Aim: To open our eyes to the glory and power of God's love being revealed in us.
Doctrine: We serve an all-powerful, sovereign, and loving God. God will use us to fulfill His almighty plan; in order to be useful, we need three fundamental elements: faith, hope, and love.
Exegesis: Elisha exhibits God's gifts (of faith, hope, and love): faith serves as eyes to the believer, and makes him see what others cannot (behold) (vv. 8-14); hope allows the believer to expect God's victory (and trust in His will) (vv. 15-17); love is our purpose in seeing. (We who see shall always seek yet better sight.) (vv. 18-23).
Further application: The present benefit of having love-colored eyes: actively seek God's blessing of love, and you will be given all that you need; all the law, the prophets, the gospel, and even our very own sight of them depends on love.
Key phrase: v. 16b ''For those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'' |