I
will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to me, "You are My son; this
day have I begotten you. Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for Your
inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You will break them
with a scepter of iron; you will dash them in pieces like a potter's
vessel."
Psalm 2:7-9, Modern English Version (MEV)
One of the more challenging, and fun, aspects of reading and studying Scripture is that it is sometimes less than clear who, or what, a particular verse, or verses, is applicable to. In this instance we can easily see that it is referring to David, the anointed King of Israel, who wrote this psalm. However, it is also widely understood that these verses apply to Jesus, God's only begotten Son, the Messiah, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Finally, these words may also have an applicability to us, although it isn't something we have claimed very often.
As the people of Israel viewed this as one of the many prophecies of the coming Messiah, it's easy to see why they saw this Messiah as a conquering hero, and why they wouldn't, or couldn't, accept Jesus as the Messiah because he simply didn't fit into their expectations. The idea of the Suffering Servant was something they couldn't swallow and, sadly, it is something we in the church still seem to struggle with today. It seems that now, more than ever, we are focused on power. Not only in our secular affairs, but in our sacred affairs as well. Many have become obsessed with control, particularly when it comes to controlling other people’s lives, the very sort of thing that Jesus often spoke against.
A
consequence of this desire for power and control is the rise of hate in the
hearts of some Christians. That hate leads to a greater desire to gain power
and control over those we hate, and we quickly find ourselves in a vicious
cycle, out of which we are unable to escape. The point of all this is that
these verses must not be viewed as somehow delegating the power given to the
King, to the Messiah, to ourselves. That isn’t even hinted at.
Psalm 2:7-9, Modern English Version (MEV)
One of the more challenging, and fun, aspects of reading and studying Scripture is that it is sometimes less than clear who, or what, a particular verse, or verses, is applicable to. In this instance we can easily see that it is referring to David, the anointed King of Israel, who wrote this psalm. However, it is also widely understood that these verses apply to Jesus, God's only begotten Son, the Messiah, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Finally, these words may also have an applicability to us, although it isn't something we have claimed very often.
As the people of Israel viewed this as one of the many prophecies of the coming Messiah, it's easy to see why they saw this Messiah as a conquering hero, and why they wouldn't, or couldn't, accept Jesus as the Messiah because he simply didn't fit into their expectations. The idea of the Suffering Servant was something they couldn't swallow and, sadly, it is something we in the church still seem to struggle with today. It seems that now, more than ever, we are focused on power. Not only in our secular affairs, but in our sacred affairs as well. Many have become obsessed with control, particularly when it comes to controlling other people’s lives, the very sort of thing that Jesus often spoke against.
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