May 1, 2024

Esther – Chapter 2:21-23

HeAlone_Wk_Spring

I would like to believe that I would be like Esther.   Although, I cannot promise I would.  If my own life  was on the line, would I be willing to stand up for my people, God’s people?  Of course, as a mom, I would lay down my life for my children and family.  But what about His kingdom? What would you do?

Esther, chapter 2, is a story about redeeming grace and like us, the king is searching vainly for something or someone in this case to fill the vacuum of his life. We are always seeking something to fill our hearts. Here is where Mordecai and Esther enter in:

Mordecai’s most important. His name means “little man,” humbled and laying aside his glory to save the king’s life.  Does he remind you of Someone else?  Jesus maybe?

Philippians 2:5-8

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God
something to be used to His own advantage;
rather He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death.

Mordecai resembles the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, whose task is to exalt the One Who came to redeem man.  His specific work is to restore our fellowship with God, which has been lost. Mordecai does this throughout the story.

Our verses for today are Esther 2: 21-23.   This chapter closes with the account of how the king’s life is about to be spared because of Mordecai and Esther being brought into his life.  He is then delivered from a plot to end his life.

Evil enters the picture, as it does often from time to time.  It invades the minds of men.  This betrayal is a perfect example of how the enemy is at work, trying to impress evil into our thoughts and into our minds.  All the while, completely trying to destroy the glory of God’s purpose in man’s life.  We all know this force too well, unfortunately.  This force is at work right now in your kingdom and in mine.  Aren’t our souls the prize in this spiritual warfare?  The enemy tries to strike, but Mordecai hears about the plot and the ones who had planned it are carried out and hung on a tree.

Colossians 2:12-14

For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized.  And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, Who raised Christ from the dead.  You were dead because of your sins and because  your sinful nature was not yet cut away.  Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

We know the evil one threatens to overcome us—and we know how this will end for him.  We are all Christians and we’ve all known what it’s like to live restless and to live without God.  We have all searched for something to make us happy and to satisfy some need or emptiness.  And now we know, He alone satisfies and He alone breathes life back into us.  We, too, have been delivered, just like the king.  Our lives have been spared because the One was nailed to the tree and was made a public example for all of us. We, too, will begin to experience the deliverance that God has intended for our lives.

Have you begun to experience this yet? If so, would you be so courageous as to share?

 

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this study and for the work You are doing in each of our lives.  We thank You for delivering us from our own death by sending Jesus to die on the Cross in our place.  He took the fall for us.  Lord, keep revealing to us anything that may divide us from You and keep us from clearly hearing Your voice.  Bring to the light whatever it is and may we lay it at Your feet and be free, so that we may not have any distractions.  We love You and we praise You.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.