I. The second Psalm clearly states the rule over the earth of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will be set as Jehovah's King on the holy hill of Zion. No less does it testify to the counsel and rage of the kings of the earth in direct opposition to it, as also the means by which it will be accomplished, despite of all the enemies of Jehovah and His purpose.
That Jehovah's King is God's only begotten Son is clear not only from the Psalm itself, but also from Acts 13:3333God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. (Acts 13:33), Heb. 1:5, 65For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. (Hebrews 1:5‑6), of the New Testament. Not only is He the One and only Savior, Who has been here as, and is, the full and perfect expression of the love of God to a guilty world, by whose death on the cross God has been glorified, His righteousness vindicated and established, and an eternal redemption found for us, but He is, and will be, the alone Center of all divine government and action in blessing, both for the heavens and the earth.
The introduction into the world of “the First-begotten” is truly the great and wonderful purpose of God; as assuredly His work as the Lamb of God, becoming the alone mighty sacrifice for sin, is the basis of everything abidingly good and blessed; and this will be finally established in the new heavens and the new earth. Prior to this, however, the present earth, the place of His sorrow, rejection, and death, is ordained to be the scene of His kingly rule in righteousness, power, and glory. In Zion He will reign gloriously over His redeemed Israel, having Jerusalem as the metropolis of the whole earth when He shall ask and have the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. That king David was a type of God's anointed King in His holy hill of Zion Scripture plainly reveals; and Zion's stronghold, wrested by David from the Jebusites, was henceforth appropriated as the seat of royalty in Israel, and called “the city of David.” Yet was it the reserved purpose of Jehovah to set His King on the mountain of His holiness, even Him who is David's greater Son and Lord. Isaiah prophetically declared this long after David's rule (9:6, 7), and presents the “child born” and son given, in the glory of His Person, whose “name shall be called Wonderful... the mighty God, the Father of eternity, the Prince of Peace,” on Whose shoulder shall be the government, and of which the increase and peace shall know no end.
The Gospel of Luke most significantly connects this throne and kingdom with the “child born” of the Virgin Mary. The angel Gabriel in making known to Mary her high favor and distinguished blessing among women, and the miraculous manner of the Babe's birth by the Holy Spirit—after declaring that His name shall be called Jesus—adds, “And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 2:31-3331Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. (Luke 2:31‑33)). The divine purpose has not yet met with its accomplishment so far as concerns the promised kingdom. But the Christ has come, and was presented to the nation as their king (Matt. 21:5), yet “despised and rejected of men,” and finally “cut off out of the land of the living.” Thus, instead of taking the kingdom, the Messiah “had nothing,” being refused the inheritance, and by the hands of lawless men was crucified and slain (Matt. 21, Isa. 53, Dan. 9, Acts 2). This, the general testimony of all the Gospels is, nevertheless, more particularly unfolded in that of Matthew, whose genealogy jealously traces His rights and claims up to David the king, and to Abraham the depository of promise.
Law, Prophets, and Psalms had foretold that the Messiah would come, now born in Bethlehem. The wise men from the east, guided no doubt by the prophecy of Balaam, were led to identify the appearing of the star with the advent of the scepter, and forthwith they started for Jerusalem to find, and do honor to, the new-born “King of the Jews.” Herod, the Idumean ruler, with “all Jerusalem,” is troubled by their inquiry, and, gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he demanded of them where the Christ should be born. The prophet Micah, seven hundred years before, had foretold of this “ruler in Israel,” and the place of His birth, and his very words they now quote; and so the seekers are sent by Herod to Bethlehem. Jewish knowledge, with cold indifference to the glorious fact, revealed their real state, and the agitation of Herod and the people proved their existing rage and enmity, which were exposed by the angel's testimony, and manifested by Herod's cruel action. “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.... for Herod will seek the young child, to destroy him.” Thus was exemplified the words of Psa. 2, the heathen raging from the time of His birth, and through all His life; at His death, and when in heavenly glory. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, preaches the kingdom of heaven as at hand, and insists upon repentance on the people's part, in view of Messiah's presentation and kingdom; but John ultimately finds himself in prison, and was beheaded, only to be followed by the rejection, in greater measure and hatred, of the Lord Himself, who in the light of His cross and martyrdom charged His disciples to tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ (Matt. 16). He accepts His rejection and awaits another day, when, having received the kingdom, He will return to be welcomed by His then repentant people. But now, putting Sadducees and Pharisees to silence by His asking the latter: “What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?” He not only confounds them by His being both David's Son and David's Lord, but associates this with Psa. 110 which tells us that He will sit at Jehovah's right hand till His enemies are made His footstool. In the cross we have the consummation of His rejection by man, but now being by the right hand of God exalted, we have revealed to us the present purpose and action of God the Holy Ghost in gathering out of this present world His heavenly bride to be associated with Him in His future kingdom and reign over this earth, when He shall rule the nations with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:99Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:9), Rev. 2:2727And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:27)).
When Judas had betrayed his Master, the multitude led Jesus away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders were gathered together. Here He is accused by two false witnesses (even with difficulty found), but Jesus held His peace until put on oath by Caiaphas in his hatred and zeal, who said: “I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” For this He is pronounced a blasphemer and guilty of death, is spit upon, buffeted, smitten, and taunted as to being the Christ. Such was the action of Israel's religious chief, followed next morning by the whole council consulting to put Him to death. Delivered bound to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor asked him, saying: “Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.” Pilate knew that from envy Jesus had been delivered up, and wished to release him, but in vain, for they chose a murderer, and rejected their long-predicted Messiah, demanding that He should be crucified. Notwithstanding his confession of no fault to be found in the Just One before him, and the profession of his innocence of His blood, Pilate, after scourging, delivered Jesus to their will. The soldiers, in mockery, clothe Jesus with kingly vestments, and cry: “Hail, King of the Jews.” Stage after stage were the scriptures being fulfilled, in the cruel treatment, rejection and death of Him, who was cut off without His throne; dying between two robbers, and though numbered with the transgressors, was “with the rich in His death.” The decreed king of Psa. 2, shall yet be set on Zion's holy hill, and “the manslayer (Israel) shall return to the land of his possession.” Blessed, indeed, it is to know that the cross, which casts its dark and hopeless shade on man and his responsibility, sheds its bright and holy light on the throne of God; and in this same “death of the cross” is laid a righteous and everlasting basis for the display of the purpose and grace of God, both for the heavens and the earth, wherein shall be established the rights of His only begotten Son in His coming glories.
If the Gospels in common declare the wondrous death and resurrection of Christ, that of Luke gives the memorable walk to Emmaus, and what filled and perplexed the disciples, viz., that He whom they looked to have redeemed Israel had been crucified, and was even reported to be alive from the dead. This they told to their risen but yet unknown Lord, who rebuked their unbelief, saying: “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself.” Plainly therefore did the Christ of Israel show to His saddened disciples that He was to suffer before having His kingdom and glory; as also later, Peter wrote how prophets had “testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories to follow.” Yea, after convincing His disciples in their perplexity, that it was Himself risen, by showing them His hands and His feet, He reminds them of His words spoken to them before He suffered, that “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning me.”
(To be continued)