Esther 8
Mordecai received signet ring verse 1- 2
On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman
the Jews’ enemy to Esther the queen
And Mordecai came before the king
for Esther had told what he was to her
and the king took off his ring
which he had taken from Haman
and gave it unto Mordecai
And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman
Esther asks for life of Jews verse 3- 4
And Esther spoke yet again before the king
and fell down at his feet
and besought him with tears
to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite
and his device that he had devised
against the Jews
THEN the king
held out the golden scepter toward Esther
So Esther arose and stood before the king
Esther wants plot to end verse 5- 6
And said
IF it please the king
IF I have found favor in his sight
and the thing seem right before the king
and I be pleasing in his eyes
Let it be written to reverse the letters devised
by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite
which he wrote to destroy the Jews
which are in all the king’s provinces
For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people?
or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
King gives Esther permission to write a letter verse 7- 8
Then the king Ahasuerus
said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew
BEHOLD – I have given Esther the house of Haman
and him they have hanged on the gallows
because he laid his hand on the Jews
Write you also for the Jews – as it like you – in the king’s name
and seal it with the king’s ring
for the writing which is written in the king’s name
and sealed with the king’s ring
may no man reverse
Mordecai sends letter to all of Persian kingdom verse 9- 10
Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month
that is – the month Sivan – on the three and twentieth day thereof
And it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews
and to the lieutenants
and the deputies and rulers of the provinces
which are from India unto Ethiopia
a hundred twenty and seven provinces
to every province according
to the writing thereof
to every people after their language
and to the Jews according to their writing
and according to their language
And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name
and sealed it with the king’s ring
and sent letters by posts on horseback
and riders on mules – camels – young dromedaries
Letter gives permission to Jews to kill enemies verse 11- 12
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather
themselves together – and to stand for their life
to destroy – to slay – to cause to perish
all the power of the people and province that would
assault them – both little ones and women
and to take the spoil of them for a prey upon one day in
all the provinces of king Ahasuerus
namely on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month
which is the month Adar
Letter delivered with speed verse 13- 14
The copy of the writing for a commandment
to be given in every province was published unto all people
and that the Jews should be ready against that day
to avenge themselves on their enemies
So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out
being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment
And the decree was given at Shushan the palace
Jews rejoice verse 15- 17
And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king
in royal apparel of blue and white
and with a great crown of gold
and with a garment of fine linen and purple
and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad
The Jews had light – gladness – joy – honor
and in every province – and in every city
whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came
the Jews had joy – gladness – a feast and a good day
And many of the people of the land BECAME Jews
for the fear of the Jews fell upon them
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. (4284 “device” [machashabah] means plan, invention, thought, intent, a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished, purposes, or create a design)
DEVOTION: Now that the enemy of the Jews was dead, they had to undo what he had done to kill all the Jews around the nation. The letter had been transported around the nation already so there had to be a change put into place before the date of the execution of them.
Esther begs the king to help them spare the rest of the Jews around the nation. So even when Haman was dead his work was not over. Many times, we find that people start causing problems for God’s people but it doesn’t end with their death. There is always more work to be done.
The LORD gave Esther grace in the eyes of the king and he was willing to let them send letters to offset the letters that Haman had sent. They had to think about how to make sure that it caused the nation to be aware of the change in policy regarding the Jews.
Today we have to make sure that we offset the plots of the enemy by turning to the LORD for strength and guidance as Esther and Mordecai did for the Jewish nation.
Our churches around the nation and across the world need to be in daily prayer for those who are suffering persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ. We have to be on our knees before the King of Kings to ask for HIS help to see the Word of God and the message of salvation move around our world.
There is still a plot going on against believers but our LORD is more powerful than any enemy we will face.
CHALLENGE: We have to remember this fact and not give in to thinking that we have no hope when in reality we are the only ones with hope in this world.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 8 Write you also for the Jews, as it like you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse. (2856 “sealed” [chatham] means marked, to be closed with or as if with a seal, or make an end)
DEVOTION: If the ruler of the world gave you an opportunity to write letter with his full power behind the letter what would you write? This was the opportunity that Esther and Mordecai had in the Persian Empire. They could write a letter to protect all those who were of the Jewish faith. It would have all the authority and power of the ruler of the nation.
Do you think that it would cause everyone to become a believer in Jesus Christ? Would their belief be genuine? Would they change religions as soon as the leadership of the nation changed?
We know that the LORD wants us to spread the message of salvation across our nation and around the world. We have a commission to do this project. It has never been taken away.
However, it is not a political message but a message of change in the human heart that the LORD is interested in each individual life. This can’t be forced. It has to be given and the person has to make a heart decision to follow the LORD.
Mass conversions are not something the LORD said would happen in our lifetime. Revival is possible but it only happens when believers are on their knees before the LORD and seeing changes in their lives that would affect those around them. A nation that says they are Christian without genuine changes in their personal lives and those that are around them will not honor the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Change has to happen from the inside out not the other way around for people to be genuine followers of Jesus Christ. A letter will never do the trick!!!
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: 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them both little ones and women and to take the spoil of them for a pray. (5975 “stand” [‘amad] means to go up before, to stand in position, to take a defensive fighting position, to remain, to endure, to stop moving, or be in a standing attitude)
DEVOTION: The roles had been reversed once the new order of the king went out to the Jews. They were no longer on the defense but on the offence. The roles had been reversed. The ones who thought they could kill and take the possessions of the Jews were now the ones who had to watch what they were doing.
There are enemies of the faith in Jesus Christ today. There are people who would like to see Christianity taken out of the world. There are nations that will not protect those who are believers in Jesus Christ.
What do you thing would happen in those nations if the laws were changed and the Christians were protected by the government and the other religions were no longer protected.
Would the Christians just start killing anyone who was not a follower of Jesus Christ or would the witness to those who were not believers in Jesus with the hopes that they would become believers?
Here we have the Jews acting in a way that would cause those who were thinking of killing them to run in fear. They had permission to do to them what they wanted to do to them.
The LORD reversed what was happening in the nation for the good of those who were followers of HIM. They were the ones who were in control of the circumstances. They were the ones who could genuinely defend themselves against any enemy.
We need to make sure that we are not the ones who are getting even with those who would kill us but that we would share the gospel with those who will listen to what we have to say.
We find that many people decided to become followers of God and not treat the Jews unfairly. Today this would not happen but it would be good if we would witness in nations were we have the freedom to tell others about Jesus and pray for those in other nations that are under a treat of being killed because the followers of Jesus.
CHALLENGE: Enjoy the fact that we can genuinely witness for the LORD and do it while we can. The time may be short.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor. (219 “light” [’owrah] means prosperity, time of serenity, cheerfulness, favorable circumstances or happiness)
DEVOTION: When we have a dark cloud over our lives and it seems like it will not leave, we wonder what is going on. The Jews had this dark cloud over them. They were all going to be killed on a certain day.
It was a decree of a king whose decrees could not be taken back once they were given. It was going to happen. However, they were not considering the LORD entering into the solution. Once HE is involved in the solution, there is usually a different outcome. Sometimes the LORD allows HIS servants to be killed.
This time HE allowed their enemy to die. Haman was killed on the gallows that was made for Mordecai. The king thought the issue was settled but Esther came to him and asked for the rest of the Jews to be spared from the decree he had sent out under the leadership of Haman. There was a decree that they were all to be killed on 12/13 and there was nothing that they could seem to do about it.
The king gave Esther and Mordecai permission to send out another decree from him. This decree was sent out stating that the Jews could kill their enemies before the date that Haman had set for the Jews to be killed. Remember that a Persian decree can’t be changed. It was superseded by the decree Mordecai sent.
Also, once the king’s decree went out for the Jews to kill their enemies before the day that Haman had picked, there was gladness and joy amongst the Jews. Their dark cloud had left them. They were the ones who were in control of the circumstances.
Many people became Jews because the fear of the Jews had come upon them. This is reality was a fear of the LORD who was in control of circumstances.
We can face many dark clouds in our lives. Then the cloud leaves and it seems like it is daylight in our souls. We can feel the cloud lift. That is what happened to the Jews in Esther’s day.
In the providence of God – a queen of unknown nationality was picked, a report of a conspiracy, a sleepless night and finally a banquet. All things worked together for good regarding the people of God in the Old Testament.
We are promised better promises in the New Testament. Should we trust God to take care of our every need? The answer is YES!!! The Jews were given favorable circumstances and we can have that happen to us also. We are the people of God in the age of grace or church age.
We can have favorable circumstances as we are obedient to the LORD. We have to wait on him to change our present circumstances if they are bad. If we try to change them on our own it will not work.
CHALLENGE: Reliance on the LORD is key!!!
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: 17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. (3054 “became Jews” [yahad] means member of the Jewish faith and society, pose as a Jew, to make yourself a Jew, pretend to be a Jew, or to Judaize)
DEVOTION: Sometimes people join a religion for convenience. Here we have a time period when people were afraid not to be Jewish so they pretended on the most part to convert to the Jewish religion, so that, they would not be killed.
The political atmosphere had changed once the people realized that the queen was Jewish and now the right-hand man of the king, was Jewish. Also, there was a letter sent around the nation that gave the Jews permission to kill their enemies.
What would happen if all of a sudden, our nation or any nation declared Christianity to be the religion of the nation? Early in the history of our nation most of those in power claimed to believe in God and it caused many others to join churches and seem to be followers of Jesus Christ. This has changed in the last forty years. Each year it seems that even when we have a president that attends church on occasion, he doesn’t want the teachings of the Word of God to be a national standard.
It used to be that Christians were protected by our nation but that is not happening today. So we have many other religions killing Christians around the world without a government here really doing anything to stop it. We are not allowed to mention the name of Jesus Christ in our schools or pray to HIM. However, we find that other religions are being taught in our schools with no problem. There is an inconsistency in the way things are being done today.
The politically correct religion of the area became the Jewish religion with many making themselves Jewish instead of the LORD having an influence in their lives.
We have to realize that there are many in our churches who are not genuine believers. Some of them are there just for personal advancement rather than genuine belief in Jesus Christ.
CHALLENGE: Make sure of your reasons for coming to church.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
King Ahasuerus verse 1- 17
Haman verse 1- 3, 5, 7
Jews’ enemy verse 1, 13
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Mischief verse 3
Destroy the Jews verse 5
Evil verse 6
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Favor verse 5
Light verse 16
Gladness verse 16, 17
Joy verse 16, 17
Honor verse 16
Became Jews verse 17
Fear of Jews [LORD] verse 17
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
17. In the second place the provinces rejoiced when the edict reached them. The granting of a holiday implies that Gentile employers received the news with sympathetic understanding, and were willing to allow the Jews time for celebration. The fact that a Jew was directing affairs in the capital may have had something to do with the fear of the Jews that came over the empire. Mordecai had proved his ability to change what in theory could not be changed, and people were impressed as well as apprehensive for the future. Rightly sensing that it would in future be an advantage to be Jewish, many people declared themselves Jews. Only here in the Old Testament is reference made to people of other races becoming Jews, though the New Testament bears ample witness to the process in the first century ad (Mt. 23:15; Acts 2:10; 6:5; 13:43). True, the law had made provision for foreigners who lived in ‘the land’ (Lv. 19:33–34), and the prophets envisaged widespread conversion to the Lord from all over the earth (Is. 2:2–4; 49:6; Je. 3:17; Zp. 3:9; Zc. 8:22–23, to name but a few). But the verb used only here means ‘they Judaized themselves’, but by what process is not disclosed. The religion of the Jews had evidently become a separate issue from that of race.
Whereas chapter 3 had recorded the rise of Haman, this chapter has shown how Mordecai not only stepped into Haman’s honoured role as the king’s prime minister but also used his power in similar ways. The difference was that he worked more successfully and won popularity with Jews and Gentiles alike, and brought gladness instead of dismay. (Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, p. 99). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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Verse 17 emphasizes that celebration pervaded every province and city (cf. 4:3 where only ‘province’ is mentioned). The meaning of the final sentence is unclear. First, the meaning of the phrase many people of other nationalities became Jews is not clear. The subject is ‘people of the land’ (i.e. non-Jews) and ‘became Jews’ might equally be translated ‘professed to be Jews’ (see Bush 1996: 436). This translation is helpful because it can carry the various ideas associated with the term, including pretending to be Jews and identifying with Jews. (There seems to be no justification for the addition in the Septuagint ‘and were circumcised’, which limits the understanding of this phrase to a cultic one.) Of importance is the parallel that this phrase creates with Esther’s own journey: she chose to identify herself with her people despite the risks involved; now non-Jews choose to identify themselves with Jews because they see only benefits from doing so. The second issue concerns the nature of the fear that has gripped non-Jews. It could conceivably mean that the growing influence and power of the Jews are recognized now Mordecai is second in command. But this seems unlikely in the light of Mordecai’s good reception in the city of Susa (see v. 15). It seems more consistent with the writer’s use of previous elements in the story that the fear is related to the fulfilment of the words uttered by Zeresh (see comments on 6:13). Experience suggests that an inevitable victory is on its way: the Jews are now regarded with awe and respect just like Mordecai is himself. In addition, Laniak suggests that ‘this type of fear describes a public perception of divine involvement; it reflects awe and colloquially, a “healthy respect” ’ (1998: 133). (Reid, D. (2008). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 13, p. 138). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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Ver. 17.—A feast and a good day. The provincial Jews made the whole day on which they heard the news into a holiday, and not only rejoiced, but feasted. Many of the people of the land became Jews. Applied for and obtained admission into the Jewish nation as full proselytes (comp. Ezra 6:21, with the comment). The fear of the Jews fell upon them. There was about to be in each great city where there were Jews a day of struggle and bloodshed. The Jews would have authority on their side (ch. 9:3), and might be expected to be victorious. Persons feared lest, when victorious, they might revenge themselves on all who had not taken their part, and thought it safer to become Jews than remain neutral. But it can only have been a small minority of the population in each city that took this view. There was no sudden great increase in the numbers of the Jewish nation. (Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Esther (p. 143). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)
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The king’s message believed brought joy and gladness; even as the gospel, believed, brings the same to-day. “The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor. And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them” (vers. 16, 17). It is important to notice that it was the word of the king which brought all the grief and anguish of heart described in chapter four. The king had spoken. They believed his decree, and they were miserable. Now it is his word that gives them peace and happiness, and drives away their sorrow. Even so, God’s word as to man’s lost estate and the judgment hanging over him brings the soul to cry, “The pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow” (Psa. 116:3). But by the message of grace and truth which has come by Jesus Christ, truly believed, the gloom is banished, and the exultant heart cries with joy, “Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling” (Psa. 116:8). It is in neither case a question of experience or wrought-up feelings, but of faith in the message proclaimed.
And so God had turned the mourning of His people into rejoicing, and the result was that the fear of them fell upon the people of the provinces, many of whom sought the God of Israel and became proselytes, taking their places as members of the chosen nation. There is nothing that so appeals to the world as a happy, holy company of saints, whose spirits have been refreshed by the goodness of the Lord. (Loizeaux, P. J. (1921). Prefatory Note. In Notes on the Book of Esther (2d ed., pp. 95–96). New York: Loizeaux Bros.)
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8:15–17. Mordecai wore clothes which told of his royal position—royal garments … a large crown, and a purple linen robe. Blue and white were the Persian royal colors (cf. 1:6). He now held the position and status Haman had held (3:1). Previously under Haman’s edict the city of Susa had been “bewildered” (3:15). Now under the edict of Mordecai the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. And obviously the Jews were elated. Their rise to power caused many Gentiles to become Jewish proselytes. God’s good hand was then becoming obvious to the world at large. No longer were these events being viewed simply as happenstance; now people were beginning to realize that the God of the Jews was protecting them. (Martin, J. A. (1985). Esther. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 712). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The total number of the slain was 75,000 (v. 16) out of a population of perhaps 100 million people. But the fact that more than 75,000 people were prepared to slaughter defenseless Jews shows how many of the king’s people hated God’s people. And the fact that these people were even willing to attack when they knew the Jews would protect themselves is proof that anti-Semitism was very strong throughout the empire. The critics say it was wrong for the Jews to kill 75,000 would-be murderers. Would it have been better if the 75,000 Persians had killed ten times as many Jews?
Mordecai’s decree was in complete harmony with God’s covenant with Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you” (Gen. 12:3, NKJV). Isaac also would have agreed with Mordecai; for when Isaac blessed Jacob, he said, “Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you” (27:29, NKJV). In addition, God promised Moses, “I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries” (Ex. 23:22, NKJV). And don’t forget that quotation from Dr. J. Vernon McGee: “The Jew has attended the funeral of every one of the nations that tried to exterminate him.”
It’s one thing to write a liberating new edict and quite another thing to get the message out to the people. Mordecai put the secretaries to work translating and copying the decree, and then he sent the couriers to carry the good news to the people in the various provinces of the empire. The couriers “hastened” because they were “pressed on by the king’s commandment” (Es. 8:14, KJV). The NIV translates it “spurred on by the king’s command.”
If only the church today were like those secretaries and couriers! How we need to tell the peoples of the world in their own languages the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ! The King has commanded us, and we must go, but for some reason we linger. If a group of pagan scribes and messengers, without modern means of transportation and communication, could take Mordecai’s decree to an entire empire, how much more should Christian workers be able to take Christ’s Gospel to a lost world!
Ever since the fall of Adam, “the law of sin and of death” has been in force in this world (Rom. 8:2; 5:12–21); and God will not rescind that law. The wages of sin is still death (Rom. 6:23). Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God put another law into effect, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (8:2). God obeyed the law of sin and death when He gave His Son Jesus to bear our sins and die on the cross. But then God raised Him from the dead and put a new decree into effect that makes it possible for sinners to be saved. Now He wants us to put that good news into every tongue and take that good news to every nation.
This chapter begins with Queen Esther in tears (Es. 8:3), but it ends with the Jews rejoicing and feasting (vv. 15–17). Happiness of one kind or another is mentioned in this paragraph at least seven times. (This is the eighth feast mentioned in the Book of Esther.) The Jews had been mourning and fasting, but now they were ecstatic with joy.
The thing that made the difference was not the writing of the decree or even its distribution in the various provinces. The thing that made the difference was the fact that the Jews believed the decree. It was their faith in Mordecai’s word that changed their lives. They had hope, joy, and peace because they had faith in what the prime minister said. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13, NKJV).
The statement that “many of the people of the land became Jews” (Es. 8:17, KJV) is variously interpreted. The obvious meaning is that many Gentiles in the empire forsook their pagan religions and became Jewish proselytes. But since the Jews were far from Jerusalem and the ministry of the priests, these “converts” couldn’t be initiated fully into the Jewish faith. They became what were known later as “God-fearers” or “worshipers of God” (Acts 10:2; 16:14; 18:7).
I think the phrase means that many of the Gentiles in the empire sided with the Jews and acted as though they were Jews. They weren’t ashamed to be identified with the Jews even though the Jews had enemies.
After President Reagan was shot, when he was being prepared for surgery, he jokingly said to the medical team, “I hope all of you are Republicans.” One of the doctors replied, “Mr. President, today all of us are Republicans.” That was the attitude of many of the people in the Persian Empire when Mordecai’s edict was published: “Today, all of us are Jews.”
The Book of Esther opens with the Jews keeping a very low profile, so much so that Esther and Mordecai wouldn’t even confess their nationality. But now the Jews are proud of their race and so happy with what God had done that they were attracting others to their faith! Even the pagan Gentiles could see that God was caring for His people in a remarkable way.
Evangelist Billy Sunday said, “If you have no joy in your religion, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere.” If Christian believers today manifested more of the joy of the Lord, perhaps those outside the faith would be attracted to the church and be willing to consider the message of the Gospel.
It’s worth trying. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Be Committed (p. 144). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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8:17 many … peoples … Jews. The population realized that the God of the Jews greatly exceeded anything that the pantheon of Persian deities could offer (cf. Ex 15:14–16; Ps 105:38; Ac 5:11), especially in contrast to their recent defeat by the Greeks. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Es 8:17). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 17. And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, &c.] As they did to every province in the realm, and to every city in the province, where there were any Jews: the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day; they expressed their joy on this occasion by keeping a festival, which in their language is called a good day; and such an one is annually kept by them unto this day, on account of their deliverance; of which see ch. 9:27, 28. and many of the people of the land became Jews; or were proselyted, as both the Targums and Jarchi interpret it; they embraced the Jewish religion, and submitted to the rites and ceremonies of it; were circumcised, as in the Septuagint version, and so were proselytes of righteousness; and indeed no other could they be, dwelling in their own land; many of them very probably were serious in it, observing the wonderful manner in which the Jews were delivered; wherein manifestly appeared to them the providence of God, the hand of the Supreme Being, and from hence concluded their God must be the true God, and they his favourite people, and their religion rightest; though others might only do it to gain the favour of Esther and Mordecai, who had now such great power and influence at court: for the fear of the Jews fell upon them; lest they should be slain by them, in virtue of this new edict. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 182). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Tomina (Our daughter-in-law writes (Washington): This past week I was out grocery shopping with KodiJoy – my 5-year-old. I was in a hurry and I was rushing around through the store. As I continued my speed-walking out of the dairy department, Kodi had trailed like 15 feet behind me. She got really upset and threw herself on the ground. She then cried out, “MOM!!! STOP!!!! I don’t know where you are going!!!” I quickly retorted back, “Kodi, you don’t need to know where I’m going, you just need to follow me.”
As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I had this moment where I thought, that is such a picture of the Christian walk. As Christians, we so often want to know where God is taking us. We would love to have a full step by step map laid out in front of us, but that just isn’t how it works. We are like my daughter. As ridiculous as it is for my 5-year-old to expect me to give her the route I’m taking through the grocery store, it is equally ridiculous for us as humans to expect the creator of the world to tell us His plans. An all knowing, all powerful, self-existent God does not need to lay out his plans. God knows every moment of our life before it happens. He knows the number of hair on our heads. We know from Colossians 1:17 that He is literally holding everything together. He holds every single one of our molecules together and He gives us every breath we take. I think we are in good hands! We don’t need to know where we are going. We just need to follow our Father, through the grocery store of life. When we follow our Father, there shouldn’t be any fear of the unknown because He is fully competent to navigate us through.
I can’t count how many times I’ve said to my daughter as we walk through a parking lot or across a street, “Kodi, stay close to Mom.” God is saying the same thing to us. “Stay close to Me!” There’s not even the possibility of taking the wrong path if we are staying close to our Father.
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The Teacher and His Words
“For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)
In many churches, teachers are in short supply. Evidently many who have the Spirit-given gift of teaching are not using it as they should. On the other hand, a Christian must never assume the role of teacher without clear leading from above. As the teacher of the early Jerusalem church wrote, “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1). Christ taught in our text that by our words we shall be judged and either justified or condemned. Since for “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36), how much more so will the words of a teacher be scrutinized, especially a teacher of the Word of God.
Another reason one should be slow to don the cloak of a teacher is that even a teacher finds it hard to live up to his own teachings. “For in many things we offend all [better, ‘we all stumble’]. If any man [stumble] not in word, the same is a perfect man” (James 3:2). Speaking of the Jewish teachers, Jesus instructed His listeners to do what their teachers said, not what they did (Matthew 23:3), and then He condemned hypocritical teachers with seven stinging “woes” (vv. 13-33).
The proper use of the teaching gift perhaps yields greater honor than most but also greater condemnation if error or hurt creeps in. The church does need all the gifts and should not neglect any genuinely Spirit-given gifts of its members.
Nevertheless, one might contemplate the aggressive, anti-creationist stance taken by many professors at evangelical churches, colleges, and seminaries today, teaching theistic evolution, the day-age theory, framework hypothesis, etc., and wonder if Christ’s reference to the “millstone” around the neck might apply (Luke 17:2). (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Gratitude is beautiful to witness. When a person’s eyes light up as they open a gift, the giver enjoys the experience as much as the receiver.
We appreciate gratitude, and so does the Lord. He loves to see His children rejoicing at His many good gifts.
Gratitude to the Lord can be cultivated. Imagine what your life would be like without the Lord’s grace. Show the Lord that you appreciate Him by nurturing an attitude of gratitude. (Quiet Walk)
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The Real Need (Part Two)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. ROMANS 3:23-24
As my flying companion (from the story I began yesterday) and I began to talk, I asked about his relationship with God. He told me about a near-fatal accident he had once experienced. After rolling his truck several times, he was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. A few minutes later, he was resuscitated. He said that while he was “dead,” he saw a hand come out of the light and push him back toward his earthly life.
I asked him if he believed God has a reason, or purpose, for his life. When he nodded yes, I took the next 10 minutes to explain the gospel to him. You would think that someone who had been through such an experience would be spiritually receptive to the gospel. He wasn’t. Like many, he was determined to reach heaven on his terms, not God’s. My new acquaintance thought that Jesus Christ might be the way for me but not for him. My conversation that day was a fresh reminder that the real need of people is to acknowledge their need for the one true God, to admit their sinfulness and to experience by faith His love and forgiveness. If we don’t understand our own sinfulness and the judgment and penalty it demands, then there seems to
be no need for the Savior.
Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised so that, if we humble ourselves and receive Him as our Lord and Savior, we can be forgiven—despite any mess that we’ve made of our lives. No, this man did not make a commitment to Christ. My responsibility before God was to be faithful to share Jesus Christ and give him the opportunity to surrender to Christ. I hope he won’t forget our conversation. I certainly won’t. I’m still praying for him.
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SANCTIFICATION: A CONTINUOUS PROCESS
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 17:17
We must not think of sanctification as something that happens suddenly. People seem to think (and here they are logical, though they are wrong) that if it is a gift and to be received, then obviously it must be something that happens suddenly; when you receive a gift, it happens suddenly. But surely this is incompatible with the New Testament teaching on this matter. It is, rather, characteristic of the cults, of a man-made idea of sanctification.
We always like to do things suddenly and to have anything we want at once. So you find that those false teachings always offer a kind of short cut, and that is their appeal to the carnal mind, because we are always so impatient, always in such a desperate hurry. But this very verse that we are now considering makes it quite impossible for sanctification to be something that happens suddenly.”Sanctify them,” says our Lord, “through thy truth.”
Our Lord has already said the same thing in John 8:31-32. He said to certain men who appeared to believe, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” It is always the truth, therefore, that does it, and that is something that is progressive. We do not grasp the whole of the truth at once; we go through stages, from babies to full, matured age, from being a child to being an old man, as it were, in terms of faith. We see the same thing again in Philippians 2:12: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” it is something you keep doing. “Not as in my presence only,” says Paul, “but now much more in my absence.” The exhortation in all these writings is to be steadfast, to progress, and to go on with the work.
A Thought to Ponder: John 17:17 makes it quite impossible for sanctification to be something that happens suddenly. (From Sanctified Through the Truth, pp. 61-62, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Joel 2
Judgment is coming for the sins of the people, but after repentance, they will be restored.
INSIGHT Joel predicts a locust plague to come upon the land of Judah, which is both primary and secondary as a prophetic warning. The primary meaning is a literal locust plague. But the things Joel says about the locusts gradually transcend what could be true of mere bugs and could only be true of an invading army. In this way, the locust plague becomes symbolic of an invading army swarming over the land of Judah, stripping it of everything that has life. The warning of the plague comes because Judah is failing to serve the Lord. Joel holds out an escape: “Turn to Me with all your heart . . . rend your heart and not your garments” (vv. 12-13). Judah ignores the warning and the judgment eventually falls. Sin always has its consequences. (Quiet Walk)
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ANGELIC REVELATIONS
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Hebrews 1:14
Another function of the angels is to reveal God’s purposes. It was through angels that God revealed to Abraham His purpose with regard to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18), and He revealed His will to Jacob more than once in the same way. Gideon also was told God’s purpose for him through an angel, and in the New Testament Zacharias was told about the birth of his son, who became known as John the Baptist, through an angel that appeared to him when he was in the Temple. It was an angel who told Joseph that he need not worry about the condition of his espoused wife Mary. It was an angel also who told him to flee to Egypt, and an angel who told him to come out of Egypt.
But I would say that the most comforting and the most wonderful aspect of this teaching is what we are told in the Scriptures of the way in which God uses angels to bless and to care for His own people: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). What is the greatest function of the angels? It is to minister to you and to me–to minister to the “heirs of salvation.”
It seems to me from this biblical teaching that I am entitled to say that the angels are used by God with respect to us and to our salvation. For example, in the account of the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10, we are told that as Cornelius was praying one day an angel suddenly appeared to him and began to give him a preview, as it were, of his own salvation and to tell him what he should do in order that his salvation might be realized.
A Thought to Ponder: God uses angels to bless and to care for His own people.
(From God the Father, God the Son, p. 111, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Sealed by the Holy Spirit
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
From very ancient times it has been the custom to confirm and guarantee an agreed-on purchase by sealing the contract with a seal that could only be broken by the buyer when he was ready to take possession of his purchase.
The marvelous transaction seen by John at God’s throne in heaven was in reference to this practice. There, only the Lamb is found worthy to open the seven-sealed scroll on which is recorded the title to the whole creation. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the [scroll], and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood” (Revelation 5:9). The purchase price had been paid on Calvary, and the resurrected Lamb had come to claim His possession.
And we are part of that possession! The price has been paid for our redemption from sin’s bondage, but we have not yet entered on the inheritance which our great Redeemer has promised us. In the meantime, our individual title deed, as it were, has been sealed by none other than the Holy Spirit. He is not only the seal, but also the “earnest”—that is, the down payment, the earnest money—who guarantees the total “redemption of the purchased possession.”
His personal presence in our lives is our assurance that the full promise will be fulfilled, and we are urged to “grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). He “hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:22).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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FIRST CHURCH OF FACEBOOK (Friday Church News Notes, August 20, 2021, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The following is excerpted from “Mark Zuckerberg Is Planting the First Church of the Metaverse,” The Federalist, Aug. 2021: “The Church of Facebook is set to capture the human soul in silicon. On July 25, the New York Times reported that since 2017 the social media giant has quietly cultivated exclusive partnerships with select religious communities. As always, money is involved. While Facebook’s ultimate goals remain sealed behind non-disclosure agreements, the Times article does hint at things to come: ‘The company aims to become the virtual home for religious community, and wants churches, mosques, synagogues and others to embed their religious life into its platform, from hosting worship services and socializing more casually to soliciting money.’ … ‘Facebook is shaping the future of religious experience itself, as it has done for political and social life.’ … If Facebook’s history is any guide, every digital prayer will be scooped up and turned into a data point. Livestreamed preachers who deny the sanctity of LGBT lifestyles will be flagged and punished as ‘extremists.’ … According to Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, ‘Faith organizations and social media are a natural fit because fundamentally both are about connection. Our hope is that one day people will host religious services in virtual reality spaces as well, or use augmented reality as an educational tool to teach their children the story of their faith.’ … Technology has become a religion. If you look at the personalities behind techno-fetishism, they frequently describe digital culture in spiritual terms. … Striking a dissonant note, in 1976 the first Apple computer went on sale for $666.66. Despite the cuddly Steve Wozniak’s insistence that it was just a fluke, the numeric symbolism has dark resonance in the Christian imagination. You don’t have to be superstitious to appreciate the mythical implications. When I visited the famous Apple Museum in Prague, Czech Republic, a large decal on the front window read: ‘Three apples changed the world. The first tempted Eve, the second inspired Newton, and the third was offered to the world half-eaten by Steve Jobs.’” CONCLUDING NOTE: We know, of course, that Eve was not tempted by an apple. Steve Jobs didn’t know his Bible.
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An Eternal Holy Calling
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” (2 Timothy 1:9)
There appears to be an apparent conflict between God’s salvation, which was determined “before the world began,” and our present need to persuade men to believe the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:11). Jesus urged whoever was burdened to “come unto me” (Matthew 11:28), while insisting He had chosen His disciples rather than the other way around (John 15:16). Scripture often expresses this paradox.
Ephesians 2:8-9 states that our salvation is “not of works” but comes to us by the grace of God through faith—and even that faith is God’s gift. Few would argue that salvation is some sort of cooperative work between God and man, since there is no question that our salvation is not due to our efforts. Many passages verify that teaching.
Today’s text insists that our salvation was “according to his own purpose and grace.” Our salvation must meet the requirements set by God’s standards. Just what does that demand?
God must be holy and just while justifying the ungodly (Romans 3:26). His holiness cannot be compromised. Thus, the incarnate and sinless Redeemer had to be sacrificed in order to reconcile sinful man with a holy God (2 Corinthians 5:21 and Revelation 13:8b). Then, the absolute sequence of redemption through grace had to be determined for those “who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 and 1 Peter 1:2).
The result of the sacrifice and the sequence had to be fixed so that the redeemed would be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). Praise God for His “unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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The Real Need (Part One)
A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind. Proverbs 18:2
As I settled into my seat on the small regional jet, I noticed that the man next to me was embroiled in an intense cell-phone conversation. Although he was doing his best to control his anger and keep his voice down, his conversation was unavoidable for me—and all the passengers within two rows of him. He was talking to his former wife. Listening to him was like watching a sword fight where you can only see one of the competitors.
With his blade, he verbally sliced and pierced the woman on the other end of the phone. The conversation ended with a verbal decapitation when he declared, “And you are no longer my wife!” He demanded to talk with his daughter, and when she came on the phone, the sword fighter was instantly transformed into a puppy. He began by compassionately asking her questions, but at the end of the conversation he made
one last thrust of the sword, saying her mom was a “wimp.” After he hung up the phone, this noble warrior informed me, “Any man can be a father,” he said, “but being a parent takes a real commitment. Hard
work.” I wondered if he was using the same dictionary that I did.
He mentioned that he was living with a woman who was expecting his child. I asked if the baby’s birth might lead them to get married, and his response was, “Why spoil a good thing with a piece of paper?” As I sat there, God reminded me of something: What is this man’s real need? As a sinner myself, saved by grace, I recognized that this man’s real need was to know God’s love and forgiveness. The warrior had certainly made a mess of his life, but there was One who would forgive him and could help him clean it up. (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
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Larry writes (WA): Once again, your tax dollars have bloody fingerprints all over them. Your Republican legislators just passed a new federal funding bill that (once again, despite their promises) fully funds Planned Parenthood, which kills approx. one-third of a million American babies each year.
Ruth Graham famously said, “If God doesn’t judge America for its sin, he’ll need to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” How longsuffering will He be in the face of this kind of bloodshed?
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Today, historically horrific diseases like polio and leprosy have been all but eradicated. Most people consider past moral failures, such as slavery, despicable. Famines are increasingly few and far between, and abject poverty around the world has been dramatically reduced.
Among the reasons that our “normal” is so different from much of history is the work of Christians who saw their lives as a means by which God could accomplish restoration. In living out a Christian worldview within their own time and place, they laid foundations for this current world, which is better in so many ways.
Dr. Benjamin Rush is a prime example of someone who had this sense of vocation. Rush was born one of seven children in 1746 just outside of Philadelphia. He studied at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), completing his degree in 1760 at age 15.
He received his medical degree in Britain, and then practiced medicine there before returning to the colonies in 1769. At the age of 24, he opened a medical practice in Philadelphia. He was also a chemistry professor, writing the first chemistry textbook published in America. He also wrote treatises on medical education.
A significant area of study for Rush was the treatment of mental illness. He argued that people with mental illness shouldn’t be treated as criminals but brought into normal hospital settings. He also believed that giving them productive work could aid in their recovery. These ideas proved to be successful strategies in treating many of his patients.
Rush was also active in social reform. He was a founding member of what was known as Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons (the Pennsylvania Prison Society today), and an ardent abolitionist, joining abolitionist societies and writing pamphlets against the institution of slavery. He specifically argued, on scientific grounds, that blacks were in no way inferior to whites.
All of the activities on Rush’s very impressive resume were informed by his faith. His stands on mental health, prisons, and slavery came from his understanding that each person is made in the image of God and is, therefore, worthy of dignity and respect. His observations on the importance of work for human well-being reflected ideas contained within the biblical worldview. (Break Point)