© 2021 Philip M Spence
Once again, in many parts of the earth we are faced with tumultuous times. There are protracted droughts, destructive floods, extreme weather events, a pandemic, anarchy with riots and looting, and imperialistic threats. On the surface it seems apocalyptic, or even an end times scenario to some. I do not believe we are in such a time! I believe that we are in an ideological war and the clash of spiritual kingdoms has now spilled over into our streets.
This is not the first time that the spiritual war has manifested in the earth. We have had global conflicts that have killed millions, and many despots whose manifestos and modus operandi has been opposed to the God who created them.
Some centuries ago, a Jewish king wrote about similar things occurring in his time. His name was David and he was a Psalmist inspired by the Spirit of God. His prophetic message will always be relevant in seasons such as the one in which we currently find ourselves.
Psalm 2:1-12
1 Why do the masses rage, and the people plot an empty, worthless thing? 2 The controllers of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Jehovah and against His anointed, saying, 3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord (Master Controller) shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: Jehovah has said to Me, you are My Son, today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations (masses) for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings (controllers); Be instructed you judges of the earth. 11 Serve Jehovah with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12 Embrace 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.
(NKJV with explanations from the original language bracketed)
[1] The Masses
Firstly, the Psalmist addresses the behaviour of the masses of the people (Psalm 2:1-3). He asks why they are enraged and in foment. He also asks why they are venting regarding empty and worthless things. Regardless of the rhetoric in society today, the fact is that the message of the masses becomes lost and meaningless when violence and anarchy reigns.
The Psalmist then gives an answer to the questions that he asks about the masses. He says that they are manipulated by ‘Controllers’ who have set themselves up with an agenda that is opposite to the living God and His anointed Christ. The Psalmist says that these ‘Controllers’ end up forming an alliance in order increase the possibility of destroying the Kingdom of God in the earth.
[2] He Who Sits in the Heavens
Of course, God is going to respond to this futile activity (Psalm 2:4-5). He laughs at the ridiculousness of their plans and scorns their activities. The reason for this is because He is the ‘Master Controller’, the Creator of those who rail against Him. Though He allows humanity to pursue their own agenda for a time, He has the authority and power to govern everything that He created, and He will step in to show Himself, in His way and in His time.
God has already shown the world how He ultimately responds to the ‘Controllers’ and the masses that they manipulate. Historically, when they came together to build a tower to reach the heavens and make a name for themselves, God dispersed them with one act over which they had no control and no power to reverse.
Genesis 11:1-9
1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down there and confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
Our God, the Supreme Deity and Master Controller, will always respond in His time and in His way to the schemes and actions of those who oppose Him. We have nothing to fear from the masses or those who manipulate them because our God is above it all and is not moved by the behaviour of humanity. His plans will be accomplished regardless of what man devises!
[3] The King of His Kingdom
God’s generational response to our fallen world was to send His Son as the King of His Kingdom. The Father has established Him upon the throne of His Kingdom. Therefore, He rules from the seat of Kingdom authority and power. There is no greater authority and power in the heavens or the earth. This fact shapes a unique perspective regarding the King and His Kingdom.
The Kingdom of Heaven on Planet Earth will remain forever. It cannot be shaken and will never be destroyed. Most importantly, this Kingdom is never static or defensive; it is always increasing and advancing across the globe! Nothing that happens in the world in which we live can change the nature, force, and ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of Heaven on Planet Earth!
Psalm 145:13
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
Hebrews 12:28
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Daniel 2:44
And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Isaiah 9:7
7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end……
Jesus the King rules over the Kingdom of Heaven on Planet Earth. His Kingdom will never be subjected to the ways of man. It will never be blunted by the tumultuous times that are experienced generation by generation in the earth.
[4] Blessing Pronounced
Along with the understanding of the Kingdom given to the Son of God comes a blessing bestowed on Jesus the King of the Kingdom. God the Father declares through the Psalmist that His reign will one day go beyond those who have entered His Kingdom and will include global conquest and rulership (Psalm 2:8-9).
God always includes His people in His purposes. He has done so since creation when He blessed humankind with dominion over Planet Earth and put in place the principles that achieve and maintain dominion on His behalf.
Genesis 1:26-28
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
The Psalmist ends his discourse with an admonition to the ‘Controllers’ and the masses that they manipulate (Psalm 2:10-12). He speaks the oracles of God exhorting them to ‘Embrace the Son’ and ‘Put their trust in Him’ instead of in their own ways and strength.
In these tumultuous times, we have a great opportunity to have God’s perspective and engage fully in His purposes. We are not to be shaken or moved by what we see and hear around us. Instead, we are to participate in the increase of the Kingdom regardless of what the ‘Controllers’ and the masses that they manipulate might be doing. We are those who are convinced that ‘Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him’.
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Phil Spence is an author, speaker, mentor and musician. He leads Enlarj, a relational apostolic network influencing more than 20 nations. He oversees School of the Kingdom in many of these nations. Phil is internationally recognised as an apostle. Phil may be contacted via phil@enlarj.com
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