Is. 14-16
Interesting how the prophesied taunt against Babylon becomes a taunt against Satan. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!…You said in your heart, …’I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol….” (pieces of Is 14:12-15). Yet another example of how everything that happens in the Bible tells us something of God’s redemptive plan for mankind. Here, Babylon represents Satan, who took God’s people away into exile. And we are the remnant, bought with Christ’s blood, which God redeems to Himself. God, give me the wisdom to understand your Word to me, and let your Truth guide my life!
Eph. 3
Paul prays a big prayer for his Gentile brothers in Christ that they would “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3:19). I can’t help but continue to relate this to what we have been reading in Isaiah. I mentioned yesterday that I thought the “knowledge” of the LORD mentioned in Isaiah was referring to something deeper and more intimate than simply knowing of or being aware of something. Paul’s statement here supports that thought to me. And it is when we have this kind of intimate knowledge of the love of Christ that we are filled with the fullness of God. And this is Paul’s big prayer for the Ephesians.
But then Paul makes a fantastic statement. He says, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think…” (Eph. 3:20a). Paul’s prayer was big, but he acknowledges that our God is bigger still. No matter how big or wondrous or out of reach our prayers might seem, God is able – and willing – do far more than we could even think to ask. Our BIG is God’s small! How awesome is that?!?