Seeking God's Plan For His Kingdom Reign in 2009
I think we need to spend one more week on Seeking God’s Plan..Let me tell you why…
Back in September…I heard about the financial crisis that struck our banking institutions.
Now, I’m no Economic Einstein. I’m not daily managing our family’s personal finances—my wife is. She gives me my monthly $40.00 allowance and I’m happy. I’m low maintenance when it comes to finances. As I probed into the financial crisis, I begin to hear the buzz word, “We have a liquidity problem” Liquidity??—are they having problem with fluids? No, our banks basically have no cash on hand to lend out. What do you mean they have no cash? BANKS=CASH RIGHT??? I mean that’s where you and I put our cash. What do you mean they have no cash? Well they basically have lent out all the cash. And, apparently they loaned out their cash to whomever seemingly met their stringent qualifications—of breathing. So I think, okay, certainly somebody smarter than me can fix this. John McCain rushes back to Washington and suspends his campaign. Barack Obama withholds comments for a while. I’m thinking, surely these guys are totally smarter than me…Then I hear the solution, the Federal Treasury will start bailing out banks…starting with an initial bailout of 700 billion dollars. I think “What” solving a credit problem with more credit…What kind of solution is that?!, Furthermore, does anybody here think that the FED simply had 700 billion dollars saved up for an economic rainy day? I know that the situation is infinitely more complex than I’m describing, however, I do know this, nobody has ever gone bankrupt by living within their means. But the more news I watched the more I wanted to scream. Nobody seemed to have substantial answers for the gathering storm. For me over the last couple of months, I have had to continually, look above the heads of politicians for stability. I have had to look toward the King in heaven and not the kings of earth…I don’t care if your democrat, republican, independent, or whatever, what may face everybody in 2009 seems to be daunting. How we as God’s people respond to the challenges ahead in our economy and in our nation will ultimately reveal where our trust lies. My question to you today is “How will God’s people find stability in seemingly uncertain times ahead?”
Today, we end our year with the topic of Seeking God’s Plan for His Kingdom Reign in 2009, from Psalm 2
Please turn to your handout where Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 are printed out for you, if you want to use the bible in the chair in front of you, turn to page 393 in the front section of the book.
Orientation to Text:
I have put Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 on your handout
I want you to observe something…what does Psalm 1 start with?
What does Psalm 2 end with?
How many of you have ever observed that? Psalm 1 starts with the same term that Psalm 2 ends with
[You see that’s why you send me off to Phd school to make these astounding observations—Your getting a bargain, I can see now that the words are the same!]
These two Psalms have the bookends of “blessed” and are meant to be read together as the introduction to the collection of God’s people’s songs.
AND, many Bible scholars today believe that Psalms is not simple a random collection of hymns
But there is a running theme through the Psalms of which Psalm 1 & 2 are the introduction
Psalm 1—Is the an introduction to all the Psalms that indicates that that whole collection of Psalms is meant to be that of “instruction.” And, the man who receives the instructions therein will be “BLESSED.”
Psalm 2—Is a second introductory Psalm, introducing the essential content of that instruction to be heeded—The Reign of Yahweh (God), Yahweh Reigns!!!
Psalm 93:1—The Lord (Yahweh) reigns, He is clothed with majesty,
Psalm 97:1 --The Lord (Yahweh) reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Psalm 99:1 The Lord (Yahweh) reigns let the peoples tremble
The ending Psalms end with a chorus of all creation and all things lifting their voices in praise to God!
But the beginning of that instruction occurs in Psalm 2
God’s people are encouraged to listen to this instruction in order to be blessed, joyful, happy, stable—like a tree planted by waters—the sign of stability in unstable times.
Read Psalm 2
1Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising (meditates) a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
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3“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”
4He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5Then 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.’ ”
10Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12Do 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!
The individual who trusts in God’s plan for His reign over the world will be blessed and not shaken in uncertain times—i.e 2009
Psalm 2 spotlights 4 vivid scenes concerning God’s reign that must be imprinted in your mind in 2009 to give you stability in uncertain times.
[When I think of imprinted in your mind, let me illustrate—negatively like the images that get burned into guys who set impure images before them]
Spotlight..the first vivid scene….
- Man’s foolish problem in his earthly kingdom (vv. 1-3)
What is the vivid scene of????
1Why are the nations in an uproar (Rulers are churning chaotically like the ocean waves in a storm)
And the peoples devising (meditates) (Their thoughts grasp at attempts to solve problems and establish their agenda’s, but all is ultimately vainity)
2The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together (They end up settling on solutions in the committees where they pool their ignorance, And they take a precarious, but certain stand in their own mind)
Against the Lord and Against his anointed one.
What’s happening politically in this world, What’s happening among the nations?
The ANSWER—The Rulers of the earth are engaging in the establishment of KINGDOM OF MAN
You may say, Brent, Surely this refers to something that happened way back in Israel and doesn’t really apply to our nations today does it? Our nations are so much more civilized.
Well…It appears that this Psalm may have been a inaugural Psalm for the Kings of Judah
As a new King was inaugurated, then, each time during the inauguration, this Psalm was vocalized., and rehearsed
However, we do not know, what was the specific historical circumstance of its first usage.
Was there an army ragging and plotting against Israel.
Were there kings going to battle the King of Israel?---The bottom line is that we DON’T KNOW.
But HERE IS WHAT WE DO KNOW, THE COMPILER OF THE PSALMS DID NOT SEE FIT TO LEAVE THAT INFORMATION in the story.
BUT WHAT HE DID LEAVE WAS THE PICTURE OF THE NATIONS REGULARLY RAGING AGANINST GOD’s RULE TO ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM OF MAN
Rulers of the earth are engaging in the establishment of KINGDOM OF MAN
The Kingdoms of Man have ultimately refused the Kingdom of God….
Do we get that??? The KINGDOMS of MAN have refused the rule of God..
(Both democrats and republicans and independents)
You may say to me, Brent, I get it nations are messed up and their leaders are messed up..
But my candidate wasn’t even an option for an election.
What do you want me to do…I can’t change a kingdom?
Consider this…What are Kingdoms made of? Rulers!
Rulers come from the stock of humanity
The Stock of humanity has been infested with a fundamental heart problem
The fundamental heart problem of all of humanity is that it wants to make a Kingdom of self, for self, and by self…
And not to extend the Rule of the Creator God over His creation to extol God’s glories, but to extol my glories!!!
“Kingdom of self” means that God and people and things exist to serve you
As opposed to Kingdom of God meaning you exist to serve God and others.—which is it for you?
The fundamental problem then in among the nations is a reflection of the fundamental problem in the human heart—The futile attempt of subversion of God’s rule to establish man’s rule
Vain Anarchy against THE KING (v. 1)
Futile Arrogance toward THE KING (v. 2)
Rebellious Announcements against THE KING (v. 3)
When you view the problems of the world…how do you diagnose the problems? Solutions?
The Problems are from President Bush, Republicans, the Demoncrats
We need Barack Obama?
We need the John McCain
We need Sarah Palin We need an independent movement revolution
If the fundamental problem is rebellion against God’s rule then what is the solution???
We need repentance across the board!!!
Transition:Do you have Man’s foolish problem in his earthly kingdom (vv. 1-3) spotlighted /burned into your mind?
Now, the spotlight moves from the vanity of the rebellious Kingdoms of Men upon the earth to the Heavenly Kingdom where God is ruling.
What vivid scene do we behold there?
- God’s sovereign reaction in His heavenly Kingdom (vv. 4-6)
As God’s little creatures decide for themselves to set up their own kingdom what does God do?
What is his reaction?
4He who sits in the heavens …
(May I ask you where are you sitting? Some of us think we sit a little higher than others? The Kingdom of Man thinks it sits a high and exalted. Where is God sitting? What does that tell you?)
4He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
(What does His laughter/scoffing He is amused! But is his amusement one of being tickeled? is God tickled at this?
Ah look how cute…. Divine Astonishment/incredulity/If God could shrink back in disbelief then God laughing/mocking is the best metaphor that we have to describe this….
In effect God says, “How audacious that the people I myself created are thinking that their own plans could ever thwart mine..”
“At a moment I could rescind my enabling breath of life and man’s breath would vanish as quickly as it was given”
“I could speak, the words “breath of life return to me” an man would crumple and return man to the dust from which where he came. ”
The heavenly scene begins with divine amusement/astonishment
- Divine Amusement/Astonishment (v. 4)
The scene soon turns however into something else
Directed Anger—addressing the problem of the Kingdoms of Man
When God wants to address a problem what does He Do?
Does he have to sit down and think about it?
Does he have to form a committee?
I know maybe he enlists the aid of a polster and runs the results by his focus group…What should we do now.
What does he do in his directed anger?
- Directed Anger (v. 5)
5Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
His DIRECTED ANGER CAUSES HIM TO SPEAK!!!
Can I ask you…What happens when God speaks?
Do we have any examples at all in the Word of God of God speaking?
--Duh!! The Word of God is God speaking and what does the Word of God do???
It transforms! It creates It penetrates
It peals back deception and ushers in truth
What did the Word of God do in the beginning? it creates!!
God spoke and said “Let there be light” and there was light!!
God speaking creates reality. God speaking transform reality.
So what is about to happen here when HE speaks to them in His anger
What reality is about to be created. What transformation is about to begin?
Is He going to speak man out of existence?
Is he going to rescind the breath of life in man?
His directed anger issues in a Decisive announcement
- Decisive Announcement (v. 6)
Back in verse 3, man spoke—“Let us tear their fetters apart”—God laughs
Now God speaks—And man should be terrified.
In contrast to Man’s ultimately impotent words…God speaks words, that transform and create a new situation---one that will bring in a new order among the nations of man—a new creation, a transformation
So that the Kingdoms of Earth will become the Kingdom of God!
God’s Word will not return void
God’s Will WILL be done on Earth as it is in heaven!
Here is the Sovereigns announcement…
6“But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
Now folks when you look at God’s reaction here:
Divine Astonishment, Directed Anger, Decisive Announcement—What do these reactions indicate?
All of these actions are indicative of God’s position of being one who has SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY. He is ultimately in control!
!!!All of these reactions are consistent with one who is in charge!!!
The Sovereign King of the Universe is in charge of this Earth and He has a plan to make the earth a place for His rule to be extended so that His will is done on earth as it is in heaven
Transition:Is that scene of God’s sovereign reaction in His Heavenly Kingdom imprinted on your mind now? Does it bring comfort and encouragement that He is the Sovereign?
Now, however the spotlight begins move from the scene in heaven to the scene upon the earth
The spotlight is upon a particular individual upon the earth
The spotlight is shining upon one lone figure, the king, that the Sovereign God has anointed and installed,
That king now speaks
The spot line shines now upon the scene in which we see,
- God’s supreme provision for His earthly Kingdom (vv. 7-9)
What is the provision/strategy of the Universal King to answer the rebellious Kingdoms of Men?
The strategy is the establishment of a person and an office upon the earth
This person and office represents God and his kingdom….
And, in the words of this lone individual we get vision of God’s special provision,
This lone figure says,
7“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
God’s provision for the rebellious kingdoms of Men begin with establishing a ..
- Special Position—An adopted Son
On the day of God’s presentation of his king to deal with the rebellious Kingdoms of this earth…
On the day of his inauguration, his installation, this figure is called “God’s Son”
It is a special position of God, a special relationship to God, and special responsibilities from God.
The Father/Son metaphor is used appropriately here
Consider the relationship of Father/Son—a son has a special position, special relationship and special responsibilities,
And Just as a Son can represent his Father because he is of the same genetic stock
This son will be inseparably related to the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God
He will be inseparably related to God himself
On the day of the installation of God’s answer for the rebellious Kingdom of Man, he installs His anointed one and says,
“You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”
Not only is there a special position,
But there is given to this individual, An Extensive Possession—All the Earth
God Says to his anointed one…
8‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. “
- Extensive Possession—All the earth
This figure is the one to whom God gives the promise to make all of the earth His
All of the governments,
all of the nations,
all of the peoples,
all of the resources,
all of the economies,
This is relatively astonishing in OT History
In Old Testament History this promise is amazing
It was said that the people of Israel was God’s inheritance among the earth
“The ends of the earth” is not specifically stated in the Old Testament to be God’s inheritance
However, here the nations are to be brought into the reign of God by this special son
His rule over the earth must correspond to God’s rule in Heaven—Over everything
Thus, the earthly King that God chooses has been given deed to not a plot of land, but the ends of the earth as his possession
And to make it happen God has given this figure
- Unmitigated Power
9‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’
That my friends is the plan for God’s Kingdom upon the earth to deal with the nations and the heart problem of men that make up the nations.
You may be asking who is this anointed one…?
Right here in Psalm 2 you have three key theological terms in one text that are crucial—Anointed (Messiah)/ Son of God / King
As I mentioned before most bible scholars think that this Psalm was read at the inauguration of the Kings of Judah (the southern kingdom of Israel, God’s people) that propagated the dynasty of David, so you can imagine that at the inauguration, in all kinds of pomp and circumstance this Psalm is rehearsed in specific reference to the a human king. The davidic king of Judah was called in his special position, the son of God, the anointed one (messiah), the King.
But if you know anything about Israel, Israel’s Kingdom failed to have any impact on solving the world’s problems.
When a given king fell short of the ideal posed by their inaugural expectation—and all of them did—even the great king David, the nation’s hopes and expectations were redirected toward a davidic king yet to come.
David, committed adultery-- it couldn’t be him. Solomon, my word Solomon, who could keep track of his wives, Hezekiah, he didn’t believe God when asked for a sign, or maybe Josiah, but alas all of them are dead!!!
Finally however, because Israel’s own kings (and people would not remain loyal to the one true God), Israel, nearly ceased to exist under crushing oppression from Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, and today is trampled under the feet of the Gentiles
The final compiler of the Psalms, probably Ezra, began to shift their emphasis from a human king to a more than human king who is the ultimate deliverer, who is yet to come—an anointed one who would be God’s servant, a servant with a loyalty to Yahweh that is unsurpassed, with a righteousness that is impeccable, and a status that no human king could ever exemplify.
Someway, somehow that special anointed one had to be nearly God himself to pull off this task!
This Psalm in its final scriptural form reflects that expectation!!
And in the fullness of time, by the time of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a rich tapestry of messianic expectation had developed.
- Man’s responsibility in His earthly reign (vv. 10-12)
10Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
- Wise up (If you are in the kingdom of man/Kingdom of self—wise up, you are not the king)
THERE IS NO FUTURE IN THE KINGDOM OF MAN
KIND OF LIKE THE AUTO COMPANIES WISE UP
KIGNDOM OF MAN/KINGDOM OF SELF WILL NOT STAND
11Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12Do 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!
- Worship (God the Father and the Son)
Kingdom of Men? Kingdom of Self
Do not confuse –the fact that you don’t see everything right now in submission to Jesus Christ with the fact that He is not King
Do not confuse his patience with us with his approval of your kingdom of self.
EVERY Knee will bow
As we see the foundations of the earth shaking…and the things of which we tend to trust in vanish…what will be your stability...
Conclusions:
C.S. Lewis wrote in the Problem of Pain,
My own experience is something like this. I am progressing along the path of life in my ordinary contentedly fallen and doles conditions, absorbed in a merry meeting with my friends…or a bit of work that tickles my vanity…, when suddenly a …headline in the newspapers that threatens us all with destruction, sends this whole pack of cards tumbling down. At first I am overwhelmed, and all my little happiness look like broken toys. Then, slowly and reluctantly…I try to bring myself into the frame of mind that I should be in at all times. I remind myself that all these toys were never intended to possess my heart, that…my only real treasure is Christ –C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
Will you take refuge in God’s plan for His Kingdom in 2009 and be blessed
Or will you perish in the way.
Seeking God’s Plan for His Kingdom Reign in 2009
Psalm 2
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Psalm 1 Not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2But his delight is in the law (instruction) of the Lord, And in His law (instruction) he meditates day and night. 3He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. 4The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 2 1Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising (meditates) a vain thing? 2The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
And cast away their cords from us!”
4He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. 5Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying,
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
7“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me,
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.’ ”
10Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. 11Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling. 12Do 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!
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Psalm 1—Is the introduction to all the Psalms that indicates that that whole collection is meant to be that of “instruction.” And, the man who receives the instructions therein will be “BLESSED.”
Psalm 2—Is a second introductory Psalm, introducing the essential content of that instruction to be heeded—The Reign of Yahweh (God), Yahweh Reigns!!!
Theme: The individual who trusts in God’s plan for His reign over the world will be blessed and not shaken in uncertain times—i.e 2009
Psalm 2 spotlights 4 vivid scenes concerning God’s reign that must be imprinted in your mind in 2009 to give you stability in uncertain times.
Spotlight…
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Jesus of Nazareth—God’s Anointed (Messiah), God’s King, God’s Son who is THE KING to reign over the earth until the kingdoms of the earth become the Kingdom of God!
Matthew 3:16-17 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Acts 13:32-33 And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’
Romans 1:3-4 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord
Colossians 1:18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Hebrews 1:1-5 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say,
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”?
And again,
“I will be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me”?
Revelation 1:4-5 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—
Hebrews 2:8 You have putall things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.
