Do you remember Diocletian?

Probably not. Diocletian was a Roman Emperor from 284-305 AD. He was born in humble circumstances and joined the Roman army, quickly rising through the ranks. He became an army commander in the northern Balkan province and was part of the imperial bodyguard for the Roman emperor Carus. Upon Carus’ death, the troops proclaimed Diocletian the new emperor.

Soon after his election, he began the Great Persecution of Christians, burning churches and sacred texts, stripping Christians of their rights, and enslaving and slaughtering hundreds of them. He fancied himself a god, and since the Christians and Jews of Rome refused to bow down to him, he systematically eliminated them. He celebrated his successful persecution with two monuments to himself which proclaimed that he had “everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ” and “extinguished the name of Christians who brought the republic to ruin.”

And yet, here we are. Unless you are a history scholar, you are much more likely to remember the name Christians and the name Christ over the name Diocletian. God laughs at such foolishness of the earth’s rulers, who think that by their schemes they can control the world.

Psalm 2 (Common English Bible)

2 Why do the nations rant?
    Why do the peoples rave uselessly?
² The earth’s rulers take their stand;
    the leaders scheme together
    against the Lord and
    against his anointed one.
³         “Come!” they say.
        “We will tear off their ropes
        and throw off their chains!”
⁴ The one who rules in heaven laughs;
    my Lord makes fun of them.
⁵ But then God speaks to them angrily;
    then he terrifies them with his fury:
⁶         “I hereby appoint my king on Zion,
        my holy mountain!”

⁷ I will announce the Lord’s decision:
    He said to me, “You are my son,
        today I have become your father.
⁸ Just ask me,
    and I will make the nations your possession;
    the far corners of the earth will be your property.
⁹ You will smash them with an iron rod;
    you will shatter them like a pottery jar.”

David wrote this psalm with prophetic illusions to the coming anointed one, who God will claim as his son. Only this anointed One will possess the nations from the far corners of the earth. Psalm 2 is referenced in Hebrews as proof of Christ’s divinity:

Hebrews 1:5 (Common English Bible)

⁵ After all, when did God ever say to any of the angels: You are my Son.
        Today I have become your Father? Or, even, I will be his Father,
        and he will be my Son?

God laughs, but then acts with mercy, offering the kings of earth a warning. If they serve his son reverently and with trembling, they will be truly happy. God will not suffer the arrogance of rulers who try to put themselves on the throne in his place. Like Diocletian, they will all simply die and be forgotten.

¹⁰ So kings, wise up!
    Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
¹¹ Serve the Lord reverently—
    trembling, ¹² kiss his feet
        or else he will become angry,
        and your way will be destroyed
    because his anger ignites in an instant.

We may not be kings of the earth, but the same warning applies to us when subvert his authority in our lives and attempt to take matters into our own hands. God will not suffer us putting anything else on his throne, whether it be our distractions, our worship of secular things, our apostasy, or our neglect in worshipping him and him alone. And he certainly will not accept it if we worship the kings of earth. But take heart: if you make God your refuge, you will find happiness.

But all who take refuge in the Lord are truly happy!

God laughs, but God loves. God laughs, but God forgives. God laughs, but God protects those who love him and serve him. Thanks be to God.

Serve the Lord with Gladness by Kathy Schumacher