The Messiah's Inheritance.
“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” Ps. 2: 8. THE italics are supplied by the translators. The word goim is properly translated nation. It is equivalent to the Greek ethnos, Gentiles, and applied by the Jews to all foreigners. The correct reading of the passage is: “Ask of me, and I will give thee thine inheritance—the nations, and thy possession—the whole earth.” Four scenes of fearful interest are introduced in connection with those nations. 1. They belong to Christ; not simply as God, but as the second Adam, the Son of man, the heir of all things, who by covenant engagement is to triumph and rule over this earth which rejected him, and restore it to its original righteousness and splendor. They are his inheritance; he is head of the race, the first-born and proprietor. As the Son of man, he will possess and dwell upon and rule the earth and its inhabitants. 2. The nations are in allied opposition to Christ. Why do the nations (the heathen) rage or roar—properly, make a noise?—Alexander. Why boast of might and culture? Why take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed? God, from his throne, smiles at their vain and wicked opposition with contempt. He looks upon the atheism of philosophers, the godlessness of diplomacy and statesmanship, and the combination of kings and priests to defeat his purposes, with derision, bending their plans and purposes to his sovereign will, and making their wrath subserve his designs. 3. Christ will be enthroned in his inheritance in the midst of the allied opposition. The language of the psalmist is peculiar and emphatic: “Then shall he [God the Father] speak” “to them [the nations] in his wrath, and vex them [cause them to tremble] in his sore displeasure.” “And will set [or establish] his King on his holy hill of Zion.” “And” is acknowledged to be more correct than “yet.” (See Barnes.) And in the midst of the daring and combined opposition of the nations “He will set his King upon his throne.” (1) The nations reach the height of their audacious godlessness and defiance. (2) God causes them to tremble—the meaning of the Hebrew word bahal, translated “vex.” (3) And he sets his Son, or inaugurates his personal reign amid fury—judgments. “Vex them in his sore displeasure,” is literally “in his heart or burning anger.” (Barnes et al.) “Who shall abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth?” Mal. 3: 2. “He shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire.” 4. Christ claims the right to rule the nations. He is the speaker in the seventh verse: “I will declare the decree.” That decree pronounces him the Son of the eternal Father. It includes the covenant engagement. He recites its pledge: “Ask of me, and I will give you the nations—thine inheritance as the second Adam.” It is the wicked nations—the allied opposing Christless nations—that are to be given to him. Given to him in the height of their rage and boasting opposition. Given to him while trembling beneath the burning wrath of God poured upon them. Given to him for what? 5. Christ will judge and punish the heathen, or literally those nations. Men generally, in speeches and sermons and prayers, quote part of this decree. “He shall have the heathen for his inheritance” is on so many lips which are dumb as regards what follows: “He shall rule or judge them with a rod of iron.” “He shall dash [or shiver] them to pieces as a potter’s [or clay] vessel”—and he will order to “slay his enemies before his face.” He will take vengeance on those that know not God. “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto those that fear my name shall the Son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Mal. 4: 1–3. This is not a time of universal righteousness; his coming to reign upon this planet which rejected him will be the day of vengeance. Observe.—There is not one instance in God's Word in which the reign of Christ is promised, which is not accompanied with threatened judgments upon the wicked, who will be found in the height of their opposition when he comes.—Ford's Christian Repository for Feb., 1879.