My teaching on Psalm 2. Ps.2, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 11, and Isaiah 56:7 are all saying the same thing as Acts 1:8. God is reaching out to the nations/people groups (Greek; Ethnos’) through prayer and preaching. 1. Psalm 2 is the second most quoted passage from the o.t. found quoted in the n.t. It must be important. A. Psalm 2:1-3 outlined says, “Why do the nations (Ethnos’) rage and the people imagine a vain thing, The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take council against the Lord, break bands, cords, restraints, his law (the school master”, Galatians 3:24). (1) Peter quotes this passage in Acts 4:25 26 and says, “that’s going to be great someday to see Psalm 2 realized”. No, he says that He is living in Psalm 2, as the persecuting religious rulers, kings (Herod, etc.), persecute them. His response is that the nations do rage, the kings are against the Lord…, “but grant to thy servants, that will all boldness they may speak thy word!” B. In verses 4 and 5 we see God laugh at this effort, then His wrath is released. C. In verse 6 and 7 we see the exultation of King Jesus, and that He is the Son of God, quoted in Heb.1:5, and Acts 13:33. D. In verse 8, we see the prayer of Jesus through His body for the nations (Ethnos’). “Ask of me the nation (Ethnos’) for thine inheritance (Hebrew, “Nachalah”-possession/take it, Rev.11:15) and the UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH for thy possession.” The last part of this is saying the same thing as Acts 1:8, “…ye shall be witnesses unto me both (to Jews and Gentiles) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH.” E. Verse 9 of Psalm 2 says, “Thou shalt break them (the nations/”ethnos’) with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel”. “This is going to be great someday; Jesus is going to rule with a rod of Iron!” How does the n.t interpret passage? (1) Revelation 2:26,27 quotes this and conditionally promises to the Church in Thyatira that , “He/she that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him/her will I give power over the nations”. Big enough goals for our youth here, a conditional promise to take over the world? Rev.2:27 continues, “And he (not the individual Jesus, but the body of Christ) shall rule them with a ROD OF IRON; as the vessels of a potter shall be broken to pieces (brake their bands, cords in Ps.2:3), even as I received of my Father.” a. The same breaking in pieces here (Rev.2:27/Ps.2:9) as Daniel 2:44, “His Kingdom shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever”. Also, Mt.6:13. b. What kind of “rule” is Jesus referring to here over the nations (Ethnos’)? Let’s interpret scripture with scripture and see. c. Luke 22:25-27, clarifies this rule, authority of God, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship (to lord over) them; and they that exercise AUTHORITY (rule) upon them are called benefactors (motives are to benefit from the fact that they have authority). BUT ye shall not be so; but he/she that is greatest among you, let him/her be as the younger, and he/she that is chief, as he/she that doth SERVE! d. The principle of SERVICE! Let’s consider this in the big picture. The U.S. has the greatest economy in the world. What’s it based on? It’s what’s referred to as a SERVICE economy, which makes up for 80% of it. e. So, “SERVICE” as opposed to an economy based on “goods and products”, or natural resources, such as oil, metals (gold, silver, iron, etc.), rivers etc. Think of the British thinkers who had the idea of political power assuming the titles of “MINISTER (SERVANT)” of this, and “MINISTER (SERVANT)” of that. It’s not based on “natural resources”, an economic term, but on the “spiritual principle” of SERVICE! It’s natural thinking versus spiritual thinking. It’s been said that South America was settled (not at all the motives of all people) on the principle of seeking Gold by most of the settlers, while North America was settled (not at all the motives of all people) on the principle of seeking God. f. That’s big picture stuff. On a personal level, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet (John 13:14).” A complete SERVANT in humility! F. Psalm 2:10, 11 warns earthly rulers of rejecting the Good news, “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. SERVE the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” G. Psalm 2:12 says to “Kiss the Son…” Intimacy with Jesus. Spiritually we use our mouth to eat, drink, worship, and pray with. a. In a house, we’ll get to that next time, there is intimacy between a man and women, the bride and groom, the father and mother, according to Galatians 4:26, the church is the mother, to produce new births through intimacy with the father. b. This last verse of Psalm 2 continues, “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish (John 3:16) from the way (John 14:6), when his wrath (John 3:36) is kindled but a little. H. So this is Psalm 2, now let’s hone in on verse 8, “Ask of me and I shall give you the nations (Ethnos’).” First, this is a prayer, “Ask of me…”. Jesus is the House of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7, John 1:51/Gen.28:17, next time). Are we to ask of Him for the nations, the people groups, and He will He give them to us, or is this just a good idea, but it won’t really happen? How many things does Jesus say, such a healing, that we dismiss because of our unbelief? a. Jesus first assures His disciples and then commands them in Mt.28:18-20 by saying, “ALL AUTHORITY is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore (with this same power/authority/rule) and teach ALL NATIONS (Ethnos’, People groups)”. Is this a conditional promise to His disciples to first, believe that they have received ALL AUTHORITY (rule), and then that they go into all the world expecting the nations to be made into disciples as they, ask of Him for the nations? b. These first century disciples believed these words, and then went, though they were given a push by the hand of God, “ there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem (Acts 8:1)…Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word/Jesus (Acts 8:3).” c. As a result, less than 40 years later, they had, “turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).” d. They had taken the gospel of the kingdom, not just the gospel of salvation, the difference of making disciples/teaching all nation, versus just giving birth to spiritual children, they had taken this, “THE GOSPEL: Which is come unto you, AS IT IS IN ALL HE WORLD…(Colossians 1:5).” e. “THE GOSPEL, which ye have heard, and WHICH WAS MADE TO EVERY CREATURE UNTO HEAVEN... (Colossians 1:23).” f. “Your faith is spoken of THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD (Romans 1:8).” g. “THE GOSPEL OF PEACE…have ye not heard? YES, THEIR SOUND WENT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS UNTO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD (Romans 10:15, 18).” h. “…THE PREACHING OF JESUS CHRIST…made known by THE SCRIPTURES…MADE KNOWN TO ALL NATIONS… (Romans 16:25, 26).” I. So, the example given to us of the apostles reveals that they are the foundation of our faith, and we are to follow their example; a. “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).” b. “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14). J. We must apply faith that He will give us the nations (People groups), as He did to the Apostles, as we ask for them in faith (Psalm 2:8). a. Will we be a people of faith, believing the good report of the giant grapes of opportunity and take the land at once, or will we believe the evil report of giant evils in the land, and that there is no way that we can take it? b. Have the nations been bought and paid for, and we simply ask of Him in faith for them? Do we believe that, “The kingdoms of this word, are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15)?” c. Here is what Charles Spurgeon, referred to as the Father of Preachers, states concerning this passage (Rev.11:15), “It would be easy to show that at our present rate of progress the kingdoms of this world never could become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. Indeed, many in the Church are giving up the idea of it except on the occasion of the advent of Christ, which, as it chimes in with our own idleness, is likely to be a popular doctrine. I myself believe that King Jesus will reign, and the idols be utterly abolished; but expect the same power which turned the world upside down once will still continue to do it. The Holy Ghost would never suffer the imputation to rest upon His holy name that He was not able to convert the world.” K. “But (usually an excuse word) this nation/ethnos/people group is beyond reaching. We all know about them from prophecy books, they tell us that the bible says they’re the end time bad guys. So don’t ask of Him for those nations/ethnos’.” Romans 3:12 says that, “there is none good, no not one!” We’re all the bad guys in the bible, “While we we’re enemies (Romans 5:10).” a. Can any good thing come from Wailuku (Luke 1:46)? b. In the big picture, “Can any good thing come from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Europe, Russia, China”? I thought we were supposed to call for fire to come down from heaven upon those nations/ethnos’? They all burn while we Americans disappear in rapture. Jesus warned of this kind of thinking and said, “You know not what manner of spirit you are of (Luke 9:54,55).” c. We are to apply Jesus’ words to these nations/ethnos’ and ask in faith for them (Ps.2:8) and expect to teach them, make disciples of them (Matthew 28:18-20), with His word! As He is a house of Prayer FOR all nations (Is.56:7)!
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 22:44:25 +0000
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