December 12
“Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us,’” Psalm 2:1-3.
Written one thousand years before Jesus was born, the psalmist wrote about the rebellion against God and the rejection of the promised Messiah and Savior of the world. In particular, the psalmist speaks of the rebellion against God and the promised Savior by the rulers of nations and the people in general. He writes, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed.”
Go back into history and see how often people in government have been a problem. To mention just a few of those governing in the ancient past, think of the rulers in the empires of the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Romans, the Greeks – and a few of more recent times, such as the Bolsheviks, the Communists, the Nazis, the radical Islamics, and others. The list goes on and on.
The psalmist raises the question: “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?” Why is there such intense hatred against God and against the Son of God? Scripture gives us the answer. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, we are told, “There is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin,” Ecclesiastes 7:20. The psalmist wrote, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me,” Psalm 51:5. All people are conceived and born in sin, and God said, “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth,” Genesis 8:21.
The psalmist says that people plot a vain thing. People can plan and plot all they want, but they are engaging in vain efforts. God is God, who says, “I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images,” Isaiah 42:8.
Repeatedly, when people get into positions of power, “it goes to their head,” as we say, and in their pride and greed, they think that they can lord it over everyone else and do as they please. We see this happening today in many nations, including our own beloved land. In their arrogance and sinful pride, people say, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” They do not want anyone, including God, to tell them what is right and wrong! They rebel against the moral Law as written in the Ten Commandments. They feel that God’s Law restricts their freedom to live and do as they please.
Psalm 2 is one of the Messianic psalms. The Anointed One is Jesus, of whom Scripture says, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power,” Acts 10:38. This psalm is referred to in the Book of Acts, where we are told that on one occasion when Peter and John had been released from prison in Jerusalem, they went to their own company and reported how the chief priests and elders threatened them if they did not quit preaching about Jesus Christ, who was crucified and risen from the dead. Then the multitude prayed, “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’ For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done,” Acts 4:24-28. Yes, unbelievers throughout the world rebel against God and reject Jesus as the Son of God and the only Savior from sin, death, and the devil. Let us, as Christians, witness for Jesus to people in both high and low places.
“Earth! Hear thy Maker’s voice,
The great Redeemer own;
Believe, obey, rejoice,
And worship Him alone.
Cast down thy pride,
Thy sin deplore,
And bow before
the Crucified.” Amen.