“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,
and princes will rule in justice.”
— Isaiah 32:1 (ESV)
Isaiah doesn’t waste words. When he speaks of a King who will reign in righteousness, he’s pointing far beyond any earthly ruler. This isn’t Hezekiah, Josiah, or any temporary reformer. This is a prophecy looking forward—to the day when Jesus Himself rules the world in perfect justice.
And as we’ve seen across Isaiah, the prophets constantly weave together the near fulfilments of their time with the ultimate fulfilment found only in the Messiah. Isaiah 32 is no different. It paints a picture of a future Kingdom where righteousness isn’t the exception—it’s the atmosphere. Justice isn’t debated—it is the foundation.
Jesus: The King Who Reigns in Righteousness
The New Testament confirms this picture again and again:
- Revelation 19 shows Jesus returning in glory, leading heaven’s armies, judging in righteousness, and establishing His Kingdom.
- Revelation 20 shows Him ruling the nations.
- Psalm 2, Zechariah 14, and Daniel 7 all affirm a future Messianic reign.
Isaiah saw what every prophet longed to see:
The true King reigning over a world finally set right.
“Princes Will Rule in Justice” — Who Are They?
This is where the prophecy gets even more interesting.
Isaiah says princes—plural—will rule under this righteous King. And the Bible tells us exactly who those rulers will be:
- Revelation 20:4–6 — the saints reign with Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 6:2 — believers will judge the world.
- 2 Timothy 2:12 — “If we endure, we will also reign with Him.”
- Revelation 5:10 — Jesus “made us kings and priests… and we shall reign on the earth.”
Isaiah didn’t know their names, but we do:
These “princes” are the redeemed.
The resurrected Church.
Those who belong to Jesus.
In other words, heaven’s armies return with the King, and heaven’s people rule with the King.
A Glimpse of the Kingdom to Come
Isaiah 32 goes on to describe what this Kingdom will be like:
- Protection instead of fear
- Truth instead of deception
- Peace instead of chaos
- Righteousness instead of corruption
This is the world Jesus will establish at His return—a world the prophets consistently point to, the apostles anticipated, and Revelation details.
In a world where injustice dominates headlines and corruption seems unstoppable, Isaiah reminds us of one unshakeable truth:
Human rulers fail.
But the King who is coming will not.
And when He reigns, we will reign with Him.