“He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.” – Isaiah 40:23-24 

Scripture reading: Daniel 2:26-49

Back in verse 6, Isaiah reminded Israel that “all flesh is grass.” Their Babylonian captors had brought Jerusalem down into ruins. They made the lives of God’s people miserable. They taunted, “Come sing us one of Zion’s songs!” Nebuchadnezzar appeared invincible. But the rulers of this earth who oppress, persecute and take counsel against the Lord and His anointed are grass. They are here today, gone tomorrow. Tyrants and their governments flourish for a time, then disappear. Think of Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin. Think of Lenin, Hussein and Ghaddafi. Think of their painful ends. History has not been kind to them.

Alexander the Great won every battle he fought. When he died, at 32 years of age, he gave instructions for his hands to be left dangling outside his coffin, to let the world know no matter how much a man gains here, it’s all so passing. No matter how great he’s become, he leaves life empty-handed.

The grass withers. Despite Putin’s aspirations, the Soviet Union is past. Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping and others will soon be no more as well. There is only one kingdom destined to last forever and conquer all others: the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah makes stunning prophecies of the Messiah’s coming. Those prophecies were fulfilled to the letter. He has come and is coming again. His Kingdom will swallow up all others. Courageous Ukrainians were willing to give everything for earthly freedoms. Are you willing, ready to give everything for eternal ones?

Suggestions for prayer

In the middle of political and economic upheaval, and despite the destructive reality of war, pray for God to show His power and glory over the nations and to preserve His church. Refrain from putting your confidence in men. Pray that according to His wisdom He would “put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalt the lowly” (Luke 1:52).

Pastor Maurice Luimes serves as the pastor of the Immanuel Reformed Church (recently relocated to Bolton, ON). Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.