Genesis 3-4, Psalm 2, Matthew 1:18-25, Acts 1:12-26

Psalm 2:

Originally written of the Davidic kingdom, but fulfilled in the Kingdom of the Son of God, this psalm gives great confidence to us when we are surrounded by oppression, difficulties, and calamity.

The Psalm begins by observing the rebellious “raging” of the nations against God and against his “Anointed,” that is (in Greek) “the Christ.” They plot, they scheme, they sit down and take counsel together as to how to separate the truth of God from the revelation of that truth in God’s Son, the Christ. But all is “in vain.”

Why do they plot in this way then? It is perplexing when you look at it from the perspective of God. What is the point of humans plotting against the Almighty? But yet they do. And the psalmist, like you and I, wonders over these schemes to remove Christian faith from the globe, from the place of public faith, to oppose the purposes of the Almighty God.

But look! The one enthroned in heaven is not anxious about this opposition, he is not troubled by it, nor is he weakened in the face of it. No! He “laughs”! The fearful rebellion of human potentates against God only causes “derision” and divine “laughter”! But this is no comedy routine. Behind it is the “wrath” of God and his “fury.” He has set Christ as the King, and no human scheming will change that.

What is more, the nations, to the ends of the earth, are his inheritance. It is all his; as Abraham Kuyper put it, there is no part of the universe over which Christ does not cry “mine”! And, in the end, on the day of judgment, those who persist in opposing Christ are to be “dashed in pieces.” There is eternal judgment.

These are fearsome truths, but how encouraging for the believer when he is faced by powerful opposition. “It is mine to avenge, I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:19); and therefore, we do not take vengeance into our own hands. We love our neighbor; we love our enemies. If a wife is being browbeaten by an unbelieving husband; if a husband is being henpecked by an unbelieving wife; if a Christian organization is being dragged through the courts in an act of persecution for its faith in Christ; if these things occur, we are certainly hard-pressed. But we are not crushed! In fact, this psalm encourages us to look at these things, this opposition, from God’s point of view. Can man really stop the purposes of God? It is ridiculous! More ridiculous even than a 5-year-old child trying to tackle an NFL linebacker! It is not going to happen. And God laughs at such absurd opposition. We can smile in the face of adversity, too.

But the psalm also finishes with a stern warning. The rulers, the kings, the presidents, and the CEOs should be warned. Serve the Lord with fear. “Kiss the Son”; that is, believe in him, trust in him, obey him, submit to him. It is the kiss of a servant to a master, bending the knee under his rule. Otherwise, his wrath is quickly kindled. And there is only blessing for those who take refuge in Christ.