Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
    and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than the blows on them and they wither,
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

Here is the same passage in ‘The Message:

Have you not been paying attention?
    Have you not been listening?
Haven’t you heard these stories all your life?
    Don’t you understand the foundation of all things?
God sits high above the round ball of earth.
    The people look like mere ants.
He stretches out the skies like a canvas—
    yes, like a tent canvas to live under.
He ignores what all the princes say and do.
    The rulers of the earth count for nothing.
Princes and rulers don’t amount to much.
    Like seeds barely rooted, just sprouted,
They shrivel when God blows on them.
    Like flecks of chaff, they’re gone with the wind.

I believe it is worthy of note that, for centuries, there was a widely-held belief that the world was flat. But not for Isaiah. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he spoke of the earth as a ”circle” or ”round ball”.

There are some pretty scary nations out there, but we get to see them in perspective (15-17). Also, there are some fairly terrifying tyrants on the prowl, but look at them from heaven’s perspective (23,24). What we read in verses 6-8 equally applies to political leaders. They are transient, and they are in God’s Hands.

I have to admit, though, that it is one thing to catch a glimpse of world events in proper proportion, but it is quite another to maintain that perspective in the face of the 24 hour news cycle. Warren Wiersbe’s comment seems relevant:

‘Someone has defined ”circumstances” as those nasty things you see when you get your eyes off God.” If you look at God through your circumstances, He will seem small and very far away, but if by faith you look at your circumstances through God, He will draw very near and reveal His greatness to you.’ ‘Old Testament Commentary’, p.1185.

PRAYER: Lord God, please help me not to be overwhelmed by all that I see and hear in the news. May I see everything in the light of your eternal throne, and your indestructible rule.