March 24

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed…” (Psalm 2:1-2)

“When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3)

Any believing Christian should ask the question, “Why do people scheme in vain against God’s purposes and plans? After all, the Lord is not only omnipotent but the sovereign Creator of all people. As our Creator, he has the right to do as he pleases with, for, and to us. Those who scoff at these truths have only themselves to blame when everything falls apart, they lose hope, and life seems futile. But scoffers do not blame themselves for their failures and ruin; they blame God for the natural consequences of their foolishness.

Placing blame on the Lord for God for the results of our folly is like blaming fire for being hot when we burn ourselves or blaming the rain for the soaking we get if we go outside without an umbrella. Fire is hot, rain is wet, and God is sovereign, righteous, and orderly. Scoffers rail at the fire that burns them and the rain that soaks through their clothes as if they had no part in their experience. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent, but they were the responsible parties. All creation and humankind have suffered the consequences of their folly because, in the divine order, those answerable must pay the price.

The Pharisees scoffed at Christ’s message of repentance and judgment for sin (Matthew 23). The Romans scoffed at the idea that Jesus could have been raised from the dead, assuming that someone had stolen his body (Matthew 27:62-66). People today scoff at the idea that Jesus is the Son of God, was crucified, buried, raised, and then ascended into heaven, from where he came in his incarnation. As believers, we know this to be the historical record of our Savior. David knew the facts, and wrote, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’ I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’” (Psalm 2:5-9)

As Easter approaches, we should examine our confidence in the Word of God and all that is recorded about Christ, lest we scoff at Messianic passages, pictures, and prophecies like that of Psalm 2. We will also suffer if we do not take divine providence and our part in it seriously. During this period of lent, perhaps we should give up murmuring and complaining about the challenges in our lives. “Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord” (Proverbs 16:20).