Do you think the world is going crazy? Although, it seems as though humanity has been here before. You know the history of various empires and nations:
- they are birthed through conquest;
- rise in prosperity with a common set of values;
- then only to incur demise through a downward spiral of wickedness where too much is permissible.
Who should establish what is permissible, and should this standard shift and change as the demographic changes? If tolerance and values are inclusive of everyone’s values, then does that mean anything goes? If anything goes, there is no right and wrong; and no one needs to adhere to any legal or moral standard. This would be unfortunate for those who are hurt by another’s values that permit the deliberate ill-treatment of others. It is, therefore, necessary to have a ruling authority to define and govern acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Why then do people rebel? Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1)
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29). The Agnes Dei.
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. (Revelation 19:6 NIV)
Friends, we can’t lose heart because of the state of this world! We have an amazing future ahead of us; we’re just waiting for the Almighty’s earthly reign before all evil is vanquished. Just in case you don’t know it, He already reigns! There’s just this little rebellion that He’s going to squash. But first, He wants to extract all of His citizens.
- The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:9 to 10)
It is only natural that the majority of our concerns and perspectives are usually limited to our lifespans and circumstances. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him (Psalm 18:30). Psalm 2 addresses human rebellion and inefficacious plots. Let’s dig into the Word of God to gain a glimpse into a conversation between the Trinity and receive assurance about the future!
I’d like to outline this chapter by what I’ve learned. This conversation reminds me: (1st) that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us; (2nd) that I once was a part of that conspiracy against the LORD; and, (3rd) despite all collaborative efforts to overthrow Him, He reigns! Before we jump into Psalm 2, here’s some background on the Psalms in general. This is necessary to validate its prophetic significance and thereby avoid consigning these Scriptures simply to poetic songs.
Background Perspective on the Psalms
God declared salvation in every Biblical account so that no effort of the enemy could thwart His redeeming message! And as the lover of our souls, He invites us to explore His thoughts and His ways, to dialogue with His Word so we could discover more about Him. The more I read His Word, the more confident I am in His existence and my salvation. (2nd Peter 1:19 to 21)
While scholars have correctly said the Psalms is not an exposition of doctrine, we recognize that theology is woven throughout the Psalms. The resounding theme is that God is the gravitational centre of life, history, creation; and, everything and everyone is subject to Him. This means all of the psalmists believed we are all subject to this Life-giving Force regardless of our beliefs, disbeliefs, or desires. The psalmists wrote by the influence or power of the Holy Spirit about God, His Spirit, and His Son, the Messiah.
For a Psalm to be Messianic it must be predictive of “the Christ”. Various Psalms were quoted very frequently throughout New Testament by Jesus Christ, John, Peter and Paul which is another demonstration of Divine inspiration since the reciting of Messianic Scripture had to be relevant to their discourse. Throughout the Psalms, we read about Christ’s person and His office.
His personhood was prophesied to be:
- Son of God (Psalm 2:7; Psalm 45:6 and 7; Psalm 102:25 and 27);
- Son of Man (Psalm 8:4 to 6); and,
- Son of David (Psalms 132:11 and 17).
His authority is revealed in His offices prophesied as:
- Prophet (declaring and peaching – Psalm 22:22 and 25; Psalm 40:9 and 10);
- Priest (Psalm 110:4); and,
- King (Psalm 2; and the universality of the Messiah’s Reign in chapter 72).
Friends, do we realize that the reign of the King of Glory is in effect now? Regardless of what events are transpiring on earth, He reigns! While Christ is our great High Priest and currently intercedes for us, because He is in eternity, He has been, and will forever be the King of glory! But that’s not all. One day, He will establish His earthly throne; the throne of David for all of humanity (Isaiah 9:7). His kingdom is one of unity with the highest level of good for everyone. All people who willingly serve Him will be kings and priests under His authority.
The Psalms also foretold the portrayal of the Messiah’s life. The Scripture explains Christ would:
- speak in parables (Psalm 78:2);
- calm the storm (Psalm 89:9; Psalms 107:29);
- be despised, rejected and mocked (Psalms 2:1; Psalms 69:19-22; Psalms 118:12; Psalms 89:51 to 52); and,
- die suffering at the hands of enemies only to be worshipped forever (Psalm 22 which contains such an amazingly precise description of our LORD’s death).
But there is so much more! Are you getting excited? Now, let’s chew on Psalms 2 and work our way through today’s outline.
FIRST: JESUS HAS GONE TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR US
Let’s read the cross-references for Psalm 2 using the New Living Translation unless otherwise specified; I truly hope you also read the full passage for yourself.
Now it is important to realize that the 2nd Psalm:
- had a partial fulfillment in the Gospels and Acts;
- is a prophetic message to us in this dispensation of Grace; and,
- contains are 4 voices or actors in the narrative and 1 conversation between 3 persons.
1st Voice in verses 1 to 3
People are enraged over Jesus (Christ, the anointed One); they desire to dismantle Scriptural restraints referred to as bonds, bands or yokes; in essence, this is to deny His authority. The cross-references are:
Verse 1:
- Although they plot against you, their evil schemes will never succeed. ( Psalm 21:11)
Verse 2:
- When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, (Psalm 48:4 NIV)
- See how these enemies insult you, LORD. A foolish nation has dishonored your name. … Don’t overlook what your enemies have said or their growing uproar. (Psalm 74:18, 23)
- Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). (John 1:41)
- you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LORD and against his Messiah.’ (Acts 4:25-26)
Verse 3:
- So I will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they know the ways of the LORD and understand God’s laws.” But the leaders, too, as one man, had thrown off God’s yoke and broken his chains. (Jeremiah 5:5)
2nd Voice in verses 4 to 6
God the Father laughs at their futile plans to dethrone the LORD, and He rebukes them saying His King will reign. The cross-references are:
Verse 4:
- But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming. (Psalm 37:13 )
- But LORD, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations. (Psalm 59:8)
- So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you– (Proverbs 1:26)
Verse 5:
- You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear. The LORD will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them. (Psalm 21:9)
- He loosed on them his fierce anger–all his fury, rage, and hostility. He dispatched against them a band of destroying angels. He turned his anger against them; he did not spare the Egyptians’ lives but ravaged them with the plague. (Psalm 78:49-50)
Verse 6:
- For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! (Isaiah 9:6-7)
3rd Voice in verses 7 to 9
God the Son is declaring the Father’s words. He is the Word made flesh (John 1:1 and 14). Notice these words were partially echoed at Jesus’ baptism and His transfiguration when a voice from heaven said “This is My Son“. These accounts can be found in Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:5. The latter part (verse 9) will occur in the His millennial reign described in Revelation 20. The cross-references are:
Verse 7:
- and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ (Acts 13:33)
- For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” God also said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.” (Hebrews 1:5)
Verse 8:
- The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. (Psalm 22:27)
When looking at Psalm 2:8, we should see this as prophetic because, during the temptation of Christ, Jesus as the Son of Man did not argue about the enemy’s claim to have the right to assign earthly kingdoms. In the garden of Eden, humanity submitted its dominion to the enemy. Instead, Jesus rebuked him with Scripture in Matthew 4:10 (which refers to Deuteronomy 6:13-14). Later, Jesus made it clear to us that the enemy had no authority over Christ or His disciples. (John 14:30-31)
Scripture also informs us that … after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (Hebrews 10:12-13) as foretold in Psalm 110:1.
Verse 9:
- She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. (Revelation 12:5)
- I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him. (Psalm 89:23)
- To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. (Revelation 2:26-27)
4th Voice in verses 10 to 12
God the Holy Spirit forewarns and counsels to take instruction and refuge in the LORD. Even within the structure of these last 2 verses, we see His admonition speaking to the 3 parts of a soul:
- Be wise and use your mind.
- Serve the LORD from your heart or emotions with fear, rejoicing and trembling.
- Allow your will to take instruction. When He says to “kiss the Son“, it is an expression that means to honor the Son (John 5:23). The cross-references are:
Verse 10:
- Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. (Hosea 14:9)
Verse 11:
- Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. (Hebrews 12:28)
- You skim off the wicked of the earth like scum; no wonder I love to obey your laws! I tremble in fear of you; I stand in awe of your regulations. (Psalm 119:119-120)
Verse 12:
- so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. (John 5:23)
- And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. (Revelation 6:16)
- Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8)
- God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” (Romans 9:33)
To ensure God’s eternal Word remains tamper-proof, God embedded the truth of Jesus Christ in every book of the Bible although intentionally veiled until “… the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.”(Luke 23:45-48).
You see family of God, we can’t be troubled with all that seems to be so wrong with our world because God’s Word forewarns these things will happen. We must trust in His Word about our future.
Yes, we can be concerned for loved ones and ourselves. Yes, we can and should do our part to be salt and light. And yes, we must resist evil and stand for what is right. And the LORD cares about how we do all of this as His ambassadors.
We have great hope because God’s Word stands forever! Because the second Person of the Godhead, Jesus the Christ said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3). This is the Word of God!
SECOND: I ONCE WAS A PART OF A CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE LORD
From this point forward, all Scripture will be referring to the New King James Version unless otherwise specified.
Now, this next consideration produced an overwhelming sense of gratitude that flooded my soul and spurred worship to my merciful Saviour. You see, when I previously examined the following verse, I was thinking analytically and I was a bit removed from the verse:
- Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us. (Psalm 2:3)
Since this verse is quoted in Acts 4:25 and 26, it is easy to relate the passage as historically applicable to those who opposed the disciples’ teaching that Jesus was the Messiah; and certainly, it is prophetic when the kings under the beast try to make war against the Lamb of God (Revelation 17:14).
One could even see how the verse applies to our current world systems. We recognize many of the world leaders are against the Sovereignty of Jesus and do not want to have His “yoke” governing their decisions. Many have difficulty accepting the entire counsel of Scripture in this pluralistic society.
As I continued to examine this Scripture, I came across this verse:
- For of old I have broken your yoke and burst your bonds; And you said, ‘I will not transgress,‘ When on every high hill and under every green tree You lay down, playing the harlot. (Jeremiah 2:20)
Naturally, I explored the context of this Scripture. Jeremiah 2 was written as an exhortation and warning to Judah about impending judgment with Israel having already fallen to the Assyrians. Now, all Scripture …
- is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
As I searched the Scriptures, I was reminded of how forgiving and longsuffering the LORD had been with me. I remembered a time many years ago when I was so casual about my Saviour’s LORDSHIP over my life. I wasn’t completely surrendered. It does not matter how much you know, or how much you pray if you are circling the boundaries of grace by resisting some Scriptures by treating them casually. Let’s read a few more verses from Jeremiah 2, New International Version.
- Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way? … Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute. I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign LORD.” (Jeremiah 2:17, 19-22)
You see, when I was slack about my walk with the LORD, I was being convicted, but I suppressed the prodding because I wanted what I wanted. It became idolatry and spiritual adultery. You see, at some point during the backsliding, I didn’t even realize that I was no longer hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. It seemed other voices agreed with my pursuits. In Psalm 2:3, the voices of the nations wanted to throw off restraint as well. I was a choice vine who allowed myself to be degraded to something unkempt.
It’s bad enough to compromise standards knowing the costs, but I had not even noticed what was happening to me. It’s fine to desire fun, to enjoy things, and to be accepted by others but not at the expense of obedience to our Lord. Maybe I didn’t notice because sin is initially pleasurable to the natural man (Hebrews 11:25; Mark 4:19; Hebrews 3:13). Having hushed the Holy Spirit’s voice within me, I had allowed the old carnal mind to arise.
God’s mercy and grace allowed me to be disciplined by my actions. In retrospect, I see that He had secured my lot, but during that time there wasn’t a free-flowing dialogue between us. It was almost as though He was there listening, somewhat protecting, not pleased, and silent.
When I began to seek Him (Jeremiah 29:13), He restored me, and I ran home into His loving arms like the prodigal son in Luke 15:13. How could I have been willing to allow the One who knows me completely (and still wants to spend eternity with me) to endure my conspiracy with the enemy?
I may have not realized that I was choosing to collaborate with the prince of evil, but by throwing off His betrothal bands to flirt with the world, I played the harlot and courted the one my LORD conquered to purchase me from the slavery of sin.
Praise the Lord, I have been long forgiven, and the LORD knew I would have that moment in my life just as He knew Peter would also betray Him. Now when I read Scriptures like this, I weep for joy at His inexplicable love and am compelled to live worthy of Him. The LORD pruned my unfruitfulness and returned me to the choice vine standing.
We will all fail from time to time; Scripture states, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9). In this time of permissiveness, lawlessness, and rebellion, we still need to see sin for the rebellious adultery it is. We also need to recognize what time it is in God’s plan because time is short.
- For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. … “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:5-7, 10-14)
Family of God, we need to ensure the voice we are paying attention to is the LORD’s. He has given us His Word, and the body of believers. If we are reading the Word and praying our desires will align with God’s Word because His Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). If we find our desires are taking precedence over the LORD’s desires, the remedy is to set our minds on the LORD and His Word. If you are ever unsure about a choice, ask yourself whether God would be pleased with the decision you are leaning towards.
THIRD: DESPITE ALL COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO OVERTHROW HIM, HE REIGNS!
As we come to the close of this message, we have to celebrate God’s immutability. Psalm 2 is a remarkable passage of Scripture because it is layered with the prophetic and relevant in every generation. It is an evidentiary sign that there is an Eternal God who sovereignly reigns over all the affairs of humanity. He has said in His Word, throughout Scripture starting in Genesis 3:15 that He would send the Seed. Our God, (Father, Son and Spirit) has been declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ (Isaiah 46:10). Here are some other verses to explore (Psalm 132:11; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:3).
Centuries later the prophecy of the Seed was fulfilled (Luke 1:31-35; Galatians 4:4 ).
Just as the promise of the Messiah was fulfilled at the right time, the King will return at the right time to reign in justice and righteousness. (Romans 16:20; Colossians 2:15)
I love Psalms 2 because we can see the design of Scripture that wisely declares from the beginning what must take place providing sufficient but not all details. While many opposing forces may exist, none of them are omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent. Have you noticed in every generation, opposing forces have had to be ready to react to God’s timing? They don’t know when God will do a thing that He has declared. That is why in every generation there has had to an abomination of desolation (Daniel 8:13; Mark 13:14) of sorts lurking in the background. That’s why God laughs; nothing happens without foreknowledge or His permission.
When we hear negative news, we need to go to God in prayer, read His Word, and then occupy or carry on. Yes, we ought to be informed. We need to do like the sons of Issachar who had an understanding of the times to know what they should do (1st Chronicles 12:32). The LORD is our guide and we can trust Him and His Word.
While strategists, mathematicians, scientists, and economists have logical outlooks on the future and may be able to predict certain things based on various factors and conditions, they do not design the future albeit they may try. (Isaiah 46:8-10 )
Our LORD declares the future and then watches over His word to perform it. Just as the Godhead successfully fulfilled the prophecies about the LORD’s birth, life, death, burial and resurrection (which would be impossible to execute by natural means), the Godhead will see to it that King Jesus will reign over all the earth and all powers.
- And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. (Revelation 21:3-7)
If you do not know the LORD personally and feel the Holy Spirit encouraging you to believe, you should evaluate the Scripture for yourself. Please visit https://desiringfruitfulness.ca/choices. There you can find 4 simple steps that you can put into your own words in prayer to God so that you can be reconciled to Him. The steps are designed to help you know why this prayer is necessary. It is as simple as acknowledging you are a sinner and believing that Jesus Christ is the risen Son of God.
All Scripture used in this blog is from the New King James Version, unless otherwise specified.
Full parent audio episode of “Fear Not!” The LORD Almighty Reigns
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