The kingdom of our Heavenly Father is very real. And His kingdom is far, far greater than any other authority or power there is, or ever will be. Therefore, God’s kingdom is what needs to have our attention. This has been the theme of the last couple of posts (click here to read the post on Daniel 2, and here for the post on the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-10).
Seeing from God’s perspective
Psalm 2, one of the most quoted psalms in the New Testament, shows us what it means to begin with God’s kingdom perspective, particularly when turmoil is going on in our world. The psalm writer looks down on earth as though from the viewpoint of heaven (where God rules and reigns) and exclaims in astonishment,
Why do the nations conspire,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and his anointed…
Psalm 2:1-2 (NRSV)
From heaven’s perspective, the psalmist sees that plotting against God is completely useless. God is the One who reigns over everything that exists!
Psalm 2 continues on to say that God has installed His king as ruler over the whole earth (verses 6-8) – and this king is Jesus Christ. He is the One who reigns over all authorities, powers, kings and rulers (Ephesians 1:20-21) and that God’s plan is to bring all things together under His headship (Ephesians 1:10).
At the same time, humanity continues to rebel against the rule of God (following the same trajectory of rebellion against God that we so clearly see in Genesis 2-11). And as Psalm 2:1-2 says, they even “conspire” and “take counsel together,” particularly against Jesus, God’s anointed.
Conspiring against Jesus
We also see this in the New Testament, where Luke makes an interesting comment in his Gospel, regarding two rulers, Herod and Pilate.
That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.
Luke 23:12 (NRSV, emphasis added)
But what happened “that same day” that united two enemies (a Jew and a Roman)? That particular day was the day both Herod and Pilate met Jesus in person. Herod ridiculed Jesus and Pilate washed his hands of him. And this united them both as friends (or co-conspirators), against their common ‘enemy’ – Jesus (who is God’s anointed).
However, this ‘conspiring together’ doesn’t stop there.
Conspiring against God’s people
One of the first things that happens after Pentecost in the book of Acts, is that the followers of Jesus come into the firing line. Acts 3-4 tells the story of what happens to Peter and John after they heal a lame man. The religious authorities arrest them, question them, threaten them, and finally release them. When they get back to the other believers they begin to pray – and what they pray is Psalm 2:1-2!
After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant;
‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
and the rulers have gathered together
against the Lord and against his Messiah’”
Acts 4:23-26 (NRSV)
Peter understands that what is happening to them now is exactly what happened to Jesus. Just as Herod and Pilate conspired against Jesus, so the religious leaders have conspired against Jesus’ followers.
But the religious leaders have no idea that they are actually conspiring against Almighty God. As the disciples pray, God turns up in power!
“And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:29-31 (NRSV)
As the early church faced threats, arrest, beatings and even death, God’s presence and His power was manifested in tremendous boldness and in amazing signs, wonders and miracles.
And it will be the same in our day.
How do we respond?
So how do we respond to what’s happening in our world today?
- Firstly, we need to gain God’s perspective. This is incredibly important. As believers, we have to base our response on a firm foundation – and we cannot gain this firm foundation unless we are standing where God stands, and seeing things from His perspective. This is the message of Psalm 2, and this was the perspective of those in the early church.
- Secondly, we have to refuse to allow issues and concerns to divide us. And there are plenty of things that can bring division right now – eg. racial divisions; vaccines; even church/denominational divides. Notice that in Acts 2:24 the believers gathered and “raised their voices together” (ie. in unity, or “in one accord”).
- Thirdly, Peter begins by declaring that God is the One who possesses supreme authority (Acts 2:24). He is Lord and Master, and He is creator of everything. When we put God in His rightful place as Lord, everything else falls into place for us.
And just as God responded with a manifestation of Holy Spirit power and boldness, God is coming in our day with manifestations of great power, boldness and glory. Believe it, and expect it!
