WHY DO THE NATIONS?

Israel's King asks the question in Psalm 2. Three thousand years ago, he led the nation that God had chosen to be His Special People. Israel was to serve as a light to the nations; to portray God in a righteous powerful manner so that other nations would want to worship God. They were to be God's ambassador, His representative to the world.

Of course the nation of Israel often failed to follow God's commands. Yet as God's representative nation, they attracted more than their share of hostility. And so Israel's king writes:

Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
² The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. Psalm 2:1, 2

Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.Worship the Lordwith reverence and rejoice with trembling.

Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!                                        Psalm 2:10 - 12

This psalm, like numerous OT passages is working on two levels. On one level it is all about Israel, Israel's king and what was happening then. However on another level, it is speaking prophetically and universally. And thus it speaks to us today; to those of us who acknowledge Jesus as our King; to those who sincerely pray "Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven."

Do you ever wonder why government officials, or newspapers, or schools, or others can display such anger and opposition to Christ and His Church? Doesn't it seem "strange, frustrating, irritating" how followers of Jesus seem to attract both verbal and physical abuse around the world? Sure the church now, like Israel in biblical times, is far from perfect. Yes, Christians through unwise behaviour or foolish statements bring just criticism and deserved opposition upon themselves. But we know, as Israel's king knew 3,000 years ago, that there is much more going on than normal opposition. 

We know that the spiritual dimension is huge; That all humans naturally resist God, for He threatens our selfish desires and pride. We guard our personal power aggressively. To submit to His rule means losing this precious personal power. Since this is true on the individual level, we should not be surprised to find opposition to the ways of God and God himself at the local or national level in any and every country.   

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, insists that He is the rightful ruler of the individual and of our world. Only as we "worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling"; only as we "do homage to the Son" will we align ourselves with God and His ways. Only then, as individuals, as communities and as nations will we "get it right". But sadly most of the time, people prefer to do it their way. And so as Jesus warned us, His followers should expect opposition and persecution. If you are living as a loyal ambassador for Jesus, you should not be surprised when you receive criticism or much worse. That  will happen on the micro individual level and it continues to happen on the macro level as well.

Humans naturally feel they know better than God. They feel they can certainly improve on what God tells us in the Bible. The news from around the world announces daily how well we are doing by opposing the One who could, and one day will bring healing and peace. "Lord Jesus, please return soon."

 

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