Rebellion or Refuge 04072024 

Rebellion or Refuge?

The Choice of Peril or Peace

 

• The Book of Psalms contains a chapter that speaks to The History of Reality—the reality of universal human rebellion against God’s authority to establish His kingdom.

  • Understand that all humans rebel against God. Rebellion is ingrained in us. We resist His Lordship over us. 

    • Instinctively, we all resent that there is a God who interferes in the lives of mankind. 

  • Life is choice-driven; we live or die by the choices we make.

    • Everyone must decide for themselves to continue rebellion against God and experience the consequences of eternal imprisonment, not in jail but in hell or

    • Openly submit to his kingship and Lordship by accepting his offer of refuge in heaven with peace through Jesus Christ. 

  • All of us must make a choice in life, by the way we live of a place of Rebellion of peril or Refuge and peace.

 

• • In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and made man in his image and likeness. 

    • He gave man dominion over all the earth.

 

• • From the very beginning, we have been rebelling and committing treason against God.

    • The penalty for our treason is death. Ultimately, banishment from his kingdom.

  • Adam and Eve were the first who rebelled against God. The first two human beings united to resist God’s authority.

 

• • Throughout the generations and even to this day, we continue foolishly to defy God: It is just our basic nature. It is all of humanity’s inherent desire to defy the divine decrees of the Lord.

    • Remember the flood?

    • Remember the tower of Babel?

    • Then when God sent Jesus, man crucified him.

    • Jesus described it this way.

 Parable of the Landowner

Mark 12:1–9 (NKJV): 12 “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 

 

2 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 

 

3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5 And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.

 

 6 Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

 

9 “Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.

 

• • • This is the way of man to resist the rule of God.

      • Look around. We are doing it today. We all know it.

  • Evil will always seek to unite against God.

    • In these last days, 

      • Nations against God and Jesus Christ.

      • People against God and Jesus Christ.

      • Kings against God and Jesus Christ.

      • Political leaders against God and Jesus Christ.

      • People are afraid to tell the truth. We hide within our churches. We dare our pastors to speak about current events

    • Today, I will speak on Psalm 2.

  • In summary: Psalms 2 is a narrative that transitions from conflict to comfort.

    • It describes human rebellion against God’s authority to 

    • the establishment of God’s King in Zion, ultimately offering a place of refuge and peace to all those who put their trust in him.

 

• • Psalm 2 is a divine drama divided into four acts. Twelve verses in sets of three verses with four voices 

    • Act one – The Voice of the World 

      • The Rebellion 1-3

        • Breaking Bonds, Casting Cords

    • Act two – The Voice of God 

      • His reaction 4-6

    • Act three – The Voice of the Son

      • His reaction 7-9

    • Act four – The Voice of the Spirit 

      • An offer of refuge 10-12

 

 

 

ACT ONE

The Voice Of The World

Breaking Bonds, Casting Cords

 

• Ps 2:1–3 (NKJV) — 1 Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord 

  • See the hatred of man against the Lord!

    • The nations

    • The people

    • The heads of state and the political leaders 

    • They become one. 

Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 

• • This is not just an attack against God, but it is an attack against the anointed one, Jesus!

    • The world does not care about you talking about God in general, but the world is infuriated and viciously angry when you use the name of the one God has anointed – Jesus.

  • The world is committing treason against God right in front of our very faces. People will be destroyed because of their ignorance of their violation of the laws of God.

3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”

• • The world wants no connection with God, and it hates Jesus.

  • 1 Jn 2:15 (NKJV) — 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

  • Jn 15:19 (NKJV) — 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 

  • We rebel collectively and individually. We call evil good and good evil.

    • In the family, 

      • relationships are not the way God says they should be 

    • Marriage, 

      • We marry whoever we want to marry. We become unequally yoked 

      • Even turn marriage upside down making it be what God never planned for it to be 

        • for this cause shall a man leave his father 

          • now it is a man leaving his father for another man 

    • Our bodies, 

      • drugs, alcohol, piercings, tattoos 

      • sex with whomever we please, 

      • It is not God’s business!

    • The word of God said, the earth is the Lord’s and all that are in it. Ps 24:1 (NKJV) — 1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. 

    • We refuse to accept his Lordship over us.

  •  

 

 

ACT TWO

The Voice Of The Lord

Divine Derision, Decrees of Destiny

• God’s Reaction

Ps 2:4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; 

• • God's reaction is not one of worry but of absolute authority! 

  • God laughs at the stupidity of those who think they can overwhelm him.

    • This is very displeasing but nevertheless a reality.

      • I have always hated the recognition that God laughs and the only time he laughs is when we think we can outsmart him.

    • God says it again in Proverbs.

    • Pr 1:24–33 (NKJV) — 24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord, 30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. 31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. 32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.” 

 

Ps 2:4 ……The Lord shall hold them in derision. 

• • Derision means to mock. God will make fun of us.

    • In other words it is like saying,

      • “Okay all y’all done got together, and y’all gon throw me off my throne.”

  • Even Satan, in all of his power, could not dethrone the Almighty God!

  • This is foolishness! Why do these human beings think they can overthrow the creator of the universe? 

  • In Job 38 God ask, 

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

 

Who determined its measurements? Come on, children, surely you know that simple thing? How were the foundations of the earth secured? Who laid its cornerstone? 

 

Who limited the waves of the sea? 

 

Who commanded the morning and evening? 

 

Tell me this if you know?

5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: 

• • Today, there is not enough discussion about the wrath of God. We like to talk about sweet baby Jesus, but my bible tells me he will not come back as a baby but as a lion of Judah. 

    • God says in Psalms 50:22 you can try to forget me, but I will tear you to pieces, and there will be none to deliver you! 

    • One-third of the angels of heaven rebelled against God 

Jud 6 (NIV84) — 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 

7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. 

• • • Just like he cast Satan into hell, he will do the same with all of mankind.

      • Where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    • Then God says, in spite of what we might endeavor to do.

 

6 “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” 

• • In other words, it doesn't matter what you attempt to do, I have set my king on the throne. 

    • Jesus doesn’t make himself king, God does! Ps 110:1 (NIV84) — 1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 

 

• • It is foolish to try to defy God. He does whatever he wants to do! All by himself. 

 

• • Resistance is futile!

 

ACT THREE

The Voice of the Son

Rod of Iron, Ruin of Rebellion

 

• Then the son, the Messiah speaks 

Ps 2:7–9 (NKJV) — 7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 

• • This is my beloved son was spoken of Jesus by the Father twice during his earthly ministry: once at his baptism and once at the transfiguration. 

    • At His Baptism 

Matthew 3:16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 

 

Matthew 3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved 

• • • At the transfiguration 

Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 

 

8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession

• • Ask of Me - All Jesus has to do is ask of the father. This is the reason Jesus spent so much time in prayer. He could do nothing unless the father did it through him.

    • A beautiful teaching point for us 

      • Jesus says the father said to him, “Ask of me” and he will give him the nations for his inheritance, and the ends of the earth for his possession. 

      • We are told to ask in Jesus name, and anything we ask it shall be done for us.

  • Verse nine goes on to say

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ” 

• • The world becomes furious when they hear the name of Jesus, but there is nothing they can do about it! 

  • They can rebel all they want, look at the imagery God gives us!

You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.

• • • Shattered to pieces! Think about it.

      • This is not a slow process.  

      • It is something that happens with great force!

  • One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, he will reign as king of kings and Lord of Lords and all who have rebelled against him shall be dashed to pieces.

    • • Don't get mad at me I didn't say it! You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

    • This is the reason we as Christians should be bold in our confession of him!

      • They will be destroyed because of their lack of knowledge of him. 

      • We have a responsibility to at least, warn them.

      • We were forgiven once because we did not know what we were doing, but because of the Holy Spirit today, there remains no more opportunity to say we did not know the truth!

Shattered Pot

 

ACT FOUR

The Voice of the Holy Spirit

Kiss the Son, Know Security

 

• The final three verses present the moral of the story.

• Ps 2:10–12 (NKJV) — 10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 

  • The Holy Spirit gently says, now let us reason together

  • Is 1:16–20 (NKJV) — 16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. 

 

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 

 

• 11 Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 

  • Php 2:12–13 (NKJV) — 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 

 

• 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. 

• Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. 

  • The rulers of the world rage against Christ. 

 

• Now Concluding 

  • The nations rage, against Christ

  • The people plot against Christ 

  • The kings are set against Christ

  • The rulers counsel against Christ

 

• • Why should you? 

 

• Be wise, and Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. 

 

• • The hands he holds forth for you to kiss are hands that were pierced by nails when he was crucified in your place. 

  • One day he is coming as the great judge of all. They will have to recognize the one that they had pierced in the side and hung on the cross. 

  • On that day the wicked will be punished, but today is the day of his salvation. 

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

• • There is no other name under heaven by which men might be saved other than the name of Jesus Christ.

  • And if you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord you shall be saved.

• Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. 

  • Every soul stands at a crossroads between the hellish havoc of rebellion and the heavenly harmony of refuge.

  • Humanity's total history has always been about a choice between rebellion against God and refuge with God. 

    • Universally, all men and governments rebel against God.

    • Rebellion leads to ruin, while refuge in God offers restoration and rejoicing.

    • Only a small remnant will seek refuge in him. 

    • Are you one of those?

  • Today I give you that opportunity to decide! 

 

• • Rebellion against God is a road that leads to eternal ruin,

 

• • Turn from rebellion, embrace the refuge found in Christ, and thus secure your place in heaven over hell.

 

• •  

    • Ro 10:9 (NKJV) — 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

    • 1 John 1:9 (NKJV): 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

    • Trust in the lord and lean….

 

 

Psalm 2 – A Divine Drama

Act One – The Voice of the World 

Breaking Bonds, Casting Cords

Act Two – The Voice of God

Divine Derision, Decrees of Destiny

Act Three – The Voice of the Son

Rod of Iron, Ruin of Rebellion

Act Four – The Voice of the Spirit

Kiss the Son, Know Security

 

What is Your choice?