God's Word to a World At War

Psalm 2

Introduction

            We have attended the school concerts of our grandchildren. In a few weeks we will go again and attend their "winter festival." This event always makes me wonder because there are no songs or stories which mention Jesus. Now I am OK with being sensitive to multiculturalism, but somehow I wonder if something else isn't going on. I wonder if this isn't an example of the rejection of God which we read about in Psalm 2?  

           We see rejection of God in our world in many ways and it has a powerful impact. When God is out of the picture, not only is there no foundation for morality, the value of human life is also diminished. In an article in December 2008, Pierre Gilbert wrote that under secular humanism, human beings no longer have intrinsic value. He asks, "What distinguishes human beings from all other animals or plants?" He suggests that it is not the fact that we have a unique DNA, because every living creature has a unique DNA. He says further that it also cannot be identifiable markers "such as intelligence, ability to love, creativity, empathy and speech" because then some people who are severely physically and mentally handicapped would not be identified as human. The foundation for the uniqueness of humanity is that they and they alone are created in the image of God. If God is taken out of the picture, then that foundation is gone and many other things also fall away.

            At the beginning of the service, we played several songs from The Messiah. Each of those songs come from Psalm 2. "Why do the Nations" comes from Psalm 2:1,2; "Let us break their bonds asunder;" is from Psalm 2:3; "He that dwelleth in heaven" is from Psalm 2:4 and "Thou shalt break them" is from Psalm 2:9. In Psalm 2, the writer reflects on the very thing I have just been talking about. It speaks about the rejection of God by the rulers of the world. But it also speaks about the perspective from heaven and the promise God has made to send his King into the world. It is appropriate that during this advent season we think about the promises of God. As we do, we have an opportunity to think about how we respond to the rejection of God in the world and how the coming of Jesus has made a difference.

I.     A World At War vs. 1-3

A.   The Nations Conspire

            The reality presented in Psalm 2:1-3 is a reality which we assume is normal. We do not assume that nations and the rulers of nations will take into account what God wants as they lead their nations.

            In these verses we read such statements as, "the nations conspire," "the peoples plot," "kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord." They say, "Let us burst their bonds asunder."

            Some of the opposition to God is opposition that has to do simply with the fact that they do not take account of God or a worldview in which God is recognized as sovereign Lord. So when our country failed to provide for the protection of children in the womb, it happened simply because they did not ask God about the value of an unborn child.

            At other times, the opposition is directed against God and against the people who represent God. On October 28, we talked about what is happening to believers in other countries who are experiencing persecution. In many cases persecution is happening as a direct attack against God and His people.

            Some people simply reject God because they do not believe He exists and so their worldview is formed without reference to God. Some people reject God because they do believe He exists, but are opposed to Him and are vehement in their rejection of God.

            Psalm 2 is quoted in the New Testament a number of times and one of the reasons it is quoted is to reflect on the rejection of God. One of the places in which this happens is in Acts 4:25-28 where the Christian church gathered to pray after Peter and John were released after they had been arrested. Their prayer included the words, "it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’ For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place." The early church saw everything that happened to Jesus and the persecution they had experienced as a fulfillment of this Psalm.

            Although kings are mentioned, the very same battle also takes place in every human heart. Psalm 14:1, says, "Fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.'” Romans 1:21, also reflects on this when it says, "for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him..."

            This is what is happening in our world and it is explained in Psalm 2:1-3.

B.   Why?

            Yet Psalm 2 does not only observe the reality, but also asks, "Why?" The writer is astonished that such rejection of God takes place. It is particularly difficult to understand why those who know God would want to reject Him.

            Yet the question is not a question which emphasizes the puzzle. The question directs our attention to the uselessness of such rejection. Verse 1 says, "the peoples plot in vain." Rejection of God has no point. Waltner writes, "The tone of these opening verses is incredulity. How can anyone, even the most powerful earthly rulers, hope to break free from the sovereign Lord and his anointed?"

            Spurgeon includes an interesting illustration. Diocletian conquered much land and when he got to Spain he set up a pillar, to honor himself, with these words on it: "Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Caesares Augusti, for having extended the Roman Empire in the east and west, and for having extinguished the name of Christians, who brought the Republic to ruin." Well the vanity of that boast is clear because many people have not even heard of Diocletian, but Christianity continues until today.

II.  God Speaks vs. 4-6

A.   God Laughs vs. 4

            The uselessness of the rebellion of the kings is focused when God's perspective is raised in verse 4 where we read that God laughs.

            When the whole army of Israel was held back because of the boasts of Goliath, the king of Israel and the soldiers of Israel were not laughing. But God was laughing, because he knew that shortly Goliath would be defeated by a mere shepherd boy. We so often share the fear of the army of Israel when we have every reason to recognize the laughter of God who is not in the least intimidated by the enmity of the kings of the earth.

            We see the laughter of God in the story of Israel in Egypt. Pharaoh was deliberately seeking to destroy the people of God by legislating that all the male babies should be killed. While this was going on, one of those very Israelite males, the one who would eventually deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt was being raised by Pharaoh's own daughter.

B.   God is Angry vs. 5

            Yet the laughter of God is no joke even to God. It is mentioned simply to highlight the ridiculousness of the opposition against God. It is no joke because God is angry at their rebellion. Those who rebel against God do not do so with impunity. Although God is patient and does not immediately smite all who rebel against Him, the day of His wrath is coming. God promises that those who hate Him will have a day of reckoning. All rebellion is a rejection of what is good and whole. Therefore He is angry that those who reject Him do so towards their own destruction and the destruction of many others. Therefore in this passage God promises that a day is coming when that opposition will be dealt with. Revelation 11:18 speaks of the fulfillment of that promise when it says, "The nations raged, but your wrath has come, and the time for judging the dead, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and all who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

C.   God Has An Answer vs. 6

            How does God respond to the rebellion of the nations? Interestingly it is not by smashing all opposition. The promise which fits so well as we consider the theme of advent is the promise of one who will come and who will be king and who will rule for Him.

            This Psalm was likely originally written as a coronation Psalm. It has strong ties to the time when God established His king over His people. It has ties particularly to the promises made to David in II Samuel 7:8-16. Whenever the enemies of Israel came against the people of God, God's answer was, "I have set a king over my people." But those kings were not always faithful to God and they were not always able to overcome their enemies. The promise made in this Psalm extends beyond the kings who were ruling in those days. In II Samuel 7:16, God promised David, "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever." The promise points forward to the coming of a king who would reign eternally. It is a promise of a coming Messiah who would be faithful to God and who would establish the reign of God eternally.

III.          God's Son Speaks vs. 7-9

            The voice changes in verses 7-9 and now it is this king who speaks. In these verses it is Messiah Himself who declares His understanding of the promise God has made. As we listen to these words, we hear words appropriate for this advent season. They speak of who this anointed King is and what God has promised to do through Him in response to the rebellion of the kings of the earth.

A.   Identity of the King

            There are two words in verse 7 which identify the king whom God has set in place.

            In verse 7 it says, "you are my Son." Jesus understood that He was Son of God. Repeatedly Psalm 2 is quoted in the New Testament to demonstrate that Jesus fulfills this promise. On the occasions in which God spoke directly to the disciples about Jesus, like at his baptism and at the transfiguration, this is the language that is used. For example in  Luke 9:35 we read, "Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”" Hebrews 5:5 is a theological reflection on this idea and there we read, "So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;" Jesus was a descendent of David and was therefore qualified to take the role prophesied in II Samuel. Jesus is the Son of God and is God's answer to the rebellion of the nations.

            The other phrase of identity is the phrase, "today I have begotten you." When was Jesus established as the Son who would answer the rebellion of the nations? Acts 13:33, speaking of God's promises, says, "he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’" Romans 1:4 further affirms this when it says, "and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord," So we see that it was through the resurrection that God put in place His answer to the kings of the earth. The risen Christ, who died in our place is God's reply to the kings. Jesus understood His role as the Son who had come. Jesus was the son of David and so was qualified to fulfill God's promise. He was raised from the dead and so was also qualified to reign for all eternity.

B.   Rule of the King

            The other issue addressed is, "How will this king fulfill God's wrath on the nations of the earth?" This was a confusing issue when Jesus came. Several times they asked Jesus when he would "restore the kingdom to Israel." In the Psalm, the promise made to the King whom God set in place was, "Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." This was the promise which the people of Israel at Jesus' time were waiting for. They hoped that Jesus would come and smash the opposition of the Roman occupation. Yet Jesus did not do that and some were disappointed and some are still disappointed and question where God is fulfilling this promise through Jesus? Yet the evidence is quite clear. The kingdom of God is not an earthly kingdom. It is God's kingdom on earth that is being established in every country in the world. The kings of the earth cannot stop it by opposition, persecution or rebellion. Once again God mocks the efforts of the kings of the earth because although they do not honor God and in many cases rebel against God, in every country of the world, people are becoming members of God's kingdom. Wherever that is happening, the promise of this Psalm is being fulfilled. Our belief is that in the end, the kingdom of Jesus will reach to the ends of the earth and will be the greatest kingdom. The victory will not come by military victory, it will come because the Son of God was willing to sacrifice His life and is establishing His kingdom as hearts are turned towards Him.

            The imagery of a rod of iron dashing in pieces a potters vessel is also repeated in the New Testament. Waltner mentions the custom in Egypt in which a Pharaoh would smash clay pots with an iron rod. The pots had on them the names of enemy nations and so by smashing them he symbolized his power over them. The imagery of Psalm 2:9 refers to the destruction of every nation on earth. Today that is happening as people turn to Jesus. It is not yet seen universally, yet Revelation contains promises that in the end this promise will be fulfilled. Revelation 19:15 is one of the final words on this issue. There we read, "From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty."  In the end, it will also not be a military victory, but a victory brought about by the word of God. By His Word, He will smash all other nations and the kingdom of Jesus will reign over all. In that way, God will fulfill the promise made in this Psalm. Luther "…identified the 'rod of iron' as the 'holy Gospel which is Christ's royal scepter in his church."

IV.         A Word of Wisdom vs. 10-12

            The final verses contain a word of wisdom written to kings and to all who rebel against God.

            First of all there is a warning written to those who continue in their rebellion. If God laughs and promises to act on his anger against the rebellion and if God has placed His own Son as the one who will inherit all nations, it only makes sense that all who rule and all who may be tempted to rebel against God, should be warned.

            In the musical “The King and I” the king sings a song about the difficulty of ruling and what is wise and what kind of alliances will serve the country best. He asks himself, “Shall I join with other nations in alliance. If allies are weak am I the best of all. If allies are strong with power to protect me, might they not protect me out of my own home.” Because God is King, a wise choice for any ruler is to serve God, to make a firm alliance with Him. For anyone, it is wise to enter into a relationship with God.

            Several specific statements invite response if we heed the warning.

            The first response is to "serve the Lord with fear." To fear the Lord is to recognize His greatness and power. To serve Him is to offer our life in obedience to Him.

            The second response is to rejoice with trembling. The trembling again points to honoring God in His majesty, but there is joy in it as well, a joy of recognizing that in His presence there is life.

            Next we are called to "Kiss His feet." To do so is a sign of homage, giving honor and obedience to Jesus is the best we can do in relationship to Him. Once again it is attached to the warning that God's wrath comes against those who rebel against Him.

            Yet although fear and warning are found throughout this passage, the final phrase reminds us that there is true joy and blessedness in taking refuge in Him. The call to fear and to heed the warning is not because God is a selfish dictator who demands full obedience. God calls for homage and service because in it there is blessing and all good. As we take refuge in Him, we will find that life.

Conclusion

            Advent season points to the coming of Messiah. Psalm 2 is one of the passages that points to the one whose coming we celebrate this season. It begins by acknowledging a disturbing reality that was true then and is true today. In the world, there is rebellion against God.

            But it also points to God's answer. He is not intimidated, as we often are, by the rebellion of those who reject Him. He laughs because He knows that the rebellion has no ultimate power. He is angry and will judge all those who continue in rebellion. God has promised His anointed Son as the answer to the rebellion of the kings. We understand that Jesus fulfills the promise made in this prophecy.

            The challenge of this Psalm is that it speaks so clearly to our context. We are citizens of the heavenly kingdom and know that perspective, yet we are also citizens of the earthly kingdom and experience the plotting of kings. So knowing both of these perspectives, how do we respond?

            It would be possible to fear the nations and doubt the promises of this text. Often we are tempted to do that. Yet if we let that way into our hearts we will be constantly fearful of what God's enemies will imagine or do next.

            It would be possible to respond with arrogance. We could hold it over all rebellious rulers and say, in effect, "I know that you are not going to win in the end." But is that what the example of Jesus calls us to do?

            It would be possible to respond with power and seek to restore our nation to God by political will. Some like the religious right in the USA try to do that. Is that how Jesus brought in the kingdom of God?

            As we contemplate the way of Jesus, the one whom God has put in place, we need to adopt His method. I believe that understanding this Psalm encourages us about how things are going to turn out. Yet it also challenges us to use the methods of the Son who showed us how to live in this world. With gentleness, sacrificial love, boldness, honesty and compassion He showed the reign of God in His heart and calls us to do the same. He calls us to have courage when we are rejected and to gently invite others into the way.

            May this season of advent be a time when we rejoice that God's King has come and may we more boldly proclaim the word of Jesus in our world.

            We began the service by listening to four successive songs from The Messiah which are all from Psalm 2. They speak of rebellion in the world and declare that God has an answer to that rebellion. The very next song is the Hallelujah chorus and declares with rejoicing that God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. After the benediction we will play it and as you leave the service, may the affirmation of that song give you courage to live for Jesus who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.