Thoughts

:) Finally had some time! Next week should be fun... we're heading into some messianic prophecies... :)

Happy studying!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Esther Chapter 8


Esther Chapter 8

REPLACED

- On the same day that Haman was impaled on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, Xerxes gave all the property of Haman to Esther.

- Esther told Xerxes how she and Mordecai were related. Mordecai was called in before the king and Xerxes gave Mordecai his signet ring. Xerxes had given the ring to Haman when he gave him the right to write the decree ordering the destruction of the Jews. He took it back from Haman when he was killed... and now passed it on to Mordecai.

- So Mordecai has now taken the place of his enemy. To make matters more ironic... Esther puts Mordecai in charge of Haman's property. So not only has he taken Haman's place among the nobles and with the king... but now he has also taken possession of all his property. He has completely usurped Haman's place.

- Ever have an enemy you just can't seem to get rid of? They seem to follow you everywhere. They just make life miserable... Ever thought about revenge? Thought about taking a shot back at them?

- Mordecai never once actively took revenge against Haman. He refused to bow to him... but that's kinda passive. He never threw rotten vegetables at him as he walked down the street... or spray painted graffiti all over his house... or egged his car... or yelled at him in front of his kids... He never confronted Haman to demand an explanation for the decree he wrote... Never threatened his life...

- Mordecai just let everything play out. He let God handle the situation. He turned the other cheek so to speak and let God have His way. Was he scared? Worried? Sure! But he took steps to alter the situation... yet the never once stepped out in an overly aggressive manner towards another person.

- He went and asked Esther to talk to the king about the Jews situation. He prayed and fasted. And he sought God's help.

- And you know what? God rewarded that. When Haman's life was ended, Mordecai ended up usurping his former enemy's place.

- This is not to say that every time you have a difficult person in your life, just wait and see and you'll eventually get the better of them...

- This is simply to say that if you are faithful where you are and you honor God by your life, that He in turn will honor you.

- Matthew 5:21-26, 38-48
- Galatians 5:16-26
- Micah 7:18-20
- I Corinthians 6:1-11
- Romans 13:8-14
- Ephesians 4:17-32
- James 1:19-27

SET IN STONE

- Esther yet again goes before the king to beg for her life and the lives of her people. Wait... didn't they just do away with Haman? Isn't it over? Not exactly...

- When the king made a decree... it could never be taken back. There was no reversal... no veto process... once it was done, it was literally set in stone as law.

- So now, Esther goes before the king to see if he can do something about the law he set down.

- The king yet again held out his scepter to Esther, giving her the opening to speak.

- “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedathea the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king's provinces should be destroyed. For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”

- Yet another one of Esther's very... nicely worded speeches. : )

- Xerxes speaks to both Esther and Mordecai: “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king's name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king's signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king's name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”

- Have you ever been faced with the impossible? Seems like no matter what you do, or how you do it, there's always something in the way of making any forward progress. For every step you take forward, something comes along and pushes or pulls you three steps backwards.

- Have you ever given up? Retreated from the fight?

- Satan's biggest weapon in our lives sometimes is doubt. He pushes those little thoughts into our mind that bring a doubt of success. “You'll never win this fight... just give up. Just quit. It'll make life easier if you just stop trying to work so hard at this. Oh look! Another road block! See! They just keep coming! I'm telling you, just give up!”

- Yeah it's easier to give up. And when you're halfway there and give up... wow... What if Esther and Mordecai had only fought half the fight? What if they had given up after Haman was dead and they realized they couldn't get around the decree because the king's word couldn't be revoked?

- Peter had one of those moments... Christ died... rose... appeared to the disciples, ascended to heaven... and Peter turned around and went fishing. It was like he was only motivated while Christ was physically present. As soon as Christ wasn't sitting beside him, he went back to what he knew how to do.

- When Christ called Peter to the shore from the boat... they were eating and talking and three times Jesus asked him “Do you love me?” It was like He was asking, “Are you going to follow through this time? Do you REALLY love me... or just kinda love me?Are you committed to seeing this mission accomplished?” (John 21)

- We have to be sold out to this walk. We can't sit down and take a break every time we start to feel a little tired. When we get thirsty, we have to keep walking until we get to water. We can't just sit down by the side of the road and wait on somebody to come walking along with water.

- Yes there is a time for rest. There is a time to find an oasis and take a minute to rest... but that time is not in the middle of a battle. If you take a break in the middle of a fight... you'll die.

- So when the fight gets hard, is there someone you know you can turn to to help you pray? To help you fight the battle? How will you stay committed?

- Hebrews 10:19-39
- I Peter 4

NEW DECREE

- So now to come up with a counter-command that doesn't conflict with the previous command... How many nights did they sit up thinking about that one...

- Finally on June 25th, the secretaries were summoned and a new decree was written as Mordecai dictated. It too was sent to all the highest officers, governors, and nobles of all the provinces of Persia, written in every language of the empire.

- The decree was written in the name of Xerxes and sealed with his ring... it couldn't be revoked either... It had to be taken seriously.

- Mordecai sent the decree out with the swiftest messengers on the fastest horses.

- The decree said that Jews in ever city were now given the authority to unite and defend their lives. They were now allowed to “kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.”

- The original order to kill the Jews could not be revoked... but a way to defend themselves and deter an enemy attack could be provided. The decree was issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies.

- And Mordecai... left the king's presence a little better off than he came... he left wearing the royal blue and white robe, a gold crown, and a fine linen, purple coat. Think there wasn't some celebrations that night in Susa?

- It says that “the Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere. In every province and city, wherever the king's decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.”

- So not only did this whole mess produce a great rejoicing in the Jews and a praise of thanksgiving from them to God... but it also encouraged Gentiles, to become Jews... yes out of fear... but God can use a lot of things to open a heart to a new idea leading to a soul's salvation. And if fear of death is what it takes to get your eyes to see what God needs you to see... then so be it.

- If you are faithful to see the mission through to the end... God will honor you. Maybe not necessarily in this life... but the reward for remaining faithful will be great.

- Isaiah 8:20-9:7
- Psalm 74; 75
- Matthew 25:14-30
- Hebrews 3
- I Thessalonians 5:12-24
- II Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Esther Chapter 7


Esther Chapter 7

SECOND BANQUET

- So we left Haman feeling rather down, but looking forward to Esther's banquet. His one bright spot for the day...

- The king and Haman go to the banquet. Yet again, while they're drinking their wine, the king asks Esther what she wants. The suspense is killing him... lol.

- “Even if it's half my kingdom, I'll give it to you.”

- Esther replies... keep in mind that she's had 4 days or so to prepare this speech... and she's had the entire Jewish population in Susa praying and fasting for this very moment...

- “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared.”

- Wow. Xerxes has to be freaking out right now. Wonder if it suddenly dawned on Haman. Wonder if he had figured it out yet. Or was he still sitting there in the bliss of the moment still wrapped up in “Ah. What a man I am that the queen would treat me to a banquet!”

- “My people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us.”

- Xerxes—“Whaaaaaa? Since when! How do I not know about this!? There's a threat to my queen and I haven't heard about it? Is there a threat to me too? Who would dare!?”

- “If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king.”

- Ecclesiastes 7:11-12, 19; 8:1
- Proverbs 4:4-13
- James 3:13-17; 1:2-12

SLAVERY

- That statement says a couple of things...

1. Esther had a way with words... or God knew exactly what she needed to say and how...

- I don't want to say that she was manipulative in her speech... but it was definitely cleverly worded.

- I mean basically... this is what she said: “If it were such a small thing as slavery... you know... oppression... chains... eh... I wouldn't have bothered you... but since it's a little bigger than that... If you have time in your busy schedule... and you still like me... even a little... could you maybe think about saving my life? You know... if it's not a bother...”

- Way to pull on the heartstrings there Esther...

- Matthew 12:25-37

2. Israel has been enslaved before... technically still kinda are. Yes it would've been a big deal and there would have been sorrow... but I can see them just rolling over and saying “Oh Lord! Have you forsaken us again!? Oh well... we'll just have to bear it. We will accept our penance and continue to do whatever we want... because it's not so bad in the long run.”

- Had it just been a matter of slavery, I don't think they would've fought it. I don't think there would've been the same desperate cry to God. Which is exactly what they needed to do.

- Sometimes, God puts us in hot water because He needs us to buckle down and get serious. When we get apathetic or lukewarm, God has no use for us as a vessel.

- We have a tendency to go about our lives drifting. We don't pay attention to God's voice or direction. We do the minimum.

- Sometimes it takes the threat of death to wake us up to God's reality.

- I would like to say that I've never been there, or never will be there... but apathy attacks us at every turn... Ever have a busy week? Life takes over and you realize somewhere along the line that you haven't taken the time to talk to God.

- Or “God, I'm too tired tonight to really pray... so I'll just say a quick one and catch up tomorrow...”

- Israel had A LOT of times like that. They constantly drifted away to other gods. God tried slavery. It didn't wake them up out of their sleep. Oh sometimes eventually it did. Their oppressors would take a step too far and Israel would cry out to God. Or part of Israel would cry out to God...

- But this time... Persia had created kind of a comfort zone. There wasn't really a NEED to cry out to God.

- They were living and subsisting quite well. They weren't oppressed as before. Why go back to Jerusalem? For that matter, why go back to God? They didn't need Him...

- My brother had a line in a song a little while ago about God not being our “wishing thing”.

- God's not a genie. He doesn't grant whatever 3 requests we have and that's it.

- But Israel sometimes had that view of God. They'd wait until things got REALLY bad before they'd turn back. Most of the time they had to be so far beyond the end of themselves that they really had no other options period.

- Had it just been a matter of yet again being enslaved... I don't think the people would have asked Esther for help. I think they would have just let things play out...

- How far does God have to go to get your attention? Does He have to beat down the walls around you for you to notice anything? Does He have to light the path with neon signs and megaphoned directions? Does He have to send the threat of death your way? How far will you make God go to make you pay attention to His will and direction?

- Acts 17:16-31
- I Kings 8:22-53
- Ezekiel 14:1-23
- Hosea 11; 12; 13; 14

WHO IS THE MAN?

- Regardless, the king responded as hoped.

- “Who would do such a thing? Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?”

- Mwahahahahaha Victory!... well almost... Wonder if Haman got it yet... Or if he was sitting there wondering right along with the king... “What idiot would dare to threaten the queen! I mean do they not know who Xerxes IS!?”

- Well if he didn't already have it figured out... Esther's reply definitely left no doubt.

- “This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy!”

- YIKES! “Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen.” I bet he did. What idiot would dare to threated the queen? Him. He Himself... Uh Oh.

- Worst day ever? He had had to parade his most hated enemy around all morning declaring that he was the one the king wished to honor. Then his family and friends suddenly turned on him and his base for all his anger and rantings fell out from under him. And now to find out that the queen herself... the one bright spot he thought he had left... is also one of the hated Jews? And apparently in enough favor with the king to have some pull...

- Now had Haman not been caught off guard... he probably could've come up with something like “My king! I!? I would never! I had no idea! If she is a Jew, she has infiltrated the palace. SHE is the one planning your demise! Remember I said they were crafty and would be the ruin of this nation... SHE is one of them! Just like Vashti, yet another queen will dishonor you!”

- However... He was so taken aback... that he couldn't say anything.

- Jeremiah 12:1-17
- Psalm 37

CONDEMNED

- Had I been Xerxes, I think I would have smacked Haman right then... but he didn't. Why? Well... if you think about it... he was probably in a little bit of a conundrum. Who does he trust? His most trusted noble. His friend who has been in the palace spending time with him just about every day? Or the new queen... who he hasn't even thought to call in to him in over a month? I wonder how much Vashti was suddenly on his mind. Was he thinking of a second queen's betrayal? Was he distraught at the idea that he couldn't find a queen worthy of the title?

- Instead of turning on either one of them, he got up and walked out into the garden. Maybe he was used to trying to control his temper. Maybe he was trying to figure out who to trust. Whose side should he take? Maybe he was just so in shock that he needed time to clear his head... needed some time to process and didn't want anybody to see that he was shaken...

- While the king was out, Haman threw himself on Esther's couch to beg for his life... Right about the time the king walked back in...

- “Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?”

- “BBBBBBut... I was just...”

- Yeah... whatever Haman... lol I think had Haman maintained his cool... the king might have taken his side. I mean this is the most trusted noble in the land... and he's a man. Esther is just property... and he's already had one queen betray him. But when Haman threw himself at Esther to beg for mercy... it kind of... sealed his fate. Showed his guilt.

- As soon as Xerxes spoke, it signaled Haman's doom and the servants covered his face.

- footnote- “A veil was placed over the face of someone condemned to death because Persian kings refused to look upon the face of a condemned person.”

- Then one of the king's eunuchs, Harbona, says “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.”

- Oh that settles it... if he's trying to kill the man who saved the king... I mean... that pretty much seals his guilt.

- “Then impale Haman on it!” YeeeeeeeeeeeS! I mean not to be happy at someone else's misfortune... but... The good guys are winning out! : )

- So they took Haman and impaled him on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Poetic justice right there... Or ironic justice...

- And so the king's anger subsided.

- I wonder if he ever regretted killing Haman... He was his advisor etc....

- As much as that sounds like an ending... the story still continues on... but that's for next week : )

- Matthew 7:1-2
- John 5:19-30
- I Kings 8:22-53
- Ezekiel 14:1-23

Esther Chapter 7


Esther Chapter 7

SECOND BANQUET

- So we left Haman feeling rather down, but looking forward to Esther's banquet. His one bright spot for the day...

- The king and Haman go to the banquet. Yet again, while they're drinking their wine, the king asks Esther what she wants. The suspense is killing him... lol.

- “Even if it's half my kingdom, I'll give it to you.”

- Esther replies... keep in mind that she's had 4 days or so to prepare this speech... and she's had the entire Jewish population in Susa praying and fasting for this very moment...

- “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared.”

- Wow. Xerxes has to be freaking out right now. Wonder if it suddenly dawned on Haman. Wonder if he had figured it out yet. Or was he still sitting there in the bliss of the moment still wrapped up in “Ah. What a man I am that the queen would treat me to a banquet!”

- “My people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us.”

- Xerxes—“Whaaaaaa? Since when! How do I not know about this!? There's a threat to my queen and I haven't heard about it? Is there a threat to me too? Who would dare!?”

- “If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king.”

- Ecclesiastes 7:11-12, 19; 8:1
- Proverbs 4:4-13
- James 3:13-17; 1:2-12

SLAVERY

- That statement says a couple of things...

1. Esther had a way with words... or God knew exactly what she needed to say and how...

- I don't want to say that she was manipulative in her speech... but it was definitely cleverly worded.

- I mean basically... this is what she said: “If it were such a small thing as slavery... you know... oppression... chains... eh... I wouldn't have bothered you... but since it's a little bigger than that... If you have time in your busy schedule... and you still like me... even a little... could you maybe think about saving my life? You know... if it's not a bother...”

- Way to pull on the heartstrings there Esther...

- Matthew 12:25-37

2. Israel has been enslaved before... technically still kinda are. Yes it would've been a big deal and there would have been sorrow... but I can see them just rolling over and saying “Oh Lord! Have you forsaken us again!? Oh well... we'll just have to bear it. We will accept our penance and continue to do whatever we want... because it's not so bad in the long run.”

- Had it just been a matter of slavery, I don't think they would've fought it. I don't think there would've been the same desperate cry to God. Which is exactly what they needed to do.

- Sometimes, God puts us in hot water because He needs us to buckle down and get serious. When we get apathetic or lukewarm, God has no use for us as a vessel.

- We have a tendency to go about our lives drifting. We don't pay attention to God's voice or direction. We do the minimum.

- Sometimes it takes the threat of death to wake us up to God's reality.

- I would like to say that I've never been there, or never will be there... but apathy attacks us at every turn... Ever have a busy week? Life takes over and you realize somewhere along the line that you haven't taken the time to talk to God.

- Or “God, I'm too tired tonight to really pray... so I'll just say a quick one and catch up tomorrow...”

- Israel had A LOT of times like that. They constantly drifted away to other gods. God tried slavery. It didn't wake them up out of their sleep. Oh sometimes eventually it did. Their oppressors would take a step too far and Israel would cry out to God. Or part of Israel would cry out to God...

- But this time... Persia had created kind of a comfort zone. There wasn't really a NEED to cry out to God.

- They were living and subsisting quite well. They weren't oppressed as before. Why go back to Jerusalem? For that matter, why go back to God? They didn't need Him...

- My brother had a line in a song a little while ago about God not being our “wishing thing”.

- God's not a genie. He doesn't grant whatever 3 requests we have and that's it.

- But Israel sometimes had that view of God. They'd wait until things got REALLY bad before they'd turn back. Most of the time they had to be so far beyond the end of themselves that they really had no other options period.

- Had it just been a matter of yet again being enslaved... I don't think the people would have asked Esther for help. I think they would have just let things play out...

- How far does God have to go to get your attention? Does He have to beat down the walls around you for you to notice anything? Does He have to light the path with neon signs and megaphoned directions? Does He have to send the threat of death your way? How far will you make God go to make you pay attention to His will and direction?

- Acts 17:16-31
- I Kings 8:22-53
- Ezekiel 14:1-23
- Hosea 11; 12; 13; 14

WHO IS THE MAN?

- Regardless, the king responded as hoped.

- “Who would do such a thing? Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?”

- Mwahahahahaha Victory!... well almost... Wonder if Haman got it yet... Or if he was sitting there wondering right along with the king... “What idiot would dare to threaten the queen! I mean do they not know who Xerxes IS!?”

- Well if he didn't already have it figured out... Esther's reply definitely left no doubt.

- “This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy!”

- YIKES! “Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen.” I bet he did. What idiot would dare to threated the queen? Him. He Himself... Uh Oh.

- Worst day ever? He had had to parade his most hated enemy around all morning declaring that he was the one the king wished to honor. Then his family and friends suddenly turned on him and his base for all his anger and rantings fell out from under him. And now to find out that the queen herself... the one bright spot he thought he had left... is also one of the hated Jews? And apparently in enough favor with the king to have some pull...

- Now had Haman not been caught off guard... he probably could've come up with something like “My king! I!? I would never! I had no idea! If she is a Jew, she has infiltrated the palace. SHE is the one planning your demise! Remember I said they were crafty and would be the ruin of this nation... SHE is one of them! Just like Vashti, yet another queen will dishonor you!”

- However... He was so taken aback... that he couldn't say anything.

- Jeremiah 12:1-17
- Psalm 37

CONDEMNED

- Had I been Xerxes, I think I would have smacked Haman right then... but he didn't. Why? Well... if you think about it... he was probably in a little bit of a conundrum. Who does he trust? His most trusted noble. His friend who has been in the palace spending time with him just about every day? Or the new queen... who he hasn't even thought to call in to him in over a month? I wonder how much Vashti was suddenly on his mind. Was he thinking of a second queen's betrayal? Was he distraught at the idea that he couldn't find a queen worthy of the title?

- Instead of turning on either one of them, he got up and walked out into the garden. Maybe he was used to trying to control his temper. Maybe he was trying to figure out who to trust. Whose side should he take? Maybe he was just so in shock that he needed time to clear his head... needed some time to process and didn't want anybody to see that he was shaken...

- While the king was out, Haman threw himself on Esther's couch to beg for his life... Right about the time the king walked back in...

- “Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?”

- “BBBBBBut... I was just...”

- Yeah... whatever Haman... lol I think had Haman maintained his cool... the king might have taken his side. I mean this is the most trusted noble in the land... and he's a man. Esther is just property... and he's already had one queen betray him. But when Haman threw himself at Esther to beg for mercy... it kind of... sealed his fate. Showed his guilt.

- As soon as Xerxes spoke, it signaled Haman's doom and the servants covered his face.

- footnote- “A veil was placed over the face of someone condemned to death because Persian kings refused to look upon the face of a condemned person.”

- Then one of the king's eunuchs, Harbona, says “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.”

- Oh that settles it... if he's trying to kill the man who saved the king... I mean... that pretty much seals his guilt.

- “Then impale Haman on it!” YeeeeeeeeeeeS! I mean not to be happy at someone else's misfortune... but... The good guys are winning out! : )

- So they took Haman and impaled him on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Poetic justice right there... Or ironic justice...

- And so the king's anger subsided.

- I wonder if he ever regretted killing Haman... He was his advisor etc....

- As much as that sounds like an ending... the story still continues on... but that's for next week : )

- Matthew 7:1-2
- John 5:19-30
- I Kings 8:22-53
- Ezekiel 14:1-23