Heritage is about inheritance. The Son is the heir of the nations. He is a new Adam, whose dominion will be to the ends of the earth. This is the Father’s promise to the Son, who will be the Son of David—Messiah—to reign forever. If Psalm 2:8 is a pledge to the Son of global dominion, then we can discern the deceptive words of Satan when he tempted Jesus in Matthew 4. 

Psalm 2 was written by David about the Son of David (Acts 4:25–27). We read about the raging and plotting nations (Ps. 2:1–3), the Lord who sits enthroned and laughs at their vain plans (2:4–6), the Father’s words to the royal Son (2:7–9), and the closing warning to the rulers of the earth (2:10–12).

I want us to think about part of the Father’s words to the Son, the Davidic king. He says to the Son, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Ps. 2:8).

Heritage is about inheritance. The Son is the heir of the nations. He is a new Adam, whose dominion will be to the ends of the earth. This is the Father’s promise to the Son, who will be the Son of David—Messiah—to reign forever.

If Psalm 2:8 is a pledge to the Son of global dominion, then we can discern the deceptive words of Satan when he tempted Jesus in Matthew 4. The third and final temptation in that chapter took place like this: “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I give you, if you will fall down and worship me’” (Matt. 4:8–9).

Luke’s parallel account gives us this language from the devil to Jesus: “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will” (Luke 4:6).

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