When God Laughs (Psalm 2:4-6) | Worship Service

Well, good morning.

Welcome to Kootenai Church. Would you please stand as we begin our worship service this morning with a call to worship from Psalm 46.

And it says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains shake into the heart of the sea.

Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its lofty pride.

Yahweh of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

From the pages of scripture to the pen of Luther, the message remains the same.

Our God is our refuge and strength. So let's sing together this timeless hymn, the battle hymn of the

Reformation, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. Almighty fortress is our

God, a bulwark never failing. Our helper, he amid the flood of torn old hills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.

His craft and power are great and armed with cruel hate.

On earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength not fight, our striving would be losing.

Were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing.

Thus as proof that may be, Christ Jesus it is he.

The Lord of hosts is named, from age to age the same.

And he must win the battle. And though this world with devil's will should threaten to undo us.

We will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.

A prince of darkness grand, we tremble not for him.

His rage we can endure, for though his doom is sure.

One little word shall fail him.

That word of the whole earthly powers, no thanks to them of my head.

The spirit and the gifts are ours, through him who with us sided.

Let good and kindred know, this mortal life also.

The body they may kill, God's truth abideth still.

His kingdom is forever. For glorious cause, oh

God, engages our hearts. May Jesus Christ be known, wherever we are.

We ask not for ourselves, but for your renown.

The cross has saved us, so we pray, your kingdom come.

Let your kingdom come, let your will be done.

So that everyone might know, only when our sovereign work on earth is done.

Give us your strength, oh God, and courage to speak.

We'll form your wondrous feast, through those that are weak.

Your dues must as you want, whatever the test.

By grace you'll preach your gospel, till our dying hour.

Sovereign work on earth, kingdom come.

Be done, so everyone might know.

We're going to sing a new psalm,

Psalm 113, Who is like the Lord? Saints in service, host of heaven.

All creation, praise the name of the Lord, night and morning.

Sing his glory, now and forevermore.

Earthly kingdoms, all dominions, bow before him.

Praise the name of the Lord, now as holy, now as worthy.

Now and forever, creation to his life alone.

Our Lord Jesus, for our weakness, to redeem us.

Praise the name of the Lord, in his kindness, he will keep us.

Now and forevermore. Crowned with adoration, he is high above the nation.

To his life alone. Jesus from the ashes, he has stood our grief.

There is no one like you, our

Messiah, here beside us. There is no one like you, high and holy, meek and lowly.

There is no one like you, our

Messiah, here beside us. There is no one like you.

Crowned with adoration, he is high above the nation.

To his life alone, our God. Raised us from the ashes, he has turned our grief.

To gladness, who is like the Lord, our

God. Who is like the Lord, our

God. There is no one like our

God. There is no one like our God.

You may be seated. Just two things that are worth announcing that are in your bulletin.

There are a few other events coming up. Check your bulletin for those events. Two things I want to make you aware of.

First, next Sunday is our annual potluck, harvest dinner potluck.

After the service, we will be tearing down all of the chairs, setting up tables, enjoying a meal together. The details of what you will want to bring to that next week are in your bulletin.

Check and make sure that you know whether you are supposed to bring a main dish or dessert or drop crab legs off in my office on your way in.

The bulletin will tell you that. Second, many of you know that Kevin Brenneman has cancer in our church.

He is going through a struggle with that. Somebody that Kevin works with is going to be putting on an instrumental bluegrass concert as a benefit for Kevin with an auction.

All of the proceeds will go to benefit Kevin and his family. If you want tickets to that, it is November 16th, which is a

Saturday night. Lisa, are you in charge of that? Talk to Lisa Slippy about how to get tickets.

I think they are $20 a piece. We are going to be hosting it here in our building. If you are wanting to come to that and contribute to that, we would welcome you to do so.

Talk to Lisa for details. Turn if you will now, please, to Psalm 59. The book of Psalms to Psalm 59.

Psalm 59. We begin with the superscript. The choir director said to Al -Tashhef, a victim of David, when

Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies,

O my God. Set me securely on high, away from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from those who do iniquity and save me from men of bloodshed.

For behold, they have set an ambush for my life. Fierce men launch an attack against me.

Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.

Arouse yourself to help me and see. You, O Lord, God of hosts, the

God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations. Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity.

They return at evening. They howl like a dog and go around the city. Behold, they belch forth with their mouth.

Swords are in their lips, for they say, Who hears? But you, O Lord, laugh at them.

You scoff at all the nations. Because of his strength, I will watch for you.

For God is my stronghold. My God, in his loving kindness, will meet me.

God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes. Do not slay them, or my people will forget.

Scatter them by your power and bring them down, O Lord, our shield. On account of the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be caught in their pride.

And on account of curses and lies which they utter. Destroy them in wrath. Destroy them that they may be no more.

That men may know that God rules in Jacob. To the ends of the earth. They return at evening.

They howl like a dog and go around the city. They wander about for food and growl if they are not satisfied.

But as for me, I shall sing of your strength. Yes, I shall joyfully sing of your loving kindness in the morning.

For you have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength,

I will sing praises to you. For God is my stronghold. The God who shows me loving kindness.

Will you stand with me as we pray? Let us bow our heads.

Our Father, You are our rock and our refuge. Our strong deliverer. And our strong tower.

And we are reminded again this morning through this psalm. As well as the one we will be studying later. Psalm 2.

That the nations are raging and taking their stand. Against You and against Your anointed.

The kings of the earth. In tumultuous raging conflict. Against Your truth and Your righteousness.

And yet You are the sovereign God. Who delivers Your people. You are in charge of our times. You know our strengths and our weaknesses.

You watch over us and You keep us. You bless Your people. You guard and protect us.

To accomplish Your purposes. We know that You are in the heavens. And whatever You do will flourish.

It will prosper. No purpose of Yours can be thwarted. No one can call You to account and say to You.

What have You done? And no one can judge what You have done in righteousness. And so to You.

We commit our cause. We commit the truth. We commit ourselves. Trusting You are righteous and glorious.

Good. And that You are sovereign and wise. And that You will dispose of all things. All peoples.

All nations. And all of creation in a way that will bring You glory. And will be for the good and the benefit and the blessing of Your people.

Both now and forever. We thank You for Your grace and kindness. Watch over us this day. Watch over this nation.

Watch over Your people. Your church. And accomplish Your purposes in and through Your word today.

In us we ask. In Christ's name. Amen. Let's sing together.

The church is one foundation. The church is one foundation.

The church is one foundation. It's Jesus Christ her Lord. She is

His new creation. She is His new creation. By water and the

Word. From heaven He came and sought her.

To be His holy bride. With His own blood

He bought her. And for her life He died.

He went from every nation.

Yet one for all the earth. Her charter of salvation.

One Lord, one faith, one earth. One holy name she blesses.

Partakes one holy food. And to one hope she presses.

With every place endured. With toil and tribulation.

And tumult of her war. She wakes the consummation.

Of peace forevermore. Till with the vision glorious.

Her loving eyes are blessed. And the great church victorious.

Shall be the church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union. With God the three in one.

And mystic sweet communion. With those whose rest is won.

O happy ones and holy. Lord give us grace that we.

Like them the meek and lowly. On high may dwell with thee.

Like them the meek and lowly. In Exodus 15.

It says who is like you among the gods oh Yahweh. Who is like you majestic in holiness.

Fearsome in praises working wonders. You stretched out your right hand the earth swallowed them.

In your loving kindness you have guided the people whom you have redeemed. In your strength you have led them to your holy habitation.

Yahweh shall reign forever and ever. Let's sing together God is king forever.

Psalm 99. God is king forever.

Let the nations tremble. Rolled up on the chair of him.

By home beyond the door. He is great in Zion.

High above all peoples. Praise him with fearful.

For he is the Lord. Merciful as mighty.

He delights in justice. For he reigns in righteousness.

And rules in equity. Worship and exalt him.

Bowing down before him. Perfect in Godhead.

Holy in His feet. Holy, holy, holy.

The darkness hide me. Though the eye of sinful man.

Thy glory may not see. Holy now.

Our Lord is not beside me.

Perfect in power and love.

He forgave their sin.

Although they felt his chastening rod. His holy temple.

Worship and adore him. Faithful and holy.

Is the Lord our God. And now you'll need to turn your

Bibles to the book of Psalms again. To Psalm 2. And we'll read the

Psalm together here in just a moment. But let's begin with a word of prayer. Before we start our study. Our Father we open your word.

With gladness and with joy. For we see in the pages of scripture. Our glorious God.

Revealed to us. In the written word. Which is so sure and reliable.

And true. And we pray that today. Our exposure to the truths regarding.

Your nature, your justice, your righteousness. Your grace, goodness and love.

May serve to warm our hearts. And to warn our hearts. And we pray that you would be glorified.

As we are exposed to your word. That you would be glorified. To conform us to the image of Christ.

Through that word. Bring any who are here. Who have never responded to the message of salvation.

To your son the Lord Jesus Christ. That in him they may find refuge. From the wrath that is to come.

And teach us to think biblically. About the world in which we live. And our response to that.

We pray in Christ's name. Amen. From the beginning of human history. Mankind has been in rebellion.

Against a good and benevolent. And kind creator. The sin of Adam in the garden. Launched his progeny into a rebellion.

That has lasted to this present day. And will last until the Lord Jesus Christ. Returns. And this course that Adam set us on.

Has been willfully and intentionally pursued. By all of his children. Down to this present day.

Even to our own self -destruction. The idolatrous worship of false religion. The violence, immorality and wickedness.

Have marked Adam's fallen race. Since the beginning. Cain expressed his hatred.

For the one true God. By killing his brother. Outside the garden. Since Cain could not ascend the steps to heaven.

And tear God off of his throne. And plunge the knife into God's chest. And do away with him.

He did the next best thing that he could do. Which was to kill a righteous man. Who was created in the image of God.

It was the closest he could get. And that's why he did what he did. That rebellion of Adam's race.

Is expressed both individually and corporately. Through all of history. At the time of Noah. The earth was filled with violence.

And there were only eight God fearing people on the planet. And God destroyed the world that then was.

Through a deluge of water. Drowning everybody. Except for the eight who were spared on board the ark.

After the flood. Man populated the earth again. And began to fill the earth. And they assembled themselves in contradiction.

And against the revealed will of God at Babel. And God judged them for that. By confusing their languages.

And so goes all of human history. Mankind in rebellion against God. And we are part of a cosmic war.

A cosmic war with eternal stakes. There are spiritual forces on both sides. There are two kingdoms at war.

With one another. It is a truth war. And you and I are caught up in the midst of that. It is a war that is old as time itself.

And as current as today's headlines. And the questions that are asked. In every era.

Are asked today. And the questions go as follows. Who determines what is true? Whose authority will be recognized?

Who has the right to set the rules? Who is it that is going to rule in this creation? Who will be obeyed?

And who will be worshipped? Those are the questions that are asked. In our day they are the questions that are asked.

In every age. And everything that man wages war over. Every conflict boils down to the answer to those questions.

All of our conflict. Our suffering. Our sin. Is really man insisting that we get to set the rules.

We get to determine what is true. And we get to do as we please. Fallen man's raging hatred for the one true

God. Is expressed in the words of Psalm 2. Look at verse 3. Let us tear their fetters apart.

And cast away their cords from us. Fallen man says. We will cast off God's restraints.

We will break off his fetters. Submitting to divine authority is a yoke. So we will be free.

We will do whatever we want. We will express our individuality. We will be true to ourselves.

We will live out our own truth. We will not be oppressed by religious dogmas. And religious ideas.

That infringe upon our self -expression. And our independence. That is the mantra of our age.

That is the mantra of every age. Because that is the banner and the battle cry. Of man at war against God.

And against his anointed. And for those who love the truth. It seems.

As if every age in which we live. The war is raging at a fever pitch.

That is heretofore unknown. And unseen. Does it not? It seems like it is more intense in our day.

It is not. There is nothing new under the sun. It feels new to us.

Because we are new to it. We are not the first ones to step onto the scene. It just feels like. Things are raging particularly badly.

And intensely. And heated at this moment in history. But it has always been this way.

It is expressed differently. Different cultures do different things. But every age.

Every era is the same. It is the same war. It is the same parties. It is the same kingdoms. In conflict one another.

And it is the same questions being asked. And we understand the raging rebellion of the wicked.

Is a cause of great angst. And vexation to us. And I think that today. Looking at this psalm.

At least I hope. Is going to calm your hearts. Calm our hearts. Just a little bit. As we consider what

God's response to the raging wicked is. We are in Psalm 2. And here we have God's response.

To the raging wicked. Psalm 2. Describes Yahweh's promise.

To establish his king. And his kingdom. In spite of the vain opposition of worldly rulers.

Of earthly powers. Psalm 2 is about God's promise. To establish his king and his kingdom.

In spite of the opposition of earthly powers. We looked at verses 1 -3 last week.

In fact we saw that. The psalm can be very neatly divided into. Four sections of three verses each.

And the first three verses we saw. Describe the rebellion of the wicked. As vain folly.

That's the first three verses. Let's read them together. Why are the nations in an uproar. And the peoples devising a vain thing.

The kings of the earth take their stand. And the rulers take counsel together. Against the Lord and against his anointed.

Saying. Let us tear their fetters apart. And cast away their cords from us. We saw in verse 1.

That this rebellion is a raging rebellion. In verse 2. That it is a defiant rebellion.

And then in verse 3. That it is a lawless rebellion. Those three things characterize. This vain folly.

This rebellion of the wicked. Now today we're looking at verses 4 -6. And I'll give you the outline for the rest of the psalm.

Just so we can remember sort of what has come before. What is going to come afterwards. So we kind of take it in its context.

In verses 4 -6 we see that the response of Yahweh. Is mocking fury. Let's read those verses together.

He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then he will speak to them in his anger.

And terrify them in his fury. Saying. But as for me I have installed my king upon Zion. My holy mountain.

Then in verses 7 -9. The reign of the king is sovereign force. Verse 7.

I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. He said to me you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance.

And the very ends of the earth as your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall shatter them like earthenware.

And then in verses 10 -12. The refuge for the wise. Is his blessed favor. Verse 10.

Now therefore O kings show discernment. Take warning O judges of the earth. Worship the

Lord with reverence. And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the son that he not become angry. And you perish in the way.

For his wrath may soon be kindled. A blessed are all who take refuge in him. So our passage today.

Is verses 4, 5, and 6. He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.

We are going to see three things. In these three verses. About God's response to the rebellious wicked.

First, in verse 4. He holds rebels in derision. That is verse 4. He holds them in derision.

In verse 5. He terrifies rebels with divine wrath. And then in verse 6.

He answers rebels with a decree. He holds them in derision. He terrifies them with divine wrath.

And then he answers them with a simple decree. That is in verse 6. So let's look at God's response.

This mocking fury. In verse 4. He holds rebels in derision.

He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Now as you may have guessed.

If you have listened to my preaching. For any amount of time whatsoever. I find verse 4 very comforting. Encouraging.

Delightful. I sometimes recite it to myself. To get myself to sleep at night. It is an object of my adoration.

My love. My thanksgiving. I appreciate this verse. A tremendous amount. I do not think that the raging of the wicked.

In verses 1 -3. And the calm repose. Of God. In verses 4 -6.

Could be more starkly contrasted. Than they are in these two sections. In verses 1 -3.

We see the frothing. Tumultuous commotion. Of the wicked. Like a sea that is always stirring.

And tossed up. They are in this state of violent defiant. Raging lawless rebellion.

They have no peace. Their rebellion is in itself. This turbulent tossing about. They are not satisfied.

The wicked are not happy. They are not content. They are not peaceful. They are not at rest. They are always kicking against the goads.

Fighting against sound wisdom. Casting off restraint. Breaking apart fetters. Thrashing about.

Fighting against God. Aligning themselves against God and His truth. Taking counsel together. Taking their stand.

Bustling and raging about. There is no peace before them. There is no rest in their lives.

They are always drenched with blood and violence. They are unsettled and never at ease. God sits.

And God laughs. Why do the nations rage? Like a sea tossed about.

Always at war. Taking their stand. Counseling together. God sits and God laughs.

He holds them in derision. His calm repose in the midst of all of this violent, raging, foolish rebellion of the wicked is just seen in that statement.

He who sits in the heavens laughs. God sits. Now this is anthropomorphism which means it's human language or language that would be used to describe a human being and it is applied here to God to give us a picture of something.

To put an image into our head. It doesn't mean that God literally sits because He doesn't have a literal physical body.

So it is an anthropomorphic phrase that the psalmist is using here to describe

God's calm repose. He sits in the heavens. He doesn't stand. He doesn't rage.

He doesn't rush about. He's not whisking about heaven trying to figure out what to do with these two presidential candidates that we are stuck with and our nation the way it is.

He's not wondering what is going to happen between Putin and China and Iran and Iraq and us and Lebanon and Israel and everybody else on the planet.

He's not taking counsel with the hosts of heaven asking the saints who are already there what shall we do about this.

He's not consulting with the angels to figure out a good way to deal with this or to handle all of the chaos and commotion.

He sits in the heavens and he laughs. He is not panicked. He is not worried. He's not upset.

He's not wondering what's going to become of it. In fact, I want you to notice that there are three distinct contrasts between the first three verses and those next three verses.

Verses 1 -3 and verses 4 -6 there are three contrasts that are worth noting. First, the wicked are on earth and God is in heaven.

I mentioned last week that is an intentional contrast by the author. The kings of the earth do this.

God sits in the heavens and he laughs. That's the first contrast. The second one is that the wicked are the wicked take their stand verses 1 -3 and God sits.

They take their stand. God sits. And the third contrast is that the wicked are in commotion and raging and God is calm and unmoved.

Now I ask you, Saint, are you in angst over the world as it is? Does it vex you at all?

Do you see what's happening? Are you disturbed by the plots and the ploys and the plans of the wicked and the rebels and their raging and their threats?

You lose sleep at night. You wonder what is going to happen to my kids? What is going to happen to my grandkids? What is this nation going to look like?

And if you're my age, maybe a little younger or a little older, then you realize that the change that you have seen in our culture, in our nation and in this world is not slow and gradual.

It is becoming exponential. It is changing exponentially. Do you worry about that?

And I say to you, believer, behold your God. He sits in the heavens and he laughs.

He holds them in derision. All of the raging heathen and the raging pagans of this entire world are nothing before him.

Spurgeon says this, mark the quiet dignity of the omnipotent one and the contempt which he pours upon the princes and their raging people.

He has not taken the trouble to rise up and to do battle with them. He despises them. He knows how absurd, how irrational, how futile are their attempts against him.

He therefore laughs at them. See, he's not on the earth like the other kings.

He's not just another monarch going to battle against a worthy adversary over a piece of turf here in this world.

He's not that at all. No, our God sits in the heavens and he laughs. Psalm 11, verse 4, the

Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes behold. His eyelids test the sons of men.

Psalm 68, 33. Let these verses just wash over your mind and your heart. Psalm 68, 33.

To him who rides upon the highest heavens, which are from ancient times, behold, he speaks forth with his voice a mighty voice.

Psalm 115, verse 3. Our God is in the heavens and he does whatever he pleases.

Isaiah 40, verse 22. He who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

Isaiah 66, verse 1. Thus says the Lord, heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool. Where then is the house that you will build for me?

And where is the place that I may rest? The kings are of the world, of this earth.

This little tiny terrestrial ball that they fight and bicker over. Let me give you a word picture.

Imagine a meatball on the floor and two ants on top of the meatball arguing with each other and every once in a while they look up and shake their little tiny fists at a 6 foot 6 300 pound offensive lineman standing above it and they curse him and say you will not tell us what to do.

That is the kings of the earth before our God. He sits in the heavens and laughs. And it would take more energy for that offensive lineman to squash that meatball and its ants than it would be for God to conquer all of the kings on this little speck of dust in this solar system in this universe.

He would expend no energy whatsoever to dissolve it all into nothingness and to judge every last creature on this planet.

No energy. Our God sits in the heavens and he laughs. He rules over all.

Now what kind of laughter is this? You and I laugh for different reasons. Some of you just kind of chuckled or laughed over the little illustration that I gave you.

It's kind of a neat quirky little thing. It's an odd word picture so that makes you chuckle. We laugh for different reasons.

For instance, sometimes we laugh because something is funny like that word picture or because something is funny because something kind of catches us unexpectedly.

This is what makes stand -up comedy funny to us is that the joke or the punchline is something that we don't expect, we don't see coming.

So the funniest part of stand -up comedy or a situation comedy or something like that or a joke is the thing that you don't see coming and it strikes you as weird out of the blue and the more that somebody is able to surprise you with an outcome like that or a twist, the funnier it becomes.

Sometimes we laugh as a coping mechanism. We say, either I'm going to laugh about this or cry about it.

I'm not sure what. We see what's happening in the world and I might as well poke fun. I might as well enjoy some good memes.

I never thought that the fall of Western civilization would be this much fun, but at least we're memeing about it all the way through to the end. Sometimes we laugh at pain.

Like this is my natural mechanism is to laugh at my pain or the pain of other people.

I don't intend to do that. If you stub your toe or bonk your head or something like that, you're likely going to hear me chuckle before I can kind of control myself because it's just a defense mechanism.

I laugh at other people's pain. Sometimes we laugh to relieve tension or stress. Sometimes we are nervous or anxious and we're responding to those situations with laughter.

But the laughter that is described here in verse 4 is none of those things. It's none of those kinds of laughter.

This is a laughter of mockery and scoffing. This is ridicule.

Does that make you a little uncomfortable? This is ridicule. The next phrase of verse 4 tells you what's going on.

The Lord scoffs at them. This is scoffing. This is not

God uncomfortable with the situation and so nervously laughing in heaven. He's not laughing because he finds sin humorous or because he thinks that the kings of the earth and the raging nations are doing unexpected things like the punch line of a joke that kind of catches him unawares.

He's not laughing. He doesn't think that the violence and the bloodshed and the wars and the raging and the immorality and wickedness, he doesn't think that it's cute.

He doesn't say, oh, boys will be boys. Just kind of laugh at them down there fighting with each other. That's not why he's laughing. He's not indicating in verse 4 that God does not take it seriously.

How do I know that? Because verse 5 says he is angry and he is going to speak to them in his fury. So God is furious and he is angry.

He is full of wrath at this situation. He's taking it serious. In verse 4, this is mockery and derision.

This is scoffing that God is heaping upon these kings and these nations. Now, if that makes you uncomfortable, let me argue a case for you for just a moment.

Part of God's triumph over his enemies is holding them up to open disgrace.

This is not the only place we're going to read this in Scripture. I'm going to give you a few other references. Part of God's triumph over his enemies is holding them up to open disgrace.

He publicly triumphs over them. He publicly shames the wicked. Colossians 2 says that God has done this to the spiritual forces in heavenly places.

The evil spirits, Colossians 2, when he had disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through him, that is through Christ, and his suffering on the cross.

The triumph over evil spiritual forces was a public triumph. They hung the Son of God on a cross in broad daylight next to the gate to the city of Jerusalem on the highest holy day of the year so that thousands upon thousands of Jews walking in would walk right past this public shameful display of the

Son of God being crucified in broad daylight before everyone's eyes. But the joke was on them because three days later he rose again and there was a public empty grave to testify to the fact that God raised him from the dead.

And so his triumph over the wicked was a public display of his victory over spiritual forces.

Now the wicked in this world, they mock God publicly. They do it shamelessly. They scoff at him and his law.

This is one of the ways that they take counsel against the Lord and his anointed. Unjust laws, unjust court decisions, immoral policies, shameful public acts are open mockery of God and his truth.

The wicked take their seat in the seat of the scoffer. They sit down in the seat of the scoffer and from there they publicly mock and jeer everything holy, righteous, and true.

Their sin and their defiance is an open raging, defiant, lawless rebellion against God and every act of defiance against the

Lord and against his anointed is an open and public act of scoffing and mockery. They take the name of Christ and they use it as a filthy four -letter filth word to express disgust.

They take the name of our God and they drag it through the mud. They hold him up to mockery making him and his cause the gist and the butt of their ribald jokes.

This is what they do publicly. They publicly flaunt their immorality, debauchery, and perversions openly defying

God and mocking him as if he can never have the final say and therefore I would suggest to you that it is just and it is righteous for God to openly publicly mock those who have mocked him.

And I for one am content with that. It is just for God to do that.

He makes a mockery of mockers and he scoffs at the scoffers. That is just and it is right for they have made him the object of their jokes and then he will show that publicly, shamefully the joke is on them in the end.

Now just this week we saw at a rally for one of our presidential candidates somebody during a brief quiet moment shout out

Christ is King. Then you heard that statement publicly booed by the people who were there.

And then Kamala Harris, the presidential candidate said I think you're at the wrong rally.

And then she mocked it, laughed and everybody cheered that. The kings of the earth take their stand against the

Lord and against his anointed and they hold him up to public mockery and shame. They do this all the time and everywhere.

And when the presidential candidate on the other side of the aisle if he does the same thing he deserves the same reproof and the same rebuke.

Because this is not a partisan issue. But we are seeing in candidates on both sides of the aisle righteousness and truth slandered and mocked and God's name drugged through the mud.

God's promise is that those who defy him publicly and openly their judgment will be public and open.

Those who mock him he will mock. Those who scoff at him he will scoff at. He scoffs at the nations.

Isaiah 66 verse 24 the last verse in the book of Isaiah describes something that is going to be true

I think in the new heavens and the new earth. Isaiah 66 24 says then they will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against me their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched and they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.

For all of eternity the wicked who have mocked God will themselves be the objects of mockery. Obadiah verse 15

I love the book of Obadiah Obadiah I call Obadiah I don't know where I got this I know it's not original with me very little of what

I do is original with me except the meatball analogy the meatball with the ants I came up with that during Sunday school

Simon it wasn't that I wasn't listening but I was back there thinking about it. So the meatball picture is mine with the ants that's all me

I get credit for that but this I don't necessarily think I can take credit for. Obadiah has been called the prophet of poetic justice.

You know why? Because Obadiah lists the sins of the Edomites and what they had done against the nation of Israel.

He says you have done this and you have done this and you have done this and it is a litany of charges against them and then he says because you have done this

I am going to do these things to you this this and this and it is a one to one correspondence between these things in fact the key verse of Obadiah is verse 15 where we read this the day of the

Lord draws near on all the nations listen as you have done it will be done to you your dealings will return on your own head that's the prophet of poetic justice as you have done it will be done to you.

Mock God openly and die in that condition and you will be mocked openly and publicly and that for all of eternity this is not the only place where we read of God laughing

Psalm 37 verse 12 the wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth the

Lord laughs at him for he sees his day is coming the wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy to slay those who are upright in conduct their sword will enter their own heart and their bows will be broken listen to that last verse the wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to slay the righteous and the psalmist says their sword which they have drawn to slay others will enter their own heart and their bow which they have drawn back will itself break while it's drawn back and punish them as you have done it will be done to you your deeds will return upon your own head

Psalm 59 verse 8 but you oh Lord laugh at them you scoff at all the nations take comfort in that Christian he holds them in derision second verse 5 he terrifies rebels with divine wrath then he will speak to them this is

Yahweh is going to speak to them in his anger and terrify them in his fury saying then verse 6 gives us the statement the decree the scoffing itself that God has that God does in verse 4 is an expression of the wrath that is mentioned the fury that is mentioned in verse 5 in other words the scoffing is an expression of God's judgment the scoffing is part of their judgments not all of their judgment it is part of the judgment that falls upon the wicked these two words anger and fury both of them describe a deep and burning indignation in fact the word anger is used

I think a couple hundred times in the Old Testament it is most often translated anger but it is also translated as nostrils

I bet you didn't see that coming you thought I could see it wrath you know of being upset something like that but I didn't see nostrils coming it's translated nostrils for instance in Exodus 15 verse 8 where it's describing the children of Israel leaving

Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea and the eventual destruction of Pharaoh and his army Exodus 15 verse 8 at the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up the flowing water stood up like a heap the deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea at the blast of your nostrils you might say at the blast of your anger or your fury or your wrath also translated nostrils and this is not just twice but a number of times in the

Old Testament Psalm 18 verse 15 then the channels of water appeared and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke oh

Lord at the blast of the breath of your nostrils or at the blast of your anger so it's not difficult to see sort of the the how anger would be associated with nostrils you picture somebody who is furious and just like that the blasting out of the nostrils somebody full of rage that vents that rage that is the picture there he will speak to them in his with the blast of his nostrils with his anger vented and terrify them in his fury the word fury there describes a burning or something that has become hot it describes something that is kindled this is a description of God's righteous anger with the wicked

Psalm 7 verse 11 says God is a righteous judge and a God who has indignation every day

Ephesians 5 or 6 just in case you are thinking well that's the Old Testament God that's there's no mention of wrath in the

New Testament Ephesians 5 or 6 let no one deceive you with empty words for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience and Romans 1 18 says the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness this is a just wrath

Old Testament New Testament it is a just wrath a wrath against sinners who spurn his grace and abuse his mercy who perpetuate violence and immorality and wickedness who openly mock and take their stand against God and against his

Christ and when you see it happening in our day it should fill you with a righteous indignation if you do not have something in your heart that longs to see righteousness done and justice done and truth vindicated and God's glory redeemed and held high if you don't have that in you even to the point of saying

I desire that God judge the wickedness in our land and in this world and for all of this to come to an end if you don't have that in you you're either an unbeliever or your moral compass is broken seeing the indignation seeing the sin around us should fill us with righteous indignation

God is holy and just and he is full of righteous indignation against the wicked and mention of that wrath in verse 5 should spark in us in you the kind of penitence that you see in verse 12 do homage to the son that he not become angry and you perish in the way for his wrath may soon be kindled here's the promise very last phrase of the psalm how blessed are all who take refuge in him

Jesus Christ will return and he will execute the just wrath of God upon the heads of the impenitent that is the promise and teaching of scripture and his wrath toward the wicked is a just wrath now does this up to this point sound a little bit lopsided like Jim I where's the love where's the grace we haven't got to that yet okay that's verse 10 through 12 we'll get to verse 10 through 12 there is a gracious invitation in verses 10 through 12 to find your refuge in the king who will execute justice and if you will not find your refuge in that king then you will face that king's justice today is the day of salvation today is the day of grace we are all every last one of us violators of God's law and deserve the punishment that is due to us for our lying our stealing our our lust our hatred our envy our strife our murderous thoughts for our idolatry our greed our selfishness our immorality our past our present we deserve the just wrath of God it is right for a just God to punish sinners we want a just God to punish sinners we want a just judge to do what is just and what is right and we would be offended if an earthly judge didn't give justice in an earthly realm if he let lawbreakers go free we would be righteously indignant and God because he is a good

God will himself see that evil is punished and that evil doers are punished for their crimes against him but verses 7 to 9 describe the punishment that is to come this son will execute that wrath the wrath mentioned in verse 5 the son will execute in verse 9 he will break them with a rod of iron he will shatter them like earthenware so what is the conclusion of all of that verse 10 now do homage to the son show reverence take warning worship the

Lord rejoice with trembling come before this son and find your refuge in him or stand before him and be judged justly for the sins that you have committed against him and against his law

God's word in verse 5 terrifies the wicked his is a voice of power and authority his is a voice that is like thunder like the roaring of the waves the word translated terrify there is a word that speaks of being put into put out of your senses into a state of complete discombobulation and consternation it just simply means to come undone so here you have the picture of the wicked who are taking their stand against God and against his anointed they have set themselves up they have gathered together their counselors they are raging they are defiant and they are lawless and they think like ants on a meatball that they have dominion over all of this territory and then

God just has to speak the word he doesn't have to rise up he doesn't have to get anxious he doesn't have to rage he just has to say the decree in verse 6 and that is sufficient to terrify the wicked to put them out of sorts to discombobulate them to put them in utter and total consternation they have taken their stand and now they are undone by this decree they have gathered together their counsel and now they are scattered and shattered like an earthenware vessel and all he has to do is say this one thing

I have installed my king they have taken their counsel and God undoes it just simply by his decree

Isaiah 11 verse 4 says but with righteousness he will judge the poor and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth and he this is the

Lord this is Yahweh his king and he will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked just God speaking when he speaks it will terrify the wicked he doesn't need to stand he doesn't need to rush about or panic as the hymn that we opened up our service says in one of the verses one little word shall fell them it will crumble up to this point the end of verse 5

God is seemingly silent the raging is happening the rebellion is going on they're taking their stand

God is mocking God is laughing he sits in heaven he is full of wrath he is full of fury and now verse 6 he speaks so he holds them in derision he terrifies them with divine wrath and now look at verse 6 he answers these rebels with a simple decree as for me

I have installed my king upon Zion my holy mountain Zion there is a reference to Jerusalem it was the ancient name for Jerusalem 2

Samuel chapter 5 verse 7 David conquered that became the seat of his kingdom it was eventually the location of Solomon's temple which would be built after the time of David David is the author of Psalm 2 we saw that last week and so he is describing here in some sense his own installation as king over Israel God made him king over Israel in Jerusalem but there is in the

Psalm a double meaning there is a near and a far fulfillment for these words because it is not just David that is being described in the

Psalm as verses 7 through 9 make clear there is another king who will exercise dominion over all of the nations

David never did in verses 7 through 9 it is the divine son who is speaking this one who is the son of God it is

Yahweh and he speaks in verses 7 through 9 so ultimately Christ fulfills the statement in verse 6 he is the ultimate king who will be established on Zion now listen

Zion is not spiritual symbolism for the church it is not symbolic of the whole world it is not a reference to heaven and Christ's rule in heaven now instead

God's judgment upon the wicked will involve Jesus Christ as king taking his seat on David's throne in Jerusalem and ruling from Zion that is coming

God's king is coming the fulfillment of verse 6 is coming now you say why is it that is spoken in the past tense because in David's day

God's answer to the raging of the nations around Israel was to give Israel a king a man after his own heart

David and with David he made a covenant and he sat David upon that throne and established him upon Zion and gave him to rule over the nation of Israel and that caused the nations around that to be terrified in the sense that David executed

God's justice upon the surrounding nations and had peace at the end of his reign because he had subdued all of their enemies but that is not the last enemy to be subdued by a descendant of David someday the greater son of David the

Lord Jesus Christ Yahweh in human flesh will take that throne and he will rule over the nations that's chapter 2

Psalm 2 verse 8 he will have all of the nations as his inheritance and you say but it's in the past tense that's right for the same reason that your glorification is spoken of in the past tense in Romans chapter 8 because God has decreed this and it cannot but otherwise happen it must happen it will happen and there is nothing that can keep this from happening here is

God's decree on that day to all of the nations around the world who are in rebellion today against that king and will be when he returns

God's decree is this is my son I have installed him upon Zion and he will crush the nations with a rod of iron that's verses 7 -9 here are other passages that describe the same thing

Psalm 110 verses 1 and 2 the Lord says to my Lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for my feet this is

David describing his Lord saying to his Lord this is two people both of whom are Lord and one says to the other sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet the

Lord will stretch forth your strong scepter from Zion saying rule in the midst of your enemies

Daniel 7 Daniel looked forward and saw this king and this kingdom being established

Daniel 7 verses 13 and 14 I kept looking in the night visions and behold with the clouds of heaven one like the son of man was coming and he came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him and to him was given dominion glory and a kingdom than all the people's nations and men of every language might serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed yet future

Isaiah 9 verses 6 and 7 a child will be born to us a son will be given to us and the government will rest on his shoulders his name will be called wonderful counselor mighty

God eternal father prince of peace there will be no end to the increase of his government or of peace and on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore the zeal of the

Lord of hosts will accomplish this he has established it that king is coming and he will take that throne and nothing can prevent it and in the end the wicked will get the very thing that they have hated and spent their lives warring against and that is a king to rule them in righteousness and they will get the justice that they so very rightly deserve their judgment is that the very thing that they work so vehemently against God decrees is going to happen they resist it and God judges them by doing the very thing that they have resisted they cannot and they will not get their way he breaks them with a rod of iron and he shatters them verse 9 says in verses 7 to 9 described this king this installed king as he speaks and describes his reign and what he has come to do and then in verses 10 to 12 the implications of this are described do homage to the son lest he become angry with you and you perish in the way blessed are all who take refuge in him let me offer a couple of implications to these truths as we wrap this up number one first to the unbeliever who may be sitting here today if you are not in Jesus Christ you are under the wrath of God his wrath rightly abides upon you it rests on you for your every sin is counted and known by him and he knows all of them and they are written down in a book there will come a day if you die in this unbelieving state there will come a day when you stand before that king and the books will be open and he will take his throne he will sit upon that great white throne and you will be judged according to the things that are written in that book and the decree will be guilty that's the just verdict the decree will be guilty and if you do not have somebody who has taken away your sin and washed your account clean and given you that righteousness then you will perish on that day just as this psalm promises you're going to stand before this king and your crimes against him will be named and God's wrath will be poured out upon you that is justice that is good that is righteous but that same king offers you today peace you can sue for peace with that king and he will grant it and he has promised that all who come to him he will not cast any of them out he will give you eternal life and he will raise you up on the last day but you have to come to this king on his terms and that's repentance and faith he has done everything that is necessary to save you and to give you righteousness because he came here he lived a perfect life and in his doing and in his dying he purchased the righteousness that you need to stand before a holy

God and in his death he suffered the punishment that sinners deserve so that any and all who will come to him in repentance and faith can be forgiven of their sins and be given the righteousness that only

Christ can provide the day of mercy is not forever the day of wrath is coming and it is coming soon and there is not one of us seated here who has any promise that we will see the end of this day if you're not in Christ his wrath rests over you even now but he offers you mercy this day embrace it through repentance and faith turn from your sin and believe upon Christ that you may have eternal life and righteousness blessed are all who take refuge in him seize that promise today now to the believers who are here this passage should comfort you you're not going to face any of this wrath there's no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus Romans 8 verse 1 no condemnation the establishment of this king ensures your eternal glory and your unending joy and this should comfort you in this life are you tossed about the tumult of the raging wicked are you at the mercy of fools who rule us do we suffer now into the tyranny of wicked mad men and wicked women mad women the raging of the wicked in rebellion against this truth will not live long it will end it will come to a conclusion at some point and if you long for righteousness and truth and justice and peace then take comfort and solace in the promise of this psalm

God has installed his king upon Zion and that will happen and there is nothing that can keep that from happening all of the raging wicked are impotent and worthy of scorn they will all be undone

God is good God is wise he is sovereign he is never late and he will not be one day late in installing his king upon that holy hill so let this comfort you they shall not prevail they shall not last all of their sin their folly and their raging wickedness will be short lived and God holds them in derision he is not the least bit disturbed he has promised to give you the kingdom he has promised to seize the nations and he has promised that he is going to share that rule and his reign with us his people our

God laughs at their folly and he smiles at his children that is a sense should be a source for us of great encouragement and calm in tumultuous time let's bow our heads our father we trust you and we rest in you in your goodness in your grace your wisdom your sovereignty and your power we thank you for this picture of our

God who sits in the heavens enthroned above laughing at the wrath and raging rebellion of the wicked in this world this should comfort our hearts and encourage us greatly as we simply rest in your repose we pray that you would give to your people here peace in the midst of these times that we would delight ourselves in our

God and in your sovereignty and delight ourselves in your grace and in your joy and find comfort in the promises that we have read here this morning we know that there is a reward coming for the righteous and for faithful men and women we know father that at the end every account will be settled and every sin will be paid for every deed will be uncovered and undone so we can rest in that comfort our hearts we pray and we also ask for those who are here who may have never trusted

Christ yet that you would make them uncomfortable by the truth that they have heard that they may find their refuge and their calm repose in the coming king who has promised to shelter them from the wrath of God in the age that is to come we ask these things for the glory of our king and in his name amen would you please stand and after a message like that that we heard today how could we not sing is he worthy let's sing do you feel the world is broken we do do you feel the shadows deep in we do but do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through we do do you wish that you could see it all may do we do is all creation growing is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll the lion of Judah who conquered the grave is

David's ruler the lamb who died to ransom the slave is he a blessing and honor and is he worthy of this job is anyone worthy is anyone whole is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll the lion of Judah who conquered the grave he is

David's ruler and the lamb who died to ransom the slave from every people and tribe every nation and tribe he has made us a kingdom and praise to God to lift us up is he worthy is he worthy of a blessing and honor and glory worthy is he worthy is he worthy of this is he worthy

Yahweh bless you and keep you Yahweh make his face shine on you and be gracious to you