Psalms 2
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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.”
General Scope
The Lord is a God of laughter, but not in the way you might think. God does not joke with us as we joke with each other, or make crude jokes as we often do. His laughter is powerful, bringing kingdoms down and exalting the humble. His laughter speaks thousands of messages to many hearts. For us believers, he laughs at the plans that the world makes in vain, showing us that he will keep us to the end.
For the unbelievers, he rebukes you in their sin, in your rebellion, in your transgression against God. Today, I want you to decide, what side of the line you find yourselves that I draw for you today.
1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
Currently, the world is fighting for unity. In our country, people are fighting that we would all be united. Everyone has a different view on what to be united on and how, but while this broken world is divided, they share one thing in common. It is their opposition to God. The nations rage and the people plot in vain against God. If there is one thing that the world would be united on, it would be their plans against God. From the time of Judges to the time of Christ, the Jewish people, gathering Gentiles, have always plotted in vain.
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!
Jesus says in Matthew
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!” (Matthew 23:37).
Throughout King David's life, there was constant opposition. When he wanted to build a temple for God, God had told him no because of his many wars.
3 But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’
In 1 Chronicles God said “You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood” (1 Chronicles 28:3).
9 Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.
But, Solomon’s kingdom was peaceful. Just a few chapters earlier it says “Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days” (1 Chronicles 22:9).
The way that the Jewish people have fought against David’s kingdom, whom the Lord had anointed, so they will fight against Christ. But, just like there will be a time of peace for Solomon, so there will be for us who have found ourselves on God’s side.
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
It says that the kings of the earth set themselves. They are literally taking a stand to fight against God. What does not make sense to me is the foolishness of the people to take their stand against God. In a world who does not acknowledge God, yet still wants to fight him. In a world who tells us there is no God, yet they want to cry out and free themselves from him.
While the nations come together to plot, they take counsel together. Last week, we talked about how blessed is the man who does not take advice from the wicked in Psalm 1:1. The counsel that the rulers take together is made up of the same wicked people. We have people here, who are dead in their sins and trespasses, who take the gospel message to be foolish, getting together to plot.
59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,
The Pharisees did the same thing to Jesus “Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death” (Matthew 26:59).
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
The plot that they devise in their wicked counsel is to go against the LORD and against his Anointed. The world is an enemy to God. Here the battle lines are drawn. You may not have noticed this line, but God has made it clear to you through his word. Where do we stand when God has drawn the line? Right now, if I laid out the marks of a true believer, which side would you be on? Let me draw the line now, rather than God drawing the line at your death.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
says “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
What is the fear here? As a Christian, I draw the line in front of you, the marks of a regenerate believer, you should not fear. They do not fear as David feared. When David took the census and sinned against the Lord,
14 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”
he said “Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great” (2 Samuel 24:14). When he had sinned, he knew that God would be merciful to him because of his relationship with God. Yet, the one who does not have a relationship with God, it would be a fearful thing to fall into his hands.
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
As time continues on, the Church loves to be under the sovereign authority of God and the world hates it more. Just as our love for Christ should be growing more as we get to know him, it is the same with the world, that the more they know him, their hatred increases. They cry out let us burst their bonds apart. The idea here is to be separate from anything that has to do with Christianity.
They see the commandments of God, the new government that he has set up and people are defying it. Just as Goliath defied the living God, so do people today. Unless this new government that God has set up does not disrupt people in their sins, they would welcome it. Just as the people of Israel, they wanted to continue in their sin, so they invited all practices that allowed them to do that. They wanted to burn their children in the fire, so they allowed paganism in so they could.
In America, people want to be able to sleep around, if they get pregnant, then get an abortion because it is an inconvenience for them. So, they allow pagan ideas, people, and government assistance to carry out their plan. I don't want you to be this way of thinking. Leave your sin, leave your self government, and trust in God. Instead of crying that God would bust his bonds, cry that you would love them, because they will lead to life.
How morally wicked is our world, who look at Christ, the one to set them free from their bondage to sin, and say that it is Christ who is the oppressive master.
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). It is Satan who has blinded the people to think that God has placed chains on them.
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
God is looking down from heaven, and gives his response. He laughs and speaks to them in his wrath. John Calvin, a French theologian said “Let them exalt themselves as they may, they shall never be able to reach to heaven” The kings of the earth will never overpower you. They will never replace God in their plans.
Remember, the line has been drawn in the sand. To one side he speaks tenderly while the other side is not so. We have often said the phrase “What did you think was going to happen?” in a rhetorical manner. The people who are made from dust, are challenging their creator, he has every right to laugh at them, to scorn them.
While this is happening, whether now or in the time to come, look at what God is doing. It says He who sits in the heavens. Our God is sitting down. He is not pacing the room as an anxious person, he is not standing up to see what is going to happen. He is sitting, he is in control.
1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?
Isaiah says “Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?” (Isaiah 66:1). Our God, when the world is shaking their fist at him, is not worried.
When God does not immediately act when wickedness takes place, be assured. Be comforted that he is laughing. When someone has done a grave sin to you, not the cutting you off in traffic, but perhaps betrayal or a scandal that has put you under. If God does not act immediately, or within hours, days, perhaps months go by, know that God is laughing.
Romans 12:19 says “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
This same God, who is sitting in heaven speaks to them in his wrath. God will rebuke their foolishness. God is glorified in whatever he does. He is glorified when he sends the sinner to hell and he is glorified when he welcomes his adopted son into rest. When we look either now, or at the end, when God speaks to people in his wrath, we will be in awe at the glory of God. You will see your great avenger, maybe not in this earthly life, but when you stand before him, having been washed in the blood, you will say “Yes God, vengeance is yours.”
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
What terrifying thing that God will say to the world is I have set my King on Zion. What a terrifying reality, that the rules of the earth whether presidents, kings, or dictators come to find out that there is a greater authority. The judgement of God has been revealed in his Son.
Today, you may have never heard the name of Christ. You are probably the king in your life, the ruler, the dictator of many. You see now, this King Christ, he is a perfect King. He rules with perfect authority, with just laws and all his servants love him.
Then there is you. Who is not perfect, who has sinned against God and his Anointed One.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The phrase “fall short” means depraved, that you are empty of anything spiritual good. It is because of your sin that there is nothing good in you.
Yet, he is so gracious, that if you realize your sin today, call upon his name, you shall be saved. John the Baptist says in Matthew “"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). The kingdom of heaven is at hand right now. God’s Anointed One has been revealed to you and is calling you to repent and turn from your sin.
Our comfort is found in the God who laughs. That he laughs at the plans of the world because it is all in vain. Look at verse one, the people's plot in vain. To know today, whatever scheme the world throws at you, but more specifically, God, he laughs at them. Today, you will either see the laughter of God as tender or rebuking.
To see it as tender, can be that you are assured that God will in your life prevail. There is nothing to stop God from doing what he pleases to do. Hearing God laugh is a sign to the believers, that our God is sovereign.
To see it as a rebuke, maybe to Christians today, that God laughs at the plans you have made, because it is not fully submitted to his Anointed King.
Where do you find yourself today? Do you find yourself on the side with the Anointed one? If you do, you can laugh with God. Not to be snarky and hypocritically, but laugh that brings you peace in the mind.
