Passion for Jesus Conference (April 2015) –Mike Bickle
The End-Time Crisis: God’s Response tothe Rage against Jesus (Ps. 2; Joel 2) Page1
End-Time Crisis: God’s Response to Rage against Jesus(Ps. 2; Joel 2)
I.introduction
A.In Psalm 2, King David prophesied thatworld leaders would oppose the leadership of Jesus, causing aglobal crisis that would reachits pinnacle in the generation of Jesus’ return.
B.Psalm 2 has four parts:
- The kings’ opposition: Seeking to remove the influence of the Word from society (2:1-3)
- The Father’s response: Exalting Jesus as King and confronting rebellion againstJesus (2:4-6)
- Jesus’ response: Intercedingin agreement with the Father’s decrees (2:7-9)
- David’sexhortation: Calling people to serveGod in the fear of the Lord and joy (2:10-12)
II.The kings’ fierce opposition to Jesus and His leadership (2:1-3)
A.David prophesied that the nations would rise up in anger against Jesus’ leadership (2:1-3), seeking to remove the influence of His Word from society(2:3). Kings speak of the heads of state;rulers include leaders in society—economic, educational, military, sports, media, etc.
1Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? 2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 3“Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” (Ps. 2:1-3)
B.They will see God’s Word in a negative light, as though it were bonds enslaving them and hindering “human potential,” and ascords binding them to His morality, godly ways, and truth.
C.An unholy agenda is accelerating, as many attack God’s commands with rage, seeking to remove His moral boundaries from society, including the sanctity of life, marriage, and sexuality.
D.Rage: The rage in society against Jesus will escalate far beyond people voicing negative opinions against God’s people and truth to warring against God and His people using hate crimes, prison, and even death (Rev. 11:7; 12:17; 13:7; 17:14; 19:19).
E.Both light and darkness will increase in the end times (Isa. 60:1-2; Mt. 13:30, 39). Before Jesus returns, godliness, sin, and deception will reach their greatest heights in history, resulting in a falling away from the faith (Mt. 24:9-13; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:3-5).
2For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lordwill arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. (Isa. 60:2)
23“In the latter time…when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king [Antichrist] shall arise.” (Dan. 8:23)
F.Jesus and Paul gave more warnings about deception in the end times than about the tribulation and persecution (Mt. 24:4-5, 11, 24; Mk. 13:5-6, 22; Lk. 21:8; 2 Thes. 2:3-10; 1 Tim. 4:1).
1The Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…3forbidding to marry. (1 Tim. 4:1-3)
III.The Father’s response: promise of revival and judgment (2:4-6)
A.The Father’s response to the rebellious kingsis to declare His purposesto magnify Jesus as King over the nations (v. 6) and distress the kings with judgment (v. 5). Jesus was enthroned in heaven at the resurrection and will be enthroned in Jerusalem whenHereturns.
4He who sits in the heavens shall laugh…5He shall speak to them in His wrath and distress them in His deep displeasure: 6“Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.” (Ps. 2:4-6)
B.The Father’s messageincludes openly demonstrating Jesus’ power as King and distressing the kings and leaders of societywho are permanently settled in their rage against Jesus and His truth.
C.In His wrath He will speak to the leaders of society through His people.
D.One primary characteristic of false prophets is that they prophesy only blessing to people—even those who refuse God’s leadership—without ever speaking of His judgments (Jer. 6:14; 8:11; 14:13-14; 23:16-22; Ezek. 13:9-10, 16; Mic. 3:5-6).
16“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who…17continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lordhas said, “You shall have peace…no evil shall come upon you.”’” (Jer. 23:16-17)
E.C. S. Lewis wrote of “resistance thinking” against popular trends that seek to make the gospel fit with the spirit of our age. We must speak the difficult and “offensive” themes of the gospel as well as the more popular ones. The Church’s effectiveness lies in her calling to be against the world, yet for it. Os Guinness wrote of our call being both world-affirming and world-denying. When the Church neglects this dual stance, it results in cowardice, corruption, and decline.
IV.Jesus’ response in intercession (2:7-9)
A.Jesus responds with intercession that agrees with the Father’s decrees (2:7-9).
7“I will declare the decree: The Lord[Father] has said to Me, ‘You are My Son…8Ask of Me, and I will give You [Jesus] the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9You shall break them [the nations] with a rod of iron.’” (Ps. 2:7-9)
B.Jesus revealed Himself as the Great Intercessorwho prays for His leadership and kingly authority to be openly displayed on earth. He will lead the body of Christ in intercession.
V.David’S exhortation (2:10-12)
A.David exhorted people to serve or fully engage with God in the fear of the Lord (2:10-12); to rejoice or be grateful for the privilege of being allowed to participate with God; to kiss the Son or pay homage to the King with obedient love, flowing from affection not merely duty. In context, serving the Lord includes speaking His message (v. 5-6) and engaging in prayer with Him (v. 8).
10Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11Serve the Lordwith fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry.(Ps. 2:10-12)
B.The Psalm 2 crisis requires a Joel 2 response, resulting in an Acts 2 outpouring of the Spirit.
VI.What the Lord Is Saying about the Crisis in Our Nation (Joel 2)
A.The Spirit is calling the Church to understand the coming revival and crisis and to respond in the way that Scripture teaches. God requires the response outlined in the book of Joel (2:12-17). We are to turn to God with all of our heart and pray for a great outpouring of the Spirit (2:28-31).
1“Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble…11For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it? 12‘Now, therefore…turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting…15Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly…28It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…30I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth…31before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.” (Joel 2:1-31)
B.The theme of the book of Joel is the day of the Lord(1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14). This “day” speaks of a time when God intervenes in history with unusual manifestations of power on behalf of His people and against His enemies. It is “His day” because His power is displayed for all to see.
C.A great Day (2:11):Those who love Jesus will witness the greatest outpouring of the Spirit in history leading to His return. In this great revival, the Spirit will release the miracles that were seen in the book of Acts and in the book of Exodus, combined and multiplied on a global scale.
D.A very terrible Day (2:11):Those who rebel against Jesus in that hour will experience the most severe time of judgment in history. Jesus spoke of this as an unprecedented time of trouble. The Lord will shake all nations in the context of multitudes coming to Jesus (Heb. 12:26; Rev. 7:14).
14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world…then the end will come… 21Then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world. (Mt. 24:14, 21)
E.The Lord will anoint Day-of-the-Lord messengers who will inspire and alarm God’s people. These forerunners are “messengers” who function with a specific message in different spheres of life.
F.Forerunner messengers are preachers, evangelists, artists (singers, musicians, actors, etc.), writers (Internet), in media or business, or intercessors, as well as those who disciple people one on one in the church, university, or home. Moms and dads are some of the most important forerunners.
G.The Lord tells His people how to respond in a national crisis (when there is no human remedy) in a way that results in Him intervening with great power, mercy, and deliverance. Joel summoned people to return to God with confidence that He is gracious, kind, and relents from doing harm.
12“Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” 13So rend your heart…return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. 14Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing…? 15Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast…28Afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…30I will show wonders…31before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.” (Joel 2:12-31)
H.Relents from doing harm: The Lord is willing to cancel the judgment that He decreed in heaven. There are two stages in God’s judgments: first, a decree of judgment is established in His heavenly court; second, it is issued as God releases angels to execute the judgment (Ezek. 9), or it is canceled.
1Gather yourselves together…2before the decree [of judgment] is issued…before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you…3Seek the Lord …it may be that you will be hidden[protected from judgment] in the day of the Lord’s anger. (Zeph. 2:1-3)
I.I refer to “pockets of mercy” to describe the situation when some people and/or geographic regions are “hidden” or protected in the time of God’s judgment (Zeph. 2:3; cf. Ezek. 9:4-5; Amos 4:7).
4“Go through the midst of…Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” 5To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare…” (Ezek. 9:4-5)
7“I also withheld rain from you…I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered. (Amos 4:7)
27“…because your [King Josiah] heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place [Jerusalem]…28… your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.”(2 Chr. 34:27-28)
J.The Lord searches for intercessors who will pray for His judgments to be withheld (Ezek. 22:30).
30So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. (Ezek. 22:30)
K.A national disaster can be stopped. In response to prayer, God heals nations and changes the crisis that would have occurred (Gen. 18:22-32; Ex. 32: 9-14; 2 Chr. 34:22-28; Jer. 18:7-10; 51:6-8; Ezek. 18:21-28; 33:10-14; Dan. 4:29; Amos 5:14-15; 7:1-6; Jon. 3:4-10; Mal. 3:16-4:6).
14If My people…will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear…and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chr. 7:14)
7The instant I speak concerning a nation…to destroy it, 8if that nation…turns from its evil,
I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. (Jer. 18:7-8)
L.The prophet Amos successfully prayed to stop the Lord’s judgments of locust and fire in Israel.
1Behold, He formed locust swarms at the beginning of the late crop…2when they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said: “O Lord God, forgive, I pray!...” 3So the Lordrelented concerning this…4The Lord Godshowed me: Behold, the Lord Godcalled for conflict by fire… 5I said: “O Lord God, cease, I pray!...” 6So the Lordrelented concerning this.(Amos 7:1-6)
M.Moses prayed to stop the Lord’s judgments against Israel, and the Lord received his prayer.
10…let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot…” 11Moses pleaded with the Lordhis God…
14So the Lordrelented from the harm which He said He would do to His people. (Ex. 32:10-14)
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