Proverbs 20:26 A wise king scatters the wicked, and brings the wheel over them. 

Though we may lack leaders who consistently rule with wisdom and moral clarity, God’s law has not failed, nor has it been suspended. His laws are woven into creation itself, moral, spiritual, and even social, and they hold every person accountable in this life, not only in the life to come. No one ultimately escapes the consequences of violating truth, justice, and righteousness.

Even when human courts falter, God’s justice operates through conscience, exposure, consequence, and time. What is hidden is eventually revealed. What is corrupt erodes itself. What is unjust carries within it the seed of its own judgment. Nations, leaders, and individuals alike reap what they sow, not always immediately, but inevitably.

God’s law does not require a perfect earthly ruler to enforce it. It stands on its own authority. It humbles the proud, restrains evil, vindicates the righteous, and reminds all people that there is a higher throne than any human government. In this way, God remains the ultimate judge, holding all accountable and preserving moral order even in an age of failed leadership.

Proverbs 20:26 A wise king scatters the wicked, and brings the wheel over them. 

In ancient Palestine, grain was threshed by spreading the sheaves on a flat threshing floor. Oxen would walk over the grain or pull a heavy, rough-shod threshing wheel, a wooden sledge embedded with stones or metal, across it. This process crushed and separated the kernels from the husk. When the threshing was complete, the thresher would winnow the mixture by tossing it into the air; the wind blew away the chaff while the heavier grain fell to the ground and was gathered.

This imagery becomes a metaphor for just governance. A wise king, like a skilled thresher, distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked. He does not allow wickedness to remain mixed among his people. Instead, he decisively deals with it – removing, restraining, or judging those who would corrupt the nation. By separating evil from good, the king [or leader] preserves the moral order and ensures the continued righteousness and stability of his kingdom.

In today’s context, this imagery speaks to ethical governance and responsible leadership. A wise leader, like a skilled thresher, exercises discernment rather than cruelty. He understands that a healthy society cannot thrive when corruption, injustice, and moral decay are allowed to coexist unchecked with integrity and righteousness.

Such a leader does not punish indiscriminately, nor does he ignore wrongdoing in the name of tolerance. Instead, he identifies harmful behaviour, holds offenders accountable, and removes systemic corruption through just laws, fair enforcement, and transparent institutions. Those who threaten the moral and social fabric of the nation are restrained through legal consequences, rehabilitation where possible, or separation from positions of influence.

To be continued…