{"id":15445,"date":"2013-10-30T00:01:49","date_gmt":"2013-10-30T05:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=15445"},"modified":"2013-10-31T10:25:11","modified_gmt":"2013-10-31T15:25:11","slug":"esther-chapter-96-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/10\/30\/esther-chapter-96-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Esther – Chapter 9:6-16"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"16DayCover\"<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Please join us for our next Online Bible Study!<\/span><\/h2>\n

“16-Day Love Challenge:<\/h2>\n

Matching our Words and Actions with<\/h2>\n

1 Corinthians 13:4-8″<\/h2>\n

by<\/span> Cherie Zack and Rebecca LeCompte.<\/h3>\n

This study begins November 4th. <\/span><\/h2>\n

Be sure to go to our Registration page for more details, and to sign up today!!<\/p>\n

The Registration page can be found by clicking on this LINK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We hope you will join us!!<\/p>\n

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The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king\u2019s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted. \u00a0If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day\u2019s edit tomorrow also, and let Haman\u2019s ten sons be hanged on gallows<\/em>.”
\nEsther 9:12-13 NIV<\/p>\n

In my Bible, the introduction to Chapter 9 is entitled \u201cTriumph of the Jews.\u201d\u00a0 The enemies of the Jews thought they\u00a0could take out their enemies, but the Jews were able to turn the tables on them! We also see that Haman\u2019s ten sons were killed in verse 9 \u2013 so why the strange request from Esther?\u00a0 Why hang ten dead men on the gallows?\u00a0 Seems a bit—literally—like over<\/em>kill. We\u2019ve seen that all of Esther\u2019s actions have been intentional so far, so what is the point of this request?\u00a0 Darlene mentions that a public execution would put fear in the people (page 103). \u00a0It would do that, to be sure! \u00a0 My Study Bible gives additional insight.<\/p>\n

In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, God gives these directions through Moses: \u201cIf a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight.\u00a0 Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God\u2019s curse<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 To the Jews, this is<\/span> a reminder of God\u2019s deliverance and fulfillment of a promise made to<\/span> them long ago through Abraham, \u201cI will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse\u2026\u201d (Genesis 12:3 NIV).<\/p>\n

If you go to your Bible, you will notice that I didn\u2019t include the remainder of verse 3 in Genesis.\u00a0 It concludes \u201c\u2026 and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.\u201d Wow, what an amazing promise!\u00a0 Did you realize that the promise to Abraham became your<\/b> blessing, too?\u00a0 Through Abraham, God makes a mighty nation—the Jews—His chosen people.\u00a0 Through Abraham, God sends Jesus to fulfill His plan and redeem us all.\u00a0 Hallelujah!\u00a0 One of the beautiful revelations of studying Esther is how Esther\u2019s story is our<\/b> story!\u00a0 We are all Esther\u2013beautiful, favored by the ultimate King (God), chosen, given a helper (the Holy Spirit), redeemed and saved from our enemy (Satan)!\u00a0 But here is a key difference—and please give it the reverence it deserves—in our life story, the One hung on the gallows, the One hung on a tree \u2013 is Jesus<\/i><\/b>…y<\/i>es…Jesus.<\/p>\n

In Galatians 3:13 -14 (NIV)\u00a0Paul writes \u201cChrist redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: \u2018Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.\u2019 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 I read this and I am so humbled, so grateful, so joyful!\u00a0 You see, Jesus became the sacrifice that saved me from death.\u00a0 Jesus became the curse so that I can receive the blessing!\u00a0 Because He triumphed over the cross, over curses, over death, He rendered Satan\u2019s power ultimately useless over me!\u00a0 Just like the Jews\u2019 enemies in Persia, who thought they were going to destroy them, Satan has had the tables turned on him! WE ARE SAVED!!\u00a0 WE ARE REDEEMED!!<\/p>\n

Praise God today, sisters, because He has made the power of the Cross available to us who believe in Him! \u00a0Don\u2019t live in fear of the enemy; live in the hope and confidence of those redeemed out of the hand of the devil.\u00a0 Just like the Jews were overwhelmingly victorious \u2013 so will you be in your life.\u00a0 Read the story of Esther again and apply this knowledge to your life \u2013 I\u00a0am Esther and, just like God worked in her life, He works in mine! God bless you, sisters!\u00a0 WE ARE REDEEMED!! Let the knowledge of that change your life!<\/p>\n