A Warning to the Nations

Maybe it’s because I am getting old, but every time I open my Bible these days it strikes me how very TODAY it is. For example, I am currently studying the book of Psalms, and a few weeks ago read Psalm 2.

1Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Did it hit you? It hit me like a semi truck. It hit me like when those poor basketball players would run into Shaquille O’Neal down in the post, and fall flat on their backs.

“Let us tear [the fetters of God and His Anointed Jesus] apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

In other words, “Let’s just get rid of God.”

The human race has been about the business of “getting rid of God” for several decades now. Of course, scripture tells us that man’s natural inclination is to get rid of God, period. Remember Adam and Eve in the garden? What I mean is getting rid of Him in a very unapologetic, very public way. It is the litany of ‘no’: no cross, no Bible, no prayer, no displaying of commandments, no mention of creation in textbook, no such thing as hell, no Bible-based counseling from the chaplain, no moral absolutes, no absolute truth, no boundaries in genetic perversions of His creation, no God-given definition of marriage, no God-established definition of life… and so on.

Psalm 2 speaks specifically of an agenda by the rulers, taking counsel together against the Lord. It speaks about a concerted effort to tear off anything that binds us to God, for that is what fetters are. With each decree, treaty, official action and decision they lead their nations ever farther off the course of reconciliation with God. As believers, our eyes widen, our hearts sink, and (I hope) we instantly recognize these as signs of the closing of the age.

I don't know if it is true, but I’ve read that dogs are not aware of their own size. Have you ever seen a tiny dog square off against a really big dog? It is ridiculous and hilarious, until the big dog barks back. (v.4-5) He who sits in heaven is looking down at us little ants running around scheming and shaking our fists at the One we claim probably doesn't even exist —and He laughs. At first He laughs, but then He will speak in anger to remind us that He has appointed His Son Jesus as King upon His holy mountain (v.5). Forever. 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, take comfort in the promises God has made to His Son Jesus (vv. 7-9), and through Him to us, His co-heirs in the Kingdom (Rom. 8:17). When you see the rulers of the earth take counsel together against the Lord, step back and see them for what they are: a tiny little dog who doesn’t realize the power of the One against whom they have declared their enmity.

Verses 10-12 are such a clear warning. It makes you want to copy-paste it onto an email out to all those fools (Ps. 14.1). If only they would read it. If only they had the Spirit to understand it. 

“Now therefore, O kings [presidents, prime-ministers, governors, sheiks..], show discernment;
Take warning, O judges [leaders, congress, parliament, city-councils, mayors, court judges] of the earth.
“Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling.” (v.11)

Worship Him and rejoice, and then tremble in fear and gratitude that you are still alive and the big dog didn’t maul you to death right there where you stood barking your little bark.  

As for me, this little dog will hide behind her Master, her Protector:

“How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (v.12)

I don’t want to make the same mistake of the rulers. My fetters, I want them nice and tight. I like them locked, and the key thrown away. You see, what I know that they don’t is that I used to be bound by a different set of fetters that chained me to sin, and to the cursed earth that will soon be destroyed. But God traded those in for me and bound me to Himself, because it’s the only way to keep me safe.

The hymn writer said it best:

“Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.”