2 Chronicles 9:29 English Standard Version (ESV) Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

This is a followup from a comment yesterday that needs some explanation. That being “history, fact or fiction”. This verse is the only time the word history is used in the ESV but serves as a good example of the issues of truth. We who are in Christ, believe the Word to be true. The bible does not address everything in history, only those relevant parts meant to help us.

My point, which was not made yesterday, is not about world history but rather personal history. We all have a past and for many of us there have been some significant events that hold deep personal meaning. It is important that we get the facts right about those events.

Memory is not a reliable tool for events that happened many years ago. What does not change is our feelings. If our feelings change then perhaps those moments were not that significant.

Not so long ago I related my first encounter with God which I have at times called “God revealing Himself.” My feelings about that moment have not changed. My understanding of that moment has changed. Maturity clarifies misconceptions and those things we learn on this path of faith brings clarity in accepting God’s will.

A word I had not yet learned when I was sixteen was sovereignty. Sovereignty is an attribute of God’s identity and makes up just one aspect of who God is in His entirety. If I had learned that lesson back then I might have identified sovereignty as His most important identity. Today sixty years later my answer to His most important quality is love.

God does not change His mind but thank God we can. Mankind can be muleheaded but thanks be to God that His sovereignty is not diminished by our stubbornness. What we were serves a purpose for a time and when that purpose has been fulfilled the sovereignty of God changes us to serve His purpose.

1 Corinthians 8:2

And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

What I think on my own is fiction.

Daniel 2:47

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

Only God can reveal truth and His name is Jesus Christ.

Psalm 2 English Standard Version

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,

3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Communication resides between speaker and listener, transference of understanding with purpose. Matthew Henry said this of Psalm 2: “the primary intention and scope of the psalm; and I think there is less in it of the type, and more of the anti-type, than in any of the gospel psalms, for there is nothing in it but what is applicable to Christ, but some things that are not at all applicable to David.” 

This Matthew Henry quote is given for one and only one purpose, to hi-lite two words “I think”.

The intent and purpose of this Psalm was given by God the author with purpose.

During the time between its writing and the birth of Christ there have been many teachers of the law that have given their opinions on the meaning of this Psalm. It is only what they think.

At the time of Christ and assuming that the people were being told about the possibility of the coming Messiah it is no wonder that they might have been taught and expected a Messiah that fit verse 5 i.e. wrath.

We may have conversations with others about this Psalm and what we think. How we communicate our opinion has three issues to consider. The first is what we have been taught, the second is history, be it fact or fiction, and the third is the most important, what do the scriptures tell us by faith?