Latest / Reformed Thinking / Kiss the Son: The Call to Submit to Christ (Psalm 2) | Matthew Henry

Transcript

Kiss the Son: The Call to Submit to Christ (Psalm 2) | Matthew Henry · Reformed Thinking

0:00
Welcome to Reformed Thinking, the deep dive where we take your
0:03
sources, commentary, research, analysis, and really try to
0:07
distill the most compelling insights.
0:09
That's right. Today we are setting our sights
0:11
on one of the most, well, just one of the most significant
0:14
passages in all the Scripture, Psalm 2.
0:17
And our focus today is going to be entirely on the theological
0:20
commentary surrounding Christ the King.
0:23
Specifically, how is his Kingdom established?
0:26
And maybe more to the point, what does that demand from us?
0:30
And that really is the core mission for this deep dive.
0:33
We're here to extract those key insights, you know, concerning
0:37
the establishment of the Messiah's Kingdom, which is by
0:40
divine decree, and then crucially, the necessary human
0:43
response that's required for acceptance with God.
0:46
I mean, this Psalm, it really forces you to confront the
0:48
sovereignty of Christ right in the face of human rebellion.
0:51
It does, and I find the starting point of the commentary itself
0:54
so so instructional. It immediately draws this really
0:57
sharp line between the first two psalms.
0:59
The sources are very clear that the foregoing Psalm, Psalm 1,
1:03
was primarily, you could say, moral in its nature.
1:08
It kind of gave us the requirements that laid out our
1:10
duty in the precepts of His Law. And that context is absolutely
1:14
vital. I mean, if you only read Psalm
1:16
one, what you see is the perfect path and this necessary duty,
1:19
but you also you immediately realize your own inability to
1:23
fulfill it perfectly. Right.
1:24
You're condemned by it in a way. You are so Psalm 2 steps in.
1:27
It's explicitly labeled as evangelical.
1:30
It shows us our Savior. The commentators are clear on
1:33
this. Acceptance with God requires a
1:35
kind of double submission. Double submission, OK.
1:37
You have to be subject not just to the law's precepts, which is
1:40
our duty from Psalm One, but also to the grace of his gospel.
1:44
And that's what Psalm 2 establishes.
1:46
It requires that we come to God only in the name of a mediator,
1:49
you. Just you can't separate the two.
1:51
To try and be righteous solely by the moral law laid out in
1:54
Psalm 1 is to well, it's to face certain condemnation.
1:57
Exactly. You have to move on to Psalm 2
1:59
to find the one who mediates that law, who is the king.
2:02
It's a perfect law. Logical flow?
2:03
Really. It creates a complete
2:05
theological system right there in the introduction of the
2:08
Psalter, the moral obligation. It drives us to despair of
2:13
ourselves, and that despair should in turn immediately push
2:17
us toward the mediator. So you need the full picture.
2:19
You need the full picture, the law, and the grace that makes
2:22
any kind of real obedience possible.
2:25
So let's jump in. We're going to structure this
2:26
deep dive in maybe 3 parts. First, we'll examine the
2:30
conflict, you know, the rage of the earth.
2:32
Second, we'll look at the King's authority, which is rooted in an
2:35
eternal decree. And then finally, the crucial
2:38
counsel for submission that is extended to everyone, especially
2:41
those in positions of political leadership.
2:43
Moving from the disquietude of man to the settled decree of
2:47
heaven. A great way to frame it.
2:49
OK, so let's unpack this opposition.
2:51
The Psalm asks. Why do the heathen rage and the
2:54
people plot a vain thing? Who exactly is fighting Christ's
2:59
Kingdom? And I mean, given the divine
3:01
source of this Kingdom, why do they even bother?
3:03
Well, the first thing we really have to grasp is the sheer
3:06
breadth of this opposition. The commentary really emphasizes
3:09
this. It's not just some regional
3:11
skirmish or, you know, a limited political maneuver.
3:14
This isn't just a local issue. Not at all.
3:17
It is a combined and Confederate entity.
3:19
It's universal and it's malice. And you see the social
3:23
stratification just laid bare in the opposition.
3:26
It involves the highest offices, the kings of the earth and
3:29
rulers. That's the official Dome.
3:31
Yeah, the worldly political structure.
3:33
Yeah, the people who actually hold the reins of civil
3:35
authority. But the sources, they stress
3:38
that this hostility is comprehensive.
3:40
It also includes the people and the mob, what they term the
3:44
Princess and people, court and country.
3:46
So it's everyone top to bottom. It's a unified, malicious front
3:49
where the governing class and the common citizenry are
3:51
standing together against the Messiah.
3:53
This really shows how general and and just how deeply
3:56
entrenched the corruption of mankind is.
3:58
It's an antagonism that crosses all social and economic
4:01
boundaries. The commentators then use
4:03
history to prove this point, don't they?
4:05
They cite this specific coalition that resulted in the
4:08
crucifixion and the persecutions that followed.
4:11
Absolutely. The historical lens shows this
4:14
united front in perfect action. I mean, you have Herod, the
4:17
native ruler, and then you have Pilot, the Roman occupying
4:20
power. They represent the rulers,
4:22
right? Then you have the Gentiles and,
4:24
crucially, the unbelieving Jews. They conspired together, as the
4:28
book of Acts later records, against God's anointed.
4:31
And there's a fascinating, if if pretty sobering, point made
4:35
about the status of those unbelieving Jews in the
4:38
commentary. Yes, the commentary identifies
4:40
those unbelieving Jews as having degenerated so far from the
4:43
faith and the holiness of their ancestors that they were in
4:46
essence operating as heathen in their actions.
4:49
So they were counted among the non believing world.
4:52
They were because they rejected their own Messiah, and what's
4:55
more, they actively stirred up the Gentiles to persecute
4:58
Christians. They they moved from being the
5:00
chosen custodians of the law to being active instruments in its
5:04
rejection. Wow.
5:06
And regardless of their earthly rank or their national origin,
5:09
the commentators trace all this opposition back to its one true
5:13
source. These earthly figures are
5:15
identified explicitly as the devil's instruments.
5:18
Correct. The struggle comes from hell
5:20
originally. This is not a conflict born out
5:23
of some honest confusion or a political mistake.
5:26
It is driven by malign spiritual forces.
5:29
So the struggle itself is therefore described as a very
5:32
great struggle. A contest between hell and
5:34
heaven that's taking place right here on earth and the worldly
5:38
adversaries. They're often called the people
5:40
of the earth and kings of the earth for a specific reason,
5:42
which is because being of the earth, they are earthy.
5:46
Their entire outlook, all their plans, their methods, they're
5:48
all confined to the material and the temporary.
5:51
That distinction, earthy versus heavenly, is what makes the next
5:54
question so relevant. What is the deep motive driving
5:58
these adversaries? I mean, they aren't just trying
6:00
to maintain their power, they seem to be aiming for something
6:03
far more rebellious. Their core motive is
6:06
fundamentally anti authority. It's that simple.
6:09
They are impatient of God's authority, and they are utterly
6:12
envious at Christ's advancement. So they see Christ's Kingdom not
6:17
as a blessing, but as a threat. An immediate threat to their
6:20
preferred way of life. You see, the establishment of
6:23
this pure, righteous Kingdom creates the utmost uneasiness
6:27
for those who are accustomed to ruling by their own will.
6:30
They're not just resisting a political change, they're
6:32
resisting a spiritual yoke. And this is captured perfectly
6:36
in their central rebellious cry in the Psalm.
6:39
Let us break their bands asunder.
6:40
That phrase, that's the essence of anti Christian rebellion.
6:44
They are averse to the restraints and the obligations
6:47
that come with a pure and heavenly religion.
6:49
They don't want the rules. They don't want the rules when
6:51
Christ offers liberty they interpreted as license.
6:54
They want the liberty to indulge their corrupt appetites and
6:57
passions without any consequence.
6:59
Their aim is to castaway the bans of conscience.
7:02
You know the internal moral restraints and the external
7:05
cords of God's commandments. They just refused to bear the
7:08
yoke of the Lord and his anointed king.
7:10
They want self government without any divine oversight.
7:13
So when you look at the sheer fury and the coordination of
7:15
this opposition, you've got rulers, people, apostates and
7:19
devils all working together. It seems formidable.
7:22
It does. Yet the psalmist labels their
7:25
struggle immediately as a vain thing.
7:27
The question is why? Why is their entire effort
7:30
futile? And and just senseless.
7:33
The futility stems entirely from the comparative nature of the
7:36
contestants. You have the adversaries who
7:38
are, as we said, earthy. They're focusing all their
7:41
attention on immediate political maneuvering, earthly strength,
7:44
and, well, short sighted contrivances.
7:47
And then you contrast this with their opponent, God the Father,
7:51
who was described as one who sits in the heavens.
7:53
That posture is key, isn't it? It's not just a geographic
7:56
location. It's a state of being.
7:57
He isn't worried or defensive or scrambling to react to their
8:00
political cabals. Not in the slightest.
8:02
He sits in a place of vast prospect, viewing all their
8:06
petty plots simultaneously. He sits with vast, settled
8:09
authority. He's easy and at rest, perfectly
8:12
secure of his own designs in spite of all the disquiet, mints
8:15
and political fury on earth. He sits there as the supreme
8:18
judge. In perfect, unchallenged repose,
8:23
their opposition isn't just morally offensive, it's
8:25
metaphysically ridiculous against God's omnipotence.
8:28
It is, you know, an insignificant speck of dust
8:31
fighting the sun. This contrast between the
8:33
raging, busy earth and the serene, secure heaven it
8:37
provides the perfect segue to our next section.
8:40
The foundation of this Kingdom is not built on reaction to
8:42
their rage, It's built on the King's own nature and an
8:46
ancient, settled plan. This is where we shift from the
8:48
chaos of man to the stability of God.
8:51
So here's where it gets really interesting for me.
8:54
The stability of Christ's Kingdom is entirely independent
8:56
of human success or failure. What confirms Christ's
9:00
authority? We have to look at the source
9:02
and eternal decree. Yes, the foundation is rooted in
9:05
something that precedes creation and entirely transcends human
9:08
resistance. It is an eternal decree of God
9:11
the Father. This wasn't some last minute
9:13
decision or, you know, a sudden necessity.
9:15
I had a Plan B. Not at all.
9:16
It was the settled result of the councils of the Divine Wisdom
9:19
and the determinations of the Divine Will, fixed before time
9:22
even began. For our listener, the concept of
9:25
an eternal decree might sound a bit abstract.
9:28
Yeah. How do the sources simplify this
9:31
constitutional foundation of the Kingdom?
9:32
Well, they describe this decree using very specific, actionable
9:37
covenant language. It's called the precept or
9:39
statute, which they gloss as the covenant or compact.
9:42
OK, a compact. Right, and this refers to the
9:45
federal transactions between the Father and the Son concerning
9:48
man's redemption. This isn't just theory.
9:50
This compact was the operational rule by which Christ governed
9:54
himself throughout His entire undertaking, from Incarnation to
9:58
to Ascension. So that guarantees the kingdom's
10:00
success. It does ensures that the
10:02
Kingdom's success is guaranteed not by human means, but by a
10:05
fixed agreement between the members of the Godhead.
10:08
So the foundation is secured by the internal workings of the
10:11
Trinity pre world. This decree is then declared
10:14
publicly giving Christ multiple title to his Kingdom, and it
10:18
starts with the declaration of His divine identity.
10:21
Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.
10:24
This verse is so dense. What are the two essential
10:27
meanings behind this title of inheritance?
10:29
The commentators, they meticulously lay out a twofold
10:32
meaning here. They separate his inherent
10:35
identity from the demonstration of that identity. 1st is his
10:40
eternal generation. OK, eternal generation.
10:42
As the Son of God, He is not a Son by adoption or creation, but
10:46
the only Begotten of the Father. This means He is of the same
10:49
nature with the Father. He possesses all the fullness of
10:53
the Godhead, infinite wisdom, sovereignty.
10:57
Being the Son, He is intrinsically the heir of all
11:00
things. Everything God owns, Christ
11:02
inherits. That's it.
11:04
I understand the eternal generation concept, but how is
11:07
the resurrection, which is the second, meaning, a demonstration
11:10
of that identity? I mean, it seems like a massive
11:12
leap from the grave to claiming universal inheritance.
11:16
That's a crucial question. The resurrection provides the
11:18
evidence and demonstration of this divine sonship with power.
11:22
Think of it this way. His eternal identity as the Son
11:24
of God was present during his humiliation, but it was, you
11:27
know, partially veiled. The resurrection breaks that
11:30
veil. By conquering death, He publicly
11:32
proves that he has an inherent right to life and authority, a
11:36
right only God possesses. It was the moment he was
11:39
declared to be the Son of God with such convincing proof that
11:42
it's silenced all previous opposition.
11:44
So that declaration is key. It is immediately following that
11:48
declaration he entered upon the administration of his
11:50
mediatorial Kingdom, having proven his fitness to rule by
11:54
overcoming the penalty of the law.
11:56
So he possesses the Kingdom by inheritance, this eternal
11:59
generation proven by the resurrection, but he also
12:02
receives it by a specific agreement, his title as
12:05
intercessor. Yes, this is the practical
12:07
working out of the Covenant. The agreement between the Father
12:10
and the Son requires the Son to undertake the office of an
12:13
intercessor to make satisfaction for the rebellious people.
12:16
And in return. In return for performing this
12:18
office, which aims not just at his own honor, but at the
12:21
salvation and happiness of humanity, he shall receive the
12:24
honor and station of a universal monarch.
12:26
The Father says Ask of me and the grant is issued.
12:30
And that grant, the Father's promise, is what guarantees the
12:33
eventual success of the mission. It is the promise of universal
12:37
dominion. Absolutely.
12:39
The Father grants him the heathen for his inheritance and
12:42
the uttermost parts of the earth as his possession.
12:45
This guarantees that his government shall be truly
12:47
universal, spanning all continents and all cultures.
12:51
It's not limited, not at all. He is promised multitudes of
12:54
willing, loyal subjects among the Gentiles, nations that were
12:58
previously considered outside the covenant.
13:00
The commentary stresses that baptized Christians are
13:03
specifically counted as the possession of the Lord Jesus
13:06
granted to him through the working of the Spirit and the
13:09
grace of the Father. His Kingdom is not a localized
13:11
national enterprise. It is cosmic in scope.
13:15
That scope sounds global, yet the throne itself is established
13:19
in a very specific symbolic place upon His holy hill of
13:22
Zion. What does the commentary tell us
13:25
about this physical yet spiritual location?
13:27
Zion is the operational nerve center.
13:29
Historically, of course, it was the seat of David's Kingdom and
13:32
the location of the temple. In the context of Psalm 2, it
13:35
functions as the type of the Gospel.
13:37
Church, the headquarters. It's the headquarters of this
13:39
general, the royal seat of this Prince.
13:42
Although Christ sits exalted in the heavens, his government is
13:46
established on earth within the realm of grace within the
13:49
Church. And the commentary clarifies
13:51
this. Setting up the throne in his
13:52
church means 2 distinct things, right?
13:55
It covers both the internal and the external reality of the
13:57
Kingdom, right? First, it is set up in the
14:00
hearts of all believers. This is the spiritual, personal
14:03
reign. Christ must rule our affections,
14:06
our wills, our consciences. If He does not rule in the
14:09
heart, He rules nowhere for that individual.
14:12
And the second thing. Second, it is set up in the
14:15
societies they form. This is the corporate reality,
14:18
the visible church structure where the ordinances are
14:20
administered and His rule is outwardly expressed.
14:24
It is from the spiritual Zion that the evangelical law of
14:27
Christ goes forth to the nations.
14:28
And the father himself confirms this.
14:30
Yes, he confirms and fixes the establishment of this grown.
14:33
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
14:36
This stability provides such a contrast to the rage we
14:39
discussed earlier. The enemies are busy contriving,
14:42
but the king has already been installed by eternal decree and
14:45
is right now operating from his headquarters on Zion.
14:49
And that brings us to the next inevitable consequence.
14:52
If you connect this structure of absolute decreed authority to
14:55
the picture of the adversaries raging, well, the consequence is
14:58
certain. Their doom is guaranteed.
15:01
The opposition faces guaranteed doom.
15:03
The commentary details the powerful, terrifying response of
15:07
God to these earthly political machinations.
15:09
And God's reaction is often misunderstood.
15:12
I think he's completely secure in the heavens while they rage,
15:15
and his first response isn't immediate judgement, it's
15:18
derision. He laughs at them and holds
15:20
their attempts and derision. It's absolute contempt for their
15:23
impotence. Their coordinated, deliberate
15:25
and highly political opposition is just It's easily ridiculed by
15:29
God's infinite wisdom, the sources stress His perfect
15:33
repose, his sitting still, which starkly contrasts with the
15:36
frenzy and fury of the earth. So everything that seems so big
15:39
to us. Is nothing to him.
15:41
All the grand schemes of tyrants and cabals.
15:44
They're utterly despicable to him because he sees the end from
15:48
the beginning. They're like ants planning to
15:50
overthrow a mountain. But God's repose does not equate
15:53
to infinite tolerance. Once the Lacter subsides, the
15:56
judgment begins. He doesn't ignore their impiety.
16:00
He is sorely displeased and speaks to them in his wrath.
16:02
His anger is the necessary execution of justice.
16:06
If he merely speaks to them in his wrath, the very breath of
16:09
his mouth becomes their confusion and consumption.
16:12
The judgment is instantaneous and annihilating.
16:14
And. Why is it so severe?
16:16
Because affronting and rejecting Christ is the ultimate sin, it's
16:20
sinning against the offered remedy itself.
16:22
It means forfeiting the benefit of the mediators interposition,
16:25
leaving the Sinner exposed directly to divine justice.
16:28
And this leads directly to the guaranteed conquest of the King.
16:31
His rule is assuredly victorious, regardless of every
16:34
coordinated effort to halt it. The consequence for those who
16:37
persist in opposition is brutal, and it's unavoidable.
16:42
He shall break them with a rod of iron.
16:44
This is a statement of Christ's executive authority and the
16:47
means by which He will destroy them.
16:50
So if you don't submit to the rule of grace.
16:52
Then you will face the severity of his judgement, which is
16:55
inflexible and devastating. Those who refuse to submit to
16:58
his golden scepter will be broken by his iron.
17:01
Rod. The illustration used here is
17:03
one of the most memorable in the entire Psalm, highlighting the
17:06
nature of that destruction. The adversaries are compared to
17:09
a Potter's vessel. And that image is chosen for a
17:12
reason. A Potter's vessel is fragile.
17:14
It's common, and it's easily discarded.
17:16
It can be suddenly, easily and irreparably dashed in pieces by
17:20
him. So the sources draw a clear
17:22
parallel. A very clear parallel.
17:24
Those who will not bow, those who refuse to bend their knee
17:27
and worship in obedience shall certainly break.
17:29
This crushing force was fulfilled in historical
17:32
judgment, like the destruction of the Jewish nation by Roman
17:35
forces after they rejected Christ, and it will be
17:38
completely fulfilled when all opposing rule and authority is
17:41
finally put down at the end of time.
17:43
We have to pause here and just highlight the severity of the
17:45
Son's wrath, which is added to the Father's.
17:49
The sources describe it in these terrifying, almost animalistic
17:53
terms. This is a necessary
17:55
counterbalance to the perception of Christ as only meek and
17:58
gentle. The Son, who is the Lamb of God,
18:01
who takes away the sin of the world, is also the lion of the
18:05
tribe of Judah. And his wrath is described as
18:07
the roaring of a lion. That imagery suggests an
18:10
explosive, terrifying and inescapable fury.
18:13
It's so fierce that it will drive the mightiest men to seek
18:16
shelter in the rocks, only to find no refuge.
18:20
Even a little spark of Christ's wrath, just the smallest touch
18:23
of conviction on the conscience, is enough to make the proudest,
18:26
most self assured Sinner absolutely miserable.
18:29
So that fear, when it's realized, is overwhelming.
18:31
It's overwhelming and absolutely.
18:33
That is the contrast the peaceful throne in Zion versus
18:36
the terrifying war of judgement. The song doesn't end there,
18:40
though, does it? After detailing the rage, the
18:42
decree, and the terrifying wrath, the psalmist deliver
18:45
specific compassionate counsel. It ends not with a threat, but
18:49
with an open door. Yes, and this is the practical
18:52
application of all the divine certainty we've been discussing.
18:55
The council is directed specifically to kings and
18:58
judges, the leaders of the opposition.
19:00
And why them specifically? Because of two major factors.
19:03
First, their example sets the tone for their inferiors.
19:06
You know, if the king submits, the country is more likely to
19:09
follow. Second, men of rank and station
19:11
were historically the most instrumental in opposing the
19:14
establishment of Christ's Kingdom, so they are addressed
19:17
directly with a call to repentance and submission.
19:19
And the commentary stresses that before the sovereign King, no
19:22
earthly status offers any immunity or privilege.
19:25
Absolutely essential kings and judges stand upon a level with
19:29
common persons before God. Political office grants no
19:32
theological advantage. It is as necessary for them to
19:35
be religious As for any others. Maybe even more so.
19:38
Perhaps more so, given their influence.
19:41
The message is clear. Those who give law and judgement
19:43
to others must receive law from Christ.
19:46
It is not only their religious duty but their civil wisdom to
19:49
do so, lest their own Thrones be overturned.
19:51
So they're called the two primary duties, often called the
19:54
duties of natural religion and Christian religion.
19:57
The first one relates to reverence, God as Creator.
20:00
That is the duty to fear God and tremble before him.
20:04
This means serving God with a holy fear in all ordinances of
20:07
worship and in every instance of godly conversation.
20:10
This fear isn't, you know, paralyzing terror.
20:13
It's a deep reverence, maintaining a cautious jealousy
20:17
over themselves lest they offend Him who is so great and holy.
20:20
And link to that reverence. They're instructed to rejoice
20:23
with a holy trembling. That sounds like a
20:25
contradiction. How do you reconcile joy and
20:27
fear? It's the perfect balance for the
20:29
believer. They may and they should rejoice
20:32
in God, rejoice in His Providence, rejoice in His
20:35
Kingdom, and rejoice in the promise of grace.
20:38
But this joy must always be tempered by a holy trembling.
20:41
They have to recognize that He is a glorious, jealous God whose
20:45
eyes always upon them, scrutinizing their motivations.
20:49
They rejoice in the setting up of Christ's Kingdom, but they
20:51
maintain an awe of Him and a fear for their own inconsistent
20:55
hearts. It is joy anchored by
20:57
seriousness. The second duty is the great
21:00
duty of the Christian religion, welcoming Jesus Christ and
21:04
submitting to him specifically as mediator, and this is
21:07
expressed in that figurative command, kiss the sun.
21:11
This command is the climax of the Psalm.
21:13
The kiss is a universal sign, and here it signifies an act of
21:16
total fealty and submission. The commentators provide 4
21:20
interconnected meanings for what this kiss signifies, moving from
21:23
external cessation of hostility to total internal surrender.
21:27
OK, let's breakdown those 4 meanings, starting with
21:29
agreement. This sounds like the basic step
21:30
of reconciliation. It is.
21:32
The kiss is meant to end the quarrel.
21:33
It's the handshake of peace. It means letting all acts of
21:36
hostility cease immediately and to be at peace with God in
21:39
Christ, who is declared to be our peace.
21:42
So until they kiss the sun, they remain enemies.
21:44
Destined for destruction. This is the cessation of
21:47
rebellion. OK, so the first meeting.
21:49
The second one relates to adoration.
21:51
This feels like it moves from just ceasing hostility to active
21:55
worship. It does.
21:56
This signifies religious worship.
21:58
We must study how to do honor to the Lord Jesus and give him the
22:01
glory due to His name. The commentators insist.
22:04
We must worship the Lamb, not just him who sits upon the
22:07
throne, because the Lamb is central to the mediatorial
22:11
Kingdom. We acknowledge his Co equal
22:13
deity. And his earned honor through
22:15
redemption? Yes.
22:16
Then we move to affection, which sounds like a deeper personal
22:20
connection beyond just ceremony. That's right, this signifies an
22:23
entrance into a covenant of friendship with Him.
22:25
This requires holding him very dear and precious, loving Him
22:29
above all, and loving Him in sincerity.
22:30
So it's not just external compliance.
22:32
Not at all. It is the sincere, heartfelt
22:35
love modeled by the woman in the Gospel to whom much was forgiven
22:38
and she therefore loved much. The kiss is an expression of
22:41
genuine internal devotion. And the fourth meeting covers
22:45
the political the structural requirement, allegiance.
22:49
This is the command for the kiss of fealty and homage.
22:52
Now, fealty and homage sounds like medieval court language.
22:55
What does that practically mean for, say, a CEOA civil ruler or
23:00
a college student today? That is the critical point.
23:03
Allegiance requires total submission and service.
23:06
If a ruler gives the kiss a fealty, it means submitting to
23:10
his government, taking his yoke upon you, which Christ called
23:13
easy and light, and giving up yourselves entirely to be
23:16
governed by His laws. So for a modern listener.
23:19
For a modern listener, this means every fear of your life,
23:22
your professional ethics, your financial decisions, your use of
23:25
time, your private thoughts must be governed by His laws.
23:28
You must be disposed of by His Providence without complaint and
23:31
be entirely devoted to His interest.
23:33
It means receiving law from Christ in areas where you
23:36
previously sought autonomy. This moves far beyond just, you
23:39
know, showing up a church on a Sunday.
23:41
This is surrendering the entire constitution of 1's life.
23:44
Precisely. For the kings and judges, it
23:47
meant subordinating their civil rule to Christ's evangelical
23:50
law. For us, I mean subordinating our
23:52
careers, our families and our ambitions to the King of Zion.
23:56
And this final meaning is the one that directly counteracts
23:59
the initial rebellion. It is where they sought to cast
24:02
off the bands of conscience and the cords of drafts
24:04
commandments. Kissing the Sun is accepting
24:07
those bands joyfully. And the final appeal of the
24:10
Psalm, and I suppose our deep dive, is really to
24:12
self-interest. Why embrace this total
24:15
submission? Because those who trust in him
24:18
and so kiss him are truly happy. That happiness is the guaranteed
24:22
result of submission. Those who make Christ their
24:24
refuge and patron are truly blessed.
24:27
Their happiness is especially revealed when Christ's wrath is
24:30
kindle against others. How so?
24:32
Well, when the hearts of others fail them for fear of the lion's
24:34
wrath, those who trust in Christ shall lift up their heads with
24:38
joy. They have secured their peace
24:40
not through their own striving, but through the King's
24:42
mediation. So to summarize the core message
24:45
of Psalm 2, it teaches us that because Christ is King by an
24:49
established eternal decree and is invested with universal
24:52
dominion, submission to Him is not optional.
24:56
It's entirely necessary for acceptance with God.
25:00
It perfectly fulfills the need that was established in Psalm
25:02
One. It balances the moral demands of
25:04
the law, which we cannot meet, with the necessity of the grace
25:07
of the gospel, found only through the Mediator in Psalm 2.
25:11
So, quick recap of our deep dive.
25:12
We established the total folly of opposing Christ.
25:15
This opposition is a confederate, malicious, and
25:18
ultimately A vain thing because the King sits secure in the
25:20
heavens, right? We established the absolute
25:22
certainty of His Kingdom, rooted in the Father's eternal decree,
25:25
and set up upon His holy Hill of Zion, which is the operational
25:29
seat of government in the hearts of all believers and the
25:31
societies they form. And finally, we detailed the
25:33
wise path of submission articulated in the Command to
25:36
kiss the son. This submission is
25:38
comprehensive. It involves reconciliation,
25:41
adoration, sincere affection and allegiance to his government and
25:45
laws in every single aspect of life.
25:47
The worldly powers we discussed, whether they were kings or
25:50
common people, they sought to cast off the bands of conscience
25:54
and the cords of God's commandments.
25:57
This raises an important final question for us today that sort
25:59
of build on this powerful text. When we as believers find
26:04
ourselves chafing against the spiritual restraints of Christ's
26:07
Kingdom, when we get impatient with his authority over a
26:10
certain area of our lives, or when we try to minimize the
26:14
seriousness of the law's requirement, are we in that
26:17
moment exhibiting the same root enmity the psalmist warns
26:21
against in the raging heven? That is the perfect question to
26:25
contemplate as we consider the measure of our own allegiance to
26:28
the King of Zion. Thank you for sharing your
26:30
sources with us for this deep dive into reformed thinking.
26:33
We hope this discussion provides ample material for your own
26:35
study and contemplation of Christ's rule.