those living in it. 2 And the people will be like the priest, and the servant like the lord, and the maid like the lady; the buyer will be like the seller, the lender like the borrower, and the debtor like him to whom he owes. 3 The land will be ruined with ruin, and the land will be plundered with plundering, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken these things. Isaiah 24:1–3 (LES2)

4 The earth mourns and fades away, The world languishes and fades away; The haughty people of the earth languish. 5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant. Isaiah 24:4–5 (NKJV) 

4 The land mourned, and the inhabited world was ruined; the exalted of the land mourned. 5 And the land acted lawlessly because of those inhabiting it, because they transgressed the law and changed the ordinances, an eternal testament. Isaiah 24:4–5 (LES2)

The MT uses the perfect tense in verse four which can be translated in one of three ways. If it is translated as a past action, it agrees with the LXX, which uses the aorist indicative, which communicates a once for all past action. Perhaps the prophet saw what was certainly going to happen and stated it as if it had already taken place. 

The MT says the earth is “defiled under its inhabitants;” whereas, the LXX says “the land acted lawlessly,” indicating that the earth itself has gone awry due to our sin. Either way of looking at it is right in my estimation. 

The very last phrase is interesting. In the MT, it says the inhabitants of the land broke the everlasting covenant. The LXX is less certain. Did they transgress and change the eternal “testament?” The LXX uses the Greek word diatheke for the Hebrew word berith. Therefore, we should probably translate diatheke as “covenant” rather than “testament.” In modern times a testament is a legal document that only becomes binding after the death of the testator. Biblical covenants were binding between the living. The New Covenant is interesting, however, in that it became binding after Christ’s death and will stay in effect for eternity because of his resurrection and eternal life.

What does it mean that the we broke the everlasting covenant or eternal testament? Many commentators think this refers back to the covenant God instituted with Noah that affects all mankind, in which he prohibited the shedding of blood and promised never again to destroy the earth with a flood. (Genesis 9:16) 

Another way to think of the everlasting covenant is to equate it with the New Covenant. If we do this, the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles who refuse the gospel “break” that covenant in a most egregious manner. Since all scripture ultimately points to Christ (John 5:39), this view cannot be ruled out in my opinion.

6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, And those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, And few men are left. 7 The new wine fails, the vine languishes, All the merry-hearted sigh. 8 The mirth of the tambourine ceases, The noise of the jubilant ends, The joy of the harp ceases. Isaiah 24:6–8 (NKJV)

6 Because of this, a curse will devour the land, because those inhabiting it sinned; because of this, those living in the land will be poor, and few people will be left. 7 Wine will mourn; a vine will mourn; all those things that cheer the soul will groan. 8 The cheerfulness of drums has ceased; the stubbornness and wealth of impious people has ceased; the sound of the lyre has ceased. Isaiah 24:6–8 (LES2)

A curse or judgment against mankind’s sin has “devoured” the land. Paul referenced this in his letter to the church in Rome, where he wrote that the “whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs.” (Romans 8:22) Christ provided a release from the curse on the earth and its people, if only we will believe in him. This release will be completed at the general time of his Second Coming, when the present heavens and earth will be destroyed and replaced with something new. (2 Peter 3:10-13)

9 They shall not drink wine with a song; Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. 10 The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in. 11 There is a cry for wine in the streets, All joy is darkened, The mirth of the land is gone. 12 In the city desolation is left, And the gate is stricken with destruction. 13 When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people, It shall be like the shaking of an olive tree, Like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done. Isaiah 24:9–13 (NKJV)

9 They were ashamed; they did not drink wine; the sikera [beer] became bitter to those drinking it. 10 Every city is desolated; he will close a house so that it cannot be entered. 11 Wail over the wine everywhere; all cheer has ceased. 12 Deserted cities will remain; and abandoned houses will be destroyed. 13 All these things will happen in the land, in the middle of the nations. The way someone gleans an olive tree, so will they glean them, even if the harvest has ceased. Isaiah 24:9–13 (LES2)

14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing; For the majesty of the LORD They shall cry aloud from the sea. 15 Therefore glorify the LORD in the dawning light, The name of the LORD God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea. 16 From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: “Glory to the righteous!” But I said, “I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, Indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.” Isaiah 24:14–16 (NKJV) 

14 These people will call out with a cry, but those left behind on the land will be cheered at the same time by the glory of the Lord. The water of the sea will be troubled. 15 Because of this, the glory of the Lord will be among the islands of the sea; the name of the Lord will be esteemed. 16 O Lord God of Israel, from the wings of the land we have heard wonders: “Hope for the pious one!” And they will say, “Woe to you who reject, you who reject the law!” Isaiah 24:14–16 (LES2)

17 Fear and the pit and the snare Are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 And it shall be That he who flees from the noise of the fear Shall fall into the pit, And he who comes up from the midst of the pit Shall be caught in the snare; For the windows from on high are open, And the foundations of the earth are shaken. Isaiah 24:17–18 (NKJV)

17 Fear and a pit and a trap are upon you who dwell on the land. 18 And this will happen: The one who flees fear will fall into the pit, and the one who steps out of the pit will be caught by the snare, because windows were opened from the heavens, and the foundations of the earth were shaken. Isaiah 24:17–18 (LES2) 

19 The earth is violently broken, The earth is split open, The earth is shaken exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, And shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, And it will fall, and not rise again. Isaiah 24:19–20 (NKJV)

19 The land will be troubled with trouble, and the land will be challenged with challenge. 20 It tipped over like the one who gets drunk and is inebriated; and the land will be shaken like a garden watcher’s hut, for lawlessness prevailed over it, and it will fall and certainly not be able to get up. Isaiah 24:19–20 (LES2) 

21 It shall come to pass in that day That the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, And on the earth the kings of the earth. 22 They will be gathered together, As prisoners are gathered in the pit, And will be shut up in the prison; After many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be disgraced And the sun ashamed; For the LORD of hosts will reign On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem And before His elders, gloriously. Isaiah 24:21–23 (NKJV) 

21 And God will bring his hand against the order of the heavens and against the kings of the earth. 22 And they will gather a company from it into a prison and shut them up in a fortress; the examination of them will last for many generations. 23 And the brick will melt away and the wall will fall, because the Lord will reign from Zion and for Jerusalem, and he will be held in honor in the presence of the elders. Isaiah 24:21–23 (LES2)

The MT and LXX both indicate that this time of judgment will include holding the heavenly host to account, as well as earthly rulers. I am not sure exactly how to understand verse 22 in the LXX, which differs considerably from the MT. 

Verse 23 is wildly different in the first part of the verse. The second part in the MT says that “the Lord of Hosts will reign on Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem,” but the LXX says simply that “the Lord will reign from Zion and for Jerusalem.” If we view this as pointing to Christ, which is true of the entire Old Testament, according to our Lord’s own words (John 5:39, Luke 24:27), we understand that Jesus is “the Lord” who will reign from Zion.

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Hebrews 12:22–27 (NKJV)

If we miss Christ in this passage, we miss the main point. 

Finally, it seems to me that our Lord Jesus will be finally held in honor by the Sanhedrin who condemned him to death. If that is not the meaning, then certainly the scene described in Revelation Chapter 4 fulfills this prophecy.

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:10–11 (NKJV)