Not long after Pentecost Peter and John were annoying the religious and political leaders in Jerusalem as they preached the gospel. The chief priests and elders charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18), but still released both men because of the crowds.
When Peter and John went to their friends to report what happened, their friends thought of Psalm 2.
When they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
And the people plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers were gathered together,
Against the Lord and against his Anointed’ —
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever you hand and plan had predestined to take place. (Acts 4:24-28)
The believers saw Christ’s death as an initial fulfillment of Psalm 2. But they did not see it as the end, because Christ’s resurrection guaranteed the remaining part of the psalm as well. So they prayed for boldness to keep speaking the word of God (verses 29, 31).
When we eat the Lord’s Supper we are remembering how His death at the hands of those who raged against Him purchased our salvation, and how His return will put a final end to those who continue rage against Him. Let us eat and drink in His name with faith and unity and boldness.
The Word of God will come, and He will end the rage.
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:15–16)