Monday 16 March 2009

Let the Flag Fly High!

At church yesterday PM I had a conversation with a few people about the recent Islamic insults to our troops in Luton and Anjem Choudry's desire to see an Islamic flag 'flying over Downing Street'.
I also heard an excellent sermon on Psalm 1 & 2.
It seems to me like that was a neat and not accidental convergence!
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Psalm 2 v1 We are told in the NT why the nations rage in Acts 4:24-28:
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "`Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
v1-2 prophecy the crucifixion - God sovereignly using the wickedness of men to save the world.

v7 is a prophecy of the resurrection according to the NT:

he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "`You are my Son; today I have become your Father.' (Acts 13:33)
Hebrews 1:5 shows us that this passage also shows the supremacy of Christ over angels:
For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have
become your Father"
? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?
In Hebrews 5:5 it describes Christ entering His office as high priest:
So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father."
Put together, we see that in the resurrection, Christ is raise from the dead, enters into His high priestly work, and is made higher than the angels.

v9 is about Christ's rule over the nations through his Word and by his saints (again, according to that great commentary on the OT, the NT!):

Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron sceptre." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelations 19:15-16)

She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. (Revelation 12:5)

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations-- 27 `He will rule them with an iron sceptre; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'-- just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 2:26-28)

So we know that 1-2 are about the crucifixion, that v. 7 is about the resurrection, and that v. 9 addresses the reign of Christ through His Word in the Church. What then does the rest of the psalm mean?

The language of v. 3 refers to the nations’ resentment over the fact that they had to plow underneath the yoke of the Lord Jesus Christ.

v4-5. Who would have thought of this—divine laughter!—when the sun was dark, the disciples scattered, our Lord in anguish, the Sanhedrin gloating, Satan triumphant, Peter wretched, Judas in despair, and Mary in tears?

Despite their little schemes, the Lord will establish His King in Zion (v. 6), however little they like it (v. 5). Now, after the crucifixion, and just after the resurrection, God Almighty extends an invitation to His Son, Jesus Christ—He invites Him to just ask (v. 8).

So:
What belongs to Jesus Christ now?
What nation is not His? Can you find one? Is there one He didn’t want?
Did He refuse to ask for one?

The rod of iron certainly extends over all of them (v. 9).

What therefore is the responsibility of our rulers?
They must seek wisdom and receive instruction. They must serve God in their public civic capacity, with fear, joy, and trembling (v. 11). And they must be beware of His wrath (v.12).

This means that the UK and Iran and China have the explicit duty, not to be secular or Hindu or Sikh or Islamic nations, but to be Christian nations.

That is the flag that should fly over No. 10, Buckingham Palace, Parliament and every local council.

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