Transcript of message from TV Broadcast 665 -- taken from Closed Captioning Text

-- Brother Phil Enlow: And so, I'd like you to turn, if you will, to Psalm 2--to Psalm 2. This is a psalm of David. It's a prophetic psalm. I believe as with many scriptures, it certainly had its application to David's day. But I believe that there was an anointing, there was an inspiration that rested upon David and it caused him to write words that looked way beyond David's day.

And I believe the greatest application, the greatest target that Lord had in mind was our day--the day in which we live. And I believe that there's things that God's people need to understand. I believe there's things that other people need to understand who are not serving God because there's a direct message in this and then there's another scripture that kind of goes with it.

The Psalm is really divided into three parts and I'm gonna read verses 1 through 3 to begin with, and in this translation, it says this. "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters." (NIV).

Now, I think in the King James it says, why do the nations rage? But, I believe there's more to this than simply men who don't want to serve God, shaking their fist at God and saying, I don't want to go along with You. I believe there's more to it than that. What he's talking about is coming to a point in history where men who feel this way about God and who are in positions of power and authority and influence in the world begin to talk to one another and begin to say, we need to do something. We have got to throw off all restraint, all of this...everything to do with God, everything to do with Christ. We don't want any more to do with it. It's just a hindrance to what we want to do.

And so, that's what's going on here. And, you know, I was thinking about...just stepping back and looking at the history of God's dealings with man. We know in the beginning, He created him to walk with Him, but yet, right at the very beginning the first thing was that Eve and then Adam were deceived into believing that they could chart their own course and say, we're going to be our own gods.

That was the lie that was fed to Eve. If you'll do...if you will go against what God has said, it'll be good for you. You can do yourself good, if you will ignore what God has said and just act on your own. You will be like gods, knowing good and evil.

And so, the human race fell into great darkness and rebellion and it caused the judgment of the flood. God preserved life through the ark miraculously and He brought forth...and everything we see today is a result of those who exited the ark...from the natural creation to the creation of...to mankind and all that has happened.

But I believe that there was a period of time in history when the human race walked in great ignorance as a whole. There was light in Israel and from time to time God would do something in such a way that His fame would be spread abroad. You know, He caused the Israelites to go through the Red Sea on dry land. Well the nations around about heard about that. They said, oh, there must be something to this God of Israel.

When the Israelites were taken away captive to Babylon, there were great miracles that took place there to the point where the emperor actually made proclamations not to say anything about the God of Israel--the God of Daniel. And so God had ways of spreading His fame abroad across the earth.

But the fact of the matter is, as Paul said when he ministered on Mars Hill, he looked back and he said, the times of this ignorance, God winked at it--He overlooked. There was a degree of overlooking. Now, it doesn't mean they got away with it and they're going to heaven. That's not what it's talking about. But God does not require of men light they do not have.

And there was a lot of darkness that covered the earth. In fact, I believe the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 60, about gross darkness covering the earth--or darkness covering the earth and gross darkness the people had its primary application to the time when our Savior came into the world. That was the condition. Mankind was in total darkness. He simply didn't know. He practiced his heathen religions and just walked on, lived, and died and that was the end of it.

But when Jesus Christ came into the world, there was a light that through Him began to be shined abroad in the world, first to Israel, of course, through His own ministry. But then through the apostles, that light began to spread across to the nations. And, as a result, men began to be responsible to God.

Now, I want you to notice here what it says. It says, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed...." Now, see at this point, they know something, don't they? This particular rebellion is based upon something that they know. They have now heard about God. They have heard about His Son. They have come face to face with His claims to rule and authority and now they are having their reaction to that.

So, this is not looking way back into history. This is looking, I believe, primarily into our day and to something that is taking place before our eyes. There is a rebellion, there is a conspiracy, if you will, and I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I'm not one who chases down every little rumor about all the terrible things that are going on. But, I'll tell you, this is something that is real.

And I believe we've heard about it, but I believe, it's time and I believe there maybe people who even hear this, who need to hear and need a clearer picture of what is going on. Because there are doctrines, there are ideas that are being taught in the name of Christ in our world that are putting God's people to sleep.

( congregational amens ).

And it's not so much a matter of a doctrinal battle, as it is, these are issues that matter. God's...you know, one of the conditions in Matthew 25 that Jesus foretold would take place in the last days, was that His people would be slumbering and sleeping. And I believe that one of the greatest things that has put God's people to sleep has been false teaching about the coming of Christ.

They have been taught that they are going to be snatched out...yes, things are getting bad...yes, things are getting terrible, they're going downhill, but don't you worry, you're gonna be all right. You're gonna be snatched out before anything really bad happens. And I'm here to tell you now, that is not the truth. Christ is coming. He is going to gather His people. He is going to finally and fully defeat all of this rebellion that is being described here. But, I'll tell you, we, ourselves, as Christians, need to be ready to stand, ready to look to God and to trust Him in such an hour.

And so this is a particular effort that is being made by those in positions of influence and authority to say, we have got to do something. We are being hindered. We are being held back. We are being restrained in what we want to do by the presence of any belief in God and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ. We're gonna have to stamp it out.

Now, I don't know if some of you are aware, but there are people who are in positions like that and that is exactly what they are saying among themselves about us. Thank God! That means we're coming closer to the end. We're coming down to that time that has been foretold. And I'll tell you, we serve One who is on the throne. He is on the throne.

( congregational amens ).

He has the power. There are chains that He holds upon this world that the rulers of this world cannot break. But that's what they're trying to do. They said, "Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters." Get rid of that old morality. Get rid of all the old-fashioned ideas about God and serving Him. Let's chart our own brave new world. Let's do it our way. Boy, we see it everywhere, don't we?

But now, we come to the second part. And that's God sitting up here, looking down on all this. Let's see what He says. It says, "The One enthroned in heaven laughs...." Boy, what a joke! How can these poor, puny little creatures actually think that they can rise up in revolt against Me? What a joke!

It says, "The One enthroned in heaven laughs..." Now, who is he talking about there? He's talking about the Father, isn't he? He's talking about God. But then, he steps down and he says, "...The Lord..." Capital 'L', small 'o-r-d', I believe he's talking there about the Son. So he's saying, both of them are sitting up there in heaven in a place of supreme authority, looking down on all of this plotting and planning that's going on, and laughing and scoffing at it.

It says, "Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying..."--this is the Father speaking--"...I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill." You've got all these plots and plans you're trying to pull off. I'll tell you, I've got My plan--I've got My plan. I've already installed a King. You don't have to worry about taking the rule. There's already One that's in charge.

( congregational amens ).

All authority in heaven and earth was delivered to our Lord Jesus Christ when He came through what He did.

( congregational amens ).

All that we sung about this morning, what a glorious thing it is! And I was thinking as we were singing about what He's done for us, how worthy He is!

( congregational praise ).

Praise God! This is not the rule of a tyrant who wants to abuse us. This is the rule of One who has earned His place by what He's done for us, it's a gift of God because of the love. You know, we were singing a while ago about what He did for us in the garden. That one hymn we sang, I read some...I listened to some of those words as we were singing, more than I have in a long time. Wow! He wasn't thinking about His own grief. He wasn't thinking about His own problems. He was thinking about us. That was what it was all about.

( congregational amens ).

Praise God, that's why He sits on the throne. That's why everything the rulers of this world do...all of it's in vain. Praise God! That's why the Lord can laugh and mock. It says, "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."

Now, you know, we've talked about Zion in the past. It was a literal place at one time in the city of Jerusalem. And back when they were still in the process of conquering different parts of the land, David, when he was about to ascend to the throne, took some of his men and conquered this place. It was a castle. It was a stronghold on a high place, in a hill in the city of Jerusalem. And there were enemies of God who were encamped in there and entrenched.

But David, by the strength of the Lord, was able to go in and drive them out and he made it his capital. And so, the Lord has made that captured territory, a high place in the center of Jerusalem, He has made that an apt symbol of where He has installed His King. And does not the scripture say, you...you and I have come, what? To Mount Zion, to the City of the living God. We have come to all that God has established. Praise God for it!

( congregational praise ).

Now, here's a scripture that's quoted a couple of times, at least, in the New Testament. It says, "I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, You are my Son; today I have become your Father." Praise God! That's quoted in Hebrews and then Paul quotes it in a sermon in Acts chapter 13. And this is something that God's people need to know, but it's also something that people of the world who are looking on, need to know--that God has established His Son to be the Ruler over all. "...Today I have become your Father."

Now here's the other thing. "Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance..." I believe the Lord has asked that, don't you?

( congregational amens ).

That's part of the Father's plan. To, "...the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery." Now, part of the...and I'm gonna just come right out and say it, part of the false doctrine that's being taught puts this in the future. It says that Jesus is gonna come down and He's gonna rule out of some government building somewhere. Probably gonna hold press conferences and all the news agencies will be there asking Him questions about what's His policy for this and what's His policy for that. Now, I'm painting this in sort of a ludicrous way to make a point.

I'll tell you what--what was it that the rulers of the world were concerned about? Their chains, their cords it says in the King James, I believe. Their bands--all the restraint that has been upon them. Where do you think that restraint came from? You think that the devil has had unfettered freedom to do as he has pleased?

-- Congregation: No.

-- Brother Phil Enlow: All this time? No! Why? Because Jesus has been on His throne.

( congregational amens ).

Yes, He's allowed tremendous evil to take place in the world. But there is a design of Satan--there is a design of Satan for this world that he has been absolutely thwarted, up to this point, from ever fulfilling. And that's to literally unite the world in opposition to God and drive Christianity, and everything to do with it, out of the world. He's not been able to do that. That's what they're so concerned about. That's why they're conspiring. It's because Jesus has been on the throne and He has been ruling.

( congregational amens ).

Every time they get pointed in that direction, He just pulls it--He jerks the chain and says, nope, it's not time. What did the Lord do when they tried to unite at the tower of Babel? He confused their tongues and forced them to scatter abroad across the earth. They couldn't talk to one another any more. So, you see how God has just thwarted every design of man and Satan to really rise up in that united rebellion.

We saw the empire of Egypt. We saw the empire of Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome. One behind the other, they fell. They rose to great heights of power and then God said, no, that's far enough. Somebody else came in and conquered 'em.

I'll tell you, there has been a Divine Hand in the affairs of this world for as long as the so-called gospel age has been going on. And Jesus Christ has been ruling with that iron scepter. He will--"...You will dash them to pieces like pottery." Now, some of that, of course, looks all the way to the end, because in the end, every rebellion on earth will be totally crushed. That's the plan. His inheritance will be complete. And I don't believe that's far off.

Now, part one is describing the rebellion. Part two is God's response and His decree and where things stand. So now, we need to step back and say, now look, here's the way the world thinks. Here's what they're planning. Here's what God's planned. What ought we to do as a result of that? He says, "Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth." And I would add to that, anybody.

( congregational amens ).

Everybody who would hear a word like this needs to take stock of their life and where do they fit in, because that's the real issue. "Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling." Well I'll tell you what he's describing in verses 1 to 3 is not fear and trembling, is it? It's defiance. It's such a ridiculous imagination--vain imagination, I think the King James says. Whatever it is, it's just something that you cannot imagine how they could think such a way. If they had any sense of what was really going on--it's just absolutely ludicrous.

So, the Lord is giving a warning. "Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son..."--You want to see the Son of God in the Old Testament? There it is very plainly. "Kiss the Son..."--Now, you know if you come before a ruler--kissing the Son conveys the idea that you're making obeisance. You are submitting. You are bowing. You are recognizing this is one who has authority over me and I'm submitting myself.

That's what he's calling on rulers to do. It's what he's calling all people to do. Bow before the Son. "Kiss the Son lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way..." And I'll tell you, we don't...I'm thankful for the love of God. I'm thankful for the grace of God. I'm thankful for the mercy and the patience of God. But I'll tell you, there's another side that needs to be preached and that's the wrath of God.

( congregational amens ).

It's real--it's real, and this world is gonna taste it. I remember...it comes to my mind from time to time the vision that the Lord gave somebody way back. And it just...they literally were at the level of being able to see individual people and watching the fire begin to fall and its effect and people screaming and running and...oh, my God, it was real, all the things that would go on in people's hearts.

I'll tell you what, God is extending His hand to mankind. But what we are seeing now is not the ignorance that Paul said was the case before his time there of ministering. This is the time when man has had light. He's become aware of God. He's become aware of His Son and the claims to authority and he said, no, I don't want none of it. We're gonna rise up. We're gonna do our own thing. We're gonna just set aside Your truth and Your word and we're gonna go our own way.

"Kiss the Son lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way...." That's interesting--'your way'--your way. That's the problem. What have we all turned to by nature? Isaiah said? Every man has turned to, what?

-- Congregation: His own way.

-- Brother Phil Enlow: His own way. That's our problem! We need to learn God's way. Praise God! It's so much better in every respect. But, oh, men are blind. They think they're way is better. "...For his wrath can flare up in a moment...." Now what a glorious promise this ends with. It says, "...Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

( congregational praise ).

Praise God! Now, see, right there that tells me something. Refuge conveys the idea that there is a danger from which we need shelter--refuge. You don't take refuge when the sun's shining. You take refuge when there's a storm, when there's something you fear. But God is saying, in spite of all these terrible things that I have said about the world and what's going to happen to it, there is a place of refuge. That place of refuge is Him!

( congregational amens ).

It's coming unto Him. It says, blessed! It doesn't say, cursed, your life's gonna be miserable. It says, blessed! Oh, what a place of refuge. Did Noah have anything to fear from the flood? No! God provided a refuge and God will always provide a refuge for His people.

Now, I'll pause and say I don't think that necessarily means we're not gonna see martyrs. We're not gonna see people have to die and suffer for their faith. But, I'll tell you there's something that God has begun in the life of every child of His that no devil in hell can touch.

( congregational amens ).

It's a work of God that's eternal, and it's by grace, through faith, that we have become new creatures in Christ and that is something that can never be destroyed.

( congregational praise ).

Jesus said, I'll tell you who you fear. Don't fear man. They can kill your body. That's all they can do. But, I'll tell you who you fear--you fear God, who has the power to cast both soul and body into hell. That's a serious matter.

Now, I want to go to a scripture here that is, I believe, a parallel to this and it's in 2nd Thessalonians. I want us...most of you probably realize that--or many of you, that I'm going to chapter 2. But, I wanted to read some things in Chapter 1, because I believe it touches on some of these doctrines that are being taught.

Paul is talking here about the persecutions and trials that they are enduring and how God's evidence of grace is there in their lives and the opposition of the world is being made evident by the presence of Christ in the lives of His people. And so, in verse 5, he says it this way. "All this..."--this conflict, this persecution--"...is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you..."--those who are suffering, those who are being persecuted by the spirit of the world--"...as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

"God is just...." I Praise God! God is just. I'll tell you [the] thing we need to understand about God's justice. It doesn't happen like that. But God has a perfect record of everything that happens and there is a day of reckoning. Part of the deception that is upon this world is they think they're getting away with it. Many times there's no immediate hammer that comes down on somebody that says, I defy you, God. There's no lightning bolt that necessarily strikes 'em down. So they say, ah, I got away with it. I guess it's alright.

But, I'll tell you, God is just. "He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well." Now, so here's two things--judgment upon the ones who are causing the trouble and relief for those who have been experiencing the trouble. Both things are right there together, aren't they? You see that?

But now listen to when he says this is going to happen. He says, "This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels." That's all the same time, isn't it? That's what concerns me about Christians. I believe we are seeing the fulfillment of what was described in Psalm 2, and what is going to be described in 2nd Thessalonians, chapter 2--the great, last rebellion against God.

It is happening and certainly the church world is asleep as a whole, but I mean, within that, those who are the true remnant of God, many of them have been put to sleep by these doctrines that say, you're gonna escape all this. Sing your lullabies, close the shutters on your churches. Sit there and wait for Jesus to come and snatch you out of all of it, and they're not ready. God wants to forearm us and get us ready in our minds to say, we're gonna have to trust God. We're gonna have to get down to business. We're gonna have to take sides, 100 percent with one side or the other.

( congregational amens ).

There is a great separation that is going on in our world today. And it's going on before our eyes. And God help His people not to sleep through it. And so, this, as I said, the payback for the trouble and the relief from the trouble all happens at the same time when Jesus arrives from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. That's judgment falling and God's people being rescued. It all happens at the same time.

"He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." Now, it's interesting it's 'obey'. That's the problem with people. It's not that I can't believe it, it's that I won't. There's some part of it that they just will not receive. They just say, I don't agree with that. I don't want it--don't want anything to do with it. I will not yield. That's the problem.

There is a message...I referred a while ago to what Paul said on Mars Hill. He said the times of this ignorance, God overlooked--He winked at, but, what? What did he say on the heels of that? Do you remember that? But now, what? He commands "...men every where to repent." (KJV). There was a decree. There was a command. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a suggestion. It is not a 'pretty please.' It is a command.

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