November 22, 2024

Esther – Chapter 8:9-15

October 24, 2013 by

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Esther 8:9-14 sounds very familiar!  The phraseology parallels the verses of Esther 3:12-14, but this time the decree written by Mordecai gave the Jews life instead of death.  It was written so that “every people after their language” (Esther 8:9, KJV) in the whole kingdom, could understand the good news of the salvation of the Jews from the previous death sentence.

Notice this parallel:  In Acts 2:5-12, on the day of Pentecost there were Jews from every nation staying in Jerusalem.  They heard these simple Galilean disciples declaring in their own languages “the wonders of God,” the good news of salvation (Life) for all through Jesus Christ. Today, God still wants the same Good News to reach everyone, everywhere; and it’s our responsibility as believers to share it (Matthew 28:18-20).

I stated in our study of Esther 3:12-15 that King Xerxes just went “along for the ride” and didn’t really care about the details of the first decree or the end results. This time is very different as the king realizes that he has a vested interest in this whole event and especially the results.  This new decree would save the life of his queen, his “bride,” the woman he loved.   The king’s name was essential for the authenticity of this decree and his seal made it irrevocable.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God had to pronounce a death sentence on all mankind (Genesis 3) because He is Holy and cannot stand sin.  This “decree” was irrevocable by any human standards. However, God doesn’t live by human standards.  He had, and still has, a vested interest in His creation, His children, His Bride.  God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to use His Name to “sign” a new decree for Life, our salvation, and He sealed it with His “signet ring,” the Holy Spirit, making it irrevocable.

It is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,… Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:10-12

Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…
Ephesians 1:13

The king gave the Jews permission to gather together
and stand against all those who would assault them.
Esther 8:11

Our King instructs us, through Paul and the author of Hebrews, to gather together to strengthen and encourage one another (I Corinthians 14:26 and Hebrews 10:24-25).  Our King also tells us to stand and fight our spiritual enemy, and He even equips us with God’s armor to ensure that we will win!

…Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  And pray in the Spirit….
Ephesians 6:13-18

Are we ready for that day when the enemy comes against us?  Actually, it’s a daily battle.  We must meet together to encourage and strengthen one another.  We must not take off our armor. We must not let down our guard.  We must pray.

As I read Esther 8:15, my first thought was, “Wow!”  Besides Mordecai’s new authority, he was honored by being clothed in royal clothing of blue and white, a robe of linen and purple, and given a great crown of gold and presented publicly!  There was great rejoicing as Mordecai appeared before the citizens of Shushan.  I believe not only was Mordecai well-liked by all, but he also represented justice, honor, life, and freedom (a far cry from what Haman had represented). We will rejoice at our Lord’s appearing because He represents justice, honor, life, and freedom for us!

Darlene Schacht points out that linen, blue, and purple were used in the making of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:1a KJV).  The tabernacle was the dwelling place for God (Exodus 40:34).  So Mordecai’s attire signified that he was the temple of the Holy Spirit.  As Christians, we are God’s temple (I Corinthians 3:16).  As King Xerxes’ representative, Mordecai wore purple, which signifies royalty.  We wear the robe of righteousness.  We too are royalty. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God…” (1 Peter 2:9).

Mordecai persevered through the trials caused by Haman’s decree.  The final result was that he came out the victor and was given a golden crown—a symbol of power and position.  As Christians we will receive the crown of life when we stand strong, in our God-given authority, through the trials that the enemy throws at us.

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory
that will never fade away.
1 Peter 5:4

Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Revelation 2:10b

Everything that Mordecai, Queen Esther, and the Jewish Nation received from the king was given to them because of his favor, his grace.  When we submit our lives to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we receive His grace and everything we need to be victorious in this life and with Him for all eternity. Praise the Lord!

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for reminding us that the “decree” for Life has already been “signed” by Jesus’ Name and “sealed” by Your Holy Spirit.  Help us share this Good News with others.  Please remind us to regularly fellowship together to strengthen one another.  Thank You for equipping each of us to stand against the enemy of our souls.  We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood belonging to You by Your grace, and Your grace alone.  We bow in worship to honor You, our King of kings.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 7:8-10

October 17, 2013 by

Wk7_Clella_Esther

“Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, ‘Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?’” — Esther 7:8 NIV

As King Xerxes walked back into the banquet hall, I believe he was determined to protect his wife, Queen Esther, and ultimately stop the order for the annihilation of her people the Jews. What he saw next was the final straw!  As Haman realized that his plan was falling apart, he began to completely unravel, and fell onto Esther’s couch.  How he got there really doesn’t matter.  What does matter was the timing.  Take a moment, as I did, to review this whole story and see for yourself how often God’s timing was “right on time.”  This time was no different. God’s timing is always perfect.

When we as Christians look back on our lives we can see the Lord’s perfect timing, often even in the bad times.  Many years ago, my husband, Steve, needed to transfer with his job from Georgia to California.  I did not want to move!  We had two young daughters and were foster parents of two boys.  California seemed halfway around the world from our families in Florida and Indiana. So as Steve tells the story, I went “kicking and screaming all the way.”  In spite of that being a very hard move for me, God knew what was best for me and His timing was perfect.  Through a co-worker of Steve’s, we got established in a strong Bible teaching church and we spiritually grew by leaps and bounds.  When I look back, I’m so grateful for His perfect timing.

“As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.  Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said,  ‘A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman’s house.  He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.’  The king said, ‘Hang him on it!’  So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.  Then the king’s fury subsided.” — Esther 7:8b-10

Haman’s head was covered, an act many times used when someone is being taken to their execution.  It is also a way to prevent one from making eye contact with an authority or an accuser.  Covering one’s face can be an act prompted by shame.  Children will duck their heads when they’ve done something wrong, and some adults will put their hands over their face when they are admitting a wrong.

When our Lord and Savior Jesus was arrested, beaten, and hanged on the Cross, He did not cover His face.  Why?  Because He wasn’t guilty of anything…He was sinless.  Isaiah 50:6-7, “…I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps Me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set My face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.”  He took our sins to the Cross and died as payment for our transgressions; but He, personally, had nothing for which to be ashamed.

Because of what Jesus did for us, we can say with the Psalmist, “But You are a shield around me, O Lord; You bestow glory on me and lift up my head” (Psalm 3:3).  We have nothing to be ashamed of once we have submitted our life completely to Christ Jesus, because He has taken our guilt and shame for us.  “Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance?  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.  You will again have compassion on us.  You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18, 19).

Satan had Haman believing that he could get away with his sinister plan to kill off all the Jews. But look at these verses:

…He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts….

I Corinthians 4:5

You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.

Psalm 90:8

Haman wasn’t going to get away with a thing!  What Haman didn’t know was Who God Is!  “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5).  God, the Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent One, was and is the God of the Jews, and of all people who have now submitted their life to His Son, Jesus. It is vital that we know Who God Is in our own lives.

It is also important to know Who We Are in God through Christ.  We are His children (Galatians 3:26), we are His ambassadors (II Corinthians 5:20), we are His hands and feet (I Corinthians 12:27, Matthew 28:19). Therefore, “it is important for us to live an authentic life that is grounded in Christ” (Darlene Schacht).  We need to fill our lives with God’s Word and His Holy Spirit, so there is no room for sin and shame.  And when we sin (and we will), God is ready to forgive us.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,
We thank You that Your timing is always perfect.  Holy Spirit, please help us to be patient when it seems that You aren’t answering a prayer or providing a way.  Remind us that Your ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9).  We thank You, Jesus, that You took our sin and shame to the Cross.  May we “live an authentic life that is grounded” in our maturing relationship with You, The Great I AM.  For, in You, we want to “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).  In Jesus’ Name.

Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 6:12-14

October 10, 2013 by

Wk6_Fox_Esther

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Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate.

Esther 6:12

How interesting that all that honor and fanfare didn’t seem to give Mordecai a big head.  He went back to his daily position and duties.  I believe he knew his true value came from his God, and not from men, and that’s all he needed.  What a difference humility and faith makes in a person’s life!

Then there was Haman.  Obviously, honor from the king fed his self-centered pride so it meant everything to him.  But the honor went to the “other guy!”  Esther 6:12b, “But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,”  How frustrating, depressing, and embarrassing for Haman.  What could be more defeating than to have his plans for destruction completely reversed, and perhaps begin to fall on him!?

Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.

Proverbs 29:23

Esther 6:13 (NLT), “When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, ‘Since Mordecai–this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.’”  In his arrogance, Haman expected some sympathy from his wife and his “wise” friends but instead they foretold of his demise.  They told him two things which turned out to be prophetic.

The first was based on a fact: “Mordecai is a Jew, and because of that fact your plan will fail.” They were implying that the Jews’ God was watching over them, and He was more powerful than any human plan.

I found this very intriguing.  Here was the Jewish Nation defeated in war, their cities destroyed, and the people taken captive to serve in foreign lands.  In spite of those facts, the citizens who lived around the Jews recognized that God was with them.  They saw the resilience, strength, and confidence of the Jews that could only be explained in reference to their worship of and their trust in their God.

This raised questions in my own mind: Do others see the evidence of resilience, strength, and confidence in my life that demonstrates my faith that God is taking care of me?  Do I live a life of humility so that my life points others to my God?

What “great“ friends these guys were, and they weren’t finished with Haman yet!  They barely took a breath when they hit him with the second prophetic statement: “You, personally, will be ruined!”

Without a chance to think that through, a knock came at the door and Haman was escorted, as was the custom, to the second of Queen Esther’s banquets.  I imagine in light of what his friends had just told him, he had many conflicting thoughts as he went.  Would this be his chance to make more “brownie points” with the king and queen and receive more honor, or was doom lurking in the very shadows of the queen’s banquet hall?

Our author, Darlene Schacht says, “This entire chapter has a strong focus on the dangers of pride and the blessings of humility. It is further exemplified here as Mordecai is exalted and Haman is cut down.”  We talked last week in chapter five about pride and humility, and Tonya talked about the dangers of pride on Tuesday.  Oh my, here we are again today.  Over the years I’ve heard Bible teachers say that if God’s Word repeats something more than once God must consider it important enough for us to stop and reflect on it.  (Okay, Lord, I’m listening!)

Humility:  Mordecai is our example of humility.  He was meek, having a quiet, gentle spirit. He was more concerned about others than he was for his own welfare.  True humility is more than an outward act of service.  It is also an attitude that comes from the heart. Colossians 3:12, “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Pride: There are two kinds of pride.  We can take “pride” in a job well done; that is to be happy for the accomplishment.  We see the other kind of pride that the Bible refers to in Haman; pride in himself, giving himself all the credit.  Like humility, pride is an attitude of the heart.  We, too, can have this pride which convinces us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. This pride can be subtle. This pride is self-righteousness, not giving credit to God for the good in our lives and what we’ve accomplished, and that is sin.                 

I Corinthians 4:7, “For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?”

Darlene asks, “What are some of the ways you might protect your heart against pride?”  I’ll share a couple and then please add your thoughts as you share today:

  1. I remind myself regularly that any gifts and talents that I have, and the fruit of the Spirit, all come from God.
  2. I must recognize that whatever is good within me is only because of Jesus.
  3. Your turn!

I would like to use some of John Piper’s quote that Darlene shared with us as part of our prayer today.

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, we are once again confronted with the sharp contrast between humility and pride, two very opposing forces in our own lives.  You want us to be clothed in humility, and to be alert to protect our heart against pride.  Holy Spirit, we can’t do this without You.  Please help us “to cultivate a joy in Christ, His wisdom, power, justice, and love that is more satisfying than the pleasures of human praise.  We pray that we will experience the miracle of self-forgetfulness in the admiration of Christ, and in love toward people.”  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 5:9

October 3, 2013 by

Wk5_Fox_Esther

“Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet” (Esther 5:9a, NLT).  His seemingly ever- increasing power starting from his promotion (chapter 3:1 and 2) to King Xerxes giving him his signet ring and carte blanche to do what he wanted with this “certain people” (chapter 3:10 and 11) to this intimate banquet with the king and queen (here in chapter 5:4 and 5), was feeding Haman’s pride big time.  Not only that but Queen Esther had invited him to a second banquet! His hat didn’t fit his big head anymore, and his buttons were popping off his cloak from his puffed out chest as he walked out the king’s gate to go home for the night!  Can you hear his evil cackle?  Oh, I don’t like this guy!

“But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious” (Esther 5:9b).  We already know from Esther chapter 3, that Haman planned to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews.  Now, when he saw Mordecai sitting there so peacefully with no regard for him at all, Haman almost exploded on the inside with indescribable hatred.

Mordecai “stood” his ground by sitting when Haman walked by. Mordecai knew Who he had to ultimately answer to, and it wasn’t Haman.  Mordecai had full confidence in the Lord’s provision and protection.  Confidence in God and the humility of obedience and submission to Him gave Mordecai a calm and peaceful presence that was like acid eating away at Haman. (Compare the similarities when Jesus “stood His ground” in His last hours, Matthew 26-27.)

Haman was so full of himself that he couldn’t see that his pedestal of pride had no foundation. One day it would come crashing down around him.  As Matthew Henry’s Commentary would describe him: he is a self-admirer, a self-deceiver.  Doesn’t he sound like someone else we know? Isaiah 14:13-14, “For you (Satan) say to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne about God’s stars…and be like the Most High.’”  Satan’s plan is for the destruction of God’s creation.  His pride is so great and his rage against God is so consuming that he intends to kill and destroy (John 10:10) everyone he can.  But he has no foundation of truth.  He has built his plan on pride and hatred.  He and his plan will fall.  Isaiah 14:15, “Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.”

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18

Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.
Proverbs 18:12

Matthew Henry’s Commentary also says: “A slight affront, which a humble man would scarcely notice, will torment a proud man , even to madness, and will mar all his comforts.”  Haman was tormented by Mordecai’s affront, his intentional defiance.  I believe Satan is tormented by our affronts when we stand against him and his evil plan to destroy us and our families.

We have two life examples to look at here.  We have Haman who lived a very self-centered and prideful life.  He deceived himself and he deceived others, especially the king, for very selfish motives.  Then we have Mordecai, who was a humble man of faith and confidence. His motives were selfless as day after day he watched over and wisely advised Esther, even to the extent of sitting at the gate when “trouble” walked by.

Today we have the opportunity to check our motives for what we do and what we say.  If our motives are based on feeding our pride and obtaining power over a person or a situation, we are self-deceived and insecure.  If a small offense eats away at us, we will want to check our lives for underlying pride.   A life controlled by pride will lead us to “destruction,” as we read in Proverbs 16:18.

If our motives are directed by our faith in God, then we will live selfless lives of submission and service.  We will not be easily offended, and will forgive quickly.  We will stand in humble confidence and peace, even as we “sit by the gate” when trouble tries to destroy us.  (Ephesians 6:13.)  We will have an inner assurance that God will show Himself mighty to save.

The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy;
I (Jesus) have come that they (you and I) may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10

Who does your life look most like…Haman or Mordecai?  Is it one of pride, torment, insecurity, fear, and eventual destruction? Or is it one of humility, peace, confidence, faith, and life?  Today is your day to choose “life and have it to the full.”

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, we come humbly to Your throne of grace today.  Even at this moment we are searching our innermost beings for areas of pride and deception.  Help us, Holy Spirit, to find them so we can repent and allow You to cleanse us.  We want our motives to be pure and selfless. Please help us to not be easily offended and to quickly forgive.  May each of us live a life of humility, peace, confidence, and faith.  Thank You for offering us life to the full!  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 4:12-14

September 26, 2013 by

Wk4_Esther_Fox

 When Mordecai hears that Esther is hesitating to go before the king because she doesn’t want to “get her head chopped off,” Mordecai replies, “Let me tell you, little miss (that is, my Queen), how it’s really going to come down if you don’t approach King Xerxes!  If you don’t go to the king and beg for mercy for your own people—with or without you—God will rescue them.”

Mordecai knew the history of the Jews.  He had heard and memorized the stories of God’s provision and protection for His People through battle after battle against enemy armies.  He knew the story of Gideon and his small army defeating the Midianites (Judges 7).  Then there was Jonathan and his armor-bearer against the Philistines (I Samuel 14), and the story of David and Goliath, and the defeat of the Philistines (I Samuel 17).  Mordecai had probably told these stories and many others to his family, including Esther, so she knew them too.  These stories built Mordecai’s faith in God.  His confidence that God always has a plan to save His own led him to say in Esther 4:14,

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place…”

So Esther had a choice to make, not for the Jews’ sake so much, but for herself and her family, because Mordecai goes on to say, “…but you and your father’s family <that includes me> will perish” (Esther 4:14).  God was giving Esther—just a young lady with very little influence—the opportunity to be a big part of His amazing plan to save His people.  Did she remember the stories of the young David, Gideon, and Jonathan?  God had used these young men who had very little influence to play big parts in His plan to save His people and build the Jewish nation.  If she trusted Mordecai and shared in his confidence in God to save the Jews, then she could go into the throne room trusting that God was with her since she was one of His children.

Gideon and Jonathan had been where God intended them to be at the right time to do His Will and defeat the enemy.  David came to the frontlines of the battle against the Philistines at the right time to kill Goliath, send the Philistines packing, and save the Israelites.  That was part of God’s plan to get David into position to eventually become the king of the Jewish nation.  God knew all through Esther’s less than glamorous early life that she would end up in a Persian palace as the wife and queen of King Xerxes.  Now perhaps it was Esther’s turn to participate in  God’s plan.  She was at the right place at the right time…now, would she do the right thing?

And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?
Esther 4:14

No Jew, including Esther, was immune from Haman’s decree of death.  None of us are immune from the judgment of sin.  Romans 3:23, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

And Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death.…”

BUT GOD (I love that!) always has a plan.  John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, (Jesus) that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God doesn’t want “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

I believe that most of us have accepted God’s plan of salvation for ourselves.  But we all have a “nation” around us.  It includes family members, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers in the marketplace.  “…for such a time as this,” God has placed each of us in our “nation” to potentially make an eternal difference in people’s lives.

Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to <sharing with> them?”

God has a plan for your life.  Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Your life may be less than glamorous, and you may think that you don’t have enough clout to make a difference.  BUT GOD has positioned you where you are in life and He knows all about timing. Now, like Esther, it is your decision.  Will you step out in submission, faith, and confidence, and share God’s loving plan of salvation with those in your little “nation?” Darlene Schacht says, “…when God gives us an opportunity to serve Him we must take it. It is an honor and a privilege to serve God.”

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
Romans 10:15

* * * * *

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, we come before You today with grateful hearts for all that You are doing in our lives as we grow in the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Lord, through Your Word we see that You have great plans us, and we want to be submissive to You.  We know that You have our best interest in mind.  Through this study we also realize that within Your plan You have planned for us to share Your Good News with our little “nation” around us.  Holy Spirit, please help each of us to be willing to step out in faith and confidence to share when You give us opportunity. “For such a time as this” may be the day of salvation for a friend or a stranger.  In Jesus’ Name.

Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 3:12-15

September 19, 2013 by

Esther_Wk3_Clella

As we continue to read the events of this story we see that Haman’s sinister plan was coming together! King Xerxes was just “along for the ride.” I’m not sure that he had even thought through the potential consequences of such an order. He let Haman take full control. Haman dictated the order to the scribes, and then sealed it with the king’s signet ring. This seal guaranteed the death and destruction of God’s people.

When we come to Christ for salvation we are given a seal too. Ephesians 1:13 says that when we believe and are saved, “you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.” So the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives is our seal, the evidence of our salvation, and the guarantee of our future inheritance, which is eternal life with Christ.

One king’s seal sealed the death sentence of God’s people. The King of kings’ seal seals the guarantee of eternal life for all who believe in God’s Son, Jesus.

Another opposing comparison that I see is this: Esther 3:12-15 tells us that Haman made sure everyone, everywhere knew that this order was given to destroy all the Jews everywhere. Satan wants all God’s creation destroyed. John 10:10, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy….” God, on the other hand, wants all His creation saved. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,…Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere,….” (Mark 16:15-20.) In Isaiah 45:23 God says, “turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other…Before Me every knee will bow; by Me every tongue will swear (confess allegiance).” Again in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

All of the Jews were “perplexed” (Esther 3:15) and hopelessly dreaded that coming day of doom and destruction. All believers are looking forward with great hope to the day when every knee will bow before our King and we will live!

In this story, Haman and Mordecai represent the struggle of death and life. Haman is trying to kill off the Jews and Esther, whereas, Mordecai is determined to the best of his ability to protect Esther and save their people.

In our individual lives, our flesh, that is our fallen nature, is constantly struggling against our redeemed spirit–that same struggle of death and life. As our author says, “As long as we’re still in the flesh we will continue to struggle with this until the return of our Lord when Satan is destroyed for once and for all.”

Romans 7:18, “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.” Is it your temper, a bad habit, telling “white lies,” rebellion, envy, selfishness, or you name it? We are all tempted on every side or have some area of our life that needs cleaning up.

You might be thinking, “But we have the Law (Ten Commandments and other Old Testament ordinances) to show us how to live right.” God’s Word addresses that in Romans 3:19-20, “Obviously, the Law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the Law commands. The Law simply shows us how sinful we are.”

Haman’s orders singled out the Jews and condemned them to death. The Jews couldn’t stop Haman’s death sentence on their own.  They needed someone to intervene for them. They needed a savior.

The Law singles us out by pointing out our sins and condemns us to death, which is separation from God. Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” Like the Jews, we can’t stop the death sentence of the Law on us. We too need a Savior.

Let’s pray over what we have learned today, and then look forward to “the rest of the story.”

Dear Lord, we thank You that as Christians we have the seal of Your Holy Spirit on our lives, and with that the guarantee of our inheritance of eternal life with You.  We are looking forward to the day when we will all bow our knees before You as You sit on Your Heavenly Throne. In our own flesh we are tempted and can never do enough good deeds or obey enough of The Law to redeem ourselves. We thank You, Lord, that Your plan of redemption covers us as we submit our lives to You.  In Jesus’ Precious and Holy Name.

Amen.

 

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Esther – Chapter 2:16-20

September 12, 2013 by

HolySpirit_Fox_Wk2

Esther asked for little and was given much! The Word doesn’t say that after a period of time King Xerxes decided he “liked” Esther. It says when Esther was taken into his presence, he “loved her above all other women.” And not only that but she also “won his favor (grace) and approval more than any of the other virgins!” (Esther 2:17).  To show his affection and approval, the king elevated Esther from a lowly position of a concubine (for that’s what she would have become had he not chosen her; Esther 2:14) to be his queen, and gave her a royal crown so no one would mistake her position in the kingdom.

Our author, Darlene Schacht, has us reflect on Hannah’s prayer of praise in I Samuel 2:4-8, which comes after years of barrenness and humiliation.  As background in I Samuel 1: 1-28, we read the story of Hannah and Elkanah.  In the eyes of their society, Hannah was “a nobody” and a disgrace to Elkanah since she hadn’t borne him any children.  But Elkanah didn’t see her that way.  No matter what…he loved her for herself.  And God loved her and had a plan.  In His timing, God took a humiliated, barren woman and honored her by blessing her with Samuel who would serve the Lord in the temple all the days of his life.  Hannah saw first-hand how God would “lift the needy” in His timing, and she raised her praise to Him in prayer.  From barrenness to blessed.  From humiliated to honored.

Esther was one of the Jewish exiles who lived as a common citizen of the community surrounding the palace, even though Mordecai, her cousin, sat at the king’s gate and had responsibilities in the palace (Esther 2:5-7).  She was lowly with nothing to offer the king—but her submission and trust.  The king saw that and more in her, and he lifted her up and blessed her.  The king presented her before his people and celebrated with a great feast in her honor.  From “barrenness” to blessed.  From humbleness to honored.  With grace and honor, he set her among his royalty and crowned her to share in his throne and kingdom!  And perhaps, Esther prayed Hannah’s prayer of praise, especially I Samuel 2:8,

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.

From my perspective, I’m like Esther was—just a common citizen with nothing to offer the King of kings, but my submission and trust.  Ephesians 2:4-7 tells “the rest of the story”:

But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in Heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Wow, what an honor—what a celebration! And I praise my King!

Did you notice in Esther 2:18-20, that even in the midst of all the honor and celebration, neither Esther nor Mordecai forgot their relationship and responsibility to each other?  Even though Esther was now in a pretty secure position, she still respected Mordecai’s wisdom and submitted to him because, I believe, she knew he loved her and had her best interests in mind.  God has our best interests in mind, too.  And, like Mordecai, the Holy Spirit of God is standing close by watching over us, loving and guiding us in all His grace and wisdom.

One other point from Darlene about this relationship: Esther was an orphan and Mordecai had taken her in and cared for her as his own.  As we follow this story we see that Mordecai continued to watch out for her best interest.  Darlene points us to James 1:27, “Pure and genuine religion (unstained devotion) in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”  Mordecai demonstrated pure religion as he watched over Esther.  He “walked his talk.”  In the Book of Ruth, Ruth demonstrated pure religion by caring for her widowed mother-in-law (Ruth 2:17-18).  God wants us to demonstrate our pure religion by living out our faith. Perhaps we should check ourselves each day with this question, “Am I walking my talk?”

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,
We thank You, Lord, that when we were “a nobody,” like Esther, we were a “somebody special” to You.  We have nothing to offer You except ourselves; and, come to find out, that’s exactly what You are looking for!  You are looking for our obedience and courageous submission so that we can come into Your Presence, as Esther came into her king’s presence.  You are eager to lift us up “from the ash heap” and seat us with You, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  Help us to remember that You have our best interests in mind.  You have promised us that Your Holy Spirit will be close to us to guide and comfort us.  Please Holy Spirit, help us daily to “walk our talk” so others will see You even when we don’t speak Your Name.  In Jesus’ Name.

Amen.

 

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“Esther” – Chapter 1:16-19

September 5, 2013 by

Week1_IfWeDontSubmit_ClellaFox

The party is over! The king is angry, the court officials are appalled, and the queen is realizing that she made a big mistake!

King Xerxes in his anger and frustration turned to his court advisors to figure out what to do considering Queen Vashti’s disobedience. Memucan, one of the advisors, might have stood up and said, “Good king, ‘no man/woman is an island!’ What the queen did affected not just you but your whole kingdom!”

It is true for us as well. What we do or don’t do has an effect on others around us. The Word exhorts us in Romans 13:5, that “everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities….” And in Hebrews 13:17 it says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.” We are also told in I Timothy 4:12 to “set an example for the believers…” and in I Thessalonians 1:7-8 [to be] ”a model to all the believers….”

If we don’t submit to our authorities, why should we expect others to submit? A simple example would be obeying the speed limits. To obey them is to submit to the Transportation Authority that has set those limits for our safety. If we don’t submit to that authority and don’t obey the limits, why should we expect our youth when they start driving to submit to and obey the limits? Others are watching our example and are likely to follow us–even possibly to a greater extent.

Remember the saying, “Actions speak louder than words?” Well, these are the things that Memucan was so concerned about when he said,

For this deed of the queen shall become known to all women, and so shall they despise their husbands…There will be no end of disrespect and discord. (verse 17)

He was greatly concerned that others would follow Vashti’s example to even greater extremes. Therefore, to stop that potential fallout there had to be consequences for her actions. She lost favor with the king, she lost her position of respect, and she lost those precious possessions that go along with the position. The punishment corresponded to the crime: she wouldn’t go before the king–so she was denied access to the king from that point on.

Now remembering that King Xerxes was a foreshadow of a greater King, Jesus, we need to recognize Vashti as a foreshadow of the Jewish people. Time and again the Jews refused to submit to God’s commandments. They chose to “do their own thing.” And thus they lost favor with God and were even separated from Him by exile to foreign lands. As with Vashti, the punishment corresponded to the crime.

When Jesus came, he came to be the Jews’ King. Through His example, His teachings, and His miracles, He tried to draw the Jews to Himself. Matthew 23:37  says, “I longed to gather your children together…and you were not willing”—you would not submit.

Our author, Darlene, writes, “righteousness is conformity to God’s laws,” —submitting to God’s Will and God’s Way. I think of righteousness as “being in right standing with God.” But most of us, like the Jews, like to do things our own way. Surely we are good enough. We do good deeds! Vashti thought her beauty and position were enough to sustain her! We, as Vashti did, try to define our own righteousness by our own rules. “Beauty is only skin deep,” and so is our “goodness” unless we come before God in submission and in faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22, 4:3-5).

If Vashti had come in submission before the King it would have shown everyone that she trusted him. It would have put her in “right standing” with the king. Perhaps he would have presented her with some lovely gift or a new royal robe! In Matthew 22:1-14 (the parable of the wedding banquet) many were invited to come but most refused to attend. They were doing their “own thing” and didn’t have time for the king’s banquet. Others came and accepted the wedding garment and enjoyed the party. The man in verses 11 and 12 refused to submit to the king and his offer of security and right standing (righteousness) and, like Vashti, he was forever separated from the one who wanted to save him (verse 13).

ALL of us are invited to Christ’s banquet, but only those prepared can come and stay. For us, the garment represents our covering of righteousness provided through our faith in Jesus Christ to make us acceptable in God’s presence. God wants to clothe us with His robe of righteousness. He wants us to sit with Him in His heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6).  Have you accepted God’s invitation?  Have you submitted to Him and allowed Him to clothe you with His robe of righteousness?  If not, do it today, and join the greatest banquet ever!

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,

Today we are reminded that our submission to You, our King, makes the difference between separation from you or being welcomed into Your presence. Help us, Lord, to also remember that what we do or don’t do does affect others. Thank You, Jesus, for offering through Your shed blood Your robe of righteousness. We cannot earn it and certainly don’t deserve it, but You are offering it to us freely as we have faith in You. We submit our lives to You, and ask You to clothe us with Your robe of righteousness.  Thank You.  In Jesus’ Name.

Amen.

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