January 3, 2017

HE WHO WIELDS THE IRON IS OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH

Psalm 2

Mike Smith
Tuesday's Devo

January 3, 2017

Tuesday's Devo

January 3, 2017

Central Truth

God isn’t moved when leaders change or the most powerful people in the world plot against Him. He’s bigger, stronger, and more powerful than anything they bring to the table. Even better, He invites believers to rest under His perfect protection. We don’t need to be afraid. He’s in control.

Key Verse | Psalm 2:12

Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
(Psalm 2:12)

Psalm 2

The Reign of the LORD's Anointed

Why do the nations rage 1 2:1 Or nations noisily assemble
    and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”

I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break 2 2:9 Revocalization yields (compare Septuagint) You shall rule them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

10  Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11  Serve the LORD with fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
12  Kiss the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Footnotes

[1] 2:1 Or nations noisily assemble
[2] 2:9 Revocalization yields (compare Septuagint) You shall rule

Dive Deeper | Psalm 2

My wife and I sat close to the stage during the Linger Conference last year. Ben Stuart, formerly of Breakaway Ministries, was speaking on Psalm 2. He unveiled several pieces of clay pottery on the table and took an iron wrench in hand. He smashed the pottery, iron bursting through the clay with no resistance. Shards of clay flew across the stage. And should the pottery get the jump on iron, he demonstrated the futility of a pottery counterattack. What an awesome visual demonstration of Scripture!

That’s the scenario described in Psalm 2. God sits on His throne unconcerned during a time of leadership change, a new king’s coronation. The leaders of the earth scheme and are likened to pottery, while Jesus wields the iron. The message is clear. As scary as our election, the upcoming inauguration, ISIS, terrorism, violence, and other things can be, two facts remain: God is bigger, and He is in control.

As odd as it sounds, sometimes that is hard for me to remember—especially during times like this as we leave one President’s tenure and enter into another. When focused just on worldly things, I ask myself questions like, “Where do I turn for direction? What am I supposed to think? How am I supposed to respond?”

Psalm 2 helps put my worries into proper perspective as we go through change of this magnitude. God’s got this. He knows how the story ends; He authored it. The election didn’t catch Him by surprise. He didn’t look down after the votes were tabulated and say, “Oops.” He’s in charge. The clay will soon be shattered.

Psalm 2 ends the same way Psalm 1 begins, with a description of who we should be and how we should act. I don’t know about you, but my preference is to be called blessed rather than to be called wicked or held in derision. Both chapters make clear what our response should be. As for me and my family? We will delight in the Lord and take refuge in Him.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think it means to “take refuge in him”? How can you specifically apply this idea to your life?

2. If someone were to talk with you about our new President, would your answers be categorized by worldly thoughts or an eternal perspective? Anxiousness or peace?

3. How can you use this season to encourage others who might be anxious about the “kings of the earth” or “the peoples [who] plot in vain”?