WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.460 Heavenly Father, thank you that this evening, though we are few, we know that we are indwelled by your Spirit and he is here with us and we are gathered as the church, gathered in your name and we want to seek your face, cry out to you, hear from you. 00:00:15.540 --> 00:00:24.960 So please lead us, address us, meet with us and answer our praise, oh God, we pray. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:28.560 We are in Psalm 82. 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:36.260 It is rather short. It is a shorter psalm. 00:00:36.340 --> 00:00:37.299 Yeah, it is very short. 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:41.299 We are going on longer stuff. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:42.240 Yeah. 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:50.260 Psalm 82 is a psalm of Asaph. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:55.939 Let me read it out loud. 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:01.480 God has taken his place in the divine council. 00:01:01.980 --> 00:01:04.439 In the midst of the gods he holds judgment. 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:09.319 How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? 00:01:09.859 --> 00:01:12.040 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless. 00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:14.920 Maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 00:01:15.500 --> 00:01:16.960 Rescue the weak and the needy. 00:01:17.340 --> 00:01:19.159 Deliver them from the hand of the wicked. 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:21.959 They have neither knowledge nor understanding. 00:01:22.099 --> 00:01:23.479 They walk about in darkness. 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:26.039 All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 00:01:26.899 --> 00:01:30.159 I said, you are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:34.899 Nevertheless, like men you shall die and fall like any prince. 00:01:35.759 --> 00:01:37.579 Arise, oh God, judge the earth. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:40.259 For you shall inherit all the nations. 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:43.480 This is really a short psalm. 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:44.500 It's a unique psalm. 00:01:44.660 --> 00:01:49.219 There's no other psalm in this altar that has the content, really similar content as this psalm. 00:01:50.020 --> 00:01:56.240 And it's a prophetic psalm that recounts a vision, basically, of a divine council, a heavenly council, 00:01:56.700 --> 00:01:59.840 where God judges the so-called gods who rule over the earth. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:06.320 And so we see in verses 1 to 2 God's prosecution of these angelic beings. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:09.240 And then in verses 3 to 5 we see God's verdict. 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:14.719 And then in the final few verses we see God's execution of his judgment. 00:02:15.219 --> 00:02:20.719 And the main point really is that God who judges in heaven is the one who brings justice to earth. 00:02:21.580 --> 00:02:23.800 And it begins abruptly in verse 1. 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:26.340 God has taken his place in the divine council. 00:02:26.460 --> 00:02:28.680 In the midst of the gods he holds judgment. 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:33.439 So right away, obviously, this is very interesting because who are these gods, right? 00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:36.500 And God is holding judgment among them. 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:40.439 The Bible clearly teaches that the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 00:02:40.620 --> 00:02:41.760 So there's only one God. 00:02:42.219 --> 00:02:46.780 And it also clearly teaches that the idols that people worship are no gods at all. 00:02:47.040 --> 00:02:48.540 So then who are these gods? 00:02:48.540 --> 00:02:55.860 And scripture sometimes describes angelic beings as sons of God or gods. 00:02:55.860 --> 00:03:02.340 And describing something as a son of something is like a Hebrew idiom. 00:03:02.600 --> 00:03:08.960 And it doesn't necessarily refer to like an actual father-son kind of relationship. 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:15.420 So, for example, Psalm 89.22 calls a wicked person a son of wickedness. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.159 And Proverbs 31.5 describes those who are afflicted as sons of affliction. 00:03:20.680 --> 00:03:27.840 So when verse 6 describes these gods as sons of the Most High, it's not suggesting that they're actual offsprings of God, 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:32.659 children of God, but it's saying that they're in some way God-like. 00:03:32.659 --> 00:03:34.299 They resemble God, right? 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:39.000 And so it's referring to the fact that they're angelic beings, spirits. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:45.919 And God has summoned these angelic beings to hold a divine counsel kind of to his throne room. 00:03:46.659 --> 00:03:48.620 And God's presiding over them. 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:51.319 So this kind of scene also takes place in other parts of the Bible. 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:54.979 1 Kings 22, Job 1-2, right? 00:03:55.079 --> 00:04:00.359 That you see God in his throne room and holding counsel among the sons of God, the angelic beings. 00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:07.040 And God begins to cross-examine and prosecute these angelic beings in verse 2. 00:04:07.160 --> 00:04:07.420 He says, 00:04:07.500 --> 00:04:11.080 How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:11.760 Selah. 00:04:11.900 --> 00:04:16.900 So it appears that instead of upholding justice, these angelic beings were, you know, 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:21.879 kind of continuing injustice and showing partiality to the wicked. 00:04:22.580 --> 00:04:26.900 And so in verses 3-5, God gives his verdict of them. 00:04:26.900 --> 00:04:29.220 He judges them and issues his verdict. 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.480 What they should have done was to judge justly. 00:04:33.780 --> 00:04:34.500 It says here, 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:37.439 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless. 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:39.840 Maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:41.280 Rescue the weak and the needy. 00:04:41.400 --> 00:04:42.800 Deliver them from the hand of the wicked. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:43.480 Right? 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:45.860 These are all, these words all kind of similar. 00:04:46.340 --> 00:04:50.180 The weak, fatherless, afflicted, destitute, weak, needy. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:52.439 They all represent these marginalized people. 00:04:52.520 --> 00:04:55.639 People who are not, don't have any power in society. 00:04:55.639 --> 00:04:57.600 The most vulnerable members of society. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:01.439 And these so-called gods should have been protecting them. 00:05:01.780 --> 00:05:05.240 But instead, they were exploiting them and letting the wicked people have their way. 00:05:06.060 --> 00:05:08.580 And then in verse 5, we see God's verdict. 00:05:09.020 --> 00:05:13.620 So here, it seems like the narrator who spoke in verse 1 is speaking again. 00:05:13.960 --> 00:05:16.460 He's really kind of revealing God's mind here. 00:05:16.459 --> 00:05:21.519 Because he's referring to the angelic beings in the third person instead of in the second person, 00:05:21.599 --> 00:05:22.979 as God did when he was speaking. 00:05:23.539 --> 00:05:23.919 He says, 00:05:24.099 --> 00:05:26.099 They have neither knowledge nor understanding. 00:05:26.259 --> 00:05:27.699 They walk about in darkness. 00:05:27.919 --> 00:05:29.899 All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 00:05:29.899 --> 00:05:30.299 Right? 00:05:30.300 --> 00:05:34.180 And so because these angelic beings were supposed to uphold justice, 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:36.460 have neither knowledge nor understanding. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.780 And because they who should have shed light on the affairs of earth, 00:05:40.980 --> 00:05:43.180 have instead walked about in darkness, 00:05:43.520 --> 00:05:46.920 because of them all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 00:05:48.379 --> 00:05:53.500 And the scripture repeatedly says that righteousness and justice 00:05:53.500 --> 00:05:56.199 are the foundation of God's throne. 00:05:56.500 --> 00:05:56.600 Right? 00:05:56.699 --> 00:05:59.160 So it's Psalm 89 and 97 talk about that. 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:05.360 So justice is the foundation upon which God rules the world. 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:10.780 Yet these angelic beings who are supposed to do God's bidding and exercise justice on earth 00:06:10.780 --> 00:06:14.560 have instead subverted justice. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.320 And because of that, the very foundations of the earth are shaken. 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:23.940 And the order that God had instituted on earth is subverted and there's chaos. 00:06:23.939 --> 00:06:29.300 And in the final phase, in verse 68, we see God's execution, 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.500 his execution of his judgment. 00:06:31.980 --> 00:06:33.379 He says in verse 67, 00:06:34.259 --> 00:06:35.219 I said, 00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:37.699 You are gods, the sons of the Most High, all of you. 00:06:37.860 --> 00:06:41.199 Nevertheless, like men, you shall die and fall like any prince. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:50.339 So God decrees that these immortal angelic beings will have a mortal human end. 00:06:51.579 --> 00:06:57.259 And God's saying that like any ordinary human ruler or prince, 00:06:57.879 --> 00:06:59.919 like any ordinary human being, 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:02.480 these so-called gods shall die. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:06.319 When he decrees that, there's no struggle or resistance. 00:07:06.520 --> 00:07:09.840 You know, God's all-powerful and he's supreme in sovereignty. 00:07:10.520 --> 00:07:13.540 And so these gods must simply acquiesce. 00:07:13.660 --> 00:07:17.280 They simply have to accept God's decree in silence. 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:24.039 And then having deposed these angelic rulers of the earth, 00:07:24.239 --> 00:07:25.299 the question arises, 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:26.979 then who then will rule the earth, right? 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:28.319 There's a vacancy now. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:30.839 Who's going to rule over the earth? 00:07:31.599 --> 00:07:34.719 Recognizing this power vacuum, 00:07:34.919 --> 00:07:36.199 the psalmist prays in verse 8, 00:07:36.579 --> 00:07:39.099 Arise, O God, judge the earth, 00:07:39.459 --> 00:07:41.819 for you shall inherit all the nations. 00:07:41.819 --> 00:07:48.120 So the God who judges in heaven will now bring justice to the earth as well. 00:07:48.659 --> 00:07:52.060 And the God who deposed the angelic rulers 00:07:52.060 --> 00:07:55.959 will himself assume direct kingship over all the nations. 00:07:56.519 --> 00:08:00.379 This idea is referring back to a passage in Deuteronomy, 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:02.800 Deuteronomy 32, verses 8 to 9. 00:08:03.159 --> 00:08:04.180 It says this there, 00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:07.519 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:08.899 when he divided mankind, 00:08:08.899 --> 00:08:13.599 he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. 00:08:14.279 --> 00:08:16.199 But the Lord's portion is his people, 00:08:16.419 --> 00:08:18.259 Jacob, his allotted heritage. 00:08:18.699 --> 00:08:20.659 So what that's talking about there is that 00:08:20.659 --> 00:08:22.299 when God divided humanity, 00:08:22.699 --> 00:08:24.819 he fixed their boundaries according to 00:08:24.819 --> 00:08:27.000 however many sons of God there were, 00:08:27.079 --> 00:08:27.899 these angelic beings. 00:08:28.620 --> 00:08:32.259 And he put these angelic beings in charge of the nations. 00:08:32.779 --> 00:08:34.399 But then he reserved Israel, 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:35.159 his people, 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:36.559 as his own special possession. 00:08:36.699 --> 00:08:38.480 So he rolled over them in a special way, 00:08:38.899 --> 00:08:41.659 while he let these angelic beings rule over the nations. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.639 But Psalm 82, 8 is prophesying of a day 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:48.220 when God will put an end to injustice on earth 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:51.019 by demoting these angelic beings who rule over the nations 00:08:51.019 --> 00:08:54.360 and by gathering all the nations under his rule and kingdom. 00:08:55.059 --> 00:08:59.579 And that day came when God sent the Son of God, 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:00.600 Jesus Christ, 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:03.720 to establish his kingdom over all the nations. 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:06.580 And that's why in John 10, 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:08.580 I don't know if you guys remember this 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:09.820 when we went through the Gospel of John, 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:14.019 but when Jesus gets into trouble with the Pharisees 00:09:14.040 --> 00:09:15.500 for calling God his Father 00:09:15.500 --> 00:09:16.240 and then saying, 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:17.420 I and the Father are one, 00:09:17.980 --> 00:09:21.360 the Pharisees try to stone him for blaspheming. 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:23.960 And then Jesus quotes Psalm 82, verse 6. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:25.360 And he says this, 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:46.100 So he's basically quoting this Psalm and saying, 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:47.920 You know, if according to Scripture, 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:49.720 these lower angelic beings 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:51.379 who received the word of the Lord 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:52.779 to rule over these nations 00:09:52.779 --> 00:09:54.899 can be called sons of God, 00:09:55.060 --> 00:09:57.860 how much more than can the Son of God, 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:00.100 whom the Father consecrated, 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:01.300 set us apart for himself, 00:10:01.659 --> 00:10:02.899 and sent into the world, 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:05.060 how much more than can he be called the Son of God? 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:05.320 Right? 00:10:06.019 --> 00:10:08.899 And so this Psalm 82, 8, 00:10:09.060 --> 00:10:10.860 prophesied that God himself will rise 00:10:10.860 --> 00:10:11.580 to judge the earth 00:10:11.580 --> 00:10:12.940 and gather all the nations to himself. 00:10:13.320 --> 00:10:15.259 And that's what Jesus does when he comes. 00:10:15.259 --> 00:10:19.259 He puts an end to the unjust 00:10:19.259 --> 00:10:21.819 and merciless reign of the angelic beings 00:10:21.819 --> 00:10:25.460 by displaying God's justice and mercy on the cross. 00:10:25.779 --> 00:10:29.159 And the cross shows the injustice of the world, right? 00:10:29.220 --> 00:10:31.379 Because the injustice was so bad in the world 00:10:31.379 --> 00:10:34.319 that the Son of God had to die on the cross 00:10:34.319 --> 00:10:35.659 for the sins of this world. 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:39.759 And likewise, the cross also reveals God's mercy 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:41.799 in that even though the world, 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:43.279 along with these angelic beings, 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:44.360 should have been judged 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:48.919 and should have received this death and judgment, 00:10:49.500 --> 00:10:51.759 God made a way through Jesus on the cross 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:53.159 and his death and resurrection 00:10:53.159 --> 00:10:57.159 to make a way for the rescue and redemption of people. 00:10:58.620 --> 00:11:01.259 And it's because of Jesus, right, 00:11:01.340 --> 00:11:03.539 that we don't need to be under this, 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:05.379 the tyranny of these angelic beings 00:11:05.379 --> 00:11:09.039 and the cruel reign that they have instituted on earth forever. 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:12.639 Instead, we can come under the reign of Christ, 00:11:12.740 --> 00:11:13.959 come into the kingdom of God, 00:11:14.439 --> 00:11:16.339 who is just and gracious. 00:11:17.339 --> 00:11:18.360 And that's why, 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:20.699 because Jesus brought all the nations now 00:11:20.699 --> 00:11:23.279 in the new covenant era after Jesus came, 00:11:23.659 --> 00:11:24.539 not just the Jews, 00:11:24.659 --> 00:11:26.039 but all nations come to him 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:27.519 and are under his kingdom. 00:11:28.259 --> 00:11:29.860 And that's why in Matthew 28, 00:11:29.959 --> 00:11:31.319 when Jesus gives the Great Commission, 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:31.779 he says, 00:11:31.779 --> 00:11:34.939 All authority in heaven and on earth 00:11:34.939 --> 00:11:36.579 has been given to me. 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:40.079 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, right? 00:11:40.579 --> 00:11:42.720 And all nations meaning not, you know, 00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:44.779 geopolitical groups, countries, 00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:47.699 but ethnic groups, people groups, nations, 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:49.259 all the nations of earth, 00:11:49.259 --> 00:11:51.340 all tribes, people, and tongue 00:11:51.340 --> 00:11:53.080 need to worship the Lord. 00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:55.159 They are all being gathered into the kingdom of God. 00:11:56.059 --> 00:11:56.759 And obviously, 00:11:57.059 --> 00:11:58.620 this psalm teaches us a couple 00:11:58.620 --> 00:12:01.279 very important truths that we can apply. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:02.240 And one is, 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:06.039 it teaches us about God's justice, right? 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:07.819 That God cares about justice, right? 00:12:08.299 --> 00:12:10.039 And so much so that, you know, 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:11.679 he reduces to mortality 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:12.580 the angelic beings 00:12:12.580 --> 00:12:14.500 who fail to uphold justice on earth. 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:16.259 And he says that 00:12:16.259 --> 00:12:18.139 when justice on earth is subverted, 00:12:18.139 --> 00:12:19.460 that the very foundations 00:12:19.460 --> 00:12:21.679 of the earth are shaken, right? 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.460 And so treating the weak, 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:26.379 the fatherless, afflicted, destitute, 00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:28.299 and the needy well, 00:12:28.620 --> 00:12:29.759 giving them justice, 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:30.860 upholding their right, 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:32.019 is important to God. 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:36.679 And when they are mistreated and exploited, 00:12:37.220 --> 00:12:39.519 the very foundation of earth is disturbed 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.539 and its harmony and order crumble, right? 00:12:41.539 --> 00:12:43.559 Because that's the way in which God 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:45.340 decided to create this world. 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:47.259 So then we have to ask ourselves, 00:12:47.259 --> 00:12:49.460 do we take God's justice seriously 00:12:49.460 --> 00:12:50.360 in our lives, right? 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:53.799 If people were to watch a film of our lives, 00:12:54.139 --> 00:12:55.600 both public and private, 00:12:56.200 --> 00:12:58.460 will they see concern for the weak 00:12:58.460 --> 00:12:59.259 and the fatherless 00:12:59.259 --> 00:13:00.139 and the oppressed 00:13:00.139 --> 00:13:01.279 and the poor? 00:13:01.379 --> 00:13:03.319 Or will they see kind of this, 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:05.179 you know, disinterested people 00:13:05.179 --> 00:13:08.159 or uninterested people 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:10.039 or even prideful, 00:13:10.299 --> 00:13:12.200 kind of dismiss all of them? 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:13.879 And then secondly, 00:13:14.060 --> 00:13:16.180 this psalm teaches us about God's rule, right? 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:18.759 That God is not king over Israel alone, 00:13:18.940 --> 00:13:20.700 that God is king over, 00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:23.200 he's not just the king over the United States, 00:13:23.400 --> 00:13:26.180 or he's the king over all the earth 00:13:26.180 --> 00:13:27.580 and over all the nations. 00:13:28.180 --> 00:13:30.280 And there are still nations, 00:13:30.660 --> 00:13:31.360 people groups, 00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:33.560 who are under the cruel reign 00:13:33.560 --> 00:13:34.879 of these unjust rulers. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:38.620 And we have the gospel 00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:39.659 that can liberate them, 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:41.139 the message of Jesus Christ 00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:41.980 that can liberate them 00:13:41.980 --> 00:13:43.559 and bring them under the kingdom of God 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:44.899 and under the reign of Christ. 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:46.559 And so do we yearn 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.759 to see the kingdom of God 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:49.019 spread to all these nations? 00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:51.740 Do we support the work of missions 00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:53.759 and engage in the work of missions? 00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:55.740 And do we pray, 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:56.879 verse 8, 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:57.779 along with the psalmist, 00:13:57.879 --> 00:13:59.019 arise, O God, 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:00.179 judge the earth, 00:14:00.460 --> 00:14:01.679 for you shall inherit 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:02.720 all the nations. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:05.460 That's really why 00:14:05.460 --> 00:14:08.580 we evangelize, 00:14:08.680 --> 00:14:09.279 share the gospel, 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:12.720 we serve our communities as a church, 00:14:12.800 --> 00:14:13.700 everything that we do, 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:15.440 because we want to see God's glory, 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:16.740 his kingdom of God, 00:14:17.160 --> 00:14:17.960 come to the nations 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:18.840 that do not have 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:21.500 his gracious and just reign over them yet.