Let's take our Bibles, shall we, to Psalm chapter 2. Psalm chapter 2. In your copies of God's Word, reading from the King James Version, Psalm chapter 2, verses 1-12. Why do the heathen rage and the people emit 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, cast away their cords from us. 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. Yet have I set my King upon the holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree the Lord hath set unto me. Thou art my Son. This day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 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." We have just completed our study on Psalm chapter 1, which presents the perfect man. Psalm chapter 2 presents not the perfect man, but the rebellious man. It pictures the world and its relationship to God and to His truth. Psalm chapter 2 has been called by many students of the Bible, the drama of the ages. There are four scenes in this drama that we're going to be looking at. Each scene is composed of three verses. Scene 1 is found in verses 1-3. The camera focuses on mankind. Scene 2 is found in verses 4-6, the camera is focusing on God the Father. Scene 3 is found in verses 7-9, where the camera is focusing upon God the Son. Verses 10-12 concludes the drama with scene 4, where the camera is on God the Holy Spirit. Let's begin now in verses 1 through 3 of Psalm chapter 2, where we're going to see the camera focusing on mankind. Verse 1 reads, Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Here we have a picture of man's rebellion And scene one begins with a rhetorical question, why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The word heathen here is the Hebrew word goyim, which means Gentiles or nations. The word rage speaks of making a commotion. The picture, if you can use it in your mind's eye, is a mob scene. people are gathering together in a mob scene, raging against the Lord. Notice, it talks about the people. I believe that the term people is in contrast with the heathen. Therefore, the heathen, the goyim, are those that are raging against the Lord as Gentiles. The people that are imagining A vain thing, in contrast with heathen, would be the Jews, God's people. Both God's people, as well as the Gentiles in this mob scene, are both shaking their fists against the Lord. Notice, even His own people, God's chosen people, are imagining a vain thing. By purpose of contrast, the Hebrew word, imagine, in verse 1, is the same Hebrew word that is translated meditate in Psalm chapter 1 and verse 2. And here's what I'm getting at. God's people meditate and internalize the truth of God's word. The unsaved and the unregenerate that are pictured here as in rebellion against God, they have internalized hatred. They're meditating not on God's Word, but they're meditating upon their hatred and their rejection of God, and I might add, anyone that chooses to associate with that God. And if you wonder why, Those who live godly in Christ suffer persecution. It's because of who we choose to identify ourselves with. And if we're going to reign with Him, we're going to have to suffer with Him as well. But His people, as well as the heathen, are meditating. They're imagining. It's the same word as chapter 1 and verse 2. The Hebrew word ha-gah means to internalize. But you know, What a contrast! In Psalm 1, you have Haggai use meditate in the sense of meditating in godly thinking, where you have the same Hebrew word translated imagine in chapter 2 and verse 1, and it's speaking of ungodly thinking. So, you see, there ought to be a difference between believers and non-believers in what we think upon. What concerns me is when Christians are not meditating and seeking those things which are above Colossians 3. But rather, we've so polluted our thinking that we find ourselves in our meditations sometimes closer aligned to chapter 2 and verse 1 than chapter 1 and verse 2. Even the numbers are juxtaposed in contrast. Chapter 1 verse 2, God's people. Chapter 2 verse 1, the devil's people that are in unbelief and what we allow to go into our mind is going to determine what we meditate upon and here is a hatred for the things of the Lord the camera now in verses one through three scene one is on a mob scene it's on mankind let's continue look at verses two and three the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed." Well, we know that the Anointed is the Messiah, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ. What do these kings and the rulers say? Verse 3, "...let us break their bands asunder, cast away their cords from us." Here, this is mankind speaking. collectively notice that we have here an enigmatic reference to the trinity let us break their bands god the father god the son god the holy spirit much more than the jewish say a plural of majesty we have here the doorway open an understanding the trinity but notice the word bands the the unbelievers are saying Let us break their bands of thunder. You see, they look, the non-believer looks at God's Word as that which binds them. Don't shackle me with God's Word. I don't want to hear it. Don't tie me down. For us, the truth of God's Word liberates us. But for the unregenerate who refuses to come to Christ and hardens his neck, the truths of God which liberate are perceived by them to be shackled. And they don't realize, do they folks, that they are bound by the power of the devil and that Jesus Christ is the one that liberates the captive, sets the captive free. Luke chapter 4 and verse 18. But here we have a mob scene. And in Psalm chapter 2 and verse 3, all authority of course, is being challenged here. And don't we have that authority being challenged in our world today? You look at the political world. There's confusion in the Middle East. You look at the moral realm. There's corruption. You look at the spiritual realm. There's compromise in churches today. God's Word is looked at as a band, a shackle, a cord that we need to just cast off and get rid of it. It's something that is bothersome, you see. And that is the way the world looks at it. In the social realm, there's the pursuit of comfort. Now, verses 2 and 3, we know we're partially fulfilled at the first coming of Christ. Proof for that would be to turn to the book of Acts chapter 4. don't lose your place in psalm two but if you'll turn to acts chapter four and uh... you'll see here the reference acts chapter four verse twenty three in the new testament to these very we're just going to read acts four twenty five through twenty seven again speaking of the rebellion and those that did not want to hear the word of god and how there was the persecution against believers, and Peter had just preached a message to the Sanhedrin, and they're forbidding the disciples to preach any further. And in verse 25, notice the Word of God says in this message, "...who by the mouth of thy servant David hath said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?" The kings of the earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. You see, so verses 2 and 3 of this mob scene were initially partially fulfilled at the rejection of Christ at his first coming. However, we can also realize that this same mob scene is going to be fully fulfilled at the battle of Armageddon when all the nations of the world gather together and seek to fight against the Lord who is coming with his saints to forcefully establish his kingdom. Shakespeare even commented on this passage when he described man as a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage of life. The idea being that man, as brief as he may have upon this earth, thinks that he can fight against God. So we have here in verses 1 through 3, scene 1, the camera focuses on mankind foaming at the mouth, hating God, seeking to destroy God and anyone that associates with him, including his truth, which are perceived as shackles, that are irritants to their lifestyle and their concepts of priorities. But now, in verses 4 through 6, the camera, scene 2, focuses not on mankind and the mob scene, but the camera focuses on God the father. Is he going to allow this to go unrestrained? Is God going to sit back, as some people view God, as wringing his hands in heaven, wondering, what in the world am I going to do with this unruly group of people? And some people picture God that way. He's some deistic God who's far away and not very powerful, wondering how he's going to turn around this whole mess so that he can finally get his kingdom established? And maybe he needs to depend upon the ecumenical movement and all of the efforts of others to somehow get things going? But notice what the Word of God says in verses 4 through 6. We have the camera focusing on God the Father, and it says, "...he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." What kind of laughter is this? It's not the laughter of cruelty. It's not the laughter of some perverted mind that likes to pull the wings off of flies and burn insects with matches and create and cause animals to hurt in pain like some perverted criminal minds during their early years would do. And that's not what we're looking at here. Rather, it's a laughter at the thought that man can make futile attempts to do away with him. I would compare it, if I could, to some of my children when they were very young. And all of you that are dads will empathize with this. Here's your little toddler who comes up to you, and you guys are maybe scrapping on the living room floor, having a good time playing. and then little rollo runs up to your right leg and he bear hugs your shin and he lifts up as hard as he can because in his mind he's going to topple you well that's not exactly going to happen is it uh... or perhaps you might picture this word picture here's an ant that happens to crawl under my foot while i'm standing here and that ant is somehow going to raise his multitude of legs and push up and knock me off of balance. That's not going to happen, is it? Now, here's man, mankind, shaking their puny little fists at God. And it says here, He that sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derision. That's the concept. You know, in the classrooms and universities of our country, many professors are trying to do away with God with great futility. The unsaved man, no matter how polished or cultured he may be, would do anything within his power to do away with God if he could. But his efforts are just like the infant trying to topple his father. He can't do it. You know, verse 5, "...then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure." Some people have a wishy-washy view of God, and they say that God is just a God of love. Well, you read verse 5. He can also be a God of judgment and of wrath. when we get on His wrong side. Keep in mind that He loves the unredeemed. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, to die on the cross. But when man turns away from the only provision for his salvation, then all that is left is the wrath of God. And God is not willing that any should perish. But when man persists in flying in the face of God and rejecting the only hope of His salvation, then wrath alone is available. Verse 5 refers to the great tribulation period, certainly, where God pours out His wrath, the seal, vial, and trumpet judgments upon all of those who refuse His grace. Keep in mind that this is a kingdom passage. So therefore, this wrath mentioned in verse 5 is certainly leading into that coming when he comes to establish his kingdom. You look at verse 6 and you'll notice it says, Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill in Zion. And of course, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is going to be ruling and reigning in His kingdom upon the holy hill of Zion. But at the crucifixion, man said, We will not have Him rule over us. Now let me say this very quickly. The Hollywood crowd, the crowd, the fashion perverts of our world today, you keep in mind and never forget, they are the ones that are pictured in this mob scene. Let's not forget that this world ethics, in its political structure, in its moral concepts, is set against God. The writers of this world, the people who are perverting truth today, in morality or in ethics, in any way of their writings, they are the ones that are shaking their fist against God. That should tell us that we need to be very, very careful what we read and what we allow into our minds, lest we side with those that are the enemies of God, because they have chosen to be His enemy. Now the camera in verses 7-9 takes another focus. Scene 3 now. We've seen scene 1, mob rule. Throwing off, desiring to throw off the shackles. Scene 2, God is in control. Keep that in mind. Scene 3, the camera focuses on God the Son. And by the way, He's at God's right hand. And this is also, as scene 2 was, a heavenly scene. Let's look at verses 7-9. Here we have the emphasis upon God the Son. I will declare the decree, the Lord That's Yahweh hath said unto me, that me is Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead. Thou, speaking of Jesus the Messiah, art my Son. This day have I begotten thee. Now if you look at Acts chapter 13 and verse 18, Acts 13 verse 18, you'll see here that This message that Paul was preaching in Acts 13, verses 28-33, was referring to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verses 28-33. Here we have Paul's message. Verse 28, Acts 13, And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired a pilot that he should be slain he's reversing here of the crucifixion and when they had fulfilled all that was written of him they took him down from the tree late a minute sepulcher but god raised him from the dead i have a sermon series but dot and and i just love uh... the concepts in it and here's one of the verses because but god that that but god makes all the difference in the world Everything that man did, Psalm 2, but God. He was in control. May I suggest to you that the burden that you have in your heart today, yes, things would be hopeless, But I'm giving you this phrase, but God. You have Him on your side. But God, in all of His resurrection power, can do something in your burden. He can lift up that mountain and cast it into the sea when man's power is unable to. That's the God that we can pray to today. Claim that, but God. That's a good one. then it goes on to say and he was seen many days of them which came up with him from galilee to jerusalem who are witnesses under the people and we declare unto you glad tidings how the promise which was made up to the father's now notice chapter two in the context of the resurrection god has fulfilled the payment up their children in that he has raised up Jesus again as is also written in the second psalm, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. The Jehovah Witnesses try to make this verse mean that God was a created being, Michael the Archangel. And they try to say, well you see, God the Son is Well, they don't even use that term, God the Son. They say Jesus is not co-eternal with the Father because, you see, He was created and they take Acts 13.33 to mean that. But no, the term, the quote from Psalm 2 is a reference to the resurrection. And the camera, going back to Psalm 2 now, the camera focusing back on God the Son, as the One who is going to be ruling and reigning in the Davidic Kingdom, He can do so because He has risen from the dead. And the mob, verse 2, that sought to crucify Him, it was all to no avail because He rose from the dead and He was truly declared to be the Messiah who would rule and reign. now look at psalm two eight the camera still being focusing verse eight ask of me and i will give the heathen for thine inheritance and the other most parts of the earth for by possession now i'll be honest with you out i've got a submission conferences where i saw some banners with uh... Psalm 2.8 in the back of the platform. And it made good preaching. But sometimes, Brother Dick, verses that make good preaching aren't always rightly divided. Isn't that true? Have you found that? It makes good preaching, but unfortunately, it's not in context. Here, this is not a challenge for us and an encouragement for us in the Great Commission as it were, but it's speaking of Christ's universal rule during His kingdom reign. And certainly, God will give to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, that great inheritance and the kingship that He has coming. Now, notice verse 9. Verse 9. Before He comes to rule, He's going to have to break his enemies with a rod of iron. And here's a battle again of Armageddon. It says here, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Reminds us of Daniel 2, of the smiting stone prophecy. Remember Nebuchadnezzar's image with that stone not cut by man's hands, speaking of a divine origin. That stone hits the image at the feet. The whole image falls down, and it's hit ground powder. And then that small stone, that smiting stone, becomes a mountain that fills the earth. That's a picture of the kingdom of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And by the way, for those that are amillennialists, who believe that the church which is the kingdom is going to be that eleven that's gonna permeate the entire world and things are going to get better and better until all of the nations are converted and then god kind of says well as good down there is it is up here i'm moving down here now on the kind of spread out a little bit sorry he comes with a rod of iron forcefully establishes kingdom against the mob and even of his own chosen people two-thirds are cut off and uh... tremendous battle uh... and uh... campaign of armageddon as the word of god speaks up you know what would happen if uh... jesus came to the united nations and said i'm taking over what do you think you think they'd be a little scrap that might ensue yeah well just just wait till verse nine you see what i'm getting They're not going to be any more comfortable at that time than they would be now. Now, the camera focuses, in closing now, to verses 10-12, scene 4. The camera focuses on God the Holy Spirit speaking invitationally through David. And here is the appeal. This is his appeal. Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings, be instructed." By the way, do the leaders of this world need a little instruction right now? What do you think? You think that they've got it all sealed up and they're holding the world in a paper cup and they're all in control? No. This world, our leaders, we need to pray for our president. We need to pray for Colin Powell. He's going to be meeting with that Fox Arafat shortly. and and all of these but we need to pray for the leadership and for leaders in our world here the word of god says in verse ten be wise now all you can be instructed you judges of the earth and where did that instruction start now you know the god in the history of this world god in the history of this world has always gotten a message to the rulers of the world happening You know, he used Moses to confront Pharaoh. He used Daniel to represent God before Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius. He went and he used man. Well, here, the Holy Spirit is making an appeal through David as he writes, Be wise now therefore, ye kings. Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Then look at verse 11. serve though or excuse me serve the lord with here and rejoiced with trembling the sun the angry dr george deal used to tell his bible class students kiss the sun is the old testament way of thing on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16 31. Kiss the son means acknowledging him as to who he is. Worshipping him, loving him, adoring him. Kiss the son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. Then notice this. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." That's you tonight. We're living in a chaotic world, folks, filled with dissonance, just like an orchestra that's playing all kinds of tunes in dissonance. And then the conductor comes up to the lectern. He lifts up his scepter and begins to lead the orchestra in harmony. Well someday, now we're looking at all of the dissonance of the world, and everyone seems to be doing their thing, and the world is in confusion. But when the Master Conductor, the Lord Jesus Christ, comes and steps up and establishes His kingdom, then there will be peace and harmony. But the invitation today is to kiss the Son, receive Him as personal Savior. I trust that If you're listening to the sound of my voice, that the Spirit of God will prick your heart to realize that unless you come to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you're going to perish. There are only two directions to go. Now, we as believers who know Christ as Savior, I close with one comment. Isn't it sad when you see people who profess to be Christians who become part of the mob because they fail to identify with Jesus Christ. And lest we think that that can't happen to us, it happened to Peter. He was warming his hands next to the fire of the enemy. Whenever we keep silent, when we ought to speak representing God, whether it's at work, Whenever we hear people use the name of the Lord God in vain, or when we ought to represent Him in some way and we maintain silence, we need to ask ourselves, who am I really aligning myself with? I'd rather kiss the Son, worship Him, have a greater fear of God than of man, and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's bow our heads together. Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word, and I thank You, Heavenly Father, that You are in control, that You're able, Father, to move mountains through Your power when we come to You by faith. And Father, we thank You that You're an all-powerful God. Lord, You could just speak and blow this entire universe to powder. You spoke and the universe was created. And Father, in Your grace and in Your longsuffering, You're allowing puny little man to shake his fist at You in classrooms, across this world, in seminars, in areas of degradation and immorality. And Lord, You're gracious. giving men an opportunity to repent. But someday judgment will come, and it will be too late. I thank you, Lord, that in the midst of all of that strength that you have, you're our loving Heavenly Father. And we're your children, and we can come confidently. And Lord, in peace and love and tenderly, know that you receive our request. Lord, we thank You that we're on Your grace side because we've received Your gift of grace, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, Lord, bless us as we would share together burdens and needs and the difficulties, Lord, that Your people may be going through. And Lord, we claim that verse in Acts chapter 13, but God. And Lord, how we thank You that it does make a difference when God's people pray. and approach God with their needs. So thank You, Lord, for what You'll do. In Jesus' name I thank You. Amen.