Its Inhabitants - Isaiah 24:1-6

Isaiah 24:1-6 NASB 

Judgment on the Earth

 Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants. And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor. The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the Lord has spoken this word. The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

In the creation story we find an earth formless and empty. It was invisible until God's light gave it form. The Spirit hovers over the face of the deep. The Garden was established for the dwelling of God and man. 

Its inhabitants were cast out for violating God's word. The earth was cursed for their transgression. 

We see another scattering at the Tower of Babel, which seems to echo the expulsion from Eden. Both actions are rooted in the the same ground of disobedience and self-will. There is a way to heaven, but it's not our way. 

These inhabitants are called earth dwellers in Revelation. They are not citizens of heaven. The inhabitants of earth are passing and the earth will be made new when the sons of God are revealed.  They will remain in the life of God.