Setting The Stage

Esther 1 & 2

Chapter 1 King Ahasuarus (also known as Xerxes and Artaxerxes) divorces his wife, Queen Vashti, and she is not heard of again.

Chapter 2 Finds the king missing his queen, so a beauty contest is held, and Esther (Hadassah) wins the contest, and becomes the new queen. 

Then, her Uncle Mordecai learns of a plot against the king, he tells Esther about it, who in turn informs the king. Investigation shows up the guilty parties, who are hanged, and the whole drama is duly recorded in the king's journals.

Now everything is set up for the main escapade that will play out in the rest of the book of Esther. 

O my Father, You always know exactly what You are doing, and whenever You reach into my life I know I can trust You to be with me through it all, just like You were with Mordecai and Hadassah in all they went through. 

Father, You are so good to let us know what will happen in all the rest of our Era of Mankind, so we can be prepared for what is coming. 

Please, I pray, strengthen us and give us the courage and discernment to do what is right and just in whatever it is we each must go through to grow and develop our characters to be like that of Your Son. Help us to make the correct decisions and choices to further Your Kingdom in our lives and in this World. 

And may You receive all the glory and honor for designing our Universe as You did, and causing it to run as You planned. And for all You are doing even now to set the stage for all that will henceforth transpire. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

How Much Better

Ezra 9 & 10

Chapter 9 records that when Ezra returned to Jerusalem he found that the the men who were already there had been enticed and married women of the local peoples they had not eradicated from the land; the ones who did horrible things in the worship of their gods. 

Here we read his prayer concerning this. 

Ezra's heart was broken for his people. He knew that these kinds of sins were what caused the Nation to be conquered and enslaved, but God had graciously brought back a mere remnant of what was that great Nation. Now these few people who God had such grace upon were doing the same things! 

Would God just give up on them, to leave no remnant or survivor? (v. 14). 

Chapter 10 tells us that as Ezra was praying, a crowd gathered around him, and his sorrow for this sin was contageous, and impressed the people who surrounded him, and they decided to do something about it. 

10: 2-4 Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. 
Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. 
Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it. 

So Ezra put them all under oath to do this, and they took the oath (v. 5). 

They all had to divorce their wives and send them away with their children, and they were left with their families gone. 

The list of all those who did this is recorded here, and I find it interesting that Meshullam gave up his wife (v. 29) even after he initially opposed this policy (v. 15). 

It must have been painful to dissolve these families. How much better it would have been if they had not allowed themselves to be enticed by these women in the first place. 

I have put a guard on my heart (Proverbs 4:23) to not fall for any man who would not be God's choice for me. 

How much better for me, too, to consider my Lord Jesus my Bridegroom, and wait for His coming. If He has another husband for me in the meantime, I trust that He would make that clear to me, and it would be a very large blessing if He were to do that. But I will not fall for any "pretty face" to entice me into something that will not honor my Lord. 

O my Father, thank You for giving this story to us so we can learn how painful and sorrowful we make our own lives when we don't live according to Your ways. 

Please strengthen all Your children here, teach them Your ways and enable them to follow in Your footsteps; that we would use our lives and our attitudes and our possessions to introduce You to those who don't know You yet, that the way we deal with them and treat them will convince them of Your Truth. 

Send more workers into Your fields, Father, that are ripe and ready for harvest. Protect all those who go into all the World, give them Your words to speak to all the peoples of the World, especially those who have never heard of You yet. 

Continue to draw to Yourself those You have chosen out of every tribe, every language, every people group here on this Earth, that Your House will be full. That the full number may be gathered into the safety of the Fold, and every knee will bow and every tongue confess Your majesty. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

God's Protection

Ezra 8: 21-23

There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 
I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to Him, but His great anger is against all who forsake Him.
So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer.

Ezra weighed out as much silver and gold and polished bronze that would be worth about $20 million today to twelve of his trusted leading priests, and entrusted them with this great wealth to safeguard and carry it all the way to Jerusalem to be counted out again at the Temple (Vs. 24-30). 

This is exceptional faith in God to protect them on this 4-month journey carrying such great wealth, to not even ask the king who would have given them lots of bodyguards and protection from robbers and enemies they could encounter on that long road. They bragged on God, so they couldn't turn around and ask for the king's protection. So they prayed and fasted and depended on God. And God did protect them. 

When they arrived in Jerusalem, they counted out all the treasure, and recorded it all by number and by weight, and it was all there (V. 34). God came through.

O my Father, You are totally trustworthy! Even though Ezra may have felt for a while that he'd "shot himself in the foot" by bragging on You, they humbled themselves before You to depend only on You for this dangerous journey, travelling through these territories with such great treasure! 

Because they humbled themselves and asked, You answered by putting Your protection over them so that no enemies and no robbers attacked them to take that treasure. 

This is a wonderful doing, Father, that You did for Your people who were obeying You to return to their ancestral home, the land You originally gave them. 

You will always protect those who obey You and ask specifically for Your help to accomplish what they couldn't on their own, of what You've told them to do. You draw us to depend utterly on You, Father. 

O my Father, continue to teach me to trust You utterly, to seek Your face constantly in all that I do, and to accomplish all that You made me to perform, even those things I am not able to do, but that You will do in and through me. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Ezra Returns To Jerusalem

Ezra 7

This chapter records Ezra's actual journey from Babylon to Jerusalem to promote revival among the people by teaching them the Law. Ezra was a Scribe, and he set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel (V. 6). 

These people were encouraged and supported by the king in Babylon, Artaxerxes (Xerxes, Ahasuerus) where the Israelites had been deported, to now return. 

Now this foreign king had favor toward them, and allowed them to not only return to their own land, but also sent a letter with Ezra giving him the authority to take with him all the silver and gold that had been taken, and from Bablylon, and from the whole area of Trans-Euphrates, to provide everything they would need to worship God, lest there be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons (V. 23).

Also, the Trans-Euphrates governors were forbidden to collect any taxes or tribute or duty from any of this priestly clan, whether they be Levites, priests, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or any other workers in this House of God. 

And Ezra was to appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of the whole area of Trans-Euphrates, to those who were already familiar with the Law, and to teach the others who didn't know it. 

This was the main duty of the Tribe of Levi, who were not given their own territory in Israel, but were scattered among all the other tribes; to teach them all God's statutes and ordinances. In Jesus' day, these were the Pharisees (the conservatives) and the Saducees (the liberals).

And Ezra was even to enforce that Whoever does not obey the Law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of propery, or imprisonment. (V. 26.)

Ezra testified: ... Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me (V. 28).

It looks as though Esther had a very good influence on her husband after the problem with Haman was dealt with, and her Uncle Mordecai was promoted into his high position with the king. (See the Book of Esther.)

This is King Xerxes, who is also known as Artaxerxes and Ahasuerus. All the same man. 

When the time comes to accomplish the next step in God's Plan of the Ages, it doesn't matter what mere Man wants to do, because even The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turns it whithersoever He will (Proverbs 21:1). And He turned this king's heart to favor His people and send them back home with all the worldly riches they could ever want.

God is doing everything He can to show His people how good and kind and generous He is, to draw them to Himself, if they they would only decide to turn to Him. 

O my Father, You are amazing! Over and over You have done everything possible and impossible to show us Who You are! You really do want all Your people to know You, and love You as You love them! 

That is how You designed this Universe to work, and how You wanted Mankind to build our World on this beautiful Earth. When Your people follow Your ways and live their lives and run their governments accordingly, then You allow us to enjoy the abundance You put here for us. 

But we are susceptible to the World, the Devil and our own defective DNA that all work against us even wanting to know You. So You are continuing to unfold Your Plan through the Time we experience day by day, and Your Son came, fulfilled all the Law and the Prophets, and will return to wrap up the rest of the prophesies, just as You told us You would. 

So help us, Father; to prepare for "the rest of the story," to persevere and endure until the final battle that will cause the Earth to explode and the Universe to implode (II Peter 3:10), and You remake and rebuild a New Heaven (Universe) and New Earth, suitable for us to live with You, Father, forever and ever (Revelation 21:1; 22:5). 

And every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess Your Majesty and Authority over all kings and lords throughout all Time and Eternity!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

God's Word Stands Forever

Zechariah 1: 1-6

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo: 
The Lord was very angry with your fathers.
Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: Return to Me, declares the Lord Almighty, And I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. 
Do not be like be like your fathers, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices. But they would not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the Lord.
Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?
But did not My words and My decrees, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers?

Then they repented and said, The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as He determined to do.

Zechariah reminded the Jews who returned to Jerusalem how God had been angry with their ancestors for not listening to Him, and He deported them. 

But now God's Word has outlasted their ancestors, who have died, and God brought the people back, just as He said He would do. Now it's time to listen and heed what God says. 

They admitted that God had done exactly what He said He'd do, and that He had dealt with them according to their own ways and deeds. 

This encouraged the people to continue to rebuld the Temple, which at this point in time has sat for 15 years.

Zechariah 2: 12

The Lord will inherit Judah as His portion in the Holy Land and will again choose Jerusalem. 

Now God is again choosing Jerusalem to possess as His own along with the territory of the Southern Kingdom, Judah. 

And all this prompts Darius the king of Media-Persia (Babylon) to support them. (See Ezra 6:1-12 for his decree).

Daniel tells us that this Darius was the son of Xerxes (Ahasuerus, the husband of Hadassah, aka Esther) (see Daniel 1:1-2ff). 

God always keeps His Word. Whenever God says He will do something, you can be sure He will do it, so sure that it's as if it's already done. 

God had told Jeremiah at the time Judah was being deported to this far country, that God would bring them back in 70 years. Then, seventy years later, Daniel was reading Jeremiah's writings, and realized that the seventy years had passed! So he began to pray, and received a lot of his visions of the future. 

But Zechariah is reminding the people who had returned to Judah, that the reason their people had been in the foreign land to begin with was because they had not listened to what God was telling them back then, disobeying His commandments and precepts. God had told their ancestors what He would do, and He did it.

Now the people have returned, and it's time to start listening to God, listening to what His prophets were saying. All their ancestors from back then as well as the prophets who spoke to them were by now all dead, but the prophesies that they had given were coming true--God's Word had outlasted all those people. 

God's Word will always stand. Not one word, not one tiny part of a letter of a word, of God's Word will ever not come true, no matter how much time passes and no matter what people do. 

Mere Mankind cannot tamper with what God has established, whether it be His Creation or His Word about it. (See the First Law of Thermodynamics for the science of Creation, and Matthew 5:18 and Luke 16:17 for the permanence of His Word.) 

So when God has promised to give me something that I don't have yet, I will thank Him for giving it to me, and look for it to appear. He is never early or late, but always just on time. 

O my Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and Your patience with us, with me. Thank You for all the wonderful answers to my prayers that I have seen so far in my life, and I thank You also for all the things that haven't happened yet in my timeline that You have already done for me, to answer the rest of my prayers according to Your goodness and generosity. 

Help me, Father, to trust You more each day, as I draw close to You and learn more of Your character and personality. Teach me how to love You back, as You have loved me; and how to love my neighbor, my fellow man, as You have loved me, too. 

Continue to teach me, Father, how all the dots connect in the story of Scripture. Thank You for telling us our past, so that we can trust that You know what You're doing; and to believe You when You tell us what hasn't happened yet in our Time. 

All Your plans will be successful, and all Your purposes for which You made every detail of every part of all Creation will be fulfilled--have been already done, to unfold day by day as Time passes, until we can see it all finished. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Rulers Or A Ruler

Proverbs 28: 2

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers; but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order. 

It seems to me that when the people of a Nation do not know the ways of the Lord, and rebel against His ways, then they wind up with several different shades of political opinion, and those of each pursuasion try to assert authority; leading to "many rulers." This is chaotic.

But when a leader stands out as one with the ability to see through all the shades of opinion to discern the right way to lead the people, his authority will be able to govern with justice and equity, maintaining order. 

That is how I understand these verses. This concerns the governance of a Nation, a whole country. But it's the people of that Nation that determines what form of political power will have the authority to rule them. 

People who know the Lord and His ways will set up leaders who will govern according to the needs of the people. 

But when the people are foolish and only care for themselves and this World's things, then they will allow evil men to ascend into power in the Nation, and govern in a way that takes advantage of the people, using them only to grow the coffers of those in power. 

So the individual people do best to live their own personal lives in a right and responsible way, paying attention to not only their own affairs, but also aware of what they can do to promote godly leaders into power, to have authority to rule righteously, to the benefit of all. 

O my Father, please be with Your children in every Nation, to strengthen us for the troubles to come, and to do what we can in every realm to encourage the good, and elevate the righteous. 

And remind us to pray for those who have the power of authority over us, whether in a local or a national level; to pray for them individually to come to You, Father, and to govern us righteously and justly; so that we will have the freedom to live our lives according to the Love wherewith You have loved us.

And may Your righteousness reign in our hearts and in our halls of power. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Walk Circumspectly

Ephesians 5: 15-21

V. 15. Therefore be careful how you walk,
(See then you walk circumspectly,*) 

"Circumspectly" comes from "circum," around, like a circle; and "spectere,"to look." So it means looking around so as to stay within the circle; intentionality.

Walking is taking one step at a time, living our lives one moment at a time. 

Not as unwise men (fools*) but as wise. 

The Bible always uses the word "fool" to denote someone who has no spiritual understanding, or one who rebels against the spiritual knowledge he's been taught. 

"Wisdom" refers to knowing, understanding, and applying God's principles by which He designed this Earth, and laid out in a form we can follow in His Law. 

V. 16. Making the most of your time,
(Redeeming the time,*)

To "redeem" is to buy back or recover. We are to make the most of the time, the era, in which we are living. Pay attention to where you are, when you are, and how to avail yourself of the advantages and avoid the pitfalls of the times and culture we are in, wherever we are in the World; in every place, and in every time. 

Why? Because the days are evil.

Whatever days we are living in, there is evil all around us. That's why we need to pay attention to our culture and environment and be wise in our use of it. 

V. 17. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Don't act like a fool who ignores how God designed the World to work; but get to know Who our God is, and how He wants us to cooperate with how He made it all. And as our Father, He wants us to do well and be successful, as even human fathers and mothers want for their children. 

So how do we do this?

V. 18. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation (debauchery**)(excess*), but be filled with the Spirit,

"Dissapation:" when energy is used or lost without accomplishing anything useful. 
"Debauchery:" excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures. 
"Excess:" going beyond what is regarded as customary or proper. 

Getting drunk on wine is allowing yourself to be contolled by the influence of the alcohol on your brain and thinking processes. 

Being "filled with the Spirit" is allowing yourself to surrender your thinking to the control of God's Spirit in you, to think accurately according to Truth. 

V. 19. Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

Conversing in words from Scripture, God's ideas.

Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Being in constant prayer in the presence of the Lord with us. 

V. 20. Always giving thanks for all things in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father:

This presence with the Lord is to keep us aware of God's constant goodness to us, and prompt appreciation and thanksgiving to Him. 

V. 21. And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

To love our neighbor as God loves us, putting their needs before our own, as Christ did when He took our death upon Himself to save us. 

This is all laid out so orderly, simply, and able to carry out in our daily lives, from moment to moment, day by day. Simple, but not easy, considering that our own flesh distracts us from the Lord. How can we be constantly aware of His presence with us, in the busy-ness of our lives in this World we live in? 

That's why we need to pay attention, and not just slide through the days. We will never slide into rightousness, only into sin. We slide downwards--it takes effort and attention to improve every day; to grow closer to our Father, and into the molding He is shaping us constantly into the image of His Son. 

O my Father, help us all to live our lives circumspectly, paying attention to Your presence with us all the time, and teach us Your ways as we interact with others in our worlds. 

Continue to mold us and shape us into the very image, the character, of Your Son, our Lord Christ Jesus. 

And send out Your workers into Your fields, Father, so ripe and ready for harvest.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!





Scriptures from the New American Standard Bible.
* King James Version of the Bible.
** New International Version of the Bible.