Fri.’s Devo - Alpha and Omega

Read: Isaiah 43:14-45:10; Ephesians 3:1-21; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 24:1-2 God warned that He would send his army against Babylon which would force them to flee in the ships they were so proud of. He would destroy them just like he did the army of Egypt when he set his people free through Moses. This time he would do a new thing. Instead of drying the sea and making a path through the sea, he would do the opposite. He would make a path through the wilderness and create rivers in the dry wasteland. These waters would be refreshment to the people and the wild animals in the forests. One day, Israel would honor him but at the time both Israel and Judah had given up on their God. Judah had stopped doing sacrifices or celebrating the feasts. Chapter 44 calls Jacob and Israel to listen. They are both the same person only Jacob was his first name that means “deceiver” and Israel was his God-given name which means “he will rule as God.” God described Jacob as his servant and Israel as the one he chose. We have two names also. One is the one we had at birth and the other is the name we got when we were saved. God knows that name. God tells them both that He is going to pour out his Spirit on their descendants and write the Lord’s name on their hands and they will take the name of Israel as their own (not Jacob). God tells them who he is: the Alpha and Omega. There is no other God but him. He explained the stupidity of worshiping idols made by mere human hands. Everyone who worships these idols and the ones who made them will be disgraced. God was going to bring his deliverance through Cyrus, the king of Persia. He would be a man who did not know God but God would anoint him and empower him to bring down the Assyrians and the Egyptians and all of God’s enemies. He would level the mountains (the ones who had power) and smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. In other words. He would be able to bring down structures that had been set up for ages. Nothing would be able to stand before him. God would give him treasures hidden in the darkness - secrets to success. President Trump is a modern-day Cyrus sent to take down the deep state of idolatry and witchcraft. God has not finished with him and he will accomplish what he has been sent to do. Isaiah declared that the heavens would open up and righteousness would rain down on the earth. Salvation and righteousness would sprout up together. People would be saved and purified. Many would question then how God did it and many question now how he is doing it but God is God and he has a plan that will work. In Ephesians, God’s plan was to use the church to display his wisdom to all the demons and angels of darkness and to all the host of heaven. He did this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul’s prayer was that the Church would make Jesus a home in their hearts so He could empower them with inner strength through his Spirit. That we would grasp how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is for us. All glory to you, Lord who is able through your mighty power that is at work in us to accomplish more than we might ask or thing. Thank you that your plan is always the best even though we cannot completely conceive it at the time. We know it is the best.