The Lord’s Ultimate Victory

2-15-05

Title: The Lord’s Ultimate Victory

Text: Psalm 2

Introduction

There are three types of messianic psalms within the book of psalms.

There are the “direct messianic,” which contain the prophesies of Christ’s coming, and relate to Him alone (such as Psalms 22, 45, 72, and 110).

There are the “typically messianic,” which refer to some historical situation concerning an earthly king who is a type of Christ.

And there are the psalms that contain a mixture of the first two.

I’ll read Psalm 2, and then show what type it is.

1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine 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 bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 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.

Psalm 2 speaks of rebellious mankind, and about Jesus.

It has been called the drama of the ages.

It contains an important announcement concerning the outcome of events and forces at work in the world today.

As we read through it, the first thing we hear is the voices of the masses.

We hear little man speaking his little peace and playing his part—as Shakespeare puts it, “A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage” of life.

Next, God the Father speaks, and then God the Son speaks and God the Holy Spirit has the last word.

This is a psalm about our Savior, and it gives a prophesy concerning the kingdom of God.

There is nothing that is not applicable to Christ.

For instance, "Thou art my Son, I will give thee the uttermost parts of the earth,’’ verses 7 and 8, and verse 12, "Kiss the Son.’’

Therefore, this psalm is classified as “direct messianic.”

Here the Holy Ghost speaks of four things:

Bitter opposition from the Lord’s enemies (vv. 1-3).

Calm assurance in the face of opposition (vv. 4-6).

The divine promise to the Lord’s anointed (vv. 7-9).

An exhortation to submit to the Son of God as Lord (vv. 10-12).

Let’s look at each of these beginning with:

Bitter Opposition from the Lord’s Enemies (vv. 1-3).

The writer of the psalm was David, and in it he expresses both wonder and amazement that nations would dare to defy God.

Right off the bat, he asks the question, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?”

“Rage” means to stir up riots.

“Imagine” means to plot or calculate ways to discredit God and His people.

And a “vain thing” refers to something that is futile and empty of meaning.

So, another way to say verse 1 is, “Why do unbelievers stir up people to riot, and plot ways to discredit God and Christians, since all their efforts are futile?”

The thing that has brought together mankind in a great movement will never be fulfilled, will never be accomplished.

It is an empty futile thing that has brought mankind together.

So, what is it?

It is in verse 2: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed…”

“The kings of the earth” are the political leaders, and “the rulers who take council together” are the religious leaders.

Not only do you have the masses of mankind in this protest movement, but the establishment has joined in with it.

Religious and political leaders are joining together.

Now what is it they are protesting and who is it they are against?

It is “the Lord and His Anointed.”

There is a great world wide movement that is against God and against Christ.

Now when did this movement begin?

The Bible can tell us that too.

Over in verse 24 of the forth chapter of the Book of Acts, when the first persecution of Christians broke out, we’re told that the apostles Peter and John, after they had been threatened, returned back to the church to give their report