GOD’S CRAZY SOLUTION

“Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”

Psalms 2:1-6 NLT

Imagine yourself a citizen of a kingdom of people who were born hating and rebelling against their King. No matter how well he treats them and how good he is to them, nothing can stop their hatred and defiance.

This realm includes all the citizens on earth who have the same hatred for their King. Their plan is to rid the earth of him so that they no longer need to submit to his government. They amass an innumerable army from all the nations and gather all the most sophisticated of modern weaponry to take on the King in the war of all wars.

Unfortunately for them, the ruler of this kingdom has power and authority far greater than the collective armies of the world. Although this is a fool’s errand, and they know it, they continue in their madness, believing that they can win the war.

The King tries everything in his power to win them over but to no avail. Eventually, he takes counsel with his associates and comes to this conclusion. “This madness must stop. It’s time for us to put into action the plan we made before we created the universe.”

He turns to His Son and asks, “Are you ready to go to earth, live as one of them under my rule, and then face my fury for their sin and pay the debt for all this enmity against us as though you were part of the rebellion? I will crown you King, give you total authority, and give all the nations to you as your inheritance if you take their punishment by dying their death.”

To the third member in this Council of Three, the King says, “To you I assign the task of convincing my subjects of the wisdom of this plan and awakening in them a new attitude to my rule in our realm.”

“Done!” says the Son. “Done!“ says the Spirit, and the three equal parties in the Royal Council agree to implement the plan.

In due course, the Son enters this earthly realm as a new-born infant, grows up under the government of His Father, the King, and in the earthly realm of his rebellious subjects, faces the hatred of the King’s enemies, and eventually suffers the cruelty and dies at the hands of the King’s so-called “representatives” in this realm.

On the third day, the King restores His Son to life to vindicate His innocence and elevates Him to His rightful place as King in Zion, His centre of government in earth.

The nations are still amassing their armies to take on the King. The Father installs His Son as His anointed King on Zion’s Hill, gives him the highest title, Lord, and authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron.

What is the Father’s final solution to the enmity of his subjects? He offers them hope through the forgiveness his Son bought by His death on the cross. He calls the people to run to the very person they are running from. Yes, they killed the one they hated but they can never get rid of Him because He is alive forever.

The Father’s wrath against the sin of the world came down on His Son. His anger was spent on Jesus. Now His love calls all people to lay down their arms and come to the one they killed.

“I am the living one. I died but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”

Revelation 1:18 NLT

How crazy is that! God gave the world what it wanted – the death of God! But death could not hold Him. By dying, He broke death’s power and now He gives life to all who believe in Him.

People are still running! Those who run from Him cannot escape death. Those who run to Him receive mercy, forgiveness, and His infinite grace that changes their hearts and restores His own nature in them to be God-lovers and God-worshippers instead of God-haters.

Which way are you running? It’s your choice. Run to Jesus. Choose life.