Monday, July 20, 2009

Psalm 2: 1-6 Notes continued

3. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their chords from us.
  • Seeing the love and guidance of God as constraint, totally restrictive, rather than as freedom, life, grace and hope, is built on an incorrect understanding of the heart of God towards His people and an incorrect understanding of God's character.
  • Look at what it says in Matthew 11:28-30.

4. The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. (Sits in the heavens... meaning exalted above all).

5. Then He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath...

  • All human effort to overthrow the King of All is futile.
  • This scripture is a great example of how to laugh at the plans against God.

* Paragraph by William S. Plumer written in 1867: Of thirty Roman emperors, governors of provinces, and others high in office, who distinguished themselves by their zeal and bitterness in persecuting the early Christians, one became speedily deranged after some atrocious cruelty, one was slain by his own son, one became blind, the eyes of one started out of his head, one was drowned, one was strangled, one died in a miserable captivity, one died of so loathsome a disease that several of his physicians were put to death because they could not abide the stench that filled his room, two committed suicide, a third attempted it, but had to call for help to finish the work, five were assassinated by their own people or servants, five others died the most miserable and excruciating deaths, several of them having an untold complication of disease, and eight were killed in battle, or after being taken prisoners. Among these was Julian the apostate. In the days of his prosperity he is said to have pointed his dagger to heaven defying the Son of God, whom he commonly called the Galilean. But when he was wounded in battle, he saw that all was over with him, and he gathered up his clotted blood, and threw it into the air, exclaiming, 'Thou has conquered, O thou Galilean.'

  • Many have tried to come against God but the mighty are about to show the power of the One who is above all others.

6. I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.

  • God is declaring the Royal position, authority announced and declared, from everlasting to everlasting, His unshakable throne, kingdom.
  • his Holy Hill, Mt. Zion, is heavens counterpart on earth.
  • All plots of hell and earth are of little value for Jesus reigns by his Father's ordination.
  • We can trust in the name of the Lord as He literally does hold the earth, His church, Your life, Your circumstance and Your dreams, in the palm of His hand.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Psalm 2:1-6 Notes

Psalm 2:1-6
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."
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."

1. Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?
  • The word rage denotes pride and aggressiveness.
  • In Greek it is linked to ahorse that neighs and then rushes straight into battle.
  • It is a fruit of rebellion by both the people and leaders.

2. The 'kings' of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, (... or take their stand), against the Lord and against His Anointed saying... (forgetting that we always remain under authority to God Himself).

  • SET describes that it is not just rage but seated-hatred.
  • 'ad the rulers take counsel together' - they don't go into warfare with foolish haste but with skillfull determination and delberation.

* Think 'Perfect Storm' as a picture of the heathen raging, the roaring seas, tossed to and fro, restless and quite often imposing.

* During the 1850's numerous monumental pillars were raised (some in Spain), which still remain, bearing inscriptions such as:

  • In honour of the name of Christian being extinguished!
  • For having everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ, and for having extended the worship of the gods...

  • Like Herod plotting against Christ, trying to kill off the future of Christiandom.
  • Psalm 1 is a contrast between the righteous man and the sinner. Psalm 2 is a contrast between tumultuous disobedience of a Godless word and a certain exaltation of the righteous son of God.