Miscellaneous Discourses in Vol II of the Works - Edwards - V - Wisdom displayed in salvation concluded

Required reading

Miscellaneous Discourses in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude 'Wisdom displayed in salvation'.

My summary

Today we conclude the discourse on "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Eph. 3:10).

This week we see:

(i) the wonderful circumstances of the overthrow of Satan;

(ii) the superiority of this wisdom to that of the angels;

(iii) the blindness of the world that the wisdom appearing in the work of redemption is no more admired in it;

(iv) this wisdom is a great confirmation of the truth of the gospel;

(v) how great a sin they are guilty of who despise and reject this salvation;

(vi) the misery of unbelievers;

(vii) exhortations to come to Christ.

What grabbed me

I loved the description of Christ's overthrow of Satan:

'Consider the weak and seemingly despicable means and weapons that God employs to overthrow Satan. Christ poured the greater contempt upon Satan in the victory that he obtained over him, by reason of the means of his preparing himself for it, and the weapons he hath used. Christ chooses to encounter Satan in the human nature, in a poor, frail, afflicted state. He did as David did. David when going against the Philistine refused Saul's armour, a helmet of brass, a coat of mail, and his sword. No, he puts them all off. Goliah comes mightily armed against David, with a helmet of brass upon his head, a coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels of brass, greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders; a spear, whose staff was like a weaver's beam; and the spear's head weighing six hundred shekels of iron. And besides all this, he had one bearing a shield before him. But David takes nothing but a staff in his hand, and a shepherd's bag and a sling; and he goes against the Philistine. So the weapons that Christ made use of were his poverty, afflictions and reproaches, sufferings and death. His principal weapon was his cross: the instrument of his own reproachful death. These were seemingly weak and despicable instruments, to wield against such a giant as Satan. And doubtless the devil disdained them as much as Goliah did David's staves and sling. But with such weapons as these has Christ in a human, weak, mortal nature overthrown and baffled all the craft of hell.'

Amen!

Next week's reading

Read 'Christian knowledge'.

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.