434_Submit to God while there is time Psalm 2:1-12 Why do the nations rage 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 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. In 79 A.D. the Roman city of Pompeii was buried under volcanic ash from the sudden and catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Archaeologists tell us that, despite the tremors and signs of volcanic activity leading up to the event, people went on with life as usual—eating, drinking, and going about business—believing they had time. Some even fled but later returned, thinking the worst was over. But then came the final blast. It was sudden, inescapable, and utterly devastating. Among the ruins, the remains of people were found in mid-action—some clutching their valuables, some frozen in postures of panic, and others seemingly unaware that the moment of judgment had arrived. What makes Pompeii's tragedy so haunting is not just the scale of destruction, but the fact that many ignored the warnings. But time ran out. Psalm 2 is a similarly stern warning that the Sovereign King of the universe will take up the reins of judgment. His judgment is not random or chaotic; it is deliberate and righteous. And it is announced ahead of time with clarity and mercy. Though the psalm itself does not name its author, Acts 4 attributes it to David. As originally written, it reflects the resistance of surrounding nations to David's rule. But we quickly realize that its vision extends far beyond David’s reign. It describes the age-old rebellion against God and his Anointed One—the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is an attitude that affects decisions made on earth, and has eternal consequences. The psalm opens with the nations and their leaders plotting in vain against the Lord and His Anointed. With open defiance, they plan, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” This is the language of those who see the rule of their creator as bondage, his law as unlawful chains. And how true this is