He Who Laughs Last

I. THE RAGE OF THE HEATHEN (Psalm 2:1-3)

A. The Principle of Dual Application

1. The Lord allowed many of these Old Testament prophets to write about events in which they found themselves.
2. Oftentimes, they understood very little about the prophetic implications of their writings.
3. Many of the things they wrote, perhaps even assuming that it was about themselves, were in reality prophetic concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ and God’s prophetic plan for the nation of Israel.

B. The Unity of the World (Psalm 2:1-2a)

1. Historically
a. The common people (Psalm 2:1)
1.) Why do the heathen rage?
2.) Why do the people imagine a vain thing?
b. The leaders (Psalm 2:2a)
1.) The kings of the earth set themselves
2.) The rulers take counsel together
2. Prophetically (Acts 4:25-28)
a. The common people (Acts 4:25, 27)
1.) Why did the heathen rage? – “with the Gentiles” (Acts 4:27)
2.) Why did the people imagine vain things? – “and the people of Israel” (Acts 4:27)
b. The leaders (Acts 4:26, 27) – “both Herod, and Pontius Pilate” (Acts 4:27)
1.) The kings of the earth stood up
2.) The rulers were gathered together

C. The Rejection of the Lord (Psalm 2:2b-3)

1. Historically (Psalm 2:2b-3)
a. The source of their angst (Psalm 2:2b)
1.) Against the LORD
2.) Against His anointed
b. The purpose of their angst (Psalm 2:3)
1.) Let us break their bands asunder.
2.) Let us cast away their cords from us.
2. Prophetically (Acts 4:26-28)
a. The source of their angst (Acts 4:26-27)
1.) Against the Lord (Acts 4:26)
2.) Against His Christ (Acts 4:26; see John 1:41), identified as “thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed” (Acts 4:27)
b. The purpose of their angst (Acts 4:28) – “to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done” (see Acts 2:23)
3. Consider the parable of the nobleman (Luke 19:11-27)
a. The nobleman goes into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom (Luke 19:12).
b. Before leaving, the nobleman handed out responsibilities in his absence (Luke 19:13).
c. The citizens were glad to be rid of the nobleman and saw his departure as a good thing (Luke 19:14).
d. When the nobleman received his kingdom, he returned to judge his servants (Luke 19:15-26; see Revelation 11:15).
e. Then he turned his judgment on his enemies (Luke 19:27).

II. THE REIGN OF THE KING (Psalm 2:4-6)

A. The First Laugh

1. All they that see me laugh me to scorn (Psalm 22:7)
2. They mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews (Matthew 27:29)
3. They passed by the cross, reviling Him (Matthew 27:39-44)

B. The Time of God’s Laughter (Psalm 2:4-6)

1. While seated in the heavens (Psalm 2:4)
a. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh.
b. The Lord shall have them in derision.
c. Consider its fulfillment
1.) The Lord promised to laugh at the calamity of those who refused Him and His Spirit (Proverbs 1:22-33; with Isaiah 66:4 and 2 Thessalonians 2:11).
2.) Israel will be laughed to scorn and had in derision in the tribulation (Ezekiel 23:22-35).
3.) The Lord shall laugh at the wicked knowing the days of judgment are coming (Psalm 37:1-40).
2. When judging the earth (Psalm 2:5; see Luke 19:27; Psalm 50:3-21; Psalm 6:8-10; Psalm 9:7-20; Psalm 110:5-6 with Revelation 1:5)
3. When the king is on His throne (Psalm 2:6; Isaiah 9:6-7)

III. THE VICTORY WROUGHT (Psalm 2:7-9)

A. The Beginning of the Victory (Psalm 2:7; Romans 14:9)

1. Prophesied
a. I will declare the decree.
b. The LORD hath said unto me
1.) Thou art my Son
2.) This day have I begotten thee
2. Accomplished
a. The person identified (Hebrews 1:5; Hebrews 5:5)
1.) Unto which of the angels said he at any time
2.) Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee
b. The event identified (Acts 13:29-33; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5)
1.) God hath fulfilled . . . in that he hath raised up Jesus again (Acts 13:33)
2.) As it is written in the second psalm (Acts 13:33)

B. The Acquisition of the Victory (Psalm 2:8-9; see Matthew 4:8-11)

1. The Son’s inheritance and possession (Psalm 2:8)
a. The inheritance of people
1.) I shall give thee the heathen; Note: See the connection between heathen and nations (Deuteronomy 4:27; 1 Chronicles 16:24; Galatians 3:8). Consider the following (Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 22:25-31).
2.) For thine inheritance
b. The possession of land (Psalm 72:8; Zechariah 14:9)
1.) The uttermost parts of the earth
2.) For thy possession
2. The Son’s vengeance (Psalm 2:9)
a. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 19:15; compare with Isaiah 11:4; Psalm 110:5-6).
b. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel (Exodus 15:6; 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalm 72:4; Isaiah 13:16; Isaiah 30:14; Jeremiah 51:19-23 with Genesis 12:3; Daniel 2:44; Micah 5:8).

IV. THE ADMONITION GIVEN (Psalm 2:10-12)

A. To Wisdom (Psalm 2:10; see Revelation 13:18; Revelation 17:9)

1. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings
2. Be instructed, ye judges of the earth

B. To Fear (Psalm 2:11)

1. Serve the LORD with fear.
2. Rejoice with trembling.

C. To Obeisance (Psalm 2:12)

1. Kiss the Son (see Psalm 2:7 with Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; Hebrews 5:5)
a. Lest He be angry
b. And ye perish from the way
c. When His wrath is kindled but a little; Note: Anger in the scripture bears a strong connection to fire.
1.) It is kindled (Exodus 4:14; Numbers 11:1; Deuteronomy 32:22; Jeremiah 15:14; Jeremiah 17:4).
i. A little (Psalm 2:12)
ii. Greatly (Numbers 11:10; 1 Samuel 11:6)
2.) It waxes hot (Exodus 32:19).
d. Note: The “kiss” is an act of reverence (Matthew 26:49).
2. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.