The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
Psalm 2 v.4-6
In Myanmar, the situation becomes more serious as the military junta threatens those who are protesting with long prison sentences. In Russia those who are seeking the release of Alexi Navalny in their dispute with Vladimir Putin are risking similar reprisals.
In both cases the people are conspiring and plotting against their rulers and the outcome in each case seems easy to predict unless the sovereign LORD works a miracle. In both cases those who are being opposed have military might and power on their side. Their rule may be cruel, it is certainly not what we in the west see as good government and it is hard to square our reaction to such abuse of power with Romans 13.1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities , foe there is no authority except that which God has established.
Where we can take encouragement however, is in the fact that these oppressive, evil regimes are ultimately answerable to ‘The One enthroned in heaven’ and he will brook no opposition. Alec Motyer writing on Psalm 2 in the IVP New Bible Commentary notes that
‘The Lord neither negotiates with rebels, nor adjusts himself to suit their demands, but simply reaffirms his royal plan. His king is installed and that is the end of the matter – just as in Genesis 3 the great rebellion did not alter divine sovereignty one iota!’
If one wishes to be very controversial one might just be able to argue that that is the stand that the Myanmar Junta and Vladimir Putin have taken. They believe themselves to be the legitimate authorities, while in reality they, like all mankind will have to answer to the ultimate authority – God himself. As we and they stand before him he will not negotiate, he will not adjust himself and there will only be one possible plea of mitigation namely the blood of Jesus shed for rebels and guilty sinners at Calvary.
We are rightly horrified at the conditions that so many of our fellow men and women live under. We are horrified that to stand for justice is met with force. We are horrified that there is so much rebellion but we can take heart from the truth proclaimed in this Psalm which is that God is enthroned in heaven and in the final analysis
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
v.12