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What is up with the world right now? Could things get any crazier, any weirder, any more hateful and divisive? Are we having fun yet? I’m obliged to tell you that things can, and will, get worse. The world has always been engulfed in sin; there have been many periods of time of violent upheaval. Right now it seems especially messed up, because we are living in the ‘right now’. And yet, across history, even in some of the most appalling circumstances, God’s people have shown poise and patience and perseverance. How did they do it? Psalm 2 holds the key. That’s what we’ll be studying this morning.
The secret to having confidence and hope, despite all the tumult in the world isn’t complicated. It consists of really, really believing the Word of God, that King Messiah Yeshua will soon return to earth, take His rightful place on His throne, and rule over the world righteously, from Jerusalem.
This is one of just 9 of the 150 Psalms that falls into the category of ‘Royal Psalms’ or ‘Coronation Psalms’ – common to the world of the Ancient Near East. Though not formally ascribed, it was commonly held that David was the author, as evidenced by Luke’s mention in Acts 4. But truly it speaks of one so much greater than David – this One isn’t just ‘the son of God’ in the sense of being Israel’s divinely-chosen king. This points us to Messiah, who really IS the Son of God.
Several times in the New Covenant Scriptures, Psalm 2 is quoted directly, or else alluded to. For example, verses 1 and 2 are quoted in Acts chapter 4, after Peter and John had been arrested and threatened by the Jewish leaders for healing a crippled man in the name of Yeshua. Verses 1 and 5 are quoted in Revelation chapter 11, at the blowing of the 7th and final trumpet. Verses 8 and 9 are quoted in Revelation ch’s. 2, 12 and 19. What I’m saying is, this psalm is really important!
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
Why? David isn’t seeking a reason. He asks why, as though to say, “What on earth are they thinking?” because what they are attempting is complete folly. There’s no good reason for the nations to rage against God. He is righteous and true in all that He does. And there’s no point in raging – there’s nothing to be gained by it. God isn’t going to back down or lower the bar, or go with ‘plan B’ just because sinful, selfish, petulant human beings disapprove.
Why do the nations rage?
From the time of Abraham (c. 2000 BC) onward, humanity has been divided into two primary groups: Israel and the nations – Jews and Gentiles. In David’s time it was traditionally held that there were 70 nations in the world. As of the year 2020 there are 193 nations in the world (195 according to the UN, but I do not consider the Vatican or the Palestinian Authority to be countries).
Well, here we are, 3,000 years after the time of David. Have the nations changed their tune? Have they learned? Is their disposition now favorable to the God of Israel or the people of Israel or the MESSIAH OF ISRAEL? Have the lessons of history, and the widespread availability of the Scriptures led the nations to turn from their folly? No. They’re still raging. Nations under the rule of Communism, Hinduism and Islam continue to suppress the knowledge of God and of Messiah.
Rage is a strong word. It is defined as violent, uncontrollable anger. It usually expresses itself through physical brutality and aggression. This is blind, abject hatred, and, because it is spiritual in nature, it defies all appeals to logic or to common sense. It cannot be reasoned with.
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
Plotting involves the intent to commit misdeeds; the making of plans secretly to do something illicit or detrimental to someone.
Beyond their collective, mindless rage, their unrighteous indignation, the nations united (wink) conspire together, if somehow to rid themselves of God’s authority. The prevailing mindset is very much like that which led up to the construction of the Tower of Babel. It is open, brazen defiance.
And, of course, it all began in the Garden of Eden with Satan’s lie: “You will be like God!” When mankind joined in that rebellion, everything went south very quickly. Embarrassment, fear, blame-shifting, and soon after – the murder of Abel by his own brother, Cain. Wanton defiance was personified in people like Lamech who boasted to his two wives that he had killed a young man, and as far as he was concerned, with impunity.
David wrote this psalm by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the fact is, nothing has changed. The nations of the world are still openly defiant towards God and towards Messiah. But, like the outcome of the Tower of Babel, their defiant rage and their plotting will prove to be in vain. It is wasted energy to defy the Living God, and whatever the plan, it is doomed to failure (and in this case, worse)!
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed
Think about the efforts of activist billionaires conniving behind the scenes and using aggrieved people as though they were pawns on a chessboard, useful for a little while, and when no longer needed, discarded without a second thought. All of this with the objective of reshaping the world to suit their own tastes. And then consider these words from Psalm 2, and realize that this is nothing new. History’s ‘movers and shakers’ have always set themselves against Adonai.
Power, to sinful human beings, is as irresistible as catnip to a cat. And it has the same effect: madness. And in every generation, there have been men whose aim is to rule the world, and will stop at nothing to get there; even if it means the deaths of millions in war or in societal upheaval. But eventually all their power and influence won’t be enough.
David says they take counsel together against Adonai and against His Anointed. In case you’re wondering, the Hebrew word used here is |(*:/ (meshicho – His Anointed/Messiah). It is from the verb mashach – to anoint, or to pour/smear oil. Just as Israel’s Cohanim (priests) were dedicated to their office with the pouring of oil on their heads, it was also done for kings, to physically represent the imbuing of God’s authority and symbolizing the presence of the Holy Spirit on them.
In its original context, King David is the anointed king. In the broader context, the anointed one is THE Anointed One: Messiah. Rashi acknowledged that the plain meaning was with reference to David, but that the rabbis believed that this ultimately spoke of the Messiah.
Note that the two are linked as the targets of this conspiracy, and mutually the objects of contempt. It is, as I frequently say, a ‘package deal’ – those who love the king of Israel also love the God of Israel. Those who hate the king of Israel also hate the God of Israel, and if it were possible, would dethrone them both. It was true in the days of King David, and it is true now, as we await the return and the enthronement of King Messiah Yeshua, the Son of David.
And listen to the contemptuous words from the mouths of the rebellious kings and rulers of the earth. What do they say?
“Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
Without a doubt, the kings and the uber wealthy of this world wield a lot of power, and some of them make the lives of millions of other people miserable. But it is delusional for even these big-shots to think that they can successfully challenge God’s power and authority. Yet that doesn’t seem to stop these rebels from shaking a defiant fist at Him.
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
Have you ever been at a park or walking in a neighborhood and see a little dog like a Yorkie or a Pomeranian barking at a much bigger dog, like a Bull Mastiff or a Doberman or Newfoundland, trying to intimidate it? It’s both funny and annoying. Even though the bigger dog could easily tear the yappy little dog to shreds, usually the big dog just stands there and ignore him. So God’s response to the kings and rulers who would defy Him is, for the moment, to scorn them for their impudence.
Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, saying, “As for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill.”
His fury really is terrifying. Listen to this vivid description in Revelation 6:14-17
The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
Just as in Psalm 118, where the ‘builders’ (Israel’s leaders) foolishly reject the ‘Stone’ (Messiah), and God overrides them and makes Him the chief Cornerstone; so here in Psalm 2, God declares that, despite all the raging of the nations and their kings, He has set the King of His choosing (again, Messiah) on the throne in Zion. At that time, David was the king of His choosing. And now and forevermore it is Yeshua, the Son of David, who is the King of His choosing.
Let me issue a challenge here. God’s choice has been made… so what will you choose? If you persist in rejecting Yeshua (ignoring Him is rejecting Him), you are making yourself an adversary to God, who appointed Him the rightful King over Israel and all the nations, and before whom you will stand on the Day of Judgment. Do yourself a favor – do the smart thing – and declare your loyalty to Him now, today. Because His wrath is approaching, and you don’t want to be the object of it.
I will tell of the decree: the Lord said to me, “You are My Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your heritage, and the ends of the earth Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
On multiple occasions (including Psalm 89 and 2 Samuel 7) God promised to exalt David, and by covenant to establish his throne forever. Again, this is a Royal Psalm; at the time of David’s coronation, God speaks to him in monarchial and fatherly language, promising him authority, not only over Israel, but even over the nations of the world, including those regarded as adversarial. David was a great king and had great authority, but this psalm is truly messianic in nature. It is the Messiah, the Son of David, who will rule over all the earth. Those who choose not to see this as referring to the Messiah are left only with the option to characterize this psalm as hyperbole. I think that is very sad.
These verses are consistent with Daniel chapter 7, the prophet’s night vision, in which one like a Son of Man was presented before the Ancient of Days, and to this Son of Man was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, and of Him it was said, “that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him.” And again, that “His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away.”
Do you remember how Satan tempted Yeshua in the wilderness (Matthew 4) by taking Him to a high mountain and showing Him all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory? He said he would give them all to Yeshua (he wouldn’t have – he’s a liar, and the father of lies), if only Yeshua would bow down and worship him. Yeshua refused and rebuked Satan. But Scripture already says that Messiah will rule over the nations. The temptation was to get Him to avoid the cross. There was no way Yeshua was going along with that. He was determined to redeem us by giving His life!
The Scriptures also declare that most of the nations of the earth, being ruled by unrighteous kings, will resist Messiah’s authority, so that He will need to rule – for at least a time – with a ‘rod of iron’. It says so here in Psalm 2, and three times in Revelation (chapters 2, 12, 19). We tend to think of the Millennial Kingdom of Messiah Yeshua as very suddenly bringing about peace on the earth, but the fact is that He will first need to break the stubborn, foolish will of some of the nations. For example, Zechariah (chapter 14) prophesied that Egypt will refuse to comply with the mandated celebration of Sukkot in Jerusalem, and as a result will suffer drought and be humbled into submission. So, to some extent, that thousand years of peace will be an enforced peace.
Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
This magnificent and messianic psalm ends with a warning and a promise. A warning to the kings and powerful men of the world to obey the Lord and to submit to His King – Messiah – so as not to have to face His wrath; and a promise that all who look to and obey Adonai and give honor to King Messiah, the Son of God, will be blessed. It will be one of two choices, with very different outcomes.
What Psalm 2, and really all of Scripture, doesn’t offer us is a third way. We must serve the Lord reverently, and love and rejoice in Him, or else we face His eternal wrath. Simcha (joy) and shalom (peace, wholeness) and b’racha (blessing) await those who love and obey King Messiah Yeshua; while Judgment, condemnation and destruction await those who defy Him. But there is no third option, as though to say, “I’m not going to fight Him, but I’m not going to serve Him, either.” By refusing to serve Him, you ARE fighting Him.
In Revelation, chapter 11, as the seventh angel blows his trumpet, we read this: “…the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for You have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but Your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding Your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear Your name, both small and great…”
Let me end our d’rasha this morning with a practical thought: Do you find yourself anxious over the current situation in our country; the rampant rioting, looting, arson and violence that saturates the news? Does this latest pandemic have you paranoid and afraid to enjoy everyday activities you once took for granted? Do you find yourself dispirited over the bitter social and political division in our country?
I have a prescription for you. It’s in two parts. If you want to overcome the anxiety, fear and depression, it’s vital that you follow both parts of the prescription.
Part one: turn off the television; turn off the radio; turn off your smart phone; reduce by at least half the amount of time you spend on Twitter, Facebook and whatever other (anti)social media that’s been usurping your energy, robbing God of your first and best attention and devotion. Please know that I am preaching every bit as much to myself as to you.
Part two: come back again, and again, and again to the Psalms; psalms just like this one. They will remind you of the amazing things that are to come, and will make the things that are happening now so much less intimidating. You will find yourself more at peace; you will carry yourself with more grace and calm; you will care less and less about what people think of you, and people will begin to take notice of the change in you.
And just think of the wonder and the joy that awaits us, when King Messiah Yeshua takes His rightful throne in Jerusalem, ruling over the whole earth, and establishing His shalom, which will only increase, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.