Page 1006 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_10_MacArthur_Bible_Oct.qxd 8/8/03 16:58 Page 987

OCTOBER 1
The LORD’s name is to be praised. my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Fa-
4 The LORD is high above all nations, 15
His glory above the heavens. ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the
whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Proverbs 26:17–19 16 that He would grant you, according to the
riches of His glory, to be strengthened with
17 He who passes by and meddles in a
quarrel not his own might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears. that Christ may dwell in your hearts through
faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, love, may be able to comprehend with all the
18
arrows, and death, saints what is the width and length and depth
19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor, and height— 19 to know the love of Christ
And says, “I was only joking!” which passes knowledge; that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:1–21 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of abundantly above all that we ask or think, ac-
2
3 Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— if indeed cording to the power that works in us, to Him
21
you have heard of the dispensation of the be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all
grace of God which was given to me for you, generations, forever and ever. Amen.
3 how that by revelation He made known to me
the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may under-
stand my knowledge in the mystery of
Christ), which in other ages was not made 3:19 to know the love of Christ. Not the love
5
known to the sons of men, as it has now been believers have for Christ, but the love of and
revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and from Christ that He places in their hearts
prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow before they can truly and fully love Him or
6
heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His anyone else (Rom. 5:5). which passes knowl-
7
promise in Christ through the gospel, of edge.Knowledge of Christ’s love is far beyond
which I became a minister according to the the capability of human reason and experi-
gift of the grace of God given to me by the ence. It is only known by those who are God’s
effective working of His power. children (Phil. 4:7). filled with all the fullness
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the of God. To be so strong spiritually, so com-
saints, this grace was given, that I should pelled by divine love, that one is totally domi-
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable nated by the Lord with nothing left of self.
9
riches of Christ, and to make all see what is Human comprehension of the fullness of God
the fellowship of the mystery, which from the is impossible, because even the most spiritual
and wise believer cannot completely grasp
beginning of the ages has been hidden in God the full extent of God’s attributes and charac-
who created all things through Jesus Christ; teristics—His power, majesty, wisdom, love,
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom mercy, patience, kindness, and everything He
of God might be made known by the church is and does. But believers can experience the
to the principalities and powers in the heav- greatness of God in their lives as a result of
11
enly places, according to the eternal purpose total devotion to Him. Note the fullness of
which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our God,here;the fullness of Christ in 4:13;and the
Lord, in whom we have boldness and access fullness of the Spirit in 5:18.
12
with confidence through faith in Him. There-
13
fore I ask that you do not lose heart at
DAY 1: How explicit does Isaiah 53 get regarding the Messiah?
Isaiah begins in v. 1 by saying,“Who has believed our report?” The question implied that, in
spite of these and other prophecies, only a few would recognize the Servant when He appeared.
This anticipation found literal fulfillment at Christ’s First Advent. Israel did not welcome Him at His
First Advent (John 1:9–11;12:38).Paul applied the same prophecy to the world at large (Rom.10:16).
At His First Coming, the nation did not recognize the mighty, incarnate power of God in the Person
of Jesus, their Deliverer.
Yet Messiah Jesus was observed carefully by God (“before Him”,v. 2), who ordered every
minute circumstance of His life.“Dry ground…no beauty that we should desire Him.”The Servant

987