It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! The tree is up, there are presents beneath it, and I am hoping to get some baking done today. As I was looking at the tree the other night I stated that I wish we could have Christmas lights up all year. My husband’s response was, "You can." There is something about Christmas lights that make everything look so pretty and comforting. I think that's what I really want to last, the feelings that come with Christmas. I love the fact that the Savior is a focus in my house this time of year and that my family is so much more loving and giving. I prayed with gratitude for those blessings, but I also asked the Lord to bless me with the wisdom I need to keep these blessings in my home every day of the year. Christmas everyday just sounds so wonderful!
Psalm 2
Is the world out of control? Since the beginning of time, the world has known strife. The history of man is essentially the history of war. The scriptures are filled with stories of war and chaos among the people. Our world is still at war today.
There is more going on in terms of war than countries of the world fighting. There is a war against God also. Our world faces continued racial tensions, a rising crime rate, gang wars, random violence, and increasing moral degeneracy. How should we view the present world chaos?
Psalm 2 talks about this type of war or rebellion against God. Like I said, this has been going on a long time! The first three verses are about the conflict between men and God:
"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 annointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."
The psalm starts off with a question: Why would man behave this way? It is a great question that I think has come up in every generation. The fact that people would "rage" about "vain things" over and over throughout time is little disheartening. Many times the actions of men have made me stop and wonder why. Why do we not learn?
It is interesting that the psalmist (in this case David) chooses to focus on the kings and rulers of the earth. They are the ones counseling together against God and Christ (v 2). They were also the ones rebelling against David as God's chosen king. This is a personal psalm, which extends all the way into our time. David has firsthand experience with these type of people. I think it gives the psalm more credibility.
David then gives us the reason for this rebellion against God: the people feel that following God is like being in bondage. They want less rules and more freedom. They don't want God to rule over them. One author used this analogy:
"This would be like … me going out into the parking lot and cutting everyone’s brake lines. I don’t want you to have anything “holding you back”. But brakes are good. God’s “cords”, His ways, His laws, His purposes for our lives are good, even if they “keep us back” from things." (Cathers)
Unfortunately, they have it backwards as so do many who rebel today. The world wants to break the “bonds” that God lovingly gives us, and yet in the end when we break God’s laws, we’re the ones who are poorer for it.
Next we read of God's reaction to this rebellion:
"He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." (vv 4-5)
God is laughing at them for thinking that they could attempt such a thing, rebelling against Him. This doesn’t mean that God gets a kick out of man’s rebellion or its devastating results. The Lord says in Ezekiel 33:11: "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Rather, God’s laughter shows the folly of rebelling against Him.
God has a calm assurance in the face of man’s rebellion and a plan to deal with it (vv 6-9). This plan centers on the person and the power of God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ. Christ has fulfilled His part of the Atonement, the rest is up to us.
Now we get the application part of the Psalm:
"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." (vv 10-12)
It comes down to this: You can’t find peace and safety anywhere in the world, but only in Christ. World chaos and war will only increase as His coming draws near. If we can’t escape it, what can we do? The last line of the Psalm is God’s invitation: “How blessed are all who trust and take refuge in Him!” In our troubled world, filled with chaos, rebellion, and war, the simple message of this Psalm gives us hope; Don't run from God, but to Him.
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