Reflection on Psalm 2

    I am drawn to the 2nd Psalm as my source for meditation. Often referred to as the Messiah’s Psalm, it was written under a prophetic anointing by David, the Shepherd King. Indeed, it is an appropriate passage in the light of current events.
     But first, consider the story in Acts chapter four. There, we find Peter and John preaching and proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ. They come upon a man who has been lame from birth, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, they heal him. You can well imaging the stir this caused in the crowd of onlookers and those who were listening. There were not televisions then, no technological distractions to captivate people attention. The marketplaces were the most interesting places on the planet, and people flocked to them day after day. 
     Many of the people in the crowd believed the message peter and John were preaching and many were converted to this new faith. However, the religious leaders were not so quick to embrace their teachings. In fact, they were absolutely enraged. So, the temple guards were dispatched to arrest them and bring the to the temple. They were thrown into prison to await trial before the High Priest and the court of Israel - the Sanhedrin.
     The predominant political voices in ancient Israel were divided into two factions - the Pharisees and the Sadducees, but for the ancient Jews politics and religion were closely intermingled. The other political faction was the ruling one - the Romans. To be sure, there was a curious arrangement between the Jews and the Romans, one utterly unlike any of the other provinces under Pax Romana. The Jews maintained their religion, their own court system, their temple, and their leaders. So long as they did not disrupt the Roman occupation, they were allowed to function according to their own purposes.
     However, the antagonism that surrounded the early days of Christianity was intense, and it was continuously escalating. Jesus had been crucified, had risen and ascended, and the Gospel message was having an overwhelming appeal to the people. Persecution of Christians had not yet reached its zenith, but the discontent with this new faith was very evident. This proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus, coupled with the miraculous healing sparked this chapter in Christian history.The apostles were brought before the High Court of Israel.
     One of the fundamental and vocal differences between the Pharisees and the Saducees had to do with the resurrection of the dead. The Saducees refused to believe in a resurrection, the Pharisees actually looked for one. Whatever else Peter and John’s preaching did, it aggravated this most basic theological argument between the two factions.
     That's not completely unlike our world today, not so much a religious dispute, but definitely there is deep political division. Conservatives vs. liberals. Actually, we find basic political and theological disagreements within the ranks of Christianity that are sometimes more heat than light. That being the case, we need to go further in our story.
     Peter and John were forced to stand trial, to be examined by the High priest and the high council of Israel. Their question was simply this: “What power authorizes you to do this?”

     Let me refer to Acts 4 – 

 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed … Salvation is in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

    One has to appreciate the drama of this moment, Saducees and Pharisees in a standoff, religious order disrupted, and the High Court in a quandary. We often criticize the lack of compassion that body of men directed toward these two preachers. But please, do not rush to harshly judge the Jewish rulers.

     True, theirs was often a high level of hypocrisy. But, they were also men who, by reason of their position and authority, were determined to protect their national identity and pride. They could not see what we see today. They could not arrive at their conclusions based on the knowledge we now possess, the Christian heritage we enjoy, or the vast history of the last 2000 plus years. And neither can those men and women who, today, are faced with the responsibilities of government.

     We often criticize and condemn our governmental leaders with a great deal of impunity. Too often we think and speak about them in harsh, hateful, and spiteful terminology. True, many of their decisions go against the grain and violate our basic beliefs.Far too often, they come off as hypocritical and self-serving, and the facts tend to bear this out. But the mandate from Scripture is far different than the rhetoric we often throw out.

     Paul writes –1 Timothy 2:1-5

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

     Our Bill of Rights gives us both the privilege and I believe the responsibility to vocalize our opinions, beliefs, and discontent. However, our Christian faith does not give us the latitude to become slanderous, defamatory, and malicious in our rhetoric. That simply does not embody the nature of the Christ we serve, or acquiesce to the unambiguous language of Scripture.

     This Supreme Council of Israel could not justifiably punish Peter and John for what they had done. Neither could they do anything overt without facing severe repercussions. The multitude of believers had become very, very large. The discontent with the political compromise between the Jews and the Romans had become seriously inflamed. To punish these men would have been a disaster. Yet, they had to do something, they were the rulers of the people.  So, they set forth an order which would be enforceable in the future, a “cease and desist” which would provide grounds for punishment of future confrontations. The apostles were commanded not to teach or even speak in the name of Jesus anymore. Then they were released.

     Back to Scripture –Acts 4

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

     Notice the colon - there's more, and that is the point of this reflection; where I started at the beginning. Read Peter’s response to that judgement, which he quoted from the Messiah's Psalm. This quote is from the from the New Living Testament. It is a rehearsal of Psalm 2.

Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. "Let us break their chains," they cry, "and free ourselves from this slavery."

     We are witnessing a kind of repeat performance of that today. The nations are in an uproar. People are plotting against Christianity, against the basic rights guaranteed by our constitution, against our nation and much that we hold dear. Our detractors see us as bound by materialistic, self-serving greed, and shallow religious commitments. They either want to liberate us from our religious superstitions, or destroy our way of life entirely… BUT – and I read on in Scripture … BUT

 ... the One who rules in heaven laughs.The Lord scoffs at them ...Now then, you kings, act wisely!

     Never forget that Scripture identifies Christians as kings and priests unto our God. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We must act with wisdom, not with sarcasm, spite, and inflammatory rhetoric. We must approach these challenges from a Godly point of view.

Be warned, you rulers of the earth! 

Though we do not rule in government, we have the power of prayer, that great power that serves to influence rulers and chart the course of history. Prayer does not always change the moment we are in. Neither does it always adjust the immediate sequence of circumstances or events. However, prayer influences history. It always influences history. And the future is simply history that has not yet unfolded.

     The familiar strains of 2 Chronicles 7:14 are a promise that must be believed and observed.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.

     The psalm concludes:

Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God's royal Son …

But what joy for all who find protection in Him!

     The confidence and strength of our future lies in our willingness to serve the Lord, to submit to God’s Son, and find our protection in Him. We must be willing to take ownership of our nation’s sins and repent on its behalf; even as Daniel repented for Israel’s sin. He identified himself with and took personal responsibility for addressing the wickedness of His nation, something too few of us have been willing to do. But we must. We must grieve over our nation’s rush to moral decadence. We must cry out to God for mercy. We must never capitulate to the challenges of darkness or the machinations of mere men. We are called by God to walk in the Spirit and to refuse to place our love of life above our fear of death.

     We must trust the God of heaven and earth, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind, to shape history in full response to His Divine purpose and plan. AMEN