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 of all humanity. We don’t want to be ruled. By default, we resist the yoke of God. We fear His authority as if it were a prison, but embrace sin as if it were freedom. The Lord Jesus turned that perception upside down in Matthew 11:28–30, where he says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you… and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” In truth, sin is the real slave master. Sin burdens binds, and blinds us to its harsh demands and consequences. God’s rule, by contrast, gives rest and peace.

While the nations rage below, the psalm shifts the scene to heaven. God is not shaken by human rebellion. He who sits in heaven laughs, not in mockery but at the folly of man who thinks he can thwart the divine plan. He laughs at the futility of human pride. As Galatians 6:3 reminds us, “If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

In Job chapter 41, God describes the terrifying might of Leviathan, one of his most awesome animal creations. Man cannot stand before this terrible creature. God asks, “Who then is he who can stand before me?” No king, no empire, can withstand the will of God. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon learned this the hard way. While he boasted in his glory, he was suddenly changed, living like an ox for seven years. God humbled him until, at the end of these years, he lifted his eyes to heaven and declared, “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing… and none can stay His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35).

The Messiah Himself speaks from verse 7 onwards. He declares the divine decree: “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” The Messiah is the Son of God, the very image of his invisible being. Therefore, though he is a man, he is given authority over all nations as his inheritance. He will rule them with a rod of iron, with absolute justice and authority.

This is the Christ whom Paul preached in Athens. In Acts 17:30–31, he warns: “God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed.” This judgment has been scheduled and the judge named. Christ will judge the world, and his authority was validated when God raised him from the dead.

As the psalm nears its end, there is an urgent warning and invitation. There is still time. There is still room for mercy. The kings of the earth are urged to be wise, to heed the warning, and to serve the Lord with fear. To rejoice with trembling. To kiss the Son, submit to his rightful and universal authority, make peace with him, before it is too late.

To “kiss the Son” is a sign of deep reverence, of surrender, of personal loyalty. It is not enough to merely acknowledge the truth of Christ intellectually. We need to give him our trust, to follow his teaching. This is how we find the sure hope of eternal refuge in his grace and forgiveness. To reject Him is to remain under wrath.

Romans 8:1 brings this hope to life: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” No wrath, no fear, no shame—only acceptance, forgiveness, and peace. Revelation 19 reveals those who rejoice in Christ, the Bride of Christ, clothed in pure linen, at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Yet Revelation 6 shows a terrible picture. The kings and rulers who refused to submit now cry out to the mountains to fall on them, hiding them from the wrath of the Lamb, the Christ who is judging the world.

Let us learn the lesson of timely action. Every knee will bow to Christ, and every tongue confess that he is Lord. There is no question about that, for this is God’s plan. This is the time to find the place of eternal safety. Security lies only in the faithful mercy and kindness of Christ, demonstrated on the cross. This is the time when man may freely, joyfully, surrender to his rightful Lord and Savior. If not, he must come unwillingly and fearfully. He looks ahead only to the terrors of judgment, for he has rejected the mercy that ought to have been his.

The invitation of Psalm 2 is urgent and tender. It is strong, for while the judgment of God is real, so is His mercy. He doesn’t delight in the death of the wicked. He invites all the world, all its powers and authorities, all of us to take refuge in Him today.

And for us who know Him, let us continue in his love, keeping his commandments with joy and trembling. Let us remember with gratitude that the Judge is our Savior. Our names are in the book of life, and we belong to him. His throne of justice is a throne of grace for us.

He is our Rock and our Defender, a very present help in trouble. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.