A massive gap exists between the absolute justice of God and the corrupt, oppressive nature of human rule. A piercing rhetorical question arises, wondering if there could ever be a connection or similarity between the Judge of the entire earth and regimes built on wickedness and injustice.
The primary approach among commentators is to ask whether a throne of evil and ruin could possibly join or be compared to God [רד״ק, שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד]. This evil represents devastation, destruction, and deceit [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא]. While God establishes His throne on truth and justice, the thrones of worldly kings, such as Nebuchadnezzar, rest entirely on destruction and suffering [רד״ק]. Taking a more visual approach, this ruin can even be seen as an abstract entity that literally sits upon the royal throne [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, this idea serves as a critique of idolatrous nations, questioning whether people who create idols of suffering could ever unite with God [רש״י].
The absolute peak of this worldly wickedness is not merely committing random acts of evil. Instead, these regimes actively invent and create injustice [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא], transforming it into a permanent, unchangeable law of the state [מאירי, מצודת דוד]. Lawmakers draft these wrongs into official legislation, much like carving rules into stone or writing them with ink on tablets. Through this process, oppression becomes a fully institutionalized legal system [מלבי״ם]. Because of this stark contrast, it is clear that God will never replace His people with another nation. While Israel upholds laws of justice, other nations legislate suffering and hardship [אלשיך].
Contrasting with the primary approach that views this as a clash between God and mortal kings, a bolder interpretation addresses the deep theological pain of righteous people who suffer. According to this perspective, when thoughtful individuals witness the success of the wicked, they turn their gaze upward and ask a painful question: Is it possible that Your own throne, God, is one of destruction, and that You are the one who decrees suffering and hardship as the law? [אבן עזרא].