tHE LORD still REIGNS

Blake Holmes

Central Truth

The Lord Jesus reigns forever!

Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die
because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him! (Psalm 2:12)

The Reign of the LORD's Anointed

1 Why do the nations rage^{1

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

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

7 I will tell of the decree:
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 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

As many of you may already know, my son Gage was diagnosed with Leukemia on June 21, 2007. I will never forget hearing the doctor's voice on the other end of the line, "Blake, he has cancer." My stomach dropped. My heart raced. My mind filled with questions. Only 4 years old and my son had cancer.

Since that day, we have ridden the emotional ups and downs that accompany many nights in the hospital and sweet homecomings, painful side-effects and promising reports, and many tears as well as lots of hugs. I have experienced doubt and peace. It has been a long road. Yet, through it all, I have found comfort in knowing that despite my current circumstance, the Lord still reigns!

Psalm 2 is one of the most frequently quoted psalms in the New Testament. The psalm is divided neatly into four parts: The narrator speaks (verses 1-3), God the Father speaks (verses 4-6), the Son speaks (7-9), and the narrator speaks again (verses 10-12). In the first section (verses 1-3), we find the nations of the earth rebelling against the Lord's Anointed One. Verse 4 begins the second section and describes the Lord as sitting on his throne in heaven laughing at those who dare to threaten Him. He cannot help but laugh at the preposterous idea that man could somehow thwart His sovereign plan for Jesus to rule over the heavens and the earth. Next, Jesus boldly proclaims His rightful rule over the earth and all of its inhabitants. Finally, the narrator closes with the promise that those who take refuge in the Son will be blessed.

This psalm reminds me that despite the chaos of my present circumstances, the Lord still reigns. Nothing can threaten His rule or sovereignty over the earth. He is King, and nothing happens apart from His watchful eye. My circumstances can blind me to His presence, but faith calls me to trust in Him regardless. It is not a blind faith. Jesus has already come once. One day, He will come back and rescue those who take refuge in Him!

1. Do you find it hard to believe that the Lord still reigns?

2. Do your circumstances ever cause you to second-guess His sovereignty?

3. Why has the Lord not yet chosen to return and establish His kingdom on the earth? What is He waiting for? (See 2 Peter 3:9).

4. Are you taking refuge in the Lord's Son Jesus Christ?