This is the final message on the “Why’s of Christmas” and perhaps the more difficult to understand. We explored “Why Christmas?” a month ago. Why Jesus had to come and His purpose in coming was to die for our sins. This is why we will be observing the Lord’s Supper today, the last Sunday of the Year, to remember the purpose for which Jesus had come. We looked at the timing of his coming 2000 years ago and how all of history was set for that moment. We considered Mary, and how she willfully submitted to the call on her life and how her life was forever changed. Last week we looked at why these gentile wisemen from Persia would risk all to seek out the child Jesus. And that is where we picked up today.
Last week we did not consider Herod the King. But today, as we will see, represents the attitude of the nations of the world and of people around the word. To put this into context, I will first read Matt 2:12 then verse 16
Matthew 2:12 (NKJV) Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
Matthew 2:16 (NKJV) Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
Herod was no different from people today. He rebelled against God and thought he could beat God. That is where I pick up with our main passage today.
Psalm 2
Illustration: "The worst industrial accident in history occurred almost 33 years ago on April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the town of Chernobyl in north central Ukraine of the former Soviet Union. It was caused by two electrical engineers who were playing around with one of the nuclear reactors. They were conducting an unauthorized experiment trying to see how long a turbine would freewheel (or keep spinning) when the power was turned off. To do this, they had to manually override six separate computer-driven alarm systems.
Each time the computer would warn, ’Stop! Dangerous! Go no further!’ Each time the warning was foolishly disregarded. The end result was a major explosion, thirty-one immediate deaths, untold eventual deaths, and the release of 100 million curies of radionuclides into the atmosphere that circulated worldwide. Four hundred times more radioactive material was released from Chernobyl than by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Only time will determine the full extent and destruction of the accident. [1]
Dr. Jerry Sutton, Southern Baptist pastor, historian, and writer said the following in his book “The Way Back Home”: Often, we — like those foolish engineers — fail to heed the warning given to us by the Holy Spirit: ’Stop! Dangerous! Go no further!’ As a result, there comes a point when our restlessness and refusal to listen to the Spirit’s warning leads us to cross the line from restlessness to rebellion." [2]
The fact is, all sin is rebellion against God.
Ever since the Garden of Eden, mankind has been in rebellion of God. It is in our nature to rebel. It takes courage, discipline and the help of the Holy Spirit in our lives to be what God calls us to be. Let’s consider Herod. He was jealous for his throne. He wanted nothing to challenge him, even God. He has been know to outright murder anyone to threaten him, including some of his wives and children. When Herod hear about the One born king of the Jews, he was greatly troubled.
Matthew 2:16 (NKJV)
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
In the preceding verses we learn that Joseph was warn in a dream to escape with Mary and the Child Jesus to Egypt.
Why do we not read from other sources (like Josephus) about the deaths of the two-year-olds and younger in Bethlehem? Many scholars believe due to the small population of Bethlehem, there may have only been many 20 or so children effected, and compared to other many, many atrocities committed by Herod, this was relatively insignificant.
But Herod is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. He is no different than many nations in the world today, and in practical terms, he is no different than many people today, who do not want God to rule over any part of their lives. That brings us to Psalm 2.
Psalm 2:1–3 (NKJV) 1 Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”
Does this sound familiar? Our deacon read it this morning, as quoted by Peter and those gathered with him in that early church (Acts 4:23-31). They quoted verses 1 and 2 from the Greek translation of the Psalm. This Psalm is quoted often in the NT. Peter and that early church knew God is in control. Armed with that fact, they spoke the word boldly.
Knowing that God has the victory, we can be bold in our witness for Him.
In light of the NT, this Psalm speaks clearly about Jesus, and in these verses it speaks how Jesus is plotted against.
The nations rage, and the people plan to rebel against God. “The kings of the earth set themselves” – "set themselves" is a a military term in the hebrew meaning to prepare for war. The plot together, they take council with each other to overthrow God and “against His Anointed” - in the Hebrew the word is “masih” or “Messiah” and in the Greek it is “Christos” or “Christ.” The wording here is quite clear, they are ready to go to war with God and His Anointed who is clearly Jesus. Look at what they say: “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” They are in essence saying, "We do not want God to rule over us, or to have any part of us."
And what is God’s reaction to this?
Psalm 2:4–6 (NKJV) 4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: 6 “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”
This is the only place in the Bible where we see God laugh, and its not a good laugh. James Boice (Bible commentator) says this: What is God’s reaction to the haughty words of these pygmy human rulers? God does not tremble. He does not hide behind a vast celestial rampart, counting the enemy and calculating whether or not he has sufficient force to counter this new challenge to his kingdom. He does not even rise from where he is sitting. He simply “laughs” at these great imbeciles [3]
Unlike the rulers of nations today, God does not negotiate, not does He adjust Himself to suit the demands of the rebellious. God reaffirms His plans, He firmly enforces His standards. People have no concept of the complete knowledge of God and His unlimited power. They think God will just roll over and play dead? Throughout the Bible, there is warning after warning about a coming day of judgment. God’s wrath will be displayed. God has revealed Himself to all. His power and greatness cannot be missed and people foolishly think they can oppose God.
Romans 1:18–20 (NKJV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse
In an action to take place sometime in the future, God will established His Anointed, His Messiah, His Christ, as King – verse 6: “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” Jesus will rule from the Temple mount in Jerusalem. This will be after the conclusion of the Great tribulation period we read about in Revelation and other future prophecies in the Bible.
In the next three verses, God’s Anointed (who is Jesus) speaks:
Psalm 2:7–9 (NKJV) 7 “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
In OT times, verse 7 was used in the coronation of Kings, and by calling the king the son of God, it was interpreted as God as installing the king. In light of the NT, where we see God saying this very thing at the Baptism of Jesus and at the transfiguration of Jesus, this passage is very clearly meant for Jesus.
The victory has been guaranteed. All the world will belong to Jesus and will be under His rule. Right now, it is under sway of the wicked one. In Matthew 4, where we read about the temptations of Jesus, Satan took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him the kingdoms of the world and Satan offered them all to Jesus if He would worship him. When Jesus was offered all the kingdoms of the world by Satan, Jesus didn’t dispute the that that world was Satan’s to give. He responded that God was to be worshipped only. If you doubt that Satan rules this world now, you haven’t read your newspaper lately. But Jesus will rule at some point in the future.
How will Jesus rule? Verse 9: "You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
In the Greek translation of the OT, this verse reads that He will “rule" with an iron rod” vice break. The NT quotes form the Greek:
Revelation 2:27 (NKJV) 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father;
To rule with an iron rod or scepter speaks of the unbreakable rule. The rule of Jesus will be just, yet very firm. In ancient times, more notably in Egypt, Kings, as they prepare for war, would write the names of their enemies on clay pottery, then smash the pottery with their scepters. If there is any opposition to His rule, they will be smashed to pieces like so much pottery.
It is this fact alone that enforces our missionary call. Our call is to make His name know and revered. One day every knee will bow:
Philippians 2:10–11 (NKJV) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The key is who will bow the knee now?
Now comes one of my favorite words in the Bible, the word that draws a conclusion to what has just been said. That Word is “Therefore.” Here is the conclusion to the whole matter:
Psalm 2:10–12 (NKJV) 10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Be wise. You cannot beat the Lord. Judgment is coming. the call is to come and serve Him. "Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling." We need to serve, rejoice, in fear and trembling. This is the response of the righteous in worship. Every time we see someone encounter the very holiness of Almighty God, they fall down in worship in fear and trembling. Do we fear and tremble knowing the holiness of God?
“Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little." Other translations (NASB, HCSB) have "do" or "pay homage" vice "kiss." We are to submit to him, surrender all to Him. For an angry God is something to be greatly afraid of. Herein is the bottom line to those nations that rage: “Submit or perish.”
“Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” Only those who are in the Son are protected from the wrath of God
Why do the nations rage? Why do they and people in general rage and rebel against God? God cannot be beaten. And God will not negotiate.
Yet God has provided a way to escape His wrath. He sent Jesus. He was born, laid in a manger in the humblest of circumstances. He came the first time as Savior.
He is coming again. But this time when He comes, He is coming as King and Judge, and God’s wrath will be upon all who are not found in the Son.
Revelation 22:12 (NKJV) “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Are you to be found in Him? Is He speaking to your heart now?
As we come to this time of invitation, it is important to evaluate our position with God, whether we are in the Son or in rebellion.
We will be coming to the Table of the Lord, and will be observing His death as well as His coming again. Take this time search your heart so you may take this bread and this cup in a worthy manner.
[1] story was verified at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster
[2] https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/70878/warning-by-wayne-presnell?ref=TextIllustrationSerps
