“And when they heard this, they lifted their voice to God with one accord and said ,’O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is them, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said
“Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth stood up,
and the rulers were together
against the Lord, and against his
his Christ .”
“…And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while you extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”
Acts 4:23-26, 29-31
Why did the heathen rage, and still do rage, is a good question! How like the secular world and the religious world to be at enmity with each other, yet to join forces in alliance against God and against His Christ! “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” is their political dictum. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, and Herod, the King of Israel, had been bitter enemies, but became friends in their alliance to rid themselves of their mutual “problem”. (See Luke 23:8-12)
Rage is defined as “an intense, uncontrollable form of violent anger or fury often characterized by complete loss of self-control.” We get clues of what precipitated this loss of self-control if we look at the prophecy of David in Psalm 2:2-3 “The kings of the earth, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”
The world hates what it cannot control, and any restraint to its behavior is anathema! It’s the consequences of man’s self-deification as exemplified by Alexander Pope in his Essay on Man:
Snatch from His hand the balance and the rod
Re-judge His justice , be the god of God.
In pride, in reasoning pride, our error lies;
All quit their sphere, and rush in to the skies.
Pride still is aiming at the blest abodes,
Men would be angels, angels would be gods.
Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell,
Aspiring to be angels, men rebel:
And who but wishes to invert the laws
Of Order, sins against the Eternal Cause
The disciples are finding first-hand what Jesus had told them: “ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you…. Because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. …. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘ They hated Me without a cause.” (John 15:18-19, 25; Ps.69;4)
The disciples also remember that Jesus told them: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
They were learning quickly that they will have enemies. Jesus had enemies. No matter how many lame are healed, no matter how many blind eyes are opened, no matter how many deaf ears are unstopped. The most important thing to remember is: ”When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Prov.16:7
“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness”. Controlled not by the world’s agenda , obeying God, not men, and their song— Prepare the Way of the Lord!.
Questions To Think About:
“Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth stood up,
and the rulers were together
against the Lord, and against his
his Christ .”
“…And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while you extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”
Acts 4:23-26, 29-31
Why did the heathen rage, and still do rage, is a good question! How like the secular world and the religious world to be at enmity with each other, yet to join forces in alliance against God and against His Christ! “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” is their political dictum. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, and Herod, the King of Israel, had been bitter enemies, but became friends in their alliance to rid themselves of their mutual “problem”. (See Luke 23:8-12)
Rage is defined as “an intense, uncontrollable form of violent anger or fury often characterized by complete loss of self-control.” We get clues of what precipitated this loss of self-control if we look at the prophecy of David in Psalm 2:2-3 “The kings of the earth, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”
The world hates what it cannot control, and any restraint to its behavior is anathema! It’s the consequences of man’s self-deification as exemplified by Alexander Pope in his Essay on Man:
Snatch from His hand the balance and the rod
Re-judge His justice , be the god of God.
In pride, in reasoning pride, our error lies;
All quit their sphere, and rush in to the skies.
Pride still is aiming at the blest abodes,
Men would be angels, angels would be gods.
Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell,
Aspiring to be angels, men rebel:
And who but wishes to invert the laws
Of Order, sins against the Eternal Cause
The disciples are finding first-hand what Jesus had told them: “ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you…. Because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. …. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘ They hated Me without a cause.” (John 15:18-19, 25; Ps.69;4)
The disciples also remember that Jesus told them: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
They were learning quickly that they will have enemies. Jesus had enemies. No matter how many lame are healed, no matter how many blind eyes are opened, no matter how many deaf ears are unstopped. The most important thing to remember is: ”When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Prov.16:7
“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness”. Controlled not by the world’s agenda , obeying God, not men, and their song— Prepare the Way of the Lord!.
Questions To Think About:
- When you face “threat” or opposition, do you tend to focus on the problem or the power of the Creator? How does remembering God’s sovereignty change your perspective on your current struggles?
- The world hates “any restraint to its behavior”and seeks to “break their bands asunder “ (Psalm 2:3). Are there areas in your own life where you feel a “rage” or resistance against God’s boundaries? In what ways does “reasoning pride” tempt you to “re-judge His justice” rather than submit to it?
- Is your life more focused on the removal or tribulation or the arrival of “boldness”? How can you shift your prayers this week to ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you with courage rather than just comfort?
Posted in Why Do The Heathen Rage?