Why Do The Heathen Rage?

Temple Baptist Church - 12-12-2010

Psalms 2

Introduction:

A. Psalm 2 is an interesting Psalm. It shows the mentality of both the world and God’s people concerning the sovereignty and ability of God!

1. The “heathen rage!” Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. (The world has no respect for nor a fear of God!)

2. The “people imagine a vain thing!” The “people” is a reference to God’s nation of Israel: God’s people! Imagine? That means to ponder or to murmur about something blown up in one’s mind. We often “imagine” the very worst when in trouble. A “vain thing” means something of no avail: something that will probably never come to pass.

B. As the world has no fear of God, God’s people often have no confidence in Him. The heathen rage and God seemingly allows them to get away with it. God’s people then began to imagine: God does not care; God cannot do anything about it; God can but will not respond!

C. We live in a world gone mad. A world that has adopted an amoral philosophy: both ungodly and godless.

1. This world hates the Person of God – they have developed their own “god.” One who accepts the person of the wicked!

2. This world hates the Word of God – they have rejected both its veracity and its authority. Even among so called fundamental Baptists.

3. This World hates the People of God – a generic “Christianity” and a “social gospel” is the rage of the day while the “Old Paths” are despised and rejected. Even among so called fundamental Baptist who have accepted the methods and philosophy of the liberals.

D. The actions of the world occasionally induce the Christian to react as the Psalmist and say, “Why, Lord!” This is a problem that God’s people have faced through the ages and this generation is possibly the worst of all. Why does God allow certain things to happen?

1. Because He is longsuffering. The Lord is not willing that any should perish and takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

2. Because sin must run its course. James 1 says that there is a finishing to sin. God does not always judge at the moment one begins to sin. Sin has a course and God lets it run.

3. Because God’s ways are not our ways. Just leave “God’s Toys” to God. He knows what He is doing.

E. It is easy for the believer to get his or her eyes on the circumstances and fall from their own steadfastness. This Psalm should be an encouragement to God’s people.

F. The Lord answers the Psalmist’s question in these few verses by summing up man’s rebellion and God’s righteous judgment.

1. The Attitude Of The Ungodly – vs. 1-3

a. The Fact Of Their Rebellion – “Why do the heathen rage” - Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (They are not atheistic, but rather anti-God! It is one thing to use the name of the Lord as a byword in ignorance and entirely another to curse His person!)

b. The Fierceness Of Their Rebellion – “rage” - Zechariah 7 says, “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.” (The world has gone “wild!” There is nothing sacred; there is nothing “black or white” morally; the conscience of many people has been seared! “If it feels good, do it” is the theme of our day.)

c. The Focus Of Their Rebellion – “against the Lord” - Acts 5:39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. Romans 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (This world system is anti-God. Anything and everything that God says or stands for is under attack. It will climax in the battles of “Armageddon” and “God and Magog.” Just how foolish can man get? Fight against the God of heaven who can create or destroy with the Word of His mouth? This world has no concept of just who God is.)

2. The Answer From The Lord – vs. 4-9

a. God’s Derision – vs. 4 “shall laugh…derision” - Proverbs 1:26-30 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. (God laughs at man’s foolishness; God will mock them in the day of calamity.)

b. God’s Displeasure – vs. 5 “He shall speak unto them in his wrath” Psalms 50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. (Don’t think that God is going to take what man does to Him! He is still angry with the wicked every day. God hates sin and loves sinners but there will one day be an end to His graciousness and mercy.)

c. God’s Destruction – vs. 5 “and vex them in his sore displeasure” Psalms 50:22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

d. God’s Declaration – vs. 7 “I will declare”

1) A Declaration Of Kingship – vs. 6 (The world rejected the King!)

2) A Declaration Of Kinship – vs. 7

a) Jesus was eternally the Son of God - 1 John 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

b) Jesus was incarnately the Son of God - Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

c) Jesus was manifestly the Son of God - 1 John 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

d) Jesus was gloriously the Son of God - John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)full of grace and truth.

e. God’s Desire – vs. 8 “Ask of me, and I shall give thee” - Psalms 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

f. God’s Determination – vs. 9 “Thou shalt break them...dash them” - Psalms 21:8 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.

3. The Advice To The Wicked – vs. 8-12

a. They Need To Hear Him – vs. 10 “be instructed” - Hosea 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

b. They Need To Fear Him – vs. 11 “with fear…with trembling” - Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

c. They Need To Near Him – vs. 12 “Kiss the Son” - 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.