Word of Encouragement (12/18/2020)

“Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Ps. 2:12).

Good morning!

Ps. 2 ends with “Blessed are....” Do you remember how Ps. 1 began? “Blessed is the man...” (Ps. 1:1). The word, “Blessed,” functions like the bookends, tying the two Psalms together. These two Psalms invite the readers to the blessed/happy life, to which God calls His people. How comforting and reassuring it is to know that God desires His people to be blessed! Do you believe that?

Ps. 1 had a relative long description of the blessed man (Ps. 1:1-2). Ps. 2 has a simple and short description of the blessed man: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him [i.e., God’s anointed Son and King.” But these two descriptions are closely related. We can view all that the blessed man does or does not do in Ps. 1—not walking in the counsel of the wicked, not standing in the way of sinners, not sitting in the seat of scoffers, but delighting in the law of the LORD and meditating on it day and night—as various ways of taking refuge in the Son of God. We cannot separate the Son of God and the Law/Word of God. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you [as opposed to the yoke of the Pharisees, which is made up of man-made rules], and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29).

What does it mean to take refuge in Jesus Christ? It is to look to Him as the One who provides safety and shelter from pursuit, danger, or trouble. In the context of Ps. 2, it is from the wrath and judgment of God. Actually, this promise comes right after an invitation and warning: “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled” (v. 12). It is to flee from the wrath of the Son, to whom God gave the authority to judge all nations: “You shall break them [all the nations of the world] with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel” (v. 9). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God’s anointed One, is the crossroads between blessedness and destruction. He who rebels against Him will be punished and destroyed; he who takes refuge in Him will be blessed.

This invitation is given to “all who take refuge in him.” This “all” includes all the kings and rulers, all the peoples and nations that raged and plotted and rebelled against God and His Anointed. It is not too late to repent of one’s foolishness and sin of rebelling against God. Today can be the day of salvation for anyone, who turns to Jesus for refuge rather than turning against Him in rebellion. God in His grace opened our eyes to see this truth so we can take refuge in Christ. We should, then, pray for our loved ones and neighbors so that they too might cease striving against God and surrender themselves to God’s Anointed, trusting in God’s gracious and generous invitation to all, even the most wicked and sinful.

How comforting it is to know that Jesus Christ came to give us (eternal) rest and His Word, even His Law, is given to us to provide a refuge for us! For those who rebel against the LORD, His Law is burdensome, distasteful, and terrifying (especially, its promise of punishment for disobedience). But those, who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, have a different relationship with God and His Law. We see in it God’s wisdom, which is given to us so that we might enjoy the blessedness of being in union with God. It is dangerous to venture outside the path of God’s law. There is safety in walking and standing in it. May the Lord bless you with His loving presence and clear conscience as you take refuge in Jesus Christ and His Word! As Spurgeon said,

“...happy are those who betake themselves to him as to their stronghold and place of defense; who look to him and believe in him for pardon, peace, righteousness, every supply of grace and eternal life; these are safe and secure in him, nor shall they want any good thing needful for them; and they have much peace, joy, and comfort here, and shall have more grace as they want it, and hereafter eternal glory and happiness.”

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