Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days

Psalms 3 and 4 connect together, for both took place just before the battle with Absalom's army (2Samuel 18). Whereas Psalm 4 is set in the evening before the battle, Psalm 3 is set on the morning of the battle, so when David declares in Psalm 3:4 that he has prayed and God has heard him, this refers to his prayer in 4:1. Likewise his belief he would sleep well in 4:8 was fulfilled (3:5). Compare also 3:2-3 and 4:2. David reveals the basis for his approach to God was that his righteousness was from God (not himself): "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!" (v1a). This is imputed righteousness through faith, and well as the fact that he knew he stood for a righteous cause (he was praying the will of God). Having righteousness before God gives us confidence that God will hear our prayer (1John 5:14, Proverbs 15:29, 1Peter 3:12, Psalm 34:15). He prays that God would be gracious to him and relieve him in his distress; changing his situation from being hard-pressed on all sides to an enlarged place of freedom (v1b). Based on his assurance that God has heard his prayer in v1, David speaks boldly to his enemies, declaring that their rebellion against him, which was based on following lies (that he was no longer God's anointed) and empty promises, is about to come to an end (v2). He also declares that he is still beloved and chosen by God, set apart to Him by covenant as God's anointed king, and this gives him confidence that God hears his prayers and will give him the victory (v3).

We then discuss different applications of David's advice: "Be angry and do not sin" (v4a), which Paul applies in Ephesians 4:26-27. In order to overcome the flesh and not sin, we need to mediate in God's Word (v4b, Psalm 1) and bring our flesh into quietness, so that we can hear God's voice to us (v4b). Then we need to 'offer the sacrifices of righteousness', which means doing right actions in obedience to God's word to us, and doing what God tells us to do in the situation, trusting in Him that He knows best (v5, Proverbs 3:5-6), even though this may well mean denying the natural inclinations of our flesh and human reasoning.

Last time in Psalm 4, we saw how David prayed for victory over the army of Absalom (2Samuel 18), putting his faith in His covenant-keeping God (v1), bringing him full assurance, resulting in confident declarations of faith flowing out of his prayer (v2-5). Next he describes the inner peace and happiness that he possessed through his fellowship with God in prayer (v6-8). He points out that most people are primarily seeking for things (outward prosperity), such as his opponents who were believing in Absalom's promises of a better life under his rule (v6a). Seeking things first before God and His righteousness (which is covetousness) is futile, as things can never ultimately satisfy us. But David understood that God is the source of all goodness, and that the key to inner happiness and satisfaction is face to face fellowship with God, who shines the light of His love, joy and peace into our hearts: "Lord, lift up the light of Your Countenance upon us" (v6b, Numbers 6:24-26). Likewise, Jesus said if we FIRST seek the Lord and His Presence (Spirit of Righteousness) in our hearts, then all these outward things (blessings) will also be added to us (Matthew 6:33). We must choose to love and serve God above mammon (Matthew 6:24). The test is, do we put God's Presents before His presents? - this was the test faced by Moses in the wilderness. David testified that through His prayer and fellowship with God, He imparted gladness in his heart, so that even when going through hard times, he possessed a greater inner happiness from God's Presence, than all the carnal people had, even at the time of their greatest prosperity (v7). the joy of the Lord does not depend on circumstances, but comes from God's Spirit within our hearts (Romans 14:17). Through spending time in God's Presence on the eve of the great battle, David prayed through to a place of inner peace, having put his trust in the Lord for his protection, so that he knows he will have a deep, peaceful and undisturbed sleep: "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (v8). In Psalm 3:5 tells us he woke up the next morning testifying: "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me."

Who were the Wise Men (Magi), and why did they expect the birth of the King of the Jews at that time, and why were they looking for His Star? What was the Star of Bethlehem - a comet, supernova, conjunction of planets, or a manifestation of God’s Glory? If it was the Glory of God, what was its connection with the other manifestation of Glory at that time? How did the Magi know it was the Messiah's Star; what was so special about it? How did it fulfil Balaam’s Prophecy in perfect detail in Numbers 24:17?

Derek looks first at the manifestation of God’s Glory to the Bethlehem Shepherds, when Jesus was born (Luke 2:8-18). They were special levitical Shepherds with a special role of looking after the Passover Lambs, destined to be sacrificed in the Temple, just 5 miles away. Likewise, Jesus was born to die for us as the sinless sacrificial Lamb of God, the ultimate Passover Lamb. By doing this, He become the Saviour of the world, for all who receive Him. So, it was appropriate for God to choose these Shepherds to witness the birth of His Passover Lamb, the One born to save us by His sacrificial death (1Cor 5:7). Then we look at Matthew 2: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, WISE MEN (Magi) from the East came to Jerusalem, saying: “Where is HE, who has been BORN King of the Jews? For we have seen HIS STAR in the East (literally: ‘in its RISING’) and have come to worship Him” (v1-2). The Magi were kingmakers, who confirmed, anointed and endorsed any new king. So, when God's King was born, it was only right these believing Magi from the nations were chosen to honour this new-born King. Whereas the Jewish Shepherds proclaimed the coming of the SAVIOUR of the world, the Gentile Magi proclaimed He was also the true KING of the nations. So, Jesus is both Saviour and King.

How did the Magi know to look for Messiah’s Star to appear over Israel? When Daniel was exiled to Babylon, he was exalted to be chief over all the Magi of Babylon (Dan 2:48). He taught them the messianic prophecies including Numbers 24:17: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel”, and his prophecy of the 70 Weeks (Dan 9:24- 27), gives a 490-year Countdown to the Coming of the Jewish Messiah. A core of believing Magi, faithful disciples of Daniel, knew these prophecies, and so knew the timing for His Birth was drawing near, and so were on high alert, watching for the Sign of His Birth in the Heavens, a new STAR, corresponding to the description in Num 24:17. They saw His STAR arise on the same night as His Birth, heralding His arrival (Matt 2:7), and then it disappeared, until it reappeared 2-3 months later: “When they heard the king, they departed; and BEHOLD, the STAR which they had seen in its RISING (on the night of His Birth) WENT BEFORE THEM, until it came and STOOD OVER where the young CHILD was. When they saw the STAR, they rejoiced” (Matt 2:9-10). The Star of Bethlehem has no other explanation, but that it was a supernatural manifestation of God’s Glory. So, there were 2 manifestations of God’s GLORY at Christ's Birth: (1) The Jewish Shepherds saw His Glory and multitudes of angels, proclaiming His Birth as the Lamb of God, the SAVIOUR of the world, and (2) the Gentile Magi saw the rising of a new Star from Israel, proclaiming His Birth as the KING of the world. The manifestation of God’s Glory and the angelic host to the Shepherds was the very same manifestation of His Glory that the Magi saw in Babylon (the Star of Bethlehem), signifying that the same Jesus is Lord over both Jew and Gentile, and that the dual offices of Saviour and King are held by the same Person, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Both events must have happened at the same time, on the night of Christ's birth, as they both heralded His Birth. When God’s Glory appeared to the Shepherds, near Jerusalem: “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them” (Luke 2:9), this would have appeared to the Magi, watching from Babylon, like a bright Sceptre arising out from Israel, in the dark western skies, as Num 24:17 predicted. Then after delivering their message, the multitude of angels, surrounded by glory, did not just disappear, but visibly ascended higher & higher into the sky (Luke 2:15). To the watching Magi, this would have appeared like a bright new Star arising up out of Israel, just as Balaam had predicted for Messiah’s Star (Num 24:17). While all other stars move westwards in the sky, they saw His Star rising from Israel and going in the opposite direction, before disappearing. They realised this unique Star that they saw in its Rising had to be the prophesied Star announcing the Birth of the King of the Jews (Matt 2:2). Thus the 2 manifestations of God's Glory at Christ’s Birth were actually the same manifestation of His Glory, seen from 2 different viewpoints.

In part 1, we saw that David wrote this Psalm in his prayer time after he woke up (v5) on the morning of the battle against his son Absalom's large army (2Samuel 18). The previous evening he had prayed through to an assurance of victory. This prayer is recorded in Psalm 4. As a result he could sleep sweetly knowing that God would keep him safe (4:8, 3:5). Whatever battles we face in life, the main battle is in prayer, to get into God's presence, and let him fill our hearts with His peace, faith, strength, light and wisdom, which casts out all fear and darkness. As a result, he was able to declare in the morning, as he looked at Absalom's great army: "I will NOT be AFRAID of ten thousands of people who have SET themselves against ME all around" (v6). Notice what is unusual about this battle, which fits 2Samuel 18, is that all these enemy forces were not interested in fighting David's army, for they were only interested in killing one man, David, so that Absalom could establish himself on the throne. David was not exaggerating the size of Absalom's army, for 20,000 of them died in the battle (2Samuel 18:7), so that the army was about 100,000 strong. With so many focused on destroying David, he had grounds for fear, but strengthened in God, he refused to fear.

Then David utters the battle cry as they go forth into battle: "Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God!" (v7). This is an appeal to God to arise and go ahead of them to lead them in battle, protecting them and giving them the victory. This recalls the words of Moses in Numbers 10:35: "So it was, whenever the Ark set out, that Moses said: “Rise up, O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.” The next phrase in v7 is probably best seen as a prayer, as in the NIV: "Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked." See also Psalm 58:6: "Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!" This speaks of the total domination, defeat and humiliation of the enemy, so that this rebellion would be broken once and for all, rather than simmering on indefinitely. This is what was done to wild beasts, so that they would no longer be a danger. Their jaw and teeth represents their ability to devour and destroy, so to break them is to destroy the power of the enemy, who in their rebellion against the Lord's anointed, David, were acting like wild beasts. David was not praying for their death (he even did not want their leader Absalom to die), but for a decisive victory that would end this rebellion and reestablish David on his throne. David knew that only God could do this, for it was against all odds. If it was a declaration (as in the NKJV) rather than a prayer, then David was saying: "Lord, You've done it before, and I believe You will do it again!

David then gives God all the glory for the victory: "Salvation (deliverance) belongs to the Lord" (v8a, Jonah 2:9), for the battle belongs to the Lord, and he concludes by declaring: "Your blessing is upon Your people (Israel)" (v8b). This shows that David was not just concerned for himself, but for Israel. This battle was not just over David's future, but the future of Israel. He knew that God's blessing (presence) is connected to His will, and that God had anointed David as king and made an everlasting covenant with him, that God would preserve his House and that his sons would reign after him, until finally his ultimate son, the Messiah, would reign forever on the Throne of David (2Samuel 7, 1Chronicles 17). David knew that for God's will and blessing to prevail for Israel, this rebellion must be defeated, and David reinstated as God's rightful king of Israel, and so victory in this battle was necessary for God's people to live in His blessing. (If Israel came under the wicked and godless Absalom, the nation would come under a curse). Thus, when David closed the Psalm by saying: "Your blessing is upon Your people", he was making a confident prophetic declaration that God's mercy, grace and blessing was upon Israel and would continue, which meant that God's will would prevail, through God giving David the victory, and establishing him as His chosen anointed king over Israel. This came to pass, because after the victory and Absalom's death, the survivors of the battle and the rest of the nation saw that God was with David, and so repented of their rebellion, and acknowledged David as their rightful king. Thus Israel came back under Divine order and blessing under David, their king.

The heading of this Psalm is 'A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom, his son.' We study the background to this Psalm in 2Samuel 11 - 18, starting with David's sin with Bathsheba, resulting in the killing of Uriah (2Sam 11), Nathan's rebuke of David and announcement of how David would reap what he had sowed in his own family and kingdom, even though God forgave David and spared his life, when he repented (2Sam 12). David's sin, caused him to lose his moral authority, which opened the door to his sons behaving badly, with David failing to deal with them properly because of his own weakness. First, his eldest son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar and then refused to marry her. Then his son Absalom, Tamar's brother, murdered Amnon in revenge. The Absalom fled to Geshur for 3 years (2Sam 13). Eventually David lets Absalom return to Jerusalem, and after another 2 years David receives him back fully (1Sam 14). Then Absalom began conspiring to take over the Kingdom from David, stealing people's hearts by his promises, no doubt insinuating that Davis was no longer God's anointed, because of his terrible sin. His following grew until it manifested as outright rebellion, forcing David to flee Jerusalem and go to Mahanaim across the Jordan. Meanwhile, Absalom gathered a large army from all the tribes and went after him (2Sam 15-17). Finally, the day of the great battle arrives, and despite being greatly outnumbered, David's army is victorious and Absalom is killed (2Sam 18). Psalm 3 is set in the morning (v5) just before this decisive battle commences (see v1,2,6). It is impressive that David spent time in prayer before the battle, and so received this Psalm by inspiration.

We see in both 2Samuel and Psalm 3 David's faith and humility in trusting God to deliver and exalt him. On the one hand, he knows he has a covenant promise from God concerning his kingship (2Sam 7, 1Chron 17). He also knows that God has forgiven him and has not taken His anointing from him. On the other hand, he knows that he has brought these troubles and rebellion on himself, by his sin, which has also opened the door to many people saying: "there is no help for him in God" (v2) - God has finished with him (eg Shimei in 2Sam 16:5-13). Therefore, he knew that he must humble himself before God trusting in Him to vindicate and exalt him in His time, and restore the kingdom to David, rather than taking matters into his own hands.

In the Psalm, David describes his many enemies out to destroy him (v1,2,6), who start by attacking him spiritually with their words, as well as physically with their weapons. Likewise, the accuser of the brethren attacks first of all with his words, to discourage you, saying: "you have sinned, so there is no help for you in God." Then when your faith is paralysed, you are easily defeated by the physical attacks in your life. But David responds to these evil words, by confessing His faith, saying: "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head" (v3). See also 7:10, 18:2.30, 28:7, 33:20, 59:11, 84:11, 115:9-11, 119:114, 144:2). We must answer the words of the enemy by speaking God's words. As battle is about to begin David is trusting God to protect him and lift up his head - restore him to the throne (Gen 40:13,20, 2Ki 25:27). He also declares God is his glory (the One who bestows the anointing upon him, and the One in whom David glories).

The key to David being strong in faith on the morning of battle (v3) is that he spent time with God the previous evening: "I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard (answered) me from His holy hill (in Heaven)." (v4). David was able to cast all His care on God, and prayed out loud for God to give him the victory, and he received the assurance that God heard him. Having committed himself and his cause to God, he was able to sleep soundly, despite the great dangers around him: "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me"(v5). Sustained by God's presence, rather than spending a sleepless night in fear and anxiety, he slept in peace and awoke in time to pray again before the battle (see Psalm 4:8, 31:5, 127:2 for other promises of sleep). Psalm 3 came forth in these morning devotions, where he expresses his confidence in God for the victory, despite the overwhelming opposition gathered against him.

God has already provided healing for us in the Atonement of Christ, so now it is not a matter of trying to get God to heal us, but of learning how to RECEIVE our HEALING. We need to RECEIVE our HEALING by FAITH in the Word of God. Mark 11:24: “Whatsoever THINGS you desire (such as HEALING), when you pray, BELIEVE that (1) you RECEIVE them (your HEALING), and (2) you will HAVE them (in manifestation).” In order to have the confidence to believe we receive our healing from God when we pray, we need to embrace some BELIEFS about HEALING from the Word of God. There are 4 key STEPS we need to take in order to get into position, so that we can believe that we receive our healing when we pray. These 4 STEPS are 4 BELIEFS from the Word of God that we need to embrace.

*STEP 1: We first need to know that it is God's WILL to HEAL us, otherwise it is impossible for us to believe we receive our healing when we pray (Mark 11:24). The Bible reveals it is God’s WILL to HEAL us. Healing was purchased for us by the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.

*STEP 2: We must BELIEVE that God is a rich and liberal Giver of Healing. He gives us healing when we pray. He is the God of the immediate response. We must BELIEVE that He is our HEALER today: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, TODAY and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He WANTS to HEAL us now. LOOK to the LORD for your HEALING, rather than being preoccupied with the problem. If we are overly preoccupied with the problem, we will fail to receive the solution (healing). Hebrews 11:6: “Without FAITH it is impossible to please Him, for he who COMES to God MUST BELIEVE that (1) HE IS (our Healer), and that (2) He is a REWARDER (a generous giver of healing) of those who diligently SEEK Him (in prayer).” These 2 BELIEFS are the first 2 STEPS of FAITH.

*STEP 3: God gives us HEALING POWER when we pray and ask Him to heal us, which then works mightily in us to drive out all sickness and to restore our health.

*STEP 4: God ordained the Method of the Laying on of Hands to impart Healing Power.

Romans 10:10: “(1) With the HEART one BELIEVES unto righteousness (right standing in the promise), and with the MOUTH, CONFESSION is made unto SALVATION (the manifestation of the promise).” So believe you receive your healing and keep SPEAKING God's WORD: “By His STRIPES I am HEALED. Jesus Himself BORE my SICKNESSES and CARRIED away my PAINS” (Isaiah 53:4-5, literal translation, Matthew 8:17, 1Peter 2:24).

Hilary completes her study by a look at the healing of Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46--52).

Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One (v2) for 3 offices: Prophet, Priest & King, to preach, pray & reign (in Christ, we share all 3 anointings). (1) First, He was anointed a PROPHET (to declare God's Word to men) at His Baptism, authorised by the Father speaking from Heaven (Matt 3:17). Then (2) His initial ministry of HIGH PRIEST, to offer Himself as a Sacrifice on the Cross, endorsed by Father from Heaven (John 12:27-33), followed by His appointment & anointing as our everlasting High Priest in the order of Melchizedek at God's right hand (Ps 110:1,4). Also (3) His Ascension was His coronation, enthronement and anointing as KING of kings, over the earth (Ps 110:1), endorsed by Father from Heaven at the Transfiguration, a prophetic preview of His Kingdom (Matt 17:5), which He'll establish at His 2nd Coming. Psalms 2 & 110 are twins, fitting together, revealing His Ascension (2:6, 110:1) and the continuation of His anointed ministry on earth thru the Church (in Christ). Ps 110:2 says He will extend the rod of His power (His authority & power) from Heaven, ruling in the midst of His enemies on earth. v3 says He'll do this thru His people on earth, an army of priests, who've received a new birth and present themselves to Him as free-will offerings to do His will (as the dawn gives birth to the dew, so the Lord gives birth to this holy army). They are king-priests, the royal priesthood family, under the High Priest King Jesus. Thus Christ, the Head, shares His anointing with His body (Ps 133:2). This confirms the Anointed One in Psalm 2 includes those in Christ, and the Divine Decree made to Christ, raising Him from death and enthroning Him as God's Son, was also spoken into us (v6,7). Thus we're anointed by the Spirit to function as prophets, priests & kings. (1) Just as His 1st ministry was as a PROPHET to speak God's Word to men, so when He rose, He 1st gave us the Great Commission to preach the Gospel and make disciples (Mark 16:15, Matt 28:19-20). Thus He anointed us to prophesy (Acts 2:17) - speak His Word under the Spirit's inspiration. He gives us His Spirit to empower us to witness (Acts 1:8), for "the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy" (Rev 19:10). The Church's main mission is to preach the Gospel, thus Ps 2 closes with the anointed ones in Christ preaching to the kings, judges & peoples of earth (v10-12). Their Gospel Message starts: "Now therefore" (v10), pointing to His completed work - His life, death, resurrection, ascension and coronation as Lord & King over all (v6-7). Thus it begins with a proclamation of who He is and what He's accomplished, establishing He is God's appointed & anointed Saviour and Lord of all. On this basis, it then appeals to us, saying: "therefore serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little (in a moment). Blessed are all who put their trust (take refuge) in Him" (v8-10). Thus it calls men to urgently respond in faith and trust Christ for salvation, for the Son is angry at man's sin (rebellion) and His fiery anger could suddenly break out against him at any time (Heb 12:29) - He delays His judgment to give man a chance to repent. Only in the Son is safety from God's wrath. God has provided Him as our Refuge, so if we trust in Him, we come under His covering (Atonement), for He took our place & bore God's judgment on Himself. The trembling denotes our utter weakness & dependance on Him to save us, for we can't save ourselves by our own strength or stand before God in our own righteousness. But when we trust in Christ alone for our salvation, He saves us, so we end up rejoicing. Saving faith also includes submission to God's authority (fear) - repentance from our rebellion against God. Thus submission to God naturally results in serving the Lord. The Gospel calls us to "kiss the Son" (v12) - an invitation to respond to His message (offering us forgiveness, peace & intimacy with God) by drawing near by faith, and giving Him our homage, affection, love, heart & worship (1Ki 19:18, Hos 13:2, Luke 7:38-45). When we do this, He kisses us, imparting His Spirit & eternal life into us (John 20:22), and we enter into loving union with Him. The timing of this Proclamation is between His Ascension (v6) & the Day of His wrath (v12) - the Church Age. To accomplish our mission, He also (2) anoints us as His PRIESTS to pray & offer up sacrifices of praise, sharing in His ministry of intercession (2:8), praying for God's Spirit to work in the hearts of the lost, and for us to be filled with the Spirit to boldly share God's Word with them (Acts 4:29-31, v23-28). Also (3) He anoints us as His KINGS, to exercise authority in His Name (Mark 16:17), using His rod to break the enemies' power (2:9), especially over the lost. thus in Christ, we share in His 3-fold anointing as (1) PRIESTS to pray (v8), (2) KINGS to rule (v9), and PROPHETS to preach the Gospel (v10-12).

Christ declares the Decree of the Lord in Psalm 2:7, starting by confessing His IDENTITY - His SONSHIP, as the Firstborn from the dead. Then in v8, He continued to declare what God said to Him at His Resurrection-Ascension: "Ask of Me, and I will give You (1) the nations for Your inheritance, and (2) the ends of the earth for Your possession." The spiritual warfare between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness is over (1) the souls of men (the nations), and (2) the control of the earth itself. With His Blood, Jesus redeemed (purchased) both (1) the the souls of men, and (2) the earth (Revelation 5), which is why He alone has the right to open the Scroll with 7 seals (the Title Deed of the earth). Psalm 2:8 should be translated: "Ask of Me, and I will give You (1) the nations - Your inheritance, and (2) the ends of the earth - Your possession." Thus the nations are already Christ's inheritance and the earth is already His legal possession. But there is a difference between possessing something legally and experientially - for example God gave Israel the Promised Land legally through Abraham (Joshua 1:3), and then later experientially through Joshua (Joshua 1:2). So having just granted Him the inheritance that He had purchased with His Blood, and having ordained and anointed Christ as the great heavenly High Priest (Psalm 110:4), the Father told Him to ask of Him, and He would hand over to Him the souls that belong to Him (John 6:37). Since then Christ ever lives to make intercession for us at God's right-hand (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34), releasing the Holy Spirit to convict us, regenerate, save and sanctify us to Himself - we are His inheritance (Ephesians 1:18). If we are saved, it is only because Christ prayed for us, and asked the Father to give us to Him.

In Christ, we are also anointed to be royal priests in the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:3-4, Revelation 1:6, 5:10, 1Peter 2:9), and so we are to share in His ministry of intercession by the power of the Spirit, especially in praying for the Holy Spirit to fill us and empower us to reach the lost, and for Him to soften their hearts and open their eyes, so they might receive Christ. In other words, v8 also applies to us - we are to ask God to save people by His Holy Spirit and cause them to grow spiritually, so that they become our inheritance (the fruit of our ministry). Christ must have taught the apostles this truth from Psalm 2 during the 40 days, because in Acts 4:23-31 we see them using Psalm 2 as the basis for their prayers to be filled with the Spirit to preach the Gospel, for the salvation of the lost, resulting in a harvest of souls (Acts 4:33, 5:12-16). In addition, the Father told Christ to ask Him to give Him actual possession of the earth. This is when He moves into action as the anointed King - he is worthy to be the Lion-King, because He was the sacrificial Lamb of God (Revelation 5). This will be start to be fulfilled in the Day of the Lord (Tribulation), when Christ no longer sits, but stands and starts to make His enemies His footstool, by moving in judgment (Psalm 110:1, Revelation 5:6). At the 2nd Coming, Christ will complete His judgments against His enemies, and take full possession of the earth and establish His Kingdom here, ruling the world with a rod of iron, in fulfilment of Psalm 2:9: "You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.” At the 2nd Coming, He will be manifested as God's ordained and anointed King of kings, ruling over His Kingdom with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15-16, 12:5), and in Christ we will also be anointed kings, who share in His rulership (Revelation 2:26-27). Thus v8-9 also applies to us, which means that in our present spiritual warfare, in fulfilling our mission on earth, we are to use His rod of iron (the Name of Jesus) to break the power of the enemy, when it comes against us, and in setting the captives free.

In Psalm 2:6, God declares the victory that He has won through Christ, by saying: “Yet I have set My King (Jesus Christ) on My holy Hill of Zion (in Heaven).” This was accomplished by God's Decree, by which He raised Christ from the dead and caused Him to ascend to God's right hand (Psalm 110:1). Next in Psalm 2:7, Christ, the King, starts to declare this Decree: “I will declare the Decree: The Lord has said to Me: ‘You are My Son. Today I have begotten You.'" Acts 13:33 quotes Psalm 2:7 and asserts that God spoke this to Jesus, when He "raised Him up" at His resurrection. Hebrews 1:3-7 quotes Psalm 2:7, linking it with His Ascension. This confirms the Resurrection and initial Ascension to Heaven must have been on the same day. Hebrews 5:5-6 quotes Psalm 2:7, along with Psalm 110:4, saying that this was when God glorified Jesus and anointed Him to become the everlasting High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.According to Psalm 110:1, this took place at the Ascension - His Coronation as King of kings (Melchizedek was both a King and a Priest). When Christ speaks of being begotten on the day of His resurrection, He is not talking about His eternal Sonship as God, but the total regeneration and glorification of His humanity at His resurrection. He is called "the Firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18), "the Firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29), and we are "the Church of the Firstborn" (Hebrews 12:23). He became a man to identify with us, so that we could be identified with Him. When we trust in Christ, we are put into Christ (He is the head and we are His body), and we share in His sonship and inheritance. Thus through our union with Christ, we also partake of the power released by this Divine Decree, which is how we were born again - God has "begotten us again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1Peter 1:3). Thus God has made us His sons through Christ's Resurrection, which is why the New Birth and indwelling Holy Spirit was not available before the New Covenant was established. So, when Psalm 2 describes the spiritual warfare, with God's enemies arrayed against the Lord and His Anointed (Christ), we are included in the Anointed One. Therefore, we are included in Psalm 2 and have a part to play in the spiritual warfare on earth, now that our Head, Jesus Christ, is seated in Heaven. Just as Jesus declared the Decree of the Lord concerning Himself, so we also must believe and confess God's Decree over us, saying: "I am born again, I am God's child, raised with Christ to new life and seated with Christ far above all principality and power. I am a new creation, more than a conqueror in Christ, the righteousness of God in Christ." In this way, we establish our new IDENTITY and POSITION in Christ, based on Psalm 2:6-7. We must be strong in who we are in Christ, if we are to fulfil God's will and play our part as God's representatives in the spiritual warfare, for satan's main attack is against our identity in Christ (Revelation 12:10-11).

Psalm 2:1-3 describes the present spiritual warfare with mankind in confusion and rebellion against the Lord and His Anointed (Christ). The Lord in Heaven laughs them to scorn (v4) and then speaks to them in His wrath (v5), declaring His answer to all their puny efforts to overthrow His authority: “Yet I have set My King (Jesus Christ) on My holy Hill of Zion” (v6). This was fulfilled by the Ascension of Christ to God's right hand (Psalm 110:1). Having completed His perfect life as a man, climaxed in His sacrificial death for us and His resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven.

We discuss why Jesus had to initially ascend to Heaven on the morning of His resurrection (John 20:16-17), to (1) fulfil the feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10-11, 1Corinthians 15:20,23, Matthew 27:52-53), which is why Mary was not allowed to cling to Him (John 20:17), unlike in Matthew 28:9, Luke 24:39, John 20:27, (2) to present His Blood in the heavenly Holy of Holies (the throne room), to establish the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:12), (3) to receive all authority in Heaven and earth (Daniel 7:13-14, Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:19-22, Psalm 110:1, Philippians 2:8-10, Revelation 12:5), and (4) to receive the Holy Spirit on our behalf (Acts 2:32-33), enabling Him to impart the indwelling Holy Spirit to the disciples that same evening, causing them to be born again (John 20:22, Genesis 2:7).

The Ascension of Christ, represents the completion of God's decisive move in the spiritual warfare. It means that God's Anointed One has been sent into the earth as a perfect Man and has accomplished His mission of purchasing our salvation and defeating all his enemies, and is now established in the highest place as Lord over all. By His completed work, He has already won the victory, and He did it for us. When we were put into Christ, we were raised with Him and made to sit with Him at God's right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power (Ephesians 2:4-6, 1:20-21).