Psalm 2: Israel attacks Gaza

For the first time since the middle of 2006 war broke out in Israel. This time the Israelis attacked Gaze in retaliation for mortar fire on Israeli towns. It was the bloodiest day for the Palestinians since 1967.

Psalm 2

Theoretical Time:

  • 12999-13-06 DH 22:2:30 AA
  • 2008-12-28 15:16:51 TMMT
  • 2008-12-28 12:55:57 GMT
  • 2008-12-28 07:55:57 EST

26 Psalms 2


1Why do the Gentiles rage and the peoples imagine vain things?
2The kings of the land and the rulers have conspired and have taken counsel together against Yahvah and against his anointed (44:4:25) saying,
3Let us break their bands apart, and let us cast away their yoke from us.


4He that lives in the skies will laugh, and master will mock at them.
5Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath and say,
6I have appointed my king over Zion, my holy mountain.


7To declare my promise; Yahvah has said to me, You are my son; this day, I have borne you. (44:13:33, 54:1:5, 54:5:5)
8Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance and the uttermost parts of the land for your dominion.
9You will shepherd them with a rod of iron; you will break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (66:2:27, 66:19:15)


10Be wise now kings; be instructed judges of the land.
11Serve Yahvah with reverence, and uphold him with trembling.
12Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish from his way, while his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in him.

Filfillment: Israel Attacks Gaza

On December 27, 2008, the Israeli military began retaliatory raids for weeks of rocket attacks in southern Israel. Apparently all Hamas installations across the Gaza strip were attacked and destroyed.

On the evening of December 27, around 10:00 PM in New York City, the United Nations security counsel met in what became a 4 hour closed session.

Across most of Sunday, protests broke out in major cities across the Arab world.

Also on Sunday, the Israeli air force targeted installations along the Egyptian border, attacking Hamas smuggling tunnels in from Egypt.

Palestinians used a bulldozer to open the border with Egypt, though Egyptian border guards were reported to have opened fire on the Palestinians breaking through.

Matches

Verses 1-3: The general flow is the "nations" in this case Gaza and allies attempt to break off the Israelis by firing rockets into southern Israel.

Verse 4: God himself laughs at this, and will speak to them in wrath over his displeasure.

Verse 5-6: The Psalm then goes on to how God has set his "king" in Zion, or for this case the Jews in Jerusalem, and how he will speak to them in wrath.

Verse 7: The text then turns to this is a beginning, a "begotting." The Israeli press has made clear this is only the start of what will be a long operation.

Verse 8: the nations being given as an inheritance. Both the Jewish and Islamic nations are yet to be saved, and this suggests they will be "given as an inheritance" when they too turn to Jesus. This is especially an issue with Arab countries, perhaps the last to see an inheritance for Jesus' kingdom.

Verse 9 moves on to the rod of iron breaking them like a potter's vessel. This is playing directly to what happened in Gaza itself, with the high-tech air force attack breaking the buildings, pottery, of Gaza. The disproportionate response of the Israelis to the Palestinians was an issue picked up in some of the responses, iron vs. clay.

Verse 10 moves to the Kings, Judges of the Earth, or this time around the United Nations in New York. They met for 4 hours beginning at 10:00 PM local time in New York City. There had been general calls to cease the violence in the day ahead, but there was no specific resolution from the United Nations. A good thing, considering the tone of the Psalm.

Verse 11: Is a call to repentance.

Verse 12: Is a warning that there is more to come.

Further Reading

Yahoo has an extensive article.

The press report issued after the UN is relatively bland.

Various rallies took place around the Arab world.

The BBC posted video on the second day of attacks.

By Phil Stone
Revised 12999-13-06 (2008-12-28)