UNBLOCKING THE WELL OF THE LIVING WORD

See previous post “APPLICATION” Read Psalm 1-5,  re-read Psalm 2, focus on  Psalm 2:8,9

Psalm 2:8,9 “Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, and  the ends of the Earth your possession. You will break  them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like  pottery.”

It is not often that Valentine’s day falls on Ash Wednesday! At the start of Lent 2024, Psalm 2 reminds us of Jesus’ passion for the nations.  Do we really know Jesus’ burning passion for the nations? We catch a glimpse of it in Psalm 2, a prophetic psalm written by King David, which is one of the most quoted parts of the Old Testament in the New Testament. Charles Spurgeon described Psalm 2 as a dramatic ‘fourfold picture’. Psalm 2 resembles a theatrical drama, with a curtain opening and closing on each Act (like the West End theatre production Les Misérables in London). The four Acts of this great drama will be acted out in the last days. Mike Bickle (1) says that ‘although there is a lot of criticism and ridicule of Jesus and his followers today, we have not yet come to a day where there is a unified global coalition of national leaders and leaders of business, government, media, religion, education, family and arts/entertainment with a raging hatred against Jesus (Act 1), but that day will come and it is coming soon.’ He says that verse 4 (Act 2) is one of the most terrifying statements in the Bible as the Father in a mocking tone laughs at the raging kings and rulers of the nations. Right now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father and has been there for 2,000 years, and in verses 7–9 (Act 3) David eavesdrops on the conversation between the Father and the Son. The Father tells the Son that he will inherit the raging nations and peoples. Jesus’ response to the rage is intercession. He will declare back to the Father what the Father has declared over him. Jesus’ intercessory declarations will be like a rod of iron. He will dash the nations into pieces like a rod of iron. In the book of Acts chapter 4, the early Church encountered huge opposition and used Psalm 2 as a backdrop for the crisis they faced. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, they prayed that God would put the rod of his mouth in the mouth of the Church. They quoted Psalm 2 and declared all opposition would be dashed to pieces, and the place where they gathered was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. David encourages kings and rulers to humble themselves and serve the Lord Jesus in humility and adoration.(Act 4)

Psalm 2 is an invitation to partner with the Lord Jesus Christ in world intercession. Joy Dawson  says (2) ‘This is the bold confidence we have before him. If we ask for something according to his will, he hears us and if we know that he hears us according to what we ask we know that we already have the request we asked of him.’  1 John 5:14-15 Lynn Green  references Revelation 3:19, saying (3) ‘When people are my friends, I tell them when they are in the wrong. I will punish them for it. So, stir up your spirits and repent. I am standing here knocking at the door. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to them and eat with them and they with me. This will be my gift to the one who conquers. I will sit them beside me on my throne just as I conquered and sat with my Father on his throne.’ We live in troubling times. We are called to be conquerors. ‘How do we conquer?’ We conquer by remaining friends with him: when we are friends, he tells us when we are in the wrong. We must never lose that hunger to be God’s friend. When we enter into prayer with our brothers and sisters … we should ask him to reveal any sin in our hearts. The Holy Spirit will begin to convict, and it leads to repentance and confession for one another. Then we can pray and intercede for the nations.

Corey Russell says (4) God is raising up an army of revival intercessors across the earth, not known by men, but known in heaven. Psalm 2:9 will be the fruit of their intercession.. This is how he will rule the nations..and we can partner with him in seeing his inheritance come forth in the nations. His ‘rod’ will come out of the mouth of the church, destroying the power of the evil one in the earth. God is preparing us to intercede for the nations, and on our lips, his words will be like a rod of iron, as we pray for his kingdom to come. In this time of shaking, he is our secure foundation. We need to build on a revelation of Jesus the resurrected Christ, who came humbly on a donkey, but will come on a horse as a warrior king. Will we follow Jesus humbly through the refinement of these challenging days, facing opposition like he did, betrayal and shakings and then line up with his passion for the nations in prayer? Jesus Christ, our Bridegroom, King and Judge, is praying in Psalm 2. Will we respond to this invitation and pray with King Jesus?

PRAYER

Lord, we declare that the nations will be your inheritance, Lord Jesus Christ. You will break those nations lining up against you and your will, with a rod of iron. We line our prayers up with yours, Lord. Our food is to do your will and finish your work. May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

1 Bickle, M. God’s Answer to the Growing Crisis. Charisma House (2017). Summary in paragraph following.

2 Dawson, J Some principles for effective intercessory prayer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhmp2hzc6o4

3 Malachi Gathering — Lynn Green https://youtu.be/kYSKuuSCJT0?t=3419 starting 56 mins 59 secs

4 Russell, C. Inheritance: Clinging to God’s promises in the midst of tragedy. Forerunner (2018): pp73–74.