Sayre Woods Bible Church

Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. (9:20-22)

Purim is a time of both fasting and feasting. In Esther 9:31, the people of Israel are commanded to fast on the 13th day of Adar (Feb-March on our calendar) just as Esther fasted before speaking with the king. On the 14th and 15th days of Adar, they are commanded to feast in celebration of their deliverance. Two thoughts occurred to me this morning:

1. God commands us to feast and to celebrate! Generally we think that true spirituality is about refraining from things, denying ourselves, being serious-minded. This is a part of spirituality but it is not the whole picture. God also commands us to rejoice, to celebrate, and to feast. Purim sounds a lot like our modern-day Christmas celebration. The people were to eat alot, be joyful, send presents to one another, and give to the poor. Doesn’t it sound fun?

2. Fasting precedes feasting. In the celebration of Purim, the people were to fast and lament for one day and then feast and celebrate for two. Why the fasting? Fasting reminded them of Esther’s fast. It brought them to their knees in recognition of their utter dependence on God. And it brought about a hunger for God’s deliverance and joy. Fasting makes the feasting that much more joyous.

I think there is a spiritual principle here. God often takes us through the valley so that we can appreciate the mountaintop. He allows us to experience times of hunger, thirst, and need so that we will learn to appreciate the times of abundance and blessing. Without these times of struggle and want, we would become spoiled kids who take for granted all the blessings that He bestows upon us every day.

In a land of abundance, I believe it is also wise for us to discipline ourselves to have times of fasting, to abstain from food for a day to concentrate our thoughts on God and to plead for His intervention and blessings. Such a time of fasting would not only strengthen our walk with God, teaching our bodies to submit to the Spirit, but also help us appreciate the blessings and abundance that we enjoy in this country.

With national elections coming up next Tuesday, I believe that next Monday, November 6, would be an appropriate time to spend a whole day or part of the day fasting and praying for God’s intervention, grace and blessing about our country. Anybody want to join me?

That night the king could not sleep. (6:1a)

It is amazing that the name of God is not mentioned one single time in the book of Esther. Not one time. When this fact is compared with the other books of the Bible, which mention God on every page, it is amazing.

Since God is the ultimate author of Scripture, there is a reason that God included one incredible story in His Word that does not directly mention Him. I think that God is trying to teach us that even in the common affairs of life, He is working. He is behind the scenes. And even when His name is not mentioned or His work clearly seen, His hand is orchestrating events for His glory. How can it be any other way since in Him we live and move and have our very being?  

God’s providential hand is particularly seen in chapter six. Haman has just hatched his plan to execute Mordecai (5:14) and that night the king cannot sleep. God takes away the king’s sleep so that he is compelled to get up and read something boring–the annals of the king. This simple bout of insomnia leads to the discovery of Mordecai’s spoiling of an assassination plot which, in turn, leads to Mordecai’s exaltation and Haman’s downfall.

Consider the other ways that God is at work in Esther…He works through the king’s drunken request for Vashti, Vashti’s refusal, Esther’s beauty, the king’s attraction to Esther, Mordecai’s overhearing of the assassination plot, and so on.

It is a reminder to me that God does not always work in the way that we expect. God sometimes reveals Himself through signs, wonders, and miracles. But most of the time He works behind the scenes, touching hearts, orchestrating events, and taking away a king’s sleep. Jesus compares God’s work through the Spirit as wind blowing. We do not see it or know where it comes or goes but we see its effects.

God’s wind is blowing even today and we can trust Him to work all things for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.

At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half my kingdom? It shall be done.” Then Esther answered, “My petition and request is this: If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.” (5:6-8)

Why didn’t Esther answer him? It sounds like the king is incredibly inclined to grant whatever request Esther may have–even up to half the kingdom (which, by the way, is the same thing King Herod promised Herodias’ daughter after she danced before him…the daughter’s intents, however, were not very noble as she asked for the execution of John the Baptist).

It is impossible to know exactly what is going through Esther’s mind but it is obvious from the story that Esther’s request is a very serious matter. The decree to exterminate the Jews has already been put in motion and the law of the Medes and Persians does not change. The options are limited to say the least. And once Esther reveals that she is a Jew, the king’s favor quite possibly will quickly change. Xerxes does not have to hold to his glowing, overexaggerated statement that he will give half the kingdom to Esther. In fact, the only person to really hear this statement is Haman and he certainly isn’t going to hold Xerxes to it. So the stakes are high. Esther is revealing her identity, contradicting Haman, and putting her life in the hands of an emotionally volatile and powerful king. That is why she requests three days of prayer and fasting before even entering Xerxes’ presence.

So why does she fail to answer Xerxes’ question? I think she got scared. In the heat of the moment, the words would not come out. All she can think to do is delay the request one more day. On fourth and one, she punts hoping that the next time she’ll have the courage and the right opportunity to speak (sorry for the football analogy).

Something about that encourages me. It reminds me that the “heroes” of Scripture are not some super-human, faith machines that courageously jump in the fray with full confidence that God will deliver. They were weak individuals, trusting God despite their fear. And in Esther’s case, her momentary loss of courage is actually used by God…as we will see in chapter 6.

It is comforting to know that God can use us despite our fears and even in our fears. We just have to take one day at a time and keep trusting in Him.

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammadatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. (3:1) 

The one thing that stood out to me in the movie, One Night with the King, was the fact that Haman was a descendant of King Agag. Agag was an Amalekite king during the days of King Saul (~500 years earlier). Saul was instructed by God to wipe out the Amalekites because of their heinous sin (1 Samuel 15). Saul disobeys and apparently one of Agag’s sons survived and carried on a line of people with an inward hatred for the Jews. This hatred reaches its climax in Haman, who elevated to a position of power, now has an opportunity to totally wipe out the Jews. What is even more ironic and interesting is that the one Jew who ires Haman the most, Mordecai, is a descendant of the tribe of Benjamin (2:5), the very tribe that King Saul was a member of. So the ancient battle between Saul and Agag is renewed in Haman and Mordecai. 

The lesson from all this is that one act of disobedience can have devastating effects, not only in our lifetime but in the lifetimes of generations to come. Saul’s sin affected a generation of people 500 years later. Exodus 34:7 reminds us that the “iniquity (sin) of the fathers” impacts their children to the third and fourth generation. I believe this is teaching a simple fact–my sin and my sin patterns will have an impact far beyond my own lifetime. I do not sin in a vacuum. My sin inevitably affects myself, my present relationships, and future generations of my family. Sin is not to be played with. It is too dangerous. 

Of course, God’s grace is also seen in all this. Despite Saul’s sin and the devastating impact that it eventually has, God still shows mercy in raising up a Mordecai and an Esther. God is faithful and will not abandon His children. Though the father’s sin may impact three to four generations, Exodus 34:7 also reminds us that God’s mercy extends to thousands of generations. Our sin brings pain but it does not thwart God’s plan nor extinguish His mercy. 

Thank You, God, for Your mercy! And for the wisdom of Your plan. Teach me to obey in the little things and to avoid the sin that impacts generations after me. May my legacy be one of faithfulness and obedience, not one of sin and shame. 

Today begins our new AOL reading schedule which will take us to the end of the year. Are you still on board? I hope so. You can pick up a hard copy of the reading schedule at the Welcome Center.

We start with the reading of the book of Esther today. I actually just went to Loew’s Theatres yesterday to see One Night with the King, a recreation of the story of Esther based on Tommy Tenney’s book, Hadassah. It was very good and opened my eyes to several aspects of Esther that I had not noticed before. Of course, every movie takes some artistic license to fill in parts that are unknown from the biblical text. This movie is no exception but overall it was very faithful to the biblical story and very challenging and soul stirring. I would encourage you to go see it if you can. It has not gotten much press or secular attention but apparently is doing fairly well nationally (which, by the way, is a great way to keep confounding Hollywood ;>).

Chapter one of Esther does not have any particular verse that I can write down as a devotional thought. Actually the whole book will probably be like that. It is the entire story itself that draws us toward God and His providence. Chapter one is no exception.

Basically chapter one can be summarized like this: King Xerxes of Persia (the reigning empire of the time, ~500-400 BC) throws a big party for six months to show how rich and great the kingdom of Persia is. Near the end of his party, with wine freely flowing, he decides that he wants his queen, Vashti, to make an appearance at the banquet so that he can show off her beauty. Vashti says, “No way. I’m not going to go to your party so that a bunch of drunk men can ogle at me” or something to that effect.

At this point, most women reading this will probably say, “Way to go, Vashti.” However, Xerxes and the men in those days saw this as a serious problem. If Vashti can say ”no” to the king, the most powerful man in the known world, then what’s to prevent other women in the kingdom from doing the same. If Persia Pete comes home and asks for dinner, his wife (a new recruit in the Vashti Women’s Club) might just say, “Fix it yourself, buddy.” Thus creating a worldwide crisis.

It is hard not to laugh at this story. Here are the most powerful men in the world trying to figure out how to keep their wives from ruling their lives. At this very time, Xerxes is preparing a huge battle with the growing empire of Greece to determine who will rule the world. And now he is faced with the very real problem that he can’t even control his wife at home. He immediately holds a little conference at the party and decides to depose Vashti and seek another queen and, to make sure no other woman gets any crazy ideas, he issues a decree dispatched to the whole kingdom saying, “Every man should be ruler over his own household.”

In the midst of all this, two thoughts struck me this morning:

1. Our weakness. As humans, we try so hard to control things. But here is the most powerful man in the world, Xerxes, who can’t even control his wife. He can command her to do things, even force her to do things or depose/kill her if she refuses. But he can’t control her heart. He can’t even control the hearts of the people in this kingdom. All he can do is throw a party and show off how powerful he thinks he is. We are so puny in our strength but we try so hard to act like we are strong.

2. God’s power. Behind the scenes in all this, God is working. God is not absent. Even in the midst of drunken men thinking they control the world, God is orchestrating events in a way that will ultimately bring glory to Himself and protection to His people. We can rest on that assurance even today.

God, forgive me when I try too hard to prop up my own strength and competence. Help me to rest in You and rely upon Your strength in this world. 

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat–for He grants sleep to those He loves. (127:1-2)

These verses fall right in the middle of the songs of ascent and they are a fitting reminder to us. All our labors and energies are in vain if we operate apart from the LORD. He must build. He must protect. He must provide. Otherwise what we do will have no ultimate value or impact. Jesus said the same thing in John 15: I am the vine; you are the branches, if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). 

I was familiar with verse one of Psalm 127 but I really did not remember verse two. The theme is the same with a little different emphasis. We can work day and night, rising early and staying up late. Working, toiling, laboring, trying to get ahead. But the LORD grants sleep to those He loves. That’s quite a contrast. God gives rest to those He loves because they rest in Him.

The bottom line in these verses is “Do I rest in God? Do I depend upon Him?” To answer that question, I have to look no further than my prayer life. Most of the time I rest on my resources, my abilities, and my efforts rather than on the Lord. How do I know? Because my prayer life is sporadic at best and I feel the pangs of stress and anxiety. “I have to make this work or else everything will fall apart!” “Everything depends upon me.” “I can’t fail in front of others.”

Stress comes when I put more on my shoulders than I was meant to bear. Rest comes as I cast my cares upon Him, walk in His Spirit, work in His strength, and leave the results in His hands.

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people both now and forevermore. (125:1-2)

Protection. Security. Safety. We desire these things. We want to be safe, to be free from threats, to be secure. Think of how much business is generated each year by people simply wanting to protect themselves, their families and their possessions. We long for security because we know we live in an unsafe world.

The people in Israel longed for the same security we long for. As they traveled to Jerusalem, they reminded themselves that, ultimately, our security does not come from physical strength, military might, material wealth, fences or weapons. Our ultimate security is found in the Lord. Those who trust in Him cannot be shaken. They will endure forever. They are surrounded by the LORD both now and forevermore.

It was that last statement that really encouraged my heart. We are surrounded by the LORD. He is above us, watching us…beside us, walking with us…beneath us, supporting us…and around us, holding us. We live in His presence. We abide in His arms. Both now (in this life) and forevermore (in the life to come).

This does not mean that bad things won’t happen to us now. We still live in a sin-cursed world. God has chosen not to remove us from this world but He has promised to be with us in this world. To strengthen us, encourage us, support us, and use us for His glory. This is the hope and security that we have in Him.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” (122:6-8)

As the people journey to Jerusalem it seems obvious why they would pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It was their capital city and the center of their religion. To lose Jerusalem would be to lose everything. In fact, when Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians, it was the ultimate judgment of God. Jerusalem has never fully recovered from this blow.

But I believe Scripture includes this command to pray for Jerusalem for a greater reason. Jerusalem is the centerpiece of God’s plan for history. Jerusalem means “city of peace” or “city of shalom.” It is first encountered when Melchizedek (meaning “king of righteousness”) blesses Abram after his rescue of Lot. Melchizedek is said to be the “king of Salem” (Jerusalem) and he brings bread and wine to Abraham and Abraham submits to him.

Later in Genesis 22, Abraham isinstructed to offer his beloved son Isaac on Mount Moriah, another name for the mount of Jerusalem. God intervenes at the last moment and provides a substitute sacrifice. From then on, the place is called “on the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” The temple of Solomon would be built on this very spot (2 Chron 3:1).

David conquers the city of Jerusalem early in his reign and makes it the capital city of Israel. David’s throne is in Jerusalem and God promises that the coming Messiah, the son of David, will rule from David’s throne in Jerusalem. In messianic hope, Jerusalem was often called the city of David, Mount Zion (the throne of God) or Ariel (city of righteousness)

Since the time of David and Solomon, the city of peace has known little peace. In fact, it has often been at the center of worldwide conflict. Zechariah says that in the last days, Jerusalem will be a “cup of reeling” that makes all the nations stumble as they struggle to control her and bring her peace. However, lasting peace will not come until Jesus Christ, the Son of David, returns and sets his feet on the Mount of Olives. “On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem…The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. …Jerusalem will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure” (Zechariah 14:8-9, 11).

So praying for the peace of Jerusalem is praying for the peace of the whole world. It is praying that the Prince of Peace will return and set this world aright. It is praying “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” It is praying, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”