Psalm 2

“Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”

One man’s safety is another man’s fetter. Those who love God love His commandments and find joy in them; those who insist on their own way, the way of the wicked, see God’s commandments – given for our good, given to protect us, given to bring us into light and life – they see His commandments as chains and fetters.

“Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed…”

The culmination of this uproar is seen in places such as Daniel and Revelation – a day will come when the nonsense will stop and all will bow before Jesus Christ – until then the uproar continues in many guises. The uproar seems especially poignant during election years, and to see professing Christians wade into the turmoil is akin to watching spectators at ocean’s edge during a hurricane – they think they can get near the storm with impunity but some are sure to get swept away. Some even venture to swim or surf in the roaring waters – how bright is that?

Those that say, “Come on in the water is fine”, don’t understand what they’ve gotten themselves into – Psalm 2 tells us; John’s Apocalypse warns us. Whether the waves are tossing and turning or are placid, whether the nations are reposed or are raising their voices and brandishing their weapons the motto is the same, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”

We do not understand that the world system is the world system and that it is opposed to God; and when we elevate politics to the same level as (or above) the Gospel in our conversation and actions we enter waters of a hurricane. When we are known more for our politics (I started to use the word ideology but few have an ideology they can systemically articulate) than we known are for being sons and daughters of the Prince of Peace we ought to ask if we have not been swept out to sea by the hurricane.

“But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

Those who follow Christ in North America are not first and foremost citizens of a democracy but rather subjects in a kingdom – but do we live firstly as subjects of the King? In Psalm 2 the King in submission to God is juxtaposed with the rebellious nations. The Son of Psalm 2 is juxtaposed with those who strive to overthrow the regal family.

The nature of political systems is sinful and rebellious, how can this nature be otherwise when the nature of man outside of God is sinful and rebellious? To think that a political system or a political party is God’s anointed is to ignore the Biblical teaching regarding the systems and kingdoms of this world; it is also to ignore the fact that there is one Anointed One – and that He is King and that we are His subjects.

Politics may give itself a face-lift in order to seduce and garner votes and opinion, but sooner or later the wrinkles will appear again – what we think we see is not what is there – what is there is Psalm 2. We may live in Babylon but we ought not to forget that Jerusalem is our home.