Isaiah 40:23-24 (ESV) — who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

News about world leaders comes across our televisions and social media feeds each day. We hear about meetings between heads of state. Speeches are televised, councils reported on, and elections followed. We hear and watch leaders of nations rise and fall. But one thing we walk away with is the impression that no matter where you go in the world there are people ruling with power. People seek power. Power is a commodity leveraged for good or bad in the world, but it resides with people.  

Often people in power seem untouchable. They are viewed as individuals that worked hard to grab their status and rank, and they appear out of reach to the common man. But our passage today reminds us that even the most powerful individuals on earth are under the authority of God Almighty. Nobody escapes His jurisdiction. We read in Isaiah 40:23-24 that God is the One “who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.”

The statement that God brings “princes to nothing” tells an important story. The most powerful people on the earth are under the authority of God. They rise or fall on His command. Our text says God “makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” The reason this raises our eyebrows is because the power princes of the earth wield is great. If they so choose, they can not only remove other people from power, have people thrown into prisons, and financially cripple people, but they also historically have ended people’s lives when they were not happy with them. The point is their power seems unchecked. But that isn’t true. God can bring them to nothing. He “blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.” In other words, their greatness quakes at the judgment of God.

This should comfort those who fear the LORD. We are not living in a world guided by unbridled rulers. Even the worst of rulers and of wicked princes can be toppled with a single word from God. Now, to be clear, often times those rulers are allowed to reign and wreak havoc as a judgment of God against sinners. We see this throughout Scripture. But we are to never see the actions of men as somehow outside the purview of God’s sovereign hand. Rest in that truth.

"The most powerful people on the earth
are under the authority of God.
They rise or fall on His command.
This should comfort
those who fear the LORD.
We are not living in a world
guided by unbridled rulers."

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Reflection & Journal:
- Why are rulers that do not follow God’s ways allowed to rule in the world?
- What does this passage teach us about God’s ability and capacity to deal with the wicked?
- How does this passage help us to practically walk through life with trust in God?

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