A World In Revolt...Psalm 2

http://billrandles.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/a-world-in-revolt-psalm-2/ ^ | 01-21-10 | Bill Randles

[pastorbillrandles]

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine 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 bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.(Psalm 2:1-3)

The first two Psalms go together. Perhaps it isn’t immediately apparent, because in some ways they are completely different, but I believe the Holy Spirit led those who placed them side by side as the opening of the Psalter.

Psalm one examines a lone individual, a God worshipping , scripture meditating disciple who has made a serious break with the thinking of his day. He is separate internally, he seeks other counsel than the prevailing opinions, he loves to be constantly re-oriented in his soul to the Word of God.

He is described in the singular, whereas the “ungodly”, the “sinners and the scornful” are pluralities in the Psalm. The assumption is that it is their worldview which is the prevailing thinking of the day. This one stands alone, and nourishes himself by a different fountain than everyone else.

The second Psalm, on the other hand, looks at the whole world. The entire planet is in a state of revolt, led by its political, educational, and religious leaders. The nations of the world are in turmoil, and their populations are gripped by an empty illusion,( A vain imagination). Traditional restraints are cast into the wind, a kind of social revolution is taking place, led by the elite on all levels.

I believe that though this Psalm has been fulfilled in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, involving the collusion of Pilate, Herod, and the corrupt high priests of Israel, (Acts 4:25-28) there is a further eschatological application of it as well. This Psalm is a prophecy of the geopolitical and cultural reality at the time of the coming of the Lord in Glory to Judge the world in Righteousness.

The nations are definitely in an uproar, indeed, “the heathen Rage“. Consider our times,

China rages, for it is awakening after two centuries of humiliating subjugation by western colonial powers,(the opium wars, etc), the harrowing World War 2 experience, a massive social upheaval , Communist revolution and the pragmatic decision to Capitalize their economy while remaining a totalitarian communist entity .

The perception is that it is time for China to take her place as a world power, increasing her presence in the competition for African resources, oil and gas, military dominance of the Pacific region , etc. China’s generals are bellicose in their pronouncements about their ability to reach cities like Los Angeles with their missiles. To the long remembering Chinese, there are definite scores to settle.

Russia also rages. The desire for the former glory as a world superpower has catapulted former KGB operative Vladimir Putin into a popular icon in Russia. The Russians have been newly empowered by oil money, they are re-arming at an alarming rate, and the brutal crushing of Georgia, in the final days of the Bush presidency was reminiscent of the worst of the old Soviet suppressions.

Russia also sees itself as a player in the middle east, arming Syria ,Hezbollah controlled Lebanon, and aiding Nuclear Iran in spite of world sanctions.

The Muslim World rages also, due to several converging factors. The rebirth of the State of Israel, and its successful repelling of invasions by combined Muslim armies has humiliated and inflamed the Moslem world. The existence of Israel, a modern, secular, western democracy in the very heart of the middle east is an affront to Muslim pride.

To make matters worse, the secularizing trend that swept the Moslem world after World War 1 has been seen as a failure in the Ummah, and perhaps even the cause of Islam’s failure to eradicate te Jewish state. As a consequence, Islamism has swept the world,in the form of Wahhabism, a puritanical Sunni version of Islam. It has been fueled by oceans of oil money , pouring out of Saudi Arabia, literally radicalizing once complacent Muslims from Indonesia to California, causing havoc.

When a Christian is revived and becomes more like Jesus, good things happen, people are helped, healed, encouraged, virtue is promoted and everyone benefits. When Muslims are revived to become more like the pirate and murderer that they consider to be ‘the perfect man’, bad things, terrible and even violent things happen.

The Nations of the World are in an uproar, Africa is turbulent, India and Pakistan are both Nuclear, and hate each other with a passion, Shia Islam has conducted the first successful modern Jihad, with the help of the Jimmy Carter administration, pulling the rug out from underneath the Shah of Iran. Europe is literally dying, due to birth control and abortion, and the Western democracies are going broke, thanks to the failed Socialistic policies that became widespread after World War 2.

This is the setting of Psalm 2, where the attention is turned to the leaders, the Kings of the earth, and the rulers.

[American Constitutionalist]

Yes, of course all you said is true about all the nations today being up in a uproar, but, Jesus said, that they will hate you ( us Christians ) because the world first hated him.

( * Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine 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 bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.(Psalm 2:1-3) ....

The main focus of the Psalmist here is the rage that the world, mainly the heathen ( the unbelievers, the ungodly ) have in their vain imaginations, their insanity, of their contempt and unjustified hatred towards the Christians.
The rulers of this world, this current administration has taken unjustifiable steps to persecute Christians who are just exercising their Constitutional right of freedom of religion and freedom of speech.

[Netizen]

The main focus of the Psalmist here is the rage that the world, mainly the heathen ( the unbelievers, the ungodly ) have in their vain imaginations, their insanity, of their contempt and unjustified hatred towards the Christians.

You are aware that Christianity didn't even exist at the time the Psalm was written, right? Heathen meant anyone not of the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which we know today as Judaism.

[American Constitutionalist]

( * The main focus of the Psalmist here is the rage that the world, mainly the heathen ( the unbelievers, the ungodly ) have in their vain imaginations, their insanity, of their contempt and unjustified hatred towards the Christians. * )

" You are aware that Christianity didn't even exist at the time the Psalm was written, right? Heathen meant anyone not of the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which we know today as Judaism. "

John I:I

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

And John goes on and tells us that " THE WORD " became flesh and dwelt among us, that is Jesus Christ Yeshua the Messiah ....
Just who do you think " THE WORD " is ? ... no, wait, are you saying that Christian's have to leave out the total history of the Old Testament because it does not apply to them ? ....
The Old Testament is full of many types, or metaphorical pictures of what is to come, not just a historical record of God's dealings with the Nation of Israel.
The picture, the metaphorical type of the spotless lamb that is for sacrifice for sins in the Old Testament is a forshadow of Jesus Christ Yeshua the Messiah, no, wait, you would tell us it was only for the Jewish sacrifice for sins in the Old Testament,
silly me, for even thinking it was a " foreshadow " of what is to come , that was a " type " or foreshadow of Jesus Christ.

[Netizen]

Yes, the Jews have no idea about their own history and religion, it was all a forshadowing for Christianity.

[American Constitutionalist]

" Yes, the Jews have no idea about their own history and religion, it was all a forshadowing for Christianity. "

Why then ? if you already knew that , why your response to Psalm 2 ? ( " You are aware that Christianity didn't even exist at the time the Psalm was written, right? Heathen meant anyone not of the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which we know today as Judaism. " ) ....

Come on man, GOD loves you !
The OLD Testament was not only GOD's dealings with the Nation of Israel, but, the whole world.
Did not GOD say to Abraham that " through you, that all the Nations of the world will be blessed " ?

Look at the story of the life of Joseph.
That story of Joseph shows us the heart of GOD.
GOD's heart towards the Nation of Israel, and us sinners, the whole world.
They captured Joseph and put him in the pit to be sold ( Judas basically sold Jesus to the Pharisees for 30 pieces of silver ).
Joseph was innocent of wrong doing when he was falsely accused of wrong doing ( Jesus was falsely accused ) .
Just like Joseph, was not Jesus lead to judgment and prison ?
Joseph was put in power 2nd in command in Egypt, Jesus is the 2nd person of the GOD head.
The first time Joseph was on the throne, and his brothers saw him, they only saw him as 2nd in command of Egypt, they feared him ( God of the Old Testament )
Joseph yearned , his heart cried out with a bursting heart that his brothers would know him.
God's heart cries out, he yearned that not only Israel, but, the whole world will know his plan of redemption, his love, his mercy, his grace, God's heart cries out, he yearns that we should know HIM !
Jesus cried out to Israel that they would know him the first time he came.
( Christians are the benefactors of knowing this " TRUTH " , the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at this present time )....
The 2nd time his brothers saw him, he revealed who he was, and all of them were reconciled with their brother Joseph.
The 2nd time Jesus comes back , their eyes will be opened and they will see whom they have pierced.

Yes, God is a HOLY and Righteous GOD, but, there is more to him.
In the Old Testament, God's heart was bursting to show us his love and mercy,
God was yearning to reveal the fullness of all that he is.
In the fullness of time Jesus Christ came on the world scene.
Jesus Christ Yeshua the Messiah is GOD's full expression of his love, mercy, grace and truth ( for Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ )

IF !

If ? it was possible for man to keep all of GOD's law perfectly ?
why then ?
Did God require Israel to come every year with a sin sacrifice ?
GOD was showing man that it was impossible that man can live up to GOD's strict laws, demands, and standards and that in the fullness of time: ( just like GOD said to Abraham when he took his son Issac up on the mountain )
that HE !
that GOD would provide the sacrifice, Jesus Christ Yeshua the Messiah.
Jesus said, with man ? it is IMPOSSIBLE, but, with GOD ? nothing is impossible.

The Old Testament is a historical record of GOD's dealings with Israel, and the rest of the world.
The Old Testament is a beautiful reminder of all the things that is to come, the Old Testament points us to Jesus Christ Yeshua the Messiah.
The Old Testament is a testament ( hence, the word, Testament ) of how GOD created man to be loved, and cared for, but, man messed up, but GOD didn't give up on man.
The Old Testament points up to a NEW and BETTER new everlasting Covenant that GOD initiated that will be put into force and estabished, and ratified in Jesus Christ.
The NEW Covenant is the everlasting covenant of GOD of the covenant of Grace.

[American Constitutionalist]

For anyone to reject the Gospel of Grace in Christ Jesus, it is " SIN " in God's eyes.
It's called the knowledge of the truth ( The true Gospel, the Gospel of the Grace of God in Jesus Christ: note, Read Galatians chapters 1-2-3 for the Gospel of Grace is the true Gospel, not some " Other " Gospel ).
The Knowledge of the Truth : in the book of Hebrews chapter 10 verse 26 ( 26. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left ) ...
If we continue to reject, to sin, the truth of Jesus Christ, that salvation is only in HIM alone, then ? there is no more excuse, no more ( as Jesus said, cloak for sin ) covering, no more sacrifice for sins in left ).....
John chapter 15 verses 21-22 confirms it:
( 21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. )...


John 15 verses 18-27

18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. King James Version (KJV)

[blasater1960]

Yes, I did see this and shook my head. Like so many psalms where David is talking about himself, these scriptures get hijacked for the man from Nazareth.

Actually I was waiting for the next shoe to drop, like verse 7, you are my son...supposedly G-d talking about Jzuz when it is David....like Solomon and Israel who are also called G-ds son. Or verse 2:12 where the KJV completely mistranslates the verse to read Kiss the Son, when it says nothing of the sort...also, these pslams usually having a NT scripture to go with it as proof. Which as Rabbi Singer says, is like an Archer who first shoots his arrow, then paints the target around it, then proclaims a bullseye!

[American Constitutionalist]

What CULT would you be from ?

[hlmencken3]

What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews? Since they live among us, we dare not tolerate their conduct, now that we are aware of their lying and reviling and blaspheming. If we do, we become sharers in their lies, cursing and blasphemy. Thus we cannot extinguish the unquenchable fire of divine wrath, of which the prophets speak, nor can we convert the Jews. With prayer and the fear of God we must practice a sharp mercy to see whether we might save at least a few from the glowing flames. We dare not avenge ourselves. Vengeance a thousand times worse than we could wish them already has them by the throat. I shall give you my sincere advice:

First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom, so that God might see that we are Christians, and do not condone or knowingly tolerate such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of his Son and of his Christians...

- Martin Luther

[American Constitutionalist]

What’s your point in posting that ?

[American Constitutionalist]

Could you clarify in more detail of your post that has nothing to do with this thread ?

[Netizen]

Foreshadowing that led to the Holocaust?

[Netizen]

Actually I was waiting for the next shoe to drop, like verse 7, you are my son...supposedly G-d talking about Jzuz when it is David....like Solomon and Israel who are also called G-ds son. Or verse 2:12 where the KJV completely mistranslates the verse to read Kiss the Son, when it says nothing of the sort...also, these pslams usually having a NT scripture to go with it as proof. Which as Rabbi Singer says, is like an Archer who first shoots his arrow, then paints the target around it, then proclaims a bullseye! "

Yeah, I was waiting for the KJV deliberate mistranslation of Psalm 22:16 to try and force prophecy fulfillment.

[American Constitutionalist]

Are you trying to make the argument that Christians are enemies of Israel ?
Or better yet, are you trying to make the argument that those who cling to the teachings of salvation by Grace through faith alone look bad ? are enemies of Israel ?
That is NOT what the NEW Testament teaches us, just on the contrary !!
Christians ( the true Christians ( those who are saved by Grace, not of works ) who love Christ ) are taught to love Israel, to support Israel, that Israel, the Jews are actually our brothers and sisters.
I don't know what your trying to teach here, but, we are to love our Jewish brothers and sisters, and Israel.

Oh yeah ? BTW ? in your failed attempt to make those who cling to Martin Luther's teachings look bad, your totally wrong, and can see your true motive in your post.

[American Constitutionalist]

" Yeah, I was waiting for the KJV deliberate mistranslation of Psalm 22:16 to try and force prophecy fulfillment. "

Who says that I cling to the KJV alone ?

Are you ? or are you not a ANTI-CHRIST ? since we can see now that you don't hold to the belief that Jesus Christ is Yeshua the promised Messiah.

[jjotto]

Christianity can’t ever seem to shake Jew-hate completely. Sort of like how allegorizing Israel into the church never completely takes, and someone is always finding physical Israel.

The two destructions of the Land of Israel took place under proud pagans. That the Holocaust happened in nominally Christian Europe should be cause to always be on guard against governments unchecked by transcendent morality.

[blasater1960]

Ahh ? what CULT your religion would you be from ?

I am Jewish and you, FRiend, are of a cult of my faith.

[TaraP]

What I think the human psyche cannot wrap there arms around is that Jesus Christ is the payment in *Full* for the Sins of Mankind...There is nothing Man can do to reconcile himself, by himself or through a paticular religion or the *law* to a Holy Just GOD....

We can see from *Creation* in Genesis G-d did not create us for laws, rituals, and special observances....

All religions are Man’s attempt to try and please G-d and this is meant as no dis-respect to any one person’s religious system, but Catholics cannot become *more saved* by saying the *Rosary* or Muslims cannot be *More saved* by praying 5 times a day, or Jews cannot be *More Saved* by keeping the Sabbath or Circumcision....

This is the difference between Jesus Christ and all man made religions...Jesus said..I am it..I am the only one who can save humankind from Sin, by the *Cross* it is not about *Us* it is about *Christ*....

This was a problem during Saul/Pauls travels with the Churches in Collosians, and it is today...

People still feel the need to be more Spiritual or legalistic to be reconciled to the *Creator*

Scriptures tell us this as well.

1.GALATIANS 4:15-What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

2.Galatians 2:16: “Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”

ACTS: 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”