KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF MIRACLES – Lesson Three
Text: Luke 1:46-55 – “Mary’s Song” (The Magnificat) – (Cont’d.)
46And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is his name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”
“Mary’s Song” was in response to the announcement of the “miracle of the Incarnation,” as had been prophesied: Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
V.50-51 – His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation – Parallel passages: Genesis 17:7 – I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
This was said to Abram when he was 99 years old, 24 years after he was called. (Genesis 17:1 – When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.
Genesis 12:1-4 – 1The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
4So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.)
Exodus 20:6 – but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
This is one of the blessings linked to “The Ten Commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6 – 4“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.)
Psalm 103:17 – But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children–
Note verse 18 – with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Application: Ephesians 2:4-5 – 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm – This was from the beginning, with creation – (Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.)
For other examples of “mighty deeds” see Exodus 14; Joshua 6; 10:11-14.
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts – Example:
Genesis 11:1-9 – 1Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
3They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
5But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. 6The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
8So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9That is why it was called Babel–because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Application: Psalm 138:6 – Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.
1 Peter 5:6 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.