I was reading through Isaiah chapter 14 yesterday.  The verses 12  through 15 talk about the fall of satan and how he was defeated and brought down.

Reading further, I came across verses 24 - 27. It was as though all the verses above, that declared satan as defeated, were insufficient for the reader and GOD decided to make it clear : "Surely as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand."

This is HIS promise: God has an Eternal Plan for each of us! And everything is going according to HIS plan.

I went on to read verse 25 : "I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down." This verse seemed more like a prophesy. Jesus indeed crushed satan at Calvary- trampled on a mountain.

The second half of the verse says: "His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders." This verse, I am sure, will remind you of our saviour's words in Mathew 11:28 and 29:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you ...... and you will find rest for your souls." God's eternal plan was this that satan be defeated and we be freed from our burden of sin and guilt.

But again I had a question, GOD said that He would remove satan's yoke from us, but He also says "take my yoke". Why take another yoke in place of the first?

But His gentle spirit clarified it for me. Satan's yoke is cumbersome and heavy. One that will chain us and pull us back from reaching etarnal life. It is a yoke were he entangles us in sin and accuses us day and night. A yoke that puts the burden of guilt and fear.

But the yoke that Jesus talks about is a yoke that is just for guiding us. Left on our own we stray from the ways of God, but God's yoke will lead us on the right path. As though He already anticipated this question Jesus says in Matthew 11:30 : "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

And Isaiah 14:26 finishes saying: "This is the plan determined for the whole world."

These are just a few thoughts from my meditaiton. Hope this encourages you just as it did for me.

Meet u in eternity,
Karen