The Revolt Against Jesus

The conspiracy by the Earth’s kings to overthrow the Messiah is applied by the New Testament to the plot to destroy Jesus – Psalm 2:1-6. The Second Psalm is a key passage applied to Jesus by the New Testament. When were its predictions fulfilled, and is the Messiah now reigning from David’s Throne? Or is the world still waiting for his enthronement? What about the predicted “revolt” of the nations against the Son of God? - (Psalm 2:1-6)?

[Photo by Yoal Desurmont (Belgium) on Unsplash]

In the Book of Acts, when the Temple authorities attempted to suppress the young church, Peter prayed for “boldness” to proclaim the Gospel. He declared that the same authorities venting their rage against the congregation also plotted to kill Jesus, and he applied phrases from the Second Psalm to stress the point:

• (Acts 4:23-28) – “O Sovereign! You are He who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all things that are in it. Who through means of the Holy Spirit, even by the mouth of David your servant, said, Unto what end did the nations revolt, and peoples busy themselves with empty things? The kings of the earth stationed themselves, and the rulers were gathered together with one intent against the Lord and his Messiah. For they were gathered, of a truth, in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with them of the nations and peoples of Israel.”

Peter followed the Greek text of the Septuagint version of the Second Psalm. The verb translated as “gathered together” is ‘sunagō‘, the same term applied by the Book of Acts to the priestly leaders that examined the Apostles before their “gathering” - “It came to pass upon the morrow, that there were gathered together of them the rulers and the elders and the scribes in Jerusalem” - (Acts 4:5-7).

The same religious authorities that conspired to kill Jesus “came together” to stop the Church, and in doing so, they continued this “revolt against the Lord and his Messiah.”

Peter attributed responsibility for the death of Jesus to Herod, Pontius Pilate, the nations, and the people of Israel. They all “gathered together” against the “holy child” when they rejected the Messiah and became complicit in his death.

The same language is applied to the plot to destroy Jesus elsewhere in the New Testament. In the Gospel of Matthew, for example, “All the High Priests and Elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death” - (Matthew 27:1).

Peter preached to a crowd on the Day of Pentecost about “Jesus, the Nazarene,” whom they killed. However, God raised him from the dead and exalted him to rule from His Throne. He made him “both Lord and Messiah <…> the one whom you crucified” - (Acts 2:23-39).

At the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia, the Apostle Paul declared, “They who were dwelling in Jerusalem and their rulers” found Jesus guilty of no crime yet delivered him to Pontius Pilate for execution. However, “God raised him from among the dead,” and thus fulfilled the “promise made to our fathers by resurrecting Jesus: as also in the second psalm...”

ENTHRONED ON ZION

The Second Psalm links the enthronement of the Messiah with the declaration by God, “I, this day, have begotten you,” and the Book of Hebrews takes special note of this when contrasting the priesthood and sacrifice of Jesus with the old Levitical system - (Acts 13:23-36, Psalm 2:7-9, 110:1).

• (Psalm 2:6-9) – “Yet I have installed my king on Zion my holy mountain. Let me tell of a decree, Yahweh said to me, My son You are. I, THIS day, have begotten YOU. Ask of me and let me give nations as your inheritance and as your possession, the ends of the Earth.”

The opening paragraph of the Letter to the Hebrews describes how God spoke in His “Son,” who, “having achieved the purification of sins, sat down on the right hand” of God. His exaltation is connected to his past victory over sin through his sacrificial death, and the Second Psalm is cited to confirm this:

• (Hebrews 1:3-5) – “Who, being an eradiated brightness of his glory, and an exact representation of his very being, also bearing up all things by the utterance of his power, purification of sins having achieved, sat down on the right hand of the majesty in high places, by so much becoming superior to the angels, by as much as, going beyond them, he inherited a more distinguished name. For to which of the angels said he ever, You are My Son. this day, have begotten you?” – (also, Hebrews 5:5-8).

Similarly, the Book of Revelation declares that Jesus is (present tense) the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth.” His exalted position is linked to his Death (“Faithful Witness”) and his Resurrection (“Firstborn of the Dead”). The clause alludes to the Second Psalm in which “The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the rulers took counsel together against Yahweh and his Messiah” - (Revelation 1:4-6).

God promised to give his Son the “nations for your inheritance and the ends of the Earth for your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron.” The Book of Revelation applies this promise to Jesus in his present exalted position.

The New Testament applies the predictions of the Second Psalm first to the conspiracy by the Temple leaders and Roman authorities to destroy Jesus, then second, to the persecution of the Church. God was not taken by surprise. Had He not predicted those events? He responded by raising Jesus from the dead and installing him as Sovereign over the “Kings of the Earth.”

Christ’s reign on the “Throne of David” is a present reality. It began following his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. But the initial revolt against the Son failed when God resurrected him.

This great conspiracy has continued ever since as the opponents of Jesus persecute and otherwise conspire against his followers. This effort to destroy Christ’s people is carried out by political leaders as well as false prophets, false apostles, and other deceivers in the church, and very often, by those whom we least suspect.

The final attempt to annihilate the Church will occur when the “Man of Lawlessness” appears and “seats himself in the Sanctuary of God,” an event that will cause many saints to abandon the faith – (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

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SEE ALSO:

• King and Saviour - (The name ‘Jesus’ means “Yahweh saves.” In this man, the Salvation promised by the God of Abraham has arrived)

• Servant or Tyrant? - (Satan offered Jesus unlimited political power to achieve his messianic mission if only he acknowledged the Devil as his Overlord)

• Kings and Nations - (The Nations and the Kings of the Earth are found in the City of New Jerusalem because of the redeeming work of the Lamb)

• Good News For All Nations - (The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth provides salvation and life for men and women of every nation and people)