That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
God brings the princes of the earth to nothing and makes its judges as emptiness, so that all human rank and power are temporary and powerless before His supreme authority. Their overthrow is like shallow-rooted plants that wither and are swept away as stubble when He acts, while His power remains. This belongs to the wider revelation of His greatness, in which nations are as a drop of the bucket and as nothing before Him, men are as grasshoppers before Him who sits upon the circle of the earth, and He stretches out and upholds the heavens and knows every star. As Creator His greatness and understanding are infinite and past finding out, and even the wisdom of men of greatest intellect is small and unable to answer His questions or comprehend His ways. Therefore no counsel or likeness can be compared to Him, no image is to be made to represent Him, and men are not to trust in human power but to trust wholly in the Lord, who gives strength to His own and marks even the smallest things.
God's Supremacy Over Rulers
That bringeth the princes to nothing means God brings the princes of the earth to nothing and makes the judges of the earth as vanity. Their rank, power, authority and status are temporary, empty, powerless and insignificant before Him. They are unable to stand before Him or to compare with Him, and are subject to His supreme authority.
The emptiness is pictured as plants that fail to take root. They wither and are swept or blown away like stubble when God acts, while God's power remains.
The verse belongs to a picture of God's greatness in which the nations before Him are as a drop of a bucket and as the small dust of the balance. They are as nothing and less than nothing before Him. Its inhabitants are as grasshoppers to Him who sits upon the circle of the earth, and He stretches out the heavens as a curtain. Having created and sustaining them, He knows every star.
As Creator, His infinite greatness, might and understanding exceed all human limits. Human authority and wisdom are limited and small in comparison. Even that of men of the greatest intellect is limited and cannot stand beside Him.
The verse is one of the Lord's questions and declarations through His prophet proving that finite men cannot comprehend God but can only speculate about His way and works. Their wisdom cannot answer the questions God asks. It cannot understand the mysteries in nature and in the common things of daily life, for His judgments and purposes are past finding out and His wisdom unsearchable. If men could fully understand His ways and works He would not be the infinite One.
Worship, Trust and Encouragement
Because no earthly power can stand before Him who brings princes to nothing and makes judges as emptiness, no measure or counsel or likeness can be compared to Him. He cannot be likened to any creature or image, for He alone sits above the earth and the heavens while all earthly powers wither before Him. To make any image to represent the Creator, or to associate any created thing with the worship of God, is therefore forbidden. He who sits upon the circle of the earth and spreads out the heavens like a curtain regards its inhabitants as grasshoppers and strips its rulers of power and makes its judges worthless, and the nations before Him are as a drop of a bucket and as the small dust of the balance, as nothing and less than nothing.
He is not to be trifled with, for He is immeasurably greater than all earthly rulers. Men must therefore not trust in men nor depend on human power, but trust in the Lord alone. Finite men are to exercise faith in Him and trust themselves wholly in His hands, for nothing is beneath the notice of the infinite God and nothing too small for His attention. He calls His people to diligent repentance and most earnest work, and He gives strength to His own people.
The chapter containing this declaration gives the correct lesson on higher education against the princes and judges of the earth who disregard truth and righteousness in their so-called higher education. It is to be studied in connection with Isaiah 42 and Second Peter, because the truths in these chapters are needed now. It belongs to a call for a reformatory work to be carried forward in deeply spiritual lines, requiring men of clear understanding who are worked by the Holy Spirit to lead out in thorough and not haphazard reformation.
Near the close of earth's history this word comforts true believers amid God's afflicting judgments coming upon the world with earthquakes and storms on land and sea and heavy calamities by sea and railroad. Lucifer, the fallen angel who perverted his higher education and wars against God and all who exalt the Lord, does his best to cause calamities and to deceive many away, but he will meet terrible judgment. While the greatly sinful perish physically under these judgments, the sincere humble righteous followers of Christ also feel the results and are themselves afflicted. Yet the declaration and its promises stand sure and will certainly be fulfilled, to give precious encouragement and assurance so that believers need not be discouraged.
God brings the princes of the earth to nothing and makes its judges as emptiness, so that all human rank and power are temporary and powerless before His supreme authority. Their overthrow is like shallow-rooted plants that wither and are swept away as stubble when He acts, while His power remains. This belongs to the wider revelation of His greatness, in which nations are as a drop of the bucket and as nothing before Him, men are as grasshoppers before Him who sits upon the circle of the earth, and He stretches out and upholds the heavens and knows every star. As Creator His greatness and understanding are infinite and past finding out, and even the wisdom of men of greatest intellect is small and unable to answer His questions or comprehend His ways. Therefore no counsel or likeness can be compared to Him, no image is to be made to represent Him, and men are not to trust in human power but to trust wholly in the Lord, who gives strength to His own and marks even the smallest things.
God's Supremacy Over Rulers
That bringeth the princes to nothing means God brings the princes of the earth to nothing and makes the judges of the earth as vanity. Their rank, power, authority and status are temporary, empty, powerless and insignificant before Him. They are unable to stand before Him or to compare with Him, and are subject to His supreme authority.
The emptiness is pictured as plants that fail to take root. They wither and are swept or blown away like stubble when God acts, while God's power remains.
The verse belongs to a picture of God's greatness in which the nations before Him are as a drop of a bucket and as the small dust of the balance. They are as nothing and less than nothing before Him. Its inhabitants are as grasshoppers to Him who sits upon the circle of the earth, and He stretches out the heavens as a curtain. Having created and sustaining them, He knows every star.
As Creator, His infinite greatness, might and understanding exceed all human limits. Human authority and wisdom are limited and small in comparison. Even that of men of the greatest intellect is limited and cannot stand beside Him.
The verse is one of the Lord's questions and declarations through His prophet proving that finite men cannot comprehend God but can only speculate about His way and works. Their wisdom cannot answer the questions God asks. It cannot understand the mysteries in nature and in the common things of daily life, for His judgments and purposes are past finding out and His wisdom unsearchable. If men could fully understand His ways and works He would not be the infinite One.
Worship, Trust and Encouragement
Because no earthly power can stand before Him who brings princes to nothing and makes judges as emptiness, no measure or counsel or likeness can be compared to Him. He cannot be likened to any creature or image, for He alone sits above the earth and the heavens while all earthly powers wither before Him. To make any image to represent the Creator, or to associate any created thing with the worship of God, is therefore forbidden. He who sits upon the circle of the earth and spreads out the heavens like a curtain regards its inhabitants as grasshoppers and strips its rulers of power and makes its judges worthless, and the nations before Him are as a drop of a bucket and as the small dust of the balance, as nothing and less than nothing.
He is not to be trifled with, for He is immeasurably greater than all earthly rulers. Men must therefore not trust in men nor depend on human power, but trust in the Lord alone. Finite men are to exercise faith in Him and trust themselves wholly in His hands, for nothing is beneath the notice of the infinite God and nothing too small for His attention. He calls His people to diligent repentance and most earnest work, and He gives strength to His own people.
The chapter containing this declaration gives the correct lesson on higher education against the princes and judges of the earth who disregard truth and righteousness in their so-called higher education. It is to be studied in connection with Isaiah 42 and Second Peter, because the truths in these chapters are needed now. It belongs to a call for a reformatory work to be carried forward in deeply spiritual lines, requiring men of clear understanding who are worked by the Holy Spirit to lead out in thorough and not haphazard reformation.
Near the close of earth's history this word comforts true believers amid God's afflicting judgments coming upon the world with earthquakes and storms on land and sea and heavy calamities by sea and railroad. Lucifer, the fallen angel who perverted his higher education and wars against God and all who exalt the Lord, does his best to cause calamities and to deceive many away, but he will meet terrible judgment. While the greatly sinful perish physically under these judgments, the sincere humble righteous followers of Christ also feel the results and are themselves afflicted. Yet the declaration and its promises stand sure and will certainly be fulfilled, to give precious encouragement and assurance so that believers need not be discouraged.