One of the disadvantages of global TV coverage or the Internet is that things that happen in other places of the world come right into our homes. I have to admit there are times when I just don’t want to hear one more world leader blustering and threatening. When I hear a national leader bullying another nation, when I hear world leaders speak as if there is no God or as if there were many gods, I get very, very weary of it all. It does however, remind me that someday God will RULE. It helps me to remember that no matter what the nations may say - no matter what they believe - GOD is still SOVEREIGN over the nations. Let’s look at these verses together.
PSALM 2:1-4 (NLT) Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? [2] The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. [3] "Let us break their chains," they cry, "and free ourselves from this slavery." [4] But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.
Psalm 2 is called Messianic Psalms because of the references to the coming Messiah. It is also quoted in the New Testament carrying through that same theme. In verses 1-3 the nations are making plans to rebel against God. (Perhaps a prophetic reference to some of things mentioned in the book of Revelation.) However, I love God’s response. He sees the nations and knows their plans and simply laughs at them. They cannot catch God by surprise and they do not have the power to attack God no matter what their plan may be. Why does God laugh at the nations from his throne? The Life Application Bible Note says this: "It is the laughter of a father when his three-year-old boasts that he or she can outrun him or beat him in a wrestling match. The father knows the boundaries of power of his little child, and God knows the boundaries of power of the nations. Every nation is limited, but God is transcendent. If you have to choose between confidence in God and confidence in any nation, choose God. ...God is all-powerful. He created the world, and knew about the empires of the earth long before they came into being (Daniel 2:26-45). But pride and power cause nations and leaders to rebel against God and try to break free of him. Our world has many leaders who boast of their power, who rant and rave against God and his people, who promise to take over and form their own empires. But God laughs because any power they have comes from him, and he can also take it from them. We need not fear the boasts of tyrants - they are in God’s hands."
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