God’s timeline of human history stretches back to Genesis 1, when He interrupted the darkness and chaos that existed on this planet we call Earth. It stretches forward into eternity, for He breathed into Adam the breath of life—His eternal Spirit. And when Adam and Eve willingly chose to sin, God’s timeline began to march unhindered toward the climax of our history, when the Son of God would give His life on a Roman cross to restore the eternal life God intended us to have.

 Certainly, one of our greatest privileges is being born along this timeline, where we have been allowed to understand so much of God’s plan. We live on this side of the cross. We are blessed with the complete revelation of God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit has come to live in us so that we have wisdom and understanding of His Word.

Jesus told His disciples all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). What a privilege it is to read the Old Testament, and instead of wondering who the Messiah is going to be, to know His name!

The gospel—the story of Jesus and His work of redemption—is woven throughout all of God’s Word. In some places, Jesus is clearly seen, and in others, He is obscured by the mysteries of prophecy, but if we look through the lens of the gospel, we will see Jesus.

Psalm 2 reveals Jesus as the coming Ruler of the nations. Here are the four main points of this psalm.

God sees the ungodly governments who cast off Jesus’ authority.

Psalm 1:1-2 – 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, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”

When men assert their own authority, they are not just rejecting God’s laws. They are also rejecting Jesus and the Holy Spirit—the Triune God, as we see here by the plural, “their” fetters and “their” cords. Reverence for God always leads to reverence for His Son (John 10:30, 14:6).

God will scoff at the arrogance of those who reject His Son.

Psalm 2:4-5 – He who sits in the heavens laughs, the LORD scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying…

It’s difficult to think of God laughing or scoffing at us. Yet God is just and right in His anger toward those who trample on His Son and reject the great and awful price He paid for the sins of all mankind, even those who would nail Him to the cross (Hebrews 10:29).

God promises Jesus will be vindicated as the rightful Ruler of the nations.

Psalm 2:6-9 – “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the psalmist takes us all the way to the end of the story, when Jesus Christ our Lord will rule and every knee will bow before Him (Philippians 2:9-11) This prophecy will be fulfilled literally! From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:11-16).

God offers warning and redemption—a chance to make the right choice.

Psalm 2:10-12 – Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

God is fair and just and righteous. He always warns us of impending judgment, and He has provided a way to escape the perils and punishment of our sins through the gospel. Jesus deserves our worship, our reverence, and our homage. The word “homage” is the Hebrew nāšaq, also translated as “Kiss the Son.” It means “to arrange, to put in order, to dispose, to adjust oneself.” It is to take the proper posture of humility and adoration to the One who will be declared King of ALL kings and Lord of ALL lords when the words of this psalm are fulfilled.

Governments aren’t the only ones who reject the authority of Jesus. Who is ruling over the kingdom of your heart? Show discernment and take heed to the warning of the psalmist. The gospel is true, and Jesus will reign.