Trust in God's Control over All Nations

Many are very fearful about the power of one person over other people and of one nation over other nations. Repeatedly, biblical speakers and composers address such issues. Here are a few biblical thoughts about God's control over all nations. Essentially, this concept comes from Isaiah 40.

1. From God's perspective, all nations are like a DROP HANGING FROM A BUCKET.
    The prophetic composer of Isaiah 40:12-15a says:
         "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
                and marked off the heavens with a span,
            enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure,
                and weighed the mountains in scales
                and the hills in a balance?
           Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,
                or as his counselor has instructed him?
           Whom did he consult for his enlightenment,
                and who taught him the path of justice?
            Who taught him knowledge,
                 and showed him the way of understanding?
             Even THE NATIONS ARE LIKE A DROP FROM A BUCKET."
      In the ancient world, it was very common for people to take buckets down to a stream to scoop up water and bring it back to their campsite or tent to heat water, to drink water, to use water in cooking, etc. When they did this, after they poured the water out of the bucket, one drop of water would hang on the lip of the bucket. The prophet is saying that all the nations of the world are like a drop of bucket hanging from a bucket. Obviously, all who trust in Yahweh have no fear of any nation, because God is fully in control even when a nation appears to be dangerous and powerful.

2. From God's perspective, all nations are AS DUST ON THE SCALES.
    The prophetic composer continues in Isaiah 40:15b-c:
     "Even the nations . . . are accounted AS DUST ON THE SCALES'
       see, he takes up the isles LIKE FINE DUST."
    In the ancient Near East, merchants would measure weights on scales. To be fair to the buyer and the seller, they would carefully wipe the scales so that no speck of dust would increase the weight or price. The prophetic composer says Yahweh accounts all nations as a speck of dust on the scales. Obviously, all who trust in Yahweh have no fear of any nation, because God is fully in control even when a nation appears to be dangerous or powerful.

3. From God's perspective, all nations are LIKE GRASSHOPPERS.
    The prophetic composer continues in Isaiah 40:22-23:
    "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
          and its inhabitants are LIKE GRASSHOPPERS;
      who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
          and spreads them like a tent to live in;
       who bring princes to naught,
           and make the rulers of the earth as nothing."
    The Bible contains numerous stories about a locust or grasshopper plagues. Peoples in the ancient Near East were very familiar of grasshoppers. But before human beings, grasshoppers are helpless. The prophetic composer compares the nations with grasshoppers. God is in control of all nations, even when they seem to be powerful or daunting. Obviously, all who trust in Yahweh have no fear of nations of any kind.

4. From God's perspective, all nations are AS NOTHING and LESS THAN NOTHING before the Creator of the Universe. The prophetic composer says in Isaiah 40:17:
     "ALL THE NATIONS are AS NOTHING before him,
          they are accounted by him AS LESS THAN NOTHING and EMPTINESS."
    Throughout human history, nations have risen and fallen. At the time, some nations have appeared to be invincible, but soon they fell and became nothing. Think of Pharaoh and Egypt, Tiglath-pileser III and Sennacherib and Assyria, Nebuchadrezzar II and Babylon, Cyrus the Great and Persia, Alexander the Great and Greece, the Caesars and Rome, Adolf Hitler and Germany--the list goes on and on.

God alone is victorious. God alone will prevail. This is a TRUST ISSUE, a HEART ISSUE, for God's people. God is in control even when wicked people seem to be in control. History has proved that this is true.

Share YOUR fears and shortcomings and failures and experiences and beliefs with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis