The difference between Psa. 2, and 8, and the names of Christ in each, helps to the opening up of the word in a most remarkable way.
In Psa. 2 The Lord Jesus is presented as God’s King in Zion—the Lord’s anointed (or Christ). He is presented as God’s King in Zion to His people; to the Gentiles, but is rejected. All classes uniting to reject Him—heathen raging—people of Israel—kings and rulers. Jehovah is represented in a figure as laughing at their impotent rage; and the 6th verse tells us, that although his purposes, as far as man could do, were frustrated for a time, they were not set aside—God would yet set His king upon His holy hill of Zion. The Lord presented Himself in His character as Messiah or Christ to His people, and announced the principles of His Kingdom; but His people did not receive Him. In Acts 4:2525Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? (Acts 4:25), &c., we find this 2nd Psalm quoted as far as the 2nd verse; and the Holy Spirit shows its fulfillment by Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, in the rejection of God’s Anointed King, His Christ. His Kingdom, consequently, was set aside for the time. This we know was in full measure at the cross, just where His people rejected their Messiah, and said, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:1515But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. (John 19:15)). “Then,” at that solemn word, Pilate delivered Him up to their will; but while it came out in full measure at the cross, the spirit that proved itself there, showed itself during His life and ministry. In Luke 8 we find the Lord going out “Preaching and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God.” In Luke 9 He sends out the Twelve with the same testimony, and gave them authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. Two remarkable characters of the state of things in the millennial day, when Satan will be bound and restrained in the bottomless pit (Rev. 20:1-31And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:1‑3)), and man cured of his diseases, and the world filled with blessing. These miracles are termed in Heb. 6, “The powers of the world to come.” They were samples exhibited by the Lord and the Twelve of that which will be to the full in the Kingdom. When they return, the Lord asks them what the result of all this testimony, from His own lips as from theirs had been? Their reply shows that the response the testimony met was the idle speculations of men’s minds as to whom He was: some said one thing—some another; but few cared for God’s Kingdom, or God’s King. (See Luke 9:18,1918And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. (Luke 9:18‑19)). The Lord then appeals to the little band of disciples, whom He had gathered around Him, as to whom He was. Peter answering for the rest, replies, “the Christ of God. Jesus straightly charged them to tell no man that thing. The time was past—His claims had been put forth as “The Christ.” “The Lord’s Anointed,” and had been refused—the Kingdom had been announced in grace, and rejected—there was no use in any further testimony. The Lord then immediately adds, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain and be raised the third day;” the latter statement, which the Lord always adds when he tells them of the “Son of Man” being about to suffer, and be rejected. The title of Psa. 8, which He fully takes in resurrection, having been previously rejected as “The Christ,” according to Psa. 2 And, accordingly, instead of the glories and blessings of the Kingdom, it entails a path of suffering and rejection on His people. (See verses 23-26.)
Now in Psa. 8:4-84What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. 6Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:4‑8), we find that there is a “Son of Man” to whom dominion is given over all creation-the dominion which Adam had received in Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26), and which he had sinned away and lost. When we turn to Heb. we find the Psalm quoted, and applied to Christ Himself; and the Apostle explains, “We see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor,” having first tasted death for the inheritance. It was His by right of creation; but he takes it with its load of sin upon it, and inherits it as Redeemer-Heir. We see Him not yet in possession of it; but He is meanwhile crowned with glory and honor, waiting for the headship of all things.
Why, then, does He not take possessions? Why the delays? We find that God is occupied with something else, while Jesus thus waits. If we turn to Eph. 1:2222And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22), we find the 8th Psalm quoted again. Christ is looked at as the glorified Man, whom God had raised up, He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places-verse 20; and that while he is waiting there, God is quickening, raising up, and seating in the heavenlies in Jesus, the joint-heirs by the same power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies. (See Chapter 2:5,6,). Christ has laid the foundation of this glorious work in His Cross. Having made peace by His blood-broken down the middle wall of partition between the Jew and Gentile, making out of twain one new man-reconciling both in one body by the Cross, having by it slain the enmity which had heretofore existed—and through Himself giving access to both by one Spirit to the Father—v. 18. The Holy Spirit becomes the bond of union and power of access for the members of Church—Christ’s body—through Jesus to the Father. Uniting all believers into one body, and to their head exalted as man by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven where Jesus was glorified.
(To be continued, Lord willing.)