Why do the nations rage?

1
Why do the nations rage?

• Why are there wars?
• TEXTS
• Psalm 21-4
• James 41-4

2
History War

• From the beginning of recorded history wars
  have been a major part of life
• Exception Pax Romana (Latin for Roman Peace)
  27 BC through 180 AD
• There were no major wars during this period
• Christ's ministry, establishment of the church,
  and rapid spread of Christianity

3
Psalm 21-4

• 1 Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a
  vain thing? 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 break Their bonds in pieces And
  cast away Their cords from us." 4 He who sits in
  the heavens shall laugh The Lord shall hold them
  in derision.

4
James 41-4

• 1 Where do wars and fights come from among you?
  Do they not come from your desires for pleasure
  that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not
  have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You
  fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do
  not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because
  you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your
  pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you
  not know that friendship with the world is enmity
  with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend
  of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

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Answers from Yahoo

• Why are there wars?
• That person has something I want and they won't
  give it to me
• I hate those people so lets get rid of them
• Those people are standing in the way of progress
• His great-great-great grandfather killed my
  great-great-great grandfather
• I'm not going to get picked on any more by
  anyone. I'll do the picking no now.

6
Answers from James 4

• Desires / Lust / Greed / Covet (1-2)
• Most wars are caused by desire, lust, greed
• Hitler WWII
• Gulf War in Kuwait
• Vietnam War
• Korean War

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Answers from James 4

• Desires / Lust / Greed / Covet (1-2)
• Don't get what we want fail to ask (2)
• I want it He won't give it to me
• Child grabbing toys from others
• Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard 1 Kings 21

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Answers from James 4

• Desires / Lust / Greed / Covet (1-2)
• Don't get what we want fail to ask (2)
• Ask amiss for wrong purpose or reason (3)
• Selfish motives
• Revenge motives
• God looks at WHAT and WHY

9
Answers from James 4

• Desires / Lust / Greed / Covet (1-2)
• Don't get what we want fail to ask (2)
• Ask amiss for wrong purpose or reason (3)
• Friendship with the world (4)
• Are we more loyal to world or to God?
• Seek righteousness of God 1st Matthew 633

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Answers from Psalm 2

• Plot a vain thing
• Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a
  vain thing? (1)
• Plan, devise, organize something worthless

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Answers from Psalm 2

• Plot a vain thing
• Think you are strong / powerful / invincible
• The kings of the earth set themselves, And the
  rulers take counsel together, (2)
• Daniel 4 Nebuchadnezzar
• 2 Corinthians 12 Paul's thorn in the flesh

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Answers from Psalm 2

• Plot a vain thing
• Think you are strong / powerful / invincible
• Take counsel (advice) against the Lord
• And the rulers take counsel together, Against the
  Lord and against His Anointed, saying, (2b)
• Fail to seek God's wisdom in the matter
• Learn God's will then ignore it
• Figure out how to work against God's will

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Conclusion

• The same answers apply in all wars (conflicts)
• Family, Social, Work
• Church, Moral, Doctrinal
• Seek God and His will FIRST
• Seek God, Pray for God's will to be done
• Obey God