“1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. 3 ‘Let us break their chains, ‘they say, ‘and throw off their fetters.’”
Have you ever done anything so foolish that looking back you can hardly believe you even did it? If you have, and I imagine that most of us have, I want you to take a moment to remember exactly what you did. Now I want you to consider why you did it. Why did you do it? My guess is that the answer for many of us in this sanctuary this evening is, ‘I don’t even know why. It was so foolish.’
This Psalm begins with people doing something that foolish. The Bible is an honest book. It shows us doing the foolish stuff we do. Anyone who thinks the Bible is a book for people who have it all together hasn’t read much of it. Any man who thinks he is too screwed up to see himself in God’s word needs to pick it up and read.
God doesn’t tell us how foolish we are to shame us. He tells us how foolish we are to shake us so we stop, repent, and say, ‘I don’t even know why I did that. It was so foolish.’ Sin is foolish. That’s the claim of this sermon: sin is foolish.
We see this in three points. First: plotting in vain. Second: taking a stand. Third: breaking God’s chains. Each verse gets one point. In verse 1, we see the people plotting in vain. In verse 2, we see the kings taking a stand. In verse 3, we see the kings trying to break God’s chains.
First: plotting in vain. This Psalm begins with the rhetorical question, ‘why?’ The Psalmist’s question is rhetorical because the only possible answer is that there is no good answer. The people are doing something so foolish the Psalmist can only ask, ‘why?’ “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?”
Which nations were conspiring? Which people were plotting? The Psalmist may have been thinking about the nations conquered by kings David and Solomon. 1 Kings 4:21 tells us, “Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon's subjects all his life.” Those countries were conspiring and plotting to be free.
The Psalmist tells us that these plots and conspiracies were irrelevant because the Lord was in charge. That is the clear message of God’s warfare in its forms in the Old Testament and the New. God gave Joshua victory after victory and there was nothing the Canaanites could do about it. God gave David victory after victory and there was nothing the Philistines could do about it. God gave Solomon victory after victory and there was nothing the nations could do about it. What the Egyptians said as their chariot wheels jammed is what the nations should have seen, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them.”
If the Lord is fighting for you, any man who fights against you is just wasting his energy. As Paul said, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Paul’s teacher from his Pharisee days, Gamaliel, said the same thing when the Sanhedrin bumped up against the early church. The Sanhedrin wanted to stamp out the church quickly, but Gamaliel said, “if [this movement] is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
This Psalm begins by talking about the foolishness of fighting against God. “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?”
The world is still foolish enough to fight against God. Let’s take worship as an example. The world, at least as we find it in America, will tell you that today is part of the weekend and that if you get something out of Sunday worship good for you and, if not, that is fine too. You can do what you want today.
That’s not how God sees the situation. “Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.” The God who made each and every person calls us all to worship Him and refusing is conspiring against His rule. That’s not how most Americans see it. They think they can choose whether or not to put God on the throne. The fact is that God is on the throne whether they like it or not. CS Lewis is right, “A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.”
But most Americans don’t see refusing to worship God as conspiring against God’s rule. They don’t see their refusal to worship as plotting against Christ’s power. ‘If you are into Christ, that’s great, but I’m not.’ Our culture trains us to think that way but think it through for a moment. Either Christ is king, or he isn’t. Either God sits enthroned above the circle of the earth and before Him all the people are like grasshoppers, or He doesn’t. Do you believe that Christ is sovereign over everything and therefore deserves worship from everyone or do you think that Christ is only king if you make him king of your heart?
The world rebels by refusing to worship Christ. The world doesn’t understand that it is rebelling. The world doesn’t understand. That’s not surprising. What is surprising is that many in the church don’t understand. Many in the church don’t see refusing to worship as rebellion. Many in the church seem to think that the Christ is the king of believers but has no claim on unbelievers. Christ considers himself king of everything. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
If you recognize Christ’s rule and I use the word ‘recognize’ instead of the word ‘believe’ for a reason because believing doesn’t make it true—Christ is king whether people believe it or not—if you recognize Christ’s rule, then the utter foolishness of the world’s rebellion is good news to you. The fact that the nations conspire and the people plot in vain is good news to you. Their conspiring and plotting aren’t good news but the fact that it is all in vain is very good news.
The conspiracy against God’s rule enshrined in the US legal code as Roe v. Wade is in vain. Certain movie directors’ attempts to pull God off the moral throne of the universe are in vain. Scoffing at the final judgment is in vain.
This doesn’t mean such wickedness doesn’t have an effect on us. It affects us. At times it intimidates us even though we are the light of the world. At times it discourages us even though we are the salt of the earth. These conspiracies and plots against God’s rule have an effect on us but they have no effect on God’s rule.
The Lord is not less in charge today than He was in 1950 or in medieval Europe or on the day of Christ’s crucifixion in Palestine. “Even from eternity I am He,” says God, “And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; when I act and who can reverse it?”
Since the Garden of Eden and even before, the only thing rebellion has destroyed is the rebels. God lost no power when Satan rebelled. Satan lost everything. God lost no power when Adam and Eve rebelled. They lost Eden. This evening, if you find yourself rebelling against God, you need to recognize that your wildest rebellions are not enough to make you unaccountable to God and your tamest sins are still rebellions. You need to recognize that these rebellions won’t put you on the throne of your life. They will destroy you. If you recognize yourself in what I am saying, listen to God through Isaiah, “Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and open sores.” Your sin is foolish. Repent. Tell God you’ve conspired against Him. Tell God you’ve plotted to put yourself on the throne. Ask Him for forgiveness and He will give it.
Stop taking yourself so dreadfully seriously. Rebels always take themselves seriously. We see that in our second point: taking a stand.
What we are about to see is designed to be intimidating. These kings and rulers take themselves very seriously. Verse 2, “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.”
Taking a stand is a heroic thing to do and the world likes to think it is heroic. People who are duped by Satan think sin is heroic. We see that in the Garden of Eden. Eve thought she was liberating herself from God’s restrictive rules. She thought she was taking a stand for herself by eating that fruit.
The world takes its stand against God. The world finds its rebellion impressive. The kings of the earth and the rulers gather together in a giant summit with one objective: getting rid of God. Can you imagine the presidents, prime ministers, dictators, and kings of every nation gathering together for a weeklong summit to take a stand against Christ? The New York Times headline reads, “The World Unites Against Christ.”
The fact is that is what is going on. John Calvin is right, “all who do not submit themselves to authority of Christ make war against God.” The nations of the world are making war against God. The world today, on July 29, 2018, is making war against God.
Or you think Timemagazine’s editorial board lists ‘obedience to Christ’ as one of the magazine’s guiding principles? Do you think that Google’s unspoken motto is ‘In All Things Christ Pre-eminent?’ Do you think any recent administration of the United States has used Scripture for anything more than a justification for whatever it wants to do? The world is in rebellion and the fact that we can’t see it as rebellion is a sign of how very deceived we’ve become. “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.” That’s the situation.
The kings and rulers the Psalmist had in mind were power players. We are no longer talking about the vassal states living under David or Solomon. This is Babylon. This is Assyria. This is power standing up to God. This is the story of the tower of Babel all over again. The world loves to take a stand against God.
American culture takes its stand by denying God altogether. American culture thinks it is quite emancipated. ‘We’ve moved beyond such superstitions about God and religion.’ American culture thinks it is very clever. God thinks it is very foolish.
God thinks the world’s stand is laughable. Sometimes, however, you and I find it intimidating. “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.” Christ isn’t intimidated, but at times, we are.
The world stood against God before the flood and I imagine at times lonely Noah was intimidated. Ahab stood against God and, at times, Elijah was intimidated. “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” Babylonian law stood against God and, I imagine at times, Daniel and his friend were intimidated. Persian law stood against God and, at times, Esther was intimidated. This has been the story of church history too. If you think we are living in the darkest days for the church, you need to read church history. To generation after generation of the faithful it has seemed that the true church was living on the brink of extinction. The world’s stand against God can intimidate us.
If we think we can stand against the rage of the world in our own power, we are insane. Any attempt to get all the churches in the United States together as a show of power is foolish. If you think our buildings, our numbers, our combined wealth is going to impress this dark age, you are sadly mistaken. We will never impress the world. That’s by God’s design. “Think of what you were when you were called,” Paul reminded the Corinthians. “Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
When I see the world taking its stand against the Lord, I must remember the Lord’s power, not my lack of power. When I see the world taking its stand against Christ, I must remember Christ’s authority over this world, not my lack of authority over this world.
At times, I find the world’s rage intimidating. God doesn’t. He thinks it is foolish. “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One… The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”
God isn’t intimidated by the world’s show of power any more than a drill sergeant is intimidated by a show of power from a new recruit. God isn’t unsettled that Americans doubt His authority any more than a father is intimidated when a toddler doubts his authority.
You will either fear the world or you will fear God. Who will you fear? The world takes its stand against God. If you focus on their stand, you will at times be intimidated because the world is bigger and badder than you. It’s not bigger and badder than God. “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”
You have no choice but to live in the midst of a world that rebels against God. Noah had no choice but to live in the midst of a world that rebels against God. You do have a choice of whether to fear the world or to fear God. If you are wise, you will fear God. In fact, that is the beginning of wisdom.
As the world takes it pathetic stand against God, it says it is fighting for freedom. We see that in our final point: breaking God’s chains.
This is a rather punchy Psalm. It imagines not only Israel’s vassal states conspiring for freedom, but all the nations trying to throw off the rule of Israel’s God. ‘Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, our God rules over you.’ That’s punchy. ‘You must bow before our God. You must obey our God. You must serve YHWH.’
The kings of the world would respond and do respond the way Pharaoh did when Moses told Him, “YHWH says, ‘let my people go.’” “Who is YHWH, that I should obey Him and let Israel go?” asked Pharaoh. “I do not know YHWH and I will not let Israel go.”
Pharaoh scoffed at the idea that this tribal God of his slaves had any power over him. YHWH showed Pharaoh what power is all about with plague after plague and the crossing of the Red Sea. “I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH.”
This Psalm imagines the nations of the world responding the Pharaoh did, “who is YHWH, that I should obey Him?” “I do not know YHWH.” ‘Who is Jesus that I should obey him? I don’t give any credibility to Jesus.’
There has never been a time when the world has wanted to submit to God. The world has always considered worshipping God to be a chain and obeying God to be a fetter that would bind it in slavery. If you would rather be entertained in a sanctuary than worship the Triune God, if you think that obeying Christ leads to a stifling life, you need to listen now because the world has ahold of your heart.
It is obvious that the world wants to throw off God’s rule. ‘No one has any right to tell me what to do with my body.’ That’s an attempt to throw off God’s rule. ‘No one has any right to tell me who I can or can’t love.’ That’s an attempt to throw off God’s rule. ‘No one has any right to judge me.’ That’s an attempt to throw off God’s rule.
Those attempts are in vain. When a woman stands before Christ at the judgment seat and says, ‘No one has any right to tell me what to do with my body,’ Christ will say, ‘I do.’ God made our bodies and He has every right to tell us what we can do with these bodies. When a man stands before Christ at the judgment seat and says, ‘No one has any right to judge me,’ Christ will say, ‘I do.’ We are accountable to God. He created us. He sustains us each moment. He has every right to judge us.
The world foolishly fights against what it cannot change. “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” There are millions of people in this nation on this very day who are trying to change what cannot be changed. They don’t want to be accountable to God and so they sear their own consciences. They try to drown down their consciences with drugs and alcohol and sex. They try to distract themselves with endless entertainment. They cannot bear for a moment the thought that there is a God before whom they must stand.
Yet what is so horrible about God’s rule? What is so restrictive about God’s word? Where is the chain of slavery in this book? Would it be so horrible to obey the Sermon on the Mount? Would this world be such a totalitarian place if no one took revenge on anyone else? Would we live under repression if spouses were faithful to one another? Would it be so intolerable if everyone forgave their enemies? Would we live under tyranny if everyone gave to those in need? Why is the idea that people should tell the truth so insufferable?
The world wants to liberate itself from the so called chains of obedience. The world wants to free itself from the shackles of what God wants. That’s insane. Sin is so foolish. God’s rule is no shackle. Christ’s commands are no chain.
Moses was right, “the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always.” David was right, “the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.” Jesus was right, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This yoke of Christ, these so called chains that the world wants to break, these so called fetters that they want to throw off, this is rest for our souls. The world wants to throw off rest for the soul.
The world thinks obedience to Christ would be slavery. They only think that because they are already enslaved to Satan. They think that freedom is slavery and slavery is freedom because Satan has blinded them; “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”
If you are afraid that is you, if you know that you are fighting against God and you’ve come to realize it’s pointless, I beg you to stop rebelling. Bow before God. Come to His anointed one whose rule you’ve hated and say, ‘Jesus, I thought I was free but now I see that I was a slave of sin. Please forgive me. I would never have dared to ask you to bear the punishment of my sin, I would never have dared to ask the judge to pay the penalty for what I did, but you have done more than I can ask or imagine on the cross. Please forgive me and put your yoke on me. I’ve heard that you are gentle. I’ve heard that you are lowly in heart. I’ve heard that in you I will find rest for my soul. That’s what I want.’
If you already consider yourself a follower of Christ, do you want to obey him? Or do you see his commands as chains? One of the saddest things you can say about the church in America today is that so many church-goers see Christ’s commands as chains. ‘How little of this can I obey and still go to heaven?’ That’s not a heart that loves Jesus. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
Have you come to believe that grace means freedom from obedience? When you think of obeying God, do you think exactly the same thoughts as an unbeliever, “Let us break their chains and throw off their fetters”? If so, go to Christ. Go to the king. His words are for you too, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Amen.