Thursday, 04 August, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.
1 Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”7 I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break[b] them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 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.
In following the Robert Murry M’Cheyne’s Daily Bible Reading Calendar, today we begin our second time through the book of Psalms this year. Psalm 1 is such a wonderful introduction to the book of Psalms as it contrasts the way of the righteous versus the way of the ungodly. But our meditation for this day will be Psalm 2, where we meet the nations plotting to go to war against God and His “anointed one” (literally, Messiah in Hebrew and Christ in Greek).
The Psalmist asks why people rebel against God? Why do they do such a futile thing? The question isn’t answered in the Psalm, but this points us to the doctrine of Original Sin and the fallen nature of man. It is obvious that rebellion against the omnipotent Creator of all is a vain thing. Yet everyone does it naturally, because we are born with a fallen nature, rejecting God and obeying our own warped desires.
But regardless of how many people or how many kings and rulers might join together, God is not impressed or frightened. In fact, we are told that He finds our opposition laughable and worthy of derision. Ultimately, it will lead to God’s outpoured wrath as He will smash the opposition, as easily as you or I smash a clay pot with a rod of iron.
And so the Psalmist counsels us to submit to God and instead of receiving His outpoured wrath we will receive His blessing.
What do we learn from this?
We need to listen to the Psalmist. We naturally are in rebellion against God and against His Christ, and the result of this rebellion will be our own destruction. But rather than face this awful judgement, we are told to end our rebellion and submit to God. We can avoid perishing by coming to Him in faith, and we will be blessed.
We also learn of how God the Father has appointed His Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, God the Son, as King over all kings. Kings are rulers are to be in submission to Jesus Christ, and they will be held accountable. The nations are the inheritance of Jesus Christ, given to Him by the Father. They belong to Jesus.
Where is Christ in this passage?
This passage is very clearly Messianic. It clearly portrays Jesus Christ. The New Testament writers quote Psalm 2 frequently, clearly telling us that this passage is about Jesus.
25 … “‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’–27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel….
“[T]his he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,
“‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you.’”
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?….
