The Triumphant Messiah (Acts 4:23-31)
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury: “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.
You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”
For a short psalm, this poem works on many different levels. First, the psalm refers to the triumphant Messiah. “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One.” Obviously, the Anointed One must be the Messiah. Second, the psalm describes the rebellion of earthly rulers against the God who has created them. “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”
Third, while these rulers are shaking their fists at God, God views them with supreme disdain and then proceeds to enforce His Will. “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury: “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
Fourth, the Messiah speaks for himself. “I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession. You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
Finally, God issues a final warning to earthly rulers: “Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”
APPLICATION: The phrase “Your arm’s too short to box with God” was originally used by the famous African American author James Weldon Johnson in his book God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse. Johnson in turn claimed to have borrowed the phrase from a pastor friend. The point of the phrase is simple: God is all-powerful and we are not. We can shake our fists at God, shout at Him, tell Him how we refuse to do His Will, and all this rebellion will still have no effect.
Currently, North Korea and Russia may be entering into an arms agreement that could result in disaster for Ukraine. There have been numerous coups in Africa, most recently in Gabon. Throughout the world, there are rulers drunk with power who want to believe that they are omnipotent. But God is not impressed with these rulers.
God has sent His Son, Jesus, the Messiah, and has given him the nations of the earth. We can trust God to handle evil rulers. We can also trust God to handle whatever problems we encounter. As I am writing this, three of our patients are struggling with draining fecal fistulas that are difficult to control. Our nurses and our nutrition team must continue to trust that God is capable of healing these patients completely. We wish God would heal these patients instantly, relieving all of us; however, we have to believe that God is working out His purposes. One result of these problems is that our Nutrition Unit is beginning to function as it never has before.
A Facebook friend has just written that her husband is going into hospice care on a dilaudid pump to control the pain from his cancer. I have no power to do anything in that situation; however, God can give this precious lady and her beloved husband the grace to endure this situation or He can heal him miraculously. (For believers, death also brings healing and release, but that’s a subject for another day.)
If our arms are too short to box with God and we have little control over our own situations, what can we do? The answer is in the final line. “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” We can take refuge in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the One who holds the nations of the earth in His hand.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are suffering and feel helpless and confused. We see no light in our situations. But You, Lord, have told us that You are the Light of the World and that those who know You will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. Lord, enlighten those in the dark. Heal those who are suffering in any fashion, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. And help all who read these words to put their trust in You. In Your mighty and precious Name, Lord Jesus. Amen.
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