Why Do The Nations Rage?

Transcript

GRM 922
Why Do the Nations Rage?
11/28/2004
Psalm 2
Gil Rugh

To understand the world around us and the events going on in the world, what is the significance and the cause of the turmoil and confusion we see in the world, we have to turn to the Word of God and find out what God has said. The foundation of everything is understanding something of the character of God. We’re going to look into one of the psalms again together today. I want to lay some background that will be necessary for us to understand and appreciate what God says in that psalm.

The first thing we have to come to grips with is who God is and how He presents Himself to the world. Turn to the book of Isaiah chapter 40. Sometimes in the emphasis that we hear there is a picture of God presented as filled with kindness and love and mercy, which He is. This is often presented with a sentimental, soft kind of emphasis, as though God is just this easygoing, accepting of anything kind of God who understands, is tolerant, is not upset or bothered by much of what goes on. That’s not the picture God presents of Himself in the scripture. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. Isaiah wrote, and look in Isaiah chapter 40, we’ll just pick out some verses. Verse 6, a voice said, call out. They answered, what shall I call out? All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever. Contrast here, the greatest, the mightiest among men is but a passing blade of grass, just like the grass of the field. The wind blows, it shrivels, it dies, it’s gone. God is sovereign over that, He determines the coming and going, because it’s the breath of the Lord that withers the grass and the people are grass. So, while the grass withers, the flower fades, the majesty of man comes and goes. The Word of our God abides forever, because the Word of God partakes of the character of God. He is sovereign, He is enduring, He rules overall.

Look down in verse 15, behold the nations are like a drop from a bucket and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scale. Verse 17, all the nations are as nothing before Him, they are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless. Even the mighty nations of the world, and Isaiah will write of many of these nations. In chapter 39 he wrote of Marodoch-baladan, the king of Babylon. Writes of other nations God says you understand they are nothings. It’s almost like the Spirit of God is directing Isaiah as to a variety of comparisons because the contrast with God and everything and everyone else is so great, it’s almost impossible to draw a comparison. Select the mightiest and most powerful nation in the world, it’s like a drop in the bucket, it’s like a speck of dust. It’s not only nothing, it’s less than nothing, verse 17 says. God is so vastly superior, so much greater, there is no way to compare Him with anything in His creation.

Look down in verse 23, He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless. These rulers who come to a position of power and authority, so render verdicts and their decisions stand among men. Again, God reduces them to nothing. They become meaningless, they are swept aside, and they are irrelevant. We see that with one of the world’s dictators who was removed recently and how quickly he went from being somebody in glorious palaces to being a nobody. Reduced to nothing, and it’s simply the breath of God blowing. Verse 28, do you not know, have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, He does not become weary or tired, His understanding is inscrutable. God is enduring, He is sovereign, He created everything and so He rules over everything. He never gets tired; He’ll never need counsel from others. That’s the God we’re dealing with. Furthermore, the scripture reveals that this sovereign God who created everything, and if you go on through these chapters of Isaiah, continues through chapters 45, 46 there’ll be a strong emphasis on God being the sovereign and only creator. He rules over everything. But the scripture also reveals that it is His plan to exercise His sovereign rule through a human mediator. We talk about this as the mediatorial kingdom of God. It’s God’s rule on earth mediated through a ruler that He has appointed.

Turn back to II Samuel chapter 7, toward the front part of your Bible, the book of II Samuel. We have here what is called the Davidic Covenant. It’s a covenant that God established with David and His descendants, promising that David and his descendants, ultimately climaxing in his descendant, seed, Christ, would rule forever. The kingdom of God would be mediated on earth through David and his descendants. II Samuel chapter 7, we’ll pick up with verse 8, God is giving this revelation to Nathan the prophet to tell David. Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant, David, thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be ruler over my people, Israel. You see the sovereign God took a lowly shepherd; his own family didn’t see any potential in him as a future king. But God selected him and established him as king over Israel. I have been with you wherever you’ve gone, I’ve cut off all your enemies. I will make your great name like the names of the great men who are on earth. I will also appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them anymore as formerly. Then you’ll just note, obviously verse 10 has not been fulfilled. If you have doubts turn on the news when you get home. We have the whole issue of the Palestinian question, of the Arab and Muslim world, but there’ll come a time when Israel will not be beset by their enemies. They will be established in the land God has promised them, and it will be a ruler from the line of David who will rule over them.

Look at verse 12, when your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers I will raise up your descendant after you who will come forth from you. I will establish his kingdom. This was a promise not only to David, but to the line of David. He shall build a house for my name. David wanted to build a house for the Lord, a temple for the Lord, that’s how this chapter began. God says no you will not build it, but your son will build it. Solomon will follow David and Solomon will build the splendid temple as the center of worship of God in Israel. He shall build a house for my name; I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. You ought to underline the first part of verse 14, it’s not the only important thing in here, but it anchors everything else and that is referred to a number of times in the New Testament. But you’ll note the next line, I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. Much of this finds its fulfillment ultimately in Christ, but you understand not all of it because the next line says, when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men. Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God without blemish and without spot. There was no sin or iniquity found in Him. But that’s not true of the other descendants of David. Solomon sinned greatly against the Lord, taking many wives and worshipping other gods. But the promise here is when the sons of David who assume the throne sin, verse 15, but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him as I took it away from Saul who I removed from before you. When Saul sinned God removed the kingdom from Saul and his family. The promise in this covenant to David is even when your descendants sin, it will not bring this covenant to an end. This covenant cannot be broken. So, if your son sins I will discipline him, there will be consequences for sin. But that will not nullify or cancel the promise of the kingdom belonging to your family eternally. That’s the promise given here.

Verse 16, your house and your kingdom shall endure before me forever, your throne shall be established forever. God’s rule on the earth will be mediated through a descendant of David, and that would be forever. In verse 14, I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. Beginning with David and true of Solomon and so on that when these descendants of David assume the throne, they were adopted a place by God as His sons. They occupy a special relationship with Him. The Father is exercising His authoritative rule through one that He has placed as a son. That would be true of David, it would be true of Solomon and subsequent rulers in the Davidic line. He says I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. This will ultimately find its conclusion in Jesus Christ, but it is not limited to Him as we noted because the rest of the verse talks about some of the descendants of David committing sin and iniquity. We mentioned Solomon as an outstanding example.

But the house and kingdom of David will endure for him before him forever. We say there is no one sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem today, so I guess the promise is over. No, it doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be any breaks in this. But you know this promise has to be enforced today and as we come to this psalm in a moment, we’ll find out this is the cause of all the conflict in the world today, there would be a rebellion against the authoritative rule of God in the world. The promise is your house, and your kingdom shall endure for me until they sin. Some people are teaching that the promises to Israel are over because they sinned and crucified their Messiah. But that would mean God told a lie because God said that even when your descendants sin, I won’t cancel this promise. So that means it’s in force today. Because of the sins of Israel, the kings of Israel and the people of Israel, Israel is under judgment today. There is no one sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem, there was no one sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem when Jesus Christ came to earth the first time. Herod was on the throne, he was an Idumean. He was not on the Davidic throne; Israel was under judgment. Israel is under judgment today. Well, I guess we close this up, the promises of God have failed. No, they’re just under a time of discipline. It says in verse 14 when they sin, He’ll punish them with a stroke of the rod, but that won’t end the covenant. So, it will be put in force.

Turn to Psalm 89, this is not the psalm we’re going to do. This is an extensive introduction that leaves no room for the sermon, but once we get to our psalm it will flow for us because we have the background that the Jews would have had when they came to this psalm. In Psalm 89, this is a reiteration of the covenant made with David. It’s not written by David, Psalm 89. David is identified specifically as the writer of one-half of the psalms. Seventy-five of the 150 psalms are said to be written by David, 73 of them by the superscription above the psalm, 2 of them in the New Testament that are not identified in the psalm itself are said to have been written by David. He may have written more because there are a number of psalms that are not identified as to the writer. This is a psalm written by Ethan and Ethan was a friend of David. We won’t take time to search into him since we’re not studying this psalm, but Ethan a friend of David is writing about the covenant that God has established with David. He starts out, I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever and so on. Look at verse 3 as he quotes the Lord, I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all generations.

Come down to verse 19, once you spoke in a vision to your godly ones, that’s when even the councils of heaven that God speaks. Verse 7 it said, a God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, even the angelic hosts who serve in the presence of God are aware of this covenant. In verse 20 the covenant goes on, I have found David my servant, with my holy oil I have anointed him. The anointing, the word Messiah means the anointed one. The Messiah is the king anointed by God. David was a king anointed by God. Solomon was a king anointed by God. With whom my hand will be established, my arm will strengthen him, and so on.

Verse 26, he will cry to me, you are my father, my God and the rock of my salvation. Remember the promises of the Davidic Covenant? I will be a father to him, he will be a son to me. He will cry to me you are my father, my God, the rock of my salvation. Now note this, I shall make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. An indication here of what firstborn means. It’s used of David; David was placed as God’s son and as God’s firstborn. What does that mean? Well, I make him my firstborn, that means he’ll be the highest of the kings of the earth. He’ll have supremacy, he’ll rule over everyone else. Some take the use of firstborn when it’s applied to Christ in the New Testament and try to make a case that Christ must have had a beginning, so He wasn’t God because He was firstborn. He’s simply the firstborn of creation. That’s not what we’re talking about when we talk about firstborn. How was David the firstborn of God? He wasn’t directly born of God; he wasn’t like Christ with a virgin birth. He wasn’t the first of God’s creation. He was the firstborn because God took him from being a shepherd and established him as king over all else. Ultimately that will be true of Christ who will be placed as firstborn.

My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever. My covenant shall be confirmed to him, I will establish his descendants forever, his throne as the days of heaven. If you didn’t get that, let me put it negatively. If his sons forsake my law, don’t walk in my statutes, violate my statutes, don’t keep my commandments, I will punish their transgressions with the rod. But I will not break off my lovingkindness from him. Verse 34, my covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of my lips. Once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before me. I mean could God be any clearer? Yet there are people going around today professing to believe the Bible saying oh no there’s no future for Israel. That all took place in the past. Read the Bible! God says my covenant with David will endure forever, and if you don’t know what I mean let me tell you. Even if his descendants’ sin against me and sin again and again. I mean look at the repetition in verses 30 and following—they forsake my law, they don’t walk in my statutes, they violate my statues, they don’t keep my commandments. I’ll punish them, but I won’t change my covenant. Well, I take it then there is a future for Israel and the kings in David's line will rule forever.

Listen to Luke chapter 1 verses 32-33, He will be great, referring to Gabriel telling Mary about the virgin born Son that will come from her womb. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father, David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and His kingdom will have no end. The Davidic Covenant was given to David and his descendants, in its ultimate realization it’s forever dimension will be realized when Jesus Christ sits on the throne of David ruling over the world, enthroned in Jerusalem.

Come to Psalm 2. The basis of this psalm is the opposition of the nations of the world against the authoritative rule of God and His Son, who is His appointed, anointed ruler. This psalm continues the contrast that we saw in Psalm 1. There the contrast was between the godly and the ungodly, those who are blessed, given God’s happiness, who flourish, and the ungodly who are like chaff doomed to destruction. But here we move from individuals to nations, and Psalm 2 focuses on the nations of the world joined in opposition to God and His rule. This psalm wants us to understand all the conflict that is going on in the world today, and what lies behind all this conflict.

We start out, there are four stanzas, if you will, of three verses each, the way most of your Bibles are broken up. The first three verses talk about the rage of the nations, why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing. The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed saying, let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us. The rejection of God and His authority manifests itself in the nations of the world by their violent opposition and rejection of the one He has appointed as His king. This would be true of David, Solomon and their descendants in the Davidic line, but the ultimate focus, the realization of this will be on Christ. The one in whom the covenant with David will experience its fulfillment.

Turn to Acts chapter 4, Acts chapter 4. Peter is speaking before the rulers of Israel, he has been summoned by them, they are upset with the preaching of the apostles and here it is Peter and John. Their preaching has been supported by mighty miracles. In verse 18 the leaders of Israel summon Peter and John and verse 18 of Acts 4, and they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John respond that we have to obey God, not men. When Peter and John report back to the other followers of Christ, verse 23, they had been released. They went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, oh Lord it is you who made the heaven, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. You see we start with who God is, He is the sovereign creator. That means He has authority over all that He has created. Verse 25, who by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father, David your servant, said. You see that it is God speaking. Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples devise futile things. David speaks in the opening verses of Psalm 2. The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His anointed, His Christ. What Peter is saying is the rejection and execution of Christ were predicted by the psalmist in Psalm 2, when Herod, Pilate, the authorities and leaders raged against Christ, the anointed of God. It was simply what the psalmist said they would do. They will not have this man rule over them. We have no king but Caesar. It was rebellion against the rule of God through His divinely appointed Son, Jesus Christ.

Now I want you to note something in the context here. Verse 18, the apostles were commanded not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus. Verse 27, truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed. Psalm 2 will speak about the anointing of the Son. Both Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, the people of Israel to do whatever your hand and your purpose predestined to occur. Now Lord take note of their threats, grant that your bondservants may speak your Word with all confidence. That opposition to God and His Christ continues in manifestation to the opposition, often violent opposition, against any who preach a message, the truth concerning Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We misunderstand why there is such violent opposition to biblical Christianity in the world. Because there is opposition to God and His rule. Anti-Semitism in the world. Well of course the devil hates the Jews. The nations of the world rage against the Jews. Why? Because the ruler of the world, God’s appointed Son, will be at the line of David, himself a Jew. The nations of the world rage against true Christians. Why? Because they hate the message of the authority of the sovereign creator and the rule of His appointed Son. We understand the conflict that goes on.

Psalm 2, we anticipated the crucifixion of Christ and the joining together Pilate, representing the Romans; Herod, representing in his own way the Jews. You know what the scripture says? They had been enemies, but from the day they joined together against Christ they became friends, because the ultimate enemy is God and His appointed ruler. The goal is to be free from the authority of God, the rule of God on earth and in their lives. The goal in verse 3 is let us tear their fetters apart, cast their cords away from us. We want to be free without any responsibility to God and His Son, we don’t want to submit to them, we don’t want to live under their authority. That is the raging opposition. It’s not just passive indifference toward God and His Son, it is raging, violent, often opposition. They don’t want to submit to the rule of God. Do we have any doubt as we look at our own nation, that we have to debate whether you’re even allowed to talk about God in school. Of course, you can’t mention God when it comes to talking about the origins of the earth because if you allow for the possibility that a sovereign God created all things, then you must agree that this God is sovereign over all He has created. No. So, we must come up with foolish and ridiculous alternatives, so we do not have to acknowledge God. We say well, I don’t know, is that anti-Christian? Why is it Muslims can pray in schools in the country and Christians can’t? You know, prayer is not the issue, it’s deeper than that. There is raging opposition to the living God and His Son. That’s why there is such opposition to the message of Christ. You know what it’s like, talk about Jesus Christ at your job. We can’t do that, can’t do that and there can’t be any religious symbols worn. Now of course if you are a Muslim, you can wear certain……because that’s part of your religion. But for Christians, make no mistake, those who hate Christ hate those who are followers of Christ. That’s the issue here, the do not want the authority of God and His Son in their lives.

This hatred and opposition of the nations is building toward the climax, called Armageddon, where the nations of the world will overtly in their war mode attempt to do battle with Jesus Christ. Come back to the book of Revelation at the end of your New Testament, Revelation chapter 16. At the first coming of Christ, they attempted to oppose Him and destroy Him as God’s appointed Son to rule overall. The opposition has not lessened one bit, so the nations of the earth are building toward Armageddon. As we move toward the conclusion of that seven-year period that will be ended with the return of Christ bodily to this earth to establish a kingdom, we find demonic beings moving among the nations of the earth. Verse 14, there are spirits of demons performing signs which go out to the kings of the whole world to gather them together for the war of the great day of God the Almighty. Verse 16, they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-megeddon, or as we are familiar with it, Armageddon, the Mount of Megiddo, from which the nations of the world will spread down throughout Palestine and surrounding regions over into the regions of Edom and so on. They attempt to do battle against the Son of God who had come to assume the throne given to Him by His Father.

Look in chapter 19 of Revelation verse 19. We see this climactic battle. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Here you have this final conflict. The nations of the earth raging to the final attempt to prevent Christ from assuming the throne that God promised to David forever.

Come back to Psalm 2. Verses 4-6 show the response of the Lord in heaven to the raging of the nations of the world against His Son. He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury saying, but as for me I have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain. It is ridiculous, absurd that man should attempt to fight against God. Isaiah chapter 45 verse 9 says, woe to the one who quarrels with his maker. The analogy used by the prophets is we are like clay that He has molded into pots, and He can smash and shatter us at His will. He is accountable to no one but Himself. Amazing to me that the psalms which we identify with such comfort and blessing and encouragement to the people of God, and they are, begin with such awful judgment pronounced against all who oppose God. With the wicked being like the chaff in Psalm 1, which are only good for burning, with the wicked who are the object of God’s scorn and fiery, furious anger in Psalm 2. We need to have a proper perspective of God. There is nothing so awful as His anger, and when the nations of the earth join together against Him it’s not a cause for Him to worry or what am I going to do, or I hope I win. It’s ridiculous, it’s absurd. He laughs, and it’s the laugh of scorn, of ridicule. The greatest of the nations of the earth are but a speck of dust. Now you assemble all the nations, what do you have? A few more specks of dust. The Almighty, sovereign God, all He has to do is go pouf and they’re gone. They’re assembling to rage against His authority and attempt to do away with His rule? How foolish and stupid and ridiculous. That’s the picture.

We won’t take time to go there, but Psalm 37:13, Psalm 59:8, you have the same awesome picture—God laughing at the wicked because of the foolish, ridiculousness of them attempting to fight against Him.

You’ll note verse 6. In contrast here are the nations of the world raging to throw off the authority and prevent the rule of God’s anointed one. God laughs and then says, but as for me I have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mount. Verse 6 is a prophecy, and it often takes place among the prophets in the Old Testament. They get their prophecy in the past tense. We refer to it as the prophetic past or the prophetic perfect, because once God speaks, we read in Isaiah chapter 40, the Word of our God endures forever. It is settled, it’s as good as done. So, the prophets often gave their prophecies in the past tense, because once God spoke it was as good as done. So here He speaks of what He will do in spite of the ridiculous opposition of men. His king will be established upon Zion. Zion is another name for Jerusalem, basically. Some 40 times Zion is referred to in the Psalms. It’s God’s holy mountain. It’s the holy mountain because God has set it aside as a city that will belong to Him as the center of the world, and from Jerusalem His Son will rule over all creation. It’s done. The nations can rage, they crucified His Son, they continue to reject His authority and rage against Him, try to silence His messengers. They will assemble the armies at His Second Coming to try to do battle with Him. It’s done, I’ve done it by declaring it. The promise to David is sure and David’s son will sit on the throne in Jerusalem. That’s not happening today, there is no one sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem ruling. But God promised that this would happen for eternity. Because of the sin of Israel, they are under the judgment of God, but it hasn’t changed the promises of God.

Look at verse 7. Verses 7-9 talk about the rule of the Son. I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. He said to me, you are my Son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, the very ends of the earth as your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like earthenware. The sovereign decree of God is that the promise I gave to David will be fulfilled. The Son will be king forever. He said to me, you are my Son, today I have begotten you. Jesus has been eternally in the relationship of God’s Son, but the emphasis here is on His Sonship and the context of His humanity as the one anointed to sit on the throne of David.

Turn to Acts 13:33, and then I will just read you some other verses, Acts 13:33. Paul is preaching and he has preached the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ in verses 28-30. Crucified on the cross, buried in the tomb, but verse 30, God raised Him from the dead. Look at verse 32, and we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers. The promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children that He raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm, you are my son, today I have begotten you. Here he associates the placing of the Son with His resurrection from the dead because it couldn’t be fulfilled in David, David was placed in a tomb to decay. But Jesus was raised from the dead. This is consistent with Romans 1:4 where it says that Christ was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. So, the statement, you are my son, today I have begotten you, refers to His resurrection. But it’s not just limited to that. In Hebrews chapter 1:5, and you don’t need to turn there, this same verse from Psalm 2 is used to refer to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It’s used again in Hebrews chapter 5 to refer to the placing of Jesus Christ as a priest forever after the order of Melchizadek. What we see is the decree of the Lord that you are my Son, today I have begotten you, refers to the plan of God in appointing His Son. That involved His becoming a man, His suffering, dying and being raised from the dead and being established as a priest forever after the order of Melchizadek so that He could reign forever over redeemed people. Because you understand if He didn’t suffer and die, if He didn’t function as a high priest and make the sacrifice necessary, there would be nothing to rule over, because all His enemies will be destroyed and cast into hell. There would be no kingdom. Some have difficulty, they say well when was He begotten? It must have been His incarnation. No, it must have been His resurrection. No, it must have been when He was appointed priest. All of those, it’s all part of what God is doing. Does that mean now that Christ is on the throne of David? No, go over, look around, travel to Israel. Nobody is sitting on the throne of David today, but God has prepared the one who will.

That’s why He says, ask of me and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, the very ends of the earth as your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and you shall shatter them like earthenware. That is yet to come, that total rule. All those who oppose Him will suffer shattering destruction. That will be very clearly seen at the Second Coming of Christ to earth. It will be seen again at the end of the Millenium, when the nations of the earth again try to revive their rebellion and oppose Him. Anytime anyone opposes the rule of God through His Son can only be doom and destruction. All the battling that’s going on today and the jockeying among the nations is all at root a rejection of God and His authority and the rule of His Son. It will come to its climax at the Second Coming of Christ to earth, and then His thousand-year reign on the earth and then another rebellion against Him with their final destruction and casting into hell.

His rule will be final, it’s overall. That’s the decree of God—given to David and settled in His Son. His rule will be total. Any opposition will be devastatingly destroyed. The events leading to the Second Coming speak of this. Let me read to you from Revelation 6:15-17. In Revelation 6 we are coming to the end of the course of history and preparing for the Second Coming of Christ in that period of time called the tribulation, leading up to the Second Coming of Christ. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come and who is able to stand? You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like earthenware. There is no hope for man to stand against the living God. You say I don’t think people would. I can hardly believe the nations of the earth; the armies of the world would gather together and think they could do battle against Christ. Well look at the fools around you. I don’t mean sitting here but look at the nations of the world today. How many of them are bowing in submission to Jesus Christ? What foolishness that they should think they could oppose the living God, refuse to acknowledge the rightful authority of the Son of God and His position not only as King but as Savior.

Come to verse 10 and following, verses 10-12 talk about the requirement of the nations, God’s requirement for them. Now therefore in light of God’s determined decree, His settled plan that is as good as done because I’ve installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain. It’s as good as done. I have given the decree that you are my Son, today I have begotten you. This assures that all who oppose you, all your enemies, will be shatteringly destroyed. Now therefore, in light of that oh kings, and there are five commands or instructions given to them. Show discernment, take warning, worship, rejoice, do homage. There is still mercy, there is still time, there is mercy before judgment but there will be no mercy in judgment. Understand the ultimate destiny of the wicked is to experience the wrath of God in full strength, not mixed with mercy in the cup of His anger, according to Revelation chapter 14. Don’t misunderstand because God shows mercy, invites them to come to salvation now, that in judgment He will deal leniently and lightly. There is mercy before judgment, there is no mercy in judgment.

Therefore, oh kings show discernment, be wise, take warning oh judges of the earth. Worship the Lord with reverence, rejoice with trembling. You understand you are dealing with the living God and His Son. Of course, show discernment, exercise wisdom in light of what God said. This is settled, the ruler of all has spoken. Even the outcome has been clearly set forth. Use a little grey matter, show wisdom, take warning, worship the Lord with reverence, rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, kiss the Son. We’re all familiar with different part of the earth they come, they bow down, they kiss Him. They are in complete submission to Him. Why? Do homage to the Son that He may not be angry, and you perish in the way. For His wrath may soon be kindled.

The next verse, how blessed are all who take refuge in Him. Like a ray of sunshine. If you come to Him, you experience the fullness of His happiness. You’ll note this psalm ends exactly the way Psalm 1 began. How blessed is the man is the beginning of Psalm 1, now Psalm 2 ends how blessed are all those who take refuge. How happy are those who take refuge in Him. Stop fighting against Him, stop opposing Him. While you have opportunity, bow before Him, submit to Him, acknowledge that He is God and He alone. His Son is the only Savior, the one who will rule forever; and in Him there is salvation. God is so gracious. The raging of the nations goes on, the opposition against God, the crucifixion of His Son, the attempt to stamp out the message of truth concerning His Son, the ultimate climax and opposition to Him. Even during His reign for a thousand years the words of this Psalm will ring out, don’t oppose the Son.

You’ll note when His wrath is stirred up it can be fierce. You do homage to the Son so that He doesn’t become angry, and you perish from the way. You know we want to just present this world picture, the loving, fuzzy Savior. You know what the picture of the scripture is—you bow before Him; you don’t want to get Him angry. You don’t want His wrath stirred up, because if it does it will be your destruction. You say I don’t like that picture of God. Well then, look at the next verse, how blessed are those who take refuge in Him. Take refuge in Him, turn from your sin. You know the problem is you will not have Him to rule in your life. Why haven’t you bowed and received by faith the gift of God’s salvation in His Son? Because you are unwilling to acknowledge His authority in your life, you are unwilling to bow before His Son. You are the object of His wrath. This is still a day of grace and mercy. Oh, how happy are the ones who take refuge in Him.

Let me read you a verse from Acts and we’ll be done. Acts chapter 17 the last part of verse 31 and verse 32. See if this doesn’t sound similar to what Psalm 2 says, this is Paul preaching in Acts 17. God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, show discernment, take warning, worship, rejoice, do homage. God is declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. Jesus Christ is your judge. Your only hope is that He become your Savior. You take refuge in Him. Then instead of being doomed to destruction and shattering judgment, oh the happiness, the blessedness of the one who takes refuge in Him.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your Son. Thank you for the unfolding of your plan that has been decreed, has been determined by your sovereign power. Your Son will rule, all who oppose Him will be destroyed. Thank you for your mercy and grace in providing salvation for hell-deserving sinners. Thank you for this day of opportunity for salvation, for men, women and young people to cease from their rebellion, to repent, to turn to your Son and believe in Him as their Savior and king, and experience the happiness, the blessedness of your salvation. May we as your people take heart, not be intimidated, discouraged or fearful of the actions of the nations of the world because our God and His Son will rule over all. It all is moving toward your appointment and climax of history. We praise you for our Savior, your Son, who loved us and died for us. We pray in His name. Amen.