Rebels without a Cause

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.” Psalm 2:1-5. What has changed since this Psalm was penned? The Heathen continually rage and rebel against the one and only true God.

This is a very important Psalm and quite relevant for our current generation. People have no reason to rage against God yet we see this interesting concept currently embracing the entire world in one form or another. This rage is pointedly focused on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We who have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ know there is no other God. How often do we hear of the heathen raging against the god of Islam? Who rages against the Buddhists god, or the Hindus god, or the god of the New Age folks? Only the one true God, the God of the Holy Bible, God Almighty draws the rage of the heathen.

What possible benefit can be derived from raging against God? It’s sheer vanity this rage against God. It’s useless, it won’t achieve a thing. Furthermore the heathen it seems must always become a horde to stand against God. Apparently they assume that if they become a big enough mob they can withstand God’s Holy judgment. They can put God away by the sheer size and force behind them. How can people be so foolish as to believe such a thing?

The heathen kings and rulers stand in opposition to the Lord and His Anointed. In other words they’re raging against God the Father and God the Son. We know that there is a huge movement afoot to eliminate Christianity from the public sphere and seemingly from the whole world. They may soon get their wish, but it won’t be through their vile raging. The elimination of Christ’s Church from planet earth is on the horizon although the heathen are clueless to God’s plan for His Church (the Rapture). It’s God’s power that will prevail. This vain raging against the Lord by those who are perishing is beyond insanity.

Anyone who thinks they will be better off without God is living their life as a fool. If God were to walk away from mankind, mankind would cease to exist, instantaneously. How foolish can men be? The heathen feel they are under some sort of bondage because they know God exists, and they believe His laws to be a burdensome stone, too many restrictions, the heathen don’t like it. Yet without God and His laws and precepts they wouldn’t be able to stand the bondage that would be placed on them by their fellow man. For further confirmation of this just keep watching what’s happening to the US as Obama and company converts this country into a socialistic, possibly even, a communistic state. The burden will be too great for the average American to bear.

“To a graceless neck the yoke of Christ is intolerable, but to the saved sinner it is easy and light . . . We may judge ourselves by this, do we love that yoke, or do we wish to cast it from us?” Charles Spurgeon

“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh...” Psalm 2:4a. The heathen plot against God and what is God’s reaction to this foolish opposition? He laughs from His throne in Heaven. He sits on His throne in perfect peace. I can just hear God’s reaction to all this foolishness now, “You have chosen unwisely, Oh foolish man, who rages against his Creator?”

“God does not tremble. He does not hide behind a vast celestial rampart, counting the enemy and calculating whether or not he has sufficient force to counter this new challenge to his kingdom. He does not even rise from where he is sitting. He simply 'laughs' at these great imbeciles.”

James Montgomery Boice

What do the heathen think God does as they hurl their rage against Him? Do they suppose He trembles at their railings? Do they suppose they will foil God’s plan for mankind? How absurd, how completely preposterous for man to rage or even attempt to stand against the one true God. God, knowing the fate of these rebellious heathen, takes no pleasure as He watches them rage against Him to their ultimate demise.

The Atheist’s are currently grouping together around the world in an attempt to force God out of the minds of the youth in all of academia. If God were actually a falsehood in their minds, if they hate God so much that they rage against Him, then the question must be asked, “Why stage such a rebellion against something that doesn’t exist?” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the Atheist’s mind set is flawed. So they rage on.

“...the Lord shall have them in derision.” Psalm 2:4b. God’s opponents will be frustrated and trodden down. He will mock, ridicule, and laugh to scorn the heathen who continually rage and rebel against Him. What can the heathen possibly expect to accomplish through all this foolish raging? How can anyone believe they can foil God’s plans?

“He speaks to them in His wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” Psalm 2:5. God has every right to distress the heathen and to show them His great displeasure. But God will always allow man ample opportunity to change his mind and repent. God is full of grace and He is longsuffering and is not willing that any should perish. But many will perish because of their hardened hearts. The heathen, in their opposition against God, are actually growing more and more distant from Him through all their raging. We mustn’t think for a moment that God, through His wrath, won’t ultimately act on their stubbiness. He’ll pull no punches at the end. Oh how the Heathen will regret the choice they’ve made for their eternal existence.

“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” Psalm 2:6. God has set (established) a King for all people. He wants these foolish, raging kings and rulers of nations to completely understand that He has established His King once and for all. He wants these kings and rulers to know that His King is far greater than they. Kings and rulers of nations oppose the one true God but have no problem at all accepting all the false gods created out of man’s minuscule brains.

“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” Psalm 2:7-9. Here we see the Son of God (Jesus the Christ) being recognized by God the Father as His anointed. God has begotten, this day, His Son. Jesus was not created, but begotten. And what does God the Father give His only begotten Son? His inheritance. The heathen and all nations are committed to the Son as an inheritance and the Lord Jesus Christ will rule over and be judge over all people of all nations. “...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 11:15.

It is simply astonishing to me that so many people can have such a hardened heart, that they are so thoroughly banded together with a most stubborn rage against their creator, that they will end their lives actually hating God. They not only refuse to see the truth but take great pleasure denying it. The heathen are continually kicking against the goad. What kind of a sick created being would continually work at molding minds in direct opposition to God Almighty? There’s one who fell from grace before the creation of this world and is currently doing everything he can to convince a stubborn and stiff necked people they can all become as gods. Satan uses the same lie today to lead people astray as he did in the Garden of Eden to deceive Eve. Many still fall for it.

Every nation on the face of this planet has their fair share of heathens who continually rage and rebel against God. Why? What is there to gain from such rebellious actions? Our gain is in Christ, our hope is in Christ, and our very lives are upheld by Jesus Christ. Nations rage against God’s anointed and for the most part they never come to a realization that Jesus is for all intents and purposes their blanket of security. How utterly foolish can people be? Jesus will break them apart and destroy their lives like smashing clay pots, simply by His appearing. The first time Jesus came into this world He came as a suffering servant, the next time He sets foot on planet earth He will come as a conquering hero. His Second coming will not be pretty but it will be awesome.

What does God want from these heathen? Simply put, He wants a relationship with them, each of them, individually. He wants them to acknowledge Him for who He is. There is a horrible consequence in rebelling against God. God does not wish for anyone to experience the awful end that awaits the foolish Christ rejecting world of raging heathens. As the heathen rage and rebel, God does everything He can to convince them of the futility of their actions; sooner or later there will be finality to those actions. The finality is they’ve either repented of their rebellion or they’ve completely given themselves over to the enemy and they are perishing.

Forgiveness is available from God to everyone who asks; there is no hesitation or shortage of grace on His part as hearts are softened and people repent of their evil ways. Our part is to come to Jesus with humility and loving submission, and to receive the forgiveness He offers by faith. Those who place their trust in God’s Son, Jesus the Christ, for their salvation are blessed for all eternity; those who continue to the end in their rebellious rage are without excuse. Where do you stand?