Psalm 2:12 says
“Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
I’ve seen it suggested that Christian Nationalism is based on this text, along with a couple of other key texts including the instruction to the Jews in exile to seek the welfare of the city of Babylon, the role that Daniel and others such as Nehemiah played in the courts of Babylonian and Persian emperors and then Jesus’ Great Commission to go and disciple all the nations.
Note, I’m not convinced that this is an accurate understanding of what Christian Nationalism is because those who have promoted the concept with the most clarity and passion emphasis its ethno-cultural nationalistic nature. However, let’s look at this specific example.
The Psalm begins with a question:
“Why do the nations conspireand the peoples plot in vain? (v1)
The Psalmist then goes on to describe how:
2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, 3 “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
The description here concerns how the nations around Israel seek to oppose God’s people, to attack and destroy them. Such an attack on the nation is a personal attack on the King, God’s chosen and anointed rule, David and his descendants. However, it is also taken prophetically to look forward to Jesus as David’s heir, the Messiah or ultimate anointed ruler over God’s people. The whole earth and nations of the earth oppose him.
The Psalmist then lifts our gaze to God, who himself is exalted and enthroned above all:
“The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 5 He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6 “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
Human rebellion is pathetic and puny. It’s like the moment when, however you feel about the cultural appropriateness of the response, England Rugby players walked across and looked dismissively, with bemused faces as the All Blacks performed their famous Haka. The aim of that in Rugby has a level of intimidation, or certainly did in its early days when accompanies by impressive, fast flowing unstoppable rugby. However, England’s payers have developed a habit of looking on and then walking away with a shrug of the shoulders. God’s response to the nations is a shrug of the shoulders and a grin, or laugh. Then he acts in judgement He insists that he is jealous for his anointed king and will protect him.
The Psalmist then says:
“7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. 8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will break them with a rod of iron[b]; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Here, David expresses his relationship to God, his experience of His Fatherly care. This is again something explicitly applied, prophetically to Christ. This then is the basis for the statement we opened with, the call to “kiss the Son”, or to settle and agree peace terms with him. It’s an act of submission.
Now, there is a wisdom for all people in coming to Christ like this, submitting to his Lordship. This is about more than just external conformity to Christian culture but a surrender of the heart to him. This is true for all people, no matter how great or lowly they might be. However, that this is first of all, about a full on, heart response suggests that this is about much more than mere cultural Christianity, the influence of Christian leaders on a Government, as much of a blessing as that might be.
Secondly, it is interesting that Christian Nationalists are quick to be eschatologically optimistic about some things and pessimistic about others. You may recall that Stephen Wolfe insists that the full unity of believers that breaks down ethno-cultural barriers is something for the age to come. He doesn’t think we can do that in churches, let alone society now. I have to say that Wolfe’s pessimism here flies in the face of experience but also is without Scriptural warrant. It is clear that the early church was multi-ethnic, mult—cultural. In fact, it is to overcome the challenges that came when Jews and Gentiles came together than much of the New Testament was written.
Meanwhile, there is an eschatological confidence that whilst believers cannot really change enough now, somehow unbelieving rulers and authorities of can change. It seems more reasonable to suggest that Biblically, spiritual unity makes practical unity possible between Christians from different backgrounds in the here and now and that we know from Scripture that a day is coming when every knee will bow to King Jesus on his return. That will include the rulers of the nations.
Faithroots 