What other scriptures show God's control over nations like Isaiah 22:6 does? Connecting Isaiah 22:6 to the Broader Witness of Scripture • Isaiah 22:6 pictures God marshalling Elam and Kir for His purposes. This is no isolated idea—Scripture repeatedly depicts the Lord directing the rise, fall, and movement of entire peoples. Old-Testament Touchpoints “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger… I send him against a godless nation…”. – Assyria is expressly called a tool in God’s hand; even its pride cannot thwart His plan. “I will send for all the families of the north… and for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.” – The pagan monarch is labeled “My servant,” showing God commissions foreign powers at will. “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that ruthless and impetuous nation…” – God Himself “raises” the empire Habakkuk dreads. “…He removes kings and establishes them.” – The prophet’s doxology states the principle: every throne is installed or dismantled by the Lord. “The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He wishes.” – Nebuchadnezzar learns sovereignty belongs wholly to God. “You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.” “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.” “Exaltation does not come from the east, west, or desert, but God is the Judge: He brings down one and exalts another.” “He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.” “A king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the LORD; He directs it wherever He pleases.” New-Testament Affirmations “From one man He made every nation… and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.” “There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been appointed by God.” “God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose…” – Even end-time coalitions move at His direction. Patterns to Notice • Nations are described as instruments, rods, servants, or clay—never autonomous from the Creator. • God uses both righteous and unrighteous kingdoms; their moral state does not limit His sovereignty. • The same Lord who ordains a nation’s ascent also times its downfall (e.g., Babylon in Jeremiah 50-51). • Human rulers remain accountable for their motives (Isaiah 10:12), yet their actions still accomplish divine decrees. Why This Matters • Confidence: World events, however turbulent, unfold under the King of kings. • Humility: Any national success is a stewardship from God, not a human achievement to boast about. • Vigilance: The Lord may use nations as agents of discipline or blessing; discernment comes by measuring events against His Word. Isaiah 22:6, then, is one verse in a consistent, Spirit-breathed chorus proclaiming that God’s hand steadies—and steers—the destinies of all peoples. |
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