Psalms 2:8, commentary and pictures

The verse is the Father's decree and promise to Christ as His begotten Son and King set upon His holy hill of Zion, giving Him the heathen or nations for His inheritance and the uttermost or farthest parts of the earth for His possession as an everlasting possession, promised to Him after His ascension. Christ receives the nations as His inheritance by asking the Father for them, turning the merit of His sacrifice into effective intercession that succeeds in praying for the triumph of His people and summons the church to join in prayer for the salvation of the world. The covenant giving the nations and distant lands to Christ as Redeemer is irrevocable and was sealed by His blood on the cross, by which He bought the whole earthly territory and purchased possession to win it back to loyalty to God.

Jesus became the lawful heir only by following the Father's appointed way of suffering and giving His life, refusing to take the world as a bribe without dying by worshiping Satan when Satan claimed those kingdoms and offered them in exchange for worship. The prospect of thereby winning a universal kingdom and triumph cheered Christ in enduring the agonies of the cross and despising the shame, while the angelic host veiled the sun in darkness over His suffering and His death was victory over a rebellious world, destroying evil rulers and powers and the one holding the power of death. That triumph was first shown over the kings, rulers, judges, guards and prince of darkness with his apostate army who opposed Christ in His trial and tried to hold Him in death, but were impotent and could not carry out their will upon Him who was slain for the sins of the world and could not keep His tomb sealed forever. A heavenly host guarded the sepulcher and the God of heaven with the angels walked round the tomb, having been unseen witnesses of the mock trial in the judgment hall where every action was noted and every taunt recorded, until Christ triumphed and broke His bonds.

God who sits in the heavens laughs at those opposing powers and has them in derision, speaks to them in wrath and vexes them in sore displeasure, and Christ breaks them with a rod of iron and dashes them in pieces like a potter's vessel. The verse thus rules the nations with a rod of iron in the time of judgment, warns kings to be wise and judges to be instructed, to serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling and to kiss the Son lest He be angry and they perish in the way when His wrath is kindled but a little, while the true Israel of God will be protected as God charges His angels to keep them. Satan himself, who claimed those kingdoms, will be placed in Jesus' hands and under Christ's power and destroyed.

The promised inheritance expresses Christ's longing and holy ambition as a conqueror to extend His sway over every human mind and have His kingdom embrace the whole world, manifesting His grace and stamping His character and image upon all men to make them free and pure and holy as God's character. Its fulfillment is still future in triumphs yet to be accomplished through His shed blood that will bring everlasting glory and joy to God and to the Lamb, and His work will not be in vain, for He hungers and thirsts to see the travail and fruit of His soul and will not be satisfied till His victory is complete. God Himself fulfills the promise in His own way by His own might and power to make a way for the truth, even though usurpers have come in to take possession of His property in territories nigh and afar off. He does not wait for human leaders or for a voice from Battle Creek, but bids unfaithful watchmen to stand out of the way so His voice can be heard, and if men keep their hands off He carries the proclamation of the third angel's message forward without those who are left behind to glorious victory.

Christ's way of gaining this dominion is meek and lowly, seeking willing hearts, and He hungers and thirsts for human sympathy and cooperation to extend that kingdom. Unselfish workers who share His sufferings and sympathies and cooperate in His mission to the world add to His joy and give honor and praise to His exalted glory, utterly unlike forcing men into subjection to human plans and ideas and unlike the homage to evil Satan sought to buy.