Burunche’s Blog

Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking? Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands. Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have stabilized the knees that were buckling. But now trouble has come upon you, and you are weary. It strikes you, and you are dismayed.

Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope? Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?

As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same. By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed. The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken. The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it. In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shudder. Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice: ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker? If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error, how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth! They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever. Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’”

 AAGH! It never fails! Just when Job’s friends have been doing so well by sitting quietly and sympathizing with him, they decide to start in with the advice. Eliphaz leads off. “Yet who can keep from speaking?” Eliphaz, look in the mirror! Stop right now! But of course, Eliphaz continues at great length. “Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope? Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?”

Eliphaz starts out quite well, reminding Job of all the people whom Job has counselled and helped over the years; sounds encouraging. Right? But Eliphaz can’t leave well enough alone. Surely, surely, surely, Job must have sinned secretly to bring all these calamities upon himself. “As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same. By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.” At this point, Job is probably wishing that Eliphaz had stayed home or at least that he had left after the seven days of mourning.

Eliphaz continues by claiming to have had a nightmare in which a spirit spoke to him, saying, “‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker? If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error, how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth! They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever. Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’”

Hmm. What’s going on here? Has Eliphaz been pretending friendship while he has been secretly envying Job? If so, the mental image of Job “dwelling in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth…smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk…perishing forever…dying without wisdom” would make perfect sense. Otherwise, who in their right mind would say such things to a grieving friend? If Job isn’t depressed already, these statements should certainly do it!  

The one nugget out of all this blather is the central question: ”Can a mortal be more righteous than God?” Hold onto that thought as we slog through more specious advice from Job’s friends.

APPLICATION: While the Book of Job has comforted many millions of people through the years, it has also served as a rich mine from which well – intentioned friends and relatives have retrieved fool’s gold. What could/should Eliphaz have told Job?

1. Eliphaz begins quite well by reminding Job of all the people whom Job has counselled through the years. Eliphaz could have continued that thought by kindly reminding Job of the strength and courage Job’s words have given mourners and the way those people have recovered because of Job’s encouragement.
2. Eliphaz speaks as if he is GLAD that Job is suffering! Look at the horrific word pictures Eliphaz draws – crushed like a moth! Smashed to pieces! Perish forever! Tent cords pulled up! Some friend! Eliphaz is GLOATING over Job’s downfall.
3. Eliphaz doesn’t appear to have very much faith in God’s mercy or His grace, and Eliphaz throws Job’s faith in God in Job’s face. “Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope? Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?” Eliphaz could easily say, “Look, Job, things look horrible now. But you have served God all your life. God is not going to abandon you now, even if things appear dark. But Eliphaz is not a believer, and he probably is used to demons that must be propitiated frequently with blood sacrifices.

 Several years ago, we were going through a very difficult time, and our friends were bombarding us with good advice. “Buck up! Have faith! Things are going to get better! Trust God!” But we felt lower than a ditch digger’s boots, and we were hanging onto our faith and our sanity for dear life as it was. Finally, in exasperation, I told one friend that I didn’t want to hear one more piece of advice from someone who had not earned their PhD in suffering! (That particular friend had come out of agoraphobia after being sexually abused as a child and she knew exactly what I meant.) People who have really suffered don’t hand out platitudes or easy answers; they simply hug, spend time with you, and refuse to judge, criticize, or condemn.

Most of us either are grieving or know someone who is grieving. If you have friends who have suffered a loss, why not offer something practical? Take them a meal or send them vouchers for a restaurant. Perhaps your friends are so overwhelmed that they would be grateful if you would just come clean their house, wash their clothes, or do some small activity with them. My husband is NOT a golfer; however, when our beloved pastor’s wife died after a prolonged battle with cancer, once a week my husband met with our pastor and they played golf. The scores were unimportant; this activity helped give our pastor a reason to get out of the house and into the fresh air and to rub shoulders with someone who wasn’t going to keep harping on the enormity of his family’s grief.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You that You ARE a God of love and mercy and that You do not crush us like moths! Thank You that even in the midst of tragedy, You can still bring us comfort. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Speaks

“After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He said: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
That day—may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it. May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it.
That night—may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months.
May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it. May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn, for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.

“Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest with kings and rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins, with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?
There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout. The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners.

“Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave?
Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? For sighing has become my daily food;
my groans pour out like water. What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”

If you have never been severely depressed, then Job’s statements in this chapter will seem completely out of bounds. If you HAVE struggled with depression, then Job’s statements will seem eerily familiar. Basically, Job wants to die; he is sorry he ever was born; and he is cursing the day and night in which he was born, claiming that nothing good should come to that date or should happen on that date.

Although we don’t know very much about Job ‘s culture, we do know that in ancient Israel, musicians would play as soon as they heard that a baby boy had been born. (If it was a girl, the musicians would quietly slink home without sounding a note!)

““Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb.” One of the problems with depression tis that we view all our life events from a twisted standpoint. Here Job is not remembering all the joy his children gave him or the close relationships he had with his dead servants. Job’s wife is still alive, but he refuses to consider that fact. Job can’t even think about how three of his closest friends have been willing to come and sit with him for seven days and seven nights without saying a word – quite a tribute.

“May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.” Remember that Job is living in a society in which blessings and curses are taken very seriously.  Here Job is referring to mediums or magicians who can put curses on a day and who can summon demons. Job believes in God; however, he is still a product of his culture.

“What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” Job’s thoughts have raced around in his brain to the point that he can’t think of anything else apart from his losses. Evidently, at some point Job has played the “what if?” game, and now his worst fears have been realized.

APPLICATION: There are a number of misconceptions about depression. One pastor once told me that anybody who’s depressed is simply not trying hard enough. Other believers are certain that depression is a mark of faithlessness and that somehow if you simply hike up your spiritual socks, you can make it through. Rubbish! All of that is rubbish!

In 1990 we had been summarily let go by our first mission sending agency, the same one that refused to closely study the facts in our situation, forcing us to live in an emotionally abusive situation for many months. Since I was the one who had blown the whistle on many of the problems, I had become the target of wrath and probably several curses as well. When we had re-settled in our previous location for one month and felt safe, I began feeling myself crumbling inside. I quickly got help and connected with a counselor and a psychiatrist within 24 hours; those two connections saved me from winding up on a psych ward. Although antidepressants are supposed to take a week or two to begin working, I felt better almost immediately. I had handed my problems over to someone else and I was not the main burden bearer any more. These measures were only the beginning; I was still depressed and it took several months for the depression to lift. I did resume work as a minor emergency clinic doctor after one month; however, I worked part – time for three months before expanding my hours.

This was not the first time I had been severely depressed. Just before Christmas during my freshman year of college, I was so depressed that I actually considered suicide. I suffered through a severe depression during the last half of my senior year of medical school. There is a term used to describe people suffering from depression – psychomotor retardation. That term indicates that the sufferer cannot make a decision and then get his/her body to cooperate. At the depth of my depression, I found myself standing in front of my closet for thirty minutes trying to decide which of two pairs of jeans I would wear that day. The only reason I did not commit suicide was that my mother had taught school with a lady whose brilliant son did commit suicide as a senior in medical school, and the family was devastated. Although I had no self – esteem at that point, I loved my family enough not to want to cause them to suffer.

For me, the amazing thing about my experiences in 1990-91 was that I realized I had been chronically depressed since early childhood. As I gained emotional healing from the acute depression, I was also able to heal from the chronic one as well. I came out of that year far more emotionally healthy than I had ever been before. But I can testify that severely depressed people do not commit suicide when they are at their lowest; they simply don’t have the energy. Far more dangerous is the time when the person is starting to get better but is not seeing any progress. That is when the depressed person has enough energy to commit suicide and not enough perspective to avoid it.

Perhaps you can identify with Job. Circumstances have overwhelmed you and you feel there is no point in continuing to live. You feel as if you are at the bottom of a garbage pit with no light shining through the garbage. That certainly was how I felt during my depression in medical school. But just at times when I would begin to panic, something would happen in my spirit. It was as if I were a frightened little puppy and someone suddenly came along and began stroking my fur, reassuring and calming me; I know now that was the Holy Spirit. Somebody somewhere was praying and God answered their prayers by helping me.

Even in the depths of despair, you can still receive that same comfort. Ask God to reveal Himself to you and then wait. You may not feel anything dramatic, but you will be given strength to carry on. And when you are depressed, don’t beat yourself up; focus on doing one more positive thing, something small such as picking up the scattered clothes in your room, doing the dishes, ironing a few items, or vacuuming one room. If you have a safe place in which to walk or ride a bicycle, get outside, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Studies have shown that being outside for a short time each day is beneficial to health. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there may be many people who are reading these words who are ready to give up and end their lives. Speak to all their hearts! Calm all their anxious minds! Touch all those people in ways only You know so that they are given the strength and courage to continue. Let them see Your Light shining through their darkness and help them to follow that light out of the pit of despair. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Job Loses His Health

“On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.

“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan.

“From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him—blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life. But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.

Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”

“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?”

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Job’s Three Friends

Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.

When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust into the air over his head. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.”

Poor Job! Not only is he reeling from the loss of most of his servants and his livestock, but all his children whom he loves dearly have been wiped out in a single catastrophe. Now to make matters even worse, he breaks out in boils all over his body, draining pus from everywhere. The itching from these wounds is maddening, and Job is so desperate for relief that he takes a broken piece of pottery with which to scratch himself. But things are about to get even worse.

Until now, Job’s wife hasn’t said anything; however, now that they have lost nearly all their wealth, plus their children, and Job’s body is now breaking down, Job’s wife advises him to curse God and die. Quite evidently, while Job believes in the One True Living God, his wife does not. Job’s wife probably keeps little teraphim somewhere in her room and pays homage to them, refusing to worship Job’s God. Sick as Job is, he still manages to answer his wife, ““You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?”  

Next, three of Job’s friends arrive to comfort him. But by now, Job is in such a miserable state that even his friends barely recognize him. When the friends realize that this wretched sufferer covered with draining sores is their friend, they are so distraught that they weep aloud, tear their robes, and throw dust over their heads. Then the three sit with Job for seven days and seven nights without saying anything. Really, what can these men tell Job? “Cheer up! Everything’s going to be better in the morning?” “I know God will use this for good?” “Don’t worry. Be happy?”

APPLICATION: Many times, we focus only on the bad advice Job’s friends give him later, ignoring their original reaction to Job’s suffering. But these men are genuinely moved; after all, why else would they sit with Job for seven days and seven nights, restraining themselves from giving useless advice?

So far, Job’s friends have done very well; however, now that they have sat with Job for all that time, they feel qualified to begin giving the advice they have withheld up to now. In an earlier age, there was a phrase referring to “Job’s comforters,” indicating people who show up to criticize rather than to encourage. We are about to find out how that phrase originated.

How do we respond when one of our friends suffers a terrible loss? There are many ways of responding to a friend’s loss that are incredibly helpful; unfortunately, there are also many ways to be hurtful in such a situation. One useless sentiment is to tell those grieving to “call me if you need anything.” Deep grief may make it impossible for people to concentrate long enough to know their needs, let alone to have the energy to call someone. Sending in food has long been a tradition in many parts of America; however, there are also many other kinds of assistance that may be equally useful. Picking kids from school and making sure they get to their activities on time, mowing the lawn, doing routine car maintenance for a widow who has never had to handle such duties, doing grocery shopping, baby-sitting – the list of practical help is endless and may vary with a given situation.

One thing that is NOT helpful is to assume that the help you have given somehow qualifies you to start giving advice. Sometimes the best thing you can do with someone who has suffered a great loss is simply to sit with them, just as Job’s friends did in the beginning. But Job’s friends are about to overstep their boundaries, and their bad advice is going to complicate Job’s relationship with God.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be sensitive to friends and loved ones who suffer loss so that we will bless them and not hurt them. Comfort all those who mourn. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Prologue

“In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”

Many of us are familiar with this story. Job is a righteous God – fearing man who has everything until one day he loses it all! At this point, most of us would be ready to give up, but Job’s response is classic: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” The first question is this: How did Job know about God in the first place? Job lived in a society in which there was a plethora of gods of various kinds; how did Job come to know about the One True Living God? Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, “ He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet^[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Romans 1:20 says, “ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” The next question is even more difficult: Why does Job trust God so completely?

After all these losses, most fetish worshipers would be scurrying around trying to find animals to sacrifice to propitiate their gods. Others might be cursing the gods for failing them. But Job responds in faith and falls to the ground in worship.

APPLICATION:  We have an elderly friend in our village who worked for the missionaries as a cook for many years. Our friend had a large family, and one of his sons was a university student who was also leading the church at his school. Our friend’s son had Hepatitis B that had been dormant for years; however, it suddenly flared up, throwing the young man into liver failure and killing him within 48 hours. Nothing could be done. Our friend responded very similarly to Job. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!”

The following information comes from Wikipedia: J.B. is a 1958 play written in free verse by American playwright and poet Archibald MacLeish, and is a modern-day retelling of the story of the biblical figure Job. The play is about J.B. (a stand-in for Job), a devout millionaire with a happy domestic life whose life is ruined. Plot summary:

The play opens in “a corner inside an enormous circus tent”. Two vendors, Mr. Zuss (evoking the chief Greek god Zeus) and Nickles (i.e. “Old Nick,” a folk name for the Devil) begin the play-within-a-play by assuming the roles of God and Satan, respectively. They overhear J.B., a wealthy New York banker, describe his prosperity as a just reward for his faithfulness to God. Scorning him, Nickles wagers that J.B. will curse God if his life is ruined. Nickles and Zuss then watch as J.B.’s children are killed and his property is ruined and the former millionaire is left to the streets. J.B. is then visited by three Comforters: Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar (representing history, science, and religion), who each offer a different explanation for his plight. J.B. declines to believe any of them, instead asking God himself to explain. Instead, he encounters Zuss and Nickles. Nickles urges him to commit suicide to spite God; Zuss offers him his old life back if he will promise to obey God. J.B. rejects them both, and instead finds comfort in the person of his wife Sarah. The play ends with the two building a new life together.”

The ending of the play J.B. undoubtedly reflects MacLeish’s personal faith or lack of it. Blessedly, the Book of Job has a far better ending. In the next few weeks we will journey with Job, examining his trials and his triumphs. Why study Job? While very few of us may lose everything we own plus our families, most of us can identify with Job and his frustrations at God. As we go, let’s see what God wants us to learn.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to have teachable hearts. And thank you for Your mercies. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

The Greatness of Mordecai

“King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.”

The old fairy tales that had been sanitized used to end with the words, “And they lived happily ever after.” Some of the original fairy tales were not that optimistic about life, but the thought is still a lovely one. Here the Esther story ends with wise discerning Mordecai as the second most powerful man in the entire Persian Empire of fifty million people and untold numbers of nationalities. Although these short sentences only mention Mordecai’s attention to his fellow Jews, it is more than likely that many other minority races also benefited greatly from Mordecai’s actions. Why?

Mordecai worshiped the God of Israel and was obviously a learned man. Mordecai probably knew the Torah well; that meant that Mordecai would care for widows and orphans and refugees and other disadvantaged groups, that he would handle slaves compassionately, and that he would not behave capriciously. Xerxes was a drinker and when drunk could make horrific decisions. With Mordecai in a position of prominence, it is likely that most if not all the Jews in the kingdom were copying him. Living justly according to the Law of Moses, the Jews would have had a major impact on their neighbors and would have comprised a force for righteousness, even though they were only one of thousands of nationalities in the empire.

APPLICATION: We never realize how many lives we may have touched or the people whom we have influenced. Last weekend my husband attended part of the funeral services for the son of one of our friends. This twenty – eight-year-old man had been killed tragically in a road traffic accident. But my husband and I were totally unprepared for the credit the parents gave me for saving him as a premature infant.

At the funeral, the parents mentioned that the man had been born prematurely and that his life had been saved because I taught them how to do “kangaroo mother care.” “Kangaroo mother care” is a simple method of keeping babies warm in which a person swaddles the infant next to his or her bare skin, using the body warmth of the adult to keep the baby warm. At the time this young man was born, there was no electricity in our area, making kangaroo care the best option for maintaining body heat for premature infants. I have personally done emergency kangaroo care for newborns until their body temperatures have come up to normal. On more than one occasion, I have poured hot water into a large glass bottle, swathed it in a towel, and placed that in a traditional basket with the baby, covering the basket and thus creating a simple incubator. (Now we have a NICU with an incubator.)

Not long ago, one of the young men who worked for us in our house while he was in school visited us. During that visit, it became obvious that this newly – minted teacher viewed us as a second set of parents. We were taken aback, for we felt we had done nothing extraordinary.

You never know who might be watching you or the influence you will have on those around you. You may be struggling with a grief so deep you feel as if you have fallen into a bottomless pit; meanwhile, your friends are taking courage from the fact that you are continuing to work and carry out your other duties for your family. You may have turned to volunteer work upon retirement simply as a means of maintaining your sanity, while those whom you are helping are taking enormous courage from your actions. Let me share an experience/suggestion.

During the one year I was doing an MPH program at Tulane University, I volunteered once a week for a reading program in an inner-city school. The program was quite organized; I worked with fourth grade students who would read selected texts to me. Then the students got to pick three children’s stories from a large collection. We would snuggle together on a couch while I read to the kids. I frequently worked with two or three students at a time, and one of the highlights of my week was cuddling with those cute little girls while I shared their delight in the stories. The teacher for that class also ran after – school programs for children at her church in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, the area most devastated by Hurricane Katrina. I hope the few efforts I was able to make helped those kids so that they are now reading to their children.

That program was quite low – tech, but its effects were far – reaching. The coordinator of the program later told the volunteers that she could track major improvements in the children’s school work, simply because someone took one hour a week to read to the kids. Several studies have demonstrated that children who are read to make far better grades than those who do not have this experience. If you are looking for something to do, why not see if your local school would be willing to start such a program?

Mordecai didn’t start out to become the second most powerful man in the Persian Empire. Mordecai was simply following God and doing His Will. It was God who promoted Mordecai for his faithfulness and righteousness. Until we reach heaven, we will never know how many people Mordecai saved and blessed. Until you reach heaven, you may never know either. So take heart! Don’t stop doing good. Continue to be faithful. Your actions today may bless far more people than you realize.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many of us who are becoming discouraged because we feel our actions are useless. Please strengthen and encourage all those who feel that way so that they will continue to fulfill Your perfect Will for their lives. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

“On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.

The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”

“If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.” So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled the ten sons of Haman. The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.  That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.

Purim Established  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.

So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance—to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.”

75,800 people-that’s how many of their enemies the Jews slaughtered throughout the Persian Empire. In the capital of Susa, the Jews killed 800 men. While that figure sounds impressive, the population of the Persian Empire at that time stood at close to fifty million. That means that the percent of citizens killed by the Jews represented 0.15% of that population. Throughout the empire, the Jews refused to lay a hand on the plunder, leaving it for the families of their enemies. “No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.”

Why were these people of other nationalities willing to help the Jews? The prophet Jeremiah had already sent the message to the exiles that they were to seek the peace and prosperity of the kingdoms to which they had been taken. The Jews weren’t trouble makers. There is compelling evidence to suggest that once the Jews were exiled, many of them actually became more serious about their religion than they had been before being captured. It was one thing to play with paganism in Israel where God was protecting the Jews and a different thing when dropped into a culture where paganism was the norm.

The people of other nationalities were also willing to help the Jews because they realized that Haman could just as easily have targeted them for destruction. Mordecai was obviously a wise man and a fair one and not given to making ridiculous decisions while drunk. God gave Mordecai favor and influence with all of these people, and his reputation spread throughout the empire.  

APPLICATION: The story of Esther and Mordecai has so many wonderful parts to it. First, there is the obvious love and respect between Esther and Mordecai. Had Mordecai not raised Esther to be kind and virtuous, no amount of physical beauty would have helped. It was Esther’s gentleness, charm, and bright spirit that won her the admiration of the eunuchs who supervised the harem. It was those eunuchs who wisely advised Esther on how to dress and how to comport herself when she was brought to King Xerxes. It was likely those same eunuchs who continued to advise Esther as she navigated the challenges of queenship.

Mordecai was a man of great faith and integrity, well known to the other citizens of Susa. Long before Mordecai came to prominence, there were probably many people who respected him and trusted him as a man of his word. But the real star of the Esther story is the One True Living God of Israel. Mordecai worshiped God, and God arranged for Mordecai to raise Esther. God further arranged for Esther to be taken into the palace and to please the king so that he made her the new queen. Because Mordecai worshiped God, he refused to bow before Haman; evidently, Mordecai had no problems meeting King Xerxes. It was Haman’s irritation at Mordecai’s refusal to bow that led Haman to plot extermination for the Jews. Why Haman? Had Haman not risen to prominence, someone else would have likely attacked the Jews. By soundly and completely defeating Haman and wiping out his family, God sent a strong message throughout the Persian Empire that the Jews were His people and were to be left alone.

Remaining faithful to God can be very difficult, and there are many temptations to relax, give up, give in, etc. At such times, it is good to remember Mordecai, that righteous man who remained faithful even in the face of extreme persecution. We should also take heart! The Bible says that “God is no respecter of persons.” That means that God doesn’t play favorites. The same God who used Mordecai and Esther to deliver the Jews and to preserve other minorities in the Persian Empire is still on the throne of the universe today. And God continues to hear the prayers of those who trust Him.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You even when things seem at their most hopeless. Help us to follow You even when we are not sure where You are leading us. And thank You that You can save and deliver us just as You did Mordecai and Esther and the Jews of the Persian Empire. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Esther Appeals for the Jews

“That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her. The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over the estate of Haman.

And once again, Esther addressed the king. She fell at his feet weeping and begged him to revoke the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.

The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.

“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

The Decree of Xerxes

So King Xerxes said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews. Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”

At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush —writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.

By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions. The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. (This was the same day on which the Jews were to be destroyed according to the edict written by Haman.)

A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be prepared on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. The couriers rode out in haste on their royal horses, pressed on by the command of the king. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.

Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor. In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.”

WOW! When God turns things around, he doesn’t waste time! First, King Xerxes orders Haman to be hanged, awarding his estate to Esther. Next, Esther formally introduces Mordecai to King Xerxes, and Xerxes gives Mordecai the signet ring he had earlier handed to Haman. That ring gives Mordecai absolute power to issue edicts.

Then Esther, who has remained relatively calm during this entire ordeal, collapses in tears at the feet of King Xerxes, begging him to revoke Haman’s evil pronouncement. But King Xerxes still has to extend the golden scepter to Esther before she can make her request. Even at this point, Esther may still be put to death, should Xerxes fail to extend the golden scepter.

The original edict cannot be rescinded; however, Mordecai issues orders that give the Jews permission to defend themselves. “By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions. The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. (This was the same day on which the Jews were to be destroyed according to the edict written by Haman.)

Suddenly, Mordecai becomes the second most important person in the kingdom and leaves the palace with a large gold crown and dressed as a prince in royal robes of blue and white with an over-robe of fine purple linen, a material reserved for royalty. When the citizens of Susa see Mordecai in these robes, they shout and rejoice because they know Mordecai is a man of God with good judgement. All the other minority ethnic groups in Susa who have been fearing for their lives are celebrating; after all, had Haman survived, whom might he have targeted next?

Throughout all the Persian Empire, the Jews hold massive celebrations and many others decide to become Jews to avoid extermination. It’s also possible that these recent converts also have become Jews because they have seen what the God of Israel can do; after all, their pagan gods have failed to help them. One of the most beautiful lines in this chapter is this one: “For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor.”

APPLICATION: “A time of light and gladness, of joy and honor-which of us does not need such times? In the Persian Empire, the Jews went from being a despised minority to a highly respected one overnight. Not only has Esther saved her own people, but she has undoubtedly saved any number of other small ethnic groups from destruction. Those people groups are probably also celebrating their deliverance.

There might be another reason people are celebrating: Mordecai is not a drinking man. Reading the Book of Esther closely, you realize that Xerxes has been making many of his decisions through an alcoholic haze. Xerxes is the archetypical mean drunk, and nobody knows the next disastrous decision he might take.

Sometimes God delivers us from situations and sometimes God delivers us in the midst of situations. Obviously, we would far rather be delivered from trying circumstances. In the old TV show “Star Trek,” the star ship crew had a special means of instantly transporting people from one location to another. Scotty was the engineer on the Star Ship Enterprise. The captain was always requesting, “Beam me up, Scotty!” indicating that Scotty should activate that means of instant tele transport. Given the opportunity, who would not like to ask God to “beam me up” out of a bad situation?

Spoiler alert:   Most of the time, God chooses to deliver us in our problems rather than from them. Most of us learn far more from suffering and mistakes than we do from pleasant circumstances. When our circumstances are pleasant, we blithely assume that we deserve comfort and leisure; we fail to recognize that God is giving us respite. Sadly, most of us are like the mule in the story that is told about a man who had a mule he wanted trained. When the trainer arrived, the first thing he did was to take a 2×4 board and whack the mule up alongside the head with it. “What are you doing?” cried the outraged mule owner. “Oh, that was just to get his attention,” replied the trainer.

God is also infinitely patient, and when we fail to learn our lessons the first time around, God brings us into similar circumstances again until we get it right. Moral: become a fast learner and suffer less!

May God help us to pay attention so that we don’t have to have the equivalent of a whack from a 2×4 before we will start learning the lessons God has for us. And may we too enjoy times of light and gladness and joy and honor.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, give us teachable spirits so that You don’t have to do something drastic to get our attention. Help us to listen closely to Your blessed Holy Spirit and help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Esther Pleads for Her People

“So the king and Haman went to dine with Esther the queen, and as they drank their wine on the second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my request. For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would justify burdening the king.”

Then King Xerxes spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?”

Esther replied, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked man—Haman!”

And Haman stood in terror before the king and queen.

The Hanging of Haman

In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized the king was planning a terrible fate for him. Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high (75 feet) at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king. So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.”

It’s the arch-typical story of the triumph of good over evil, and at this point we want to stand up and cheer loudly! Mordecai is saved! Haman is hanged! But wait, because that edict against the Jews is still out there, and the laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be changed when once they have been issued. Esther might be all right and Mordecai is safe for now, but if actions are not taken swiftly, the Jews might still be wiped out as a people in all the corners of the empire.

Why is Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, so willing to tell the king about the gallows Haman has already erected? Remember that Haman has been lording it over everyone he meets, forcing them to rise and then to bow in his presence. Harbonah has worked in the palace long enough to know royalty when he sees it and also to recognize a villain when he sees one. It’s likely that Haman has demanding that all the palace servants not merely bow but literally plant their faces on the floor when he walks by. Perhaps Haman is also a mean drunk who has abused the palace servants while Xerxes and he were getting plastered together. Any abuse of a servant would be reported immediately to all the other servants; who knows who might be the next target of Haman’s arrogance? Haman is just that kind of guy. Now the day of pay-backs has come and Harbonah is more than willing to drop a word in the ear of King Xerxes, suggesting Haman be hanged on his own gallows. “Perfect!” thinks Xerxes. “What could be better than hanging Haman on a gallows in front of his own home so everyone can see his downfall?” Remember that Xerxes thinks Haman has attacked Esther, so no punishment is really sufficient for such dastardly behavior.  

APPLICATION: Part of the charm and fascination of the Book of Esther is the way in which God turns a dreadful situation into a victorious one. One of my favorite African Gospel songs is entitled “I know that my God will turn it around!” Here are the lyrics: You can listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM8g78pkEJw

Are you weighed down by battles in life
Are you thinking of quitting the race
There is no need to give up on your journey
Because I know my God will turn it around

I know my God will turn it around
I have seen my God turn it around
There are so many many many times in my life
That I have seen my God turn it around

Have you suffered from disappointment
Have some people turn their backs on you
Just keep holding onto the one who cannot disappoint
I know my God will turn it around

I know my God will turn it around
I have seen my God turn it around
There are so many many many times in my life
That I have seen my God turn it around

Are you thinking that you’re alone
Do you feel God has forsaken you
He has promised to keep you to the end of the journey
I know my God will turn it around

I know my God will turn it around
I have seen my God turn it around
There are so many many many times in my life
That I have seen my God turn it around

I know my God will turn it around
I have seen my God turn it around
There are so many many many times in my life
That I have seen my God turn it around
There are so many many many times in my life
That I have seen my God turn it around.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many of us caught in terrible situations and we need You to turn things around. Speak to our hearts, calm our minds, and help us to trust that You will help us and deliver us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Mordecai Is Honored

“That night, sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the book of records, the chronicles, to be brought in and read to him. And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this act?”

“Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants.

“Who is in the court?” the king asked.

Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him. So the king’s attendants answered him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.”

“Bring him in,” ordered the king.

Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?”

And Haman told the king, “For the man whom the king is delighted to honor, have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head. Let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them array the man the king wants to honor and parade him on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!’”

“Hurry,” said the king to Haman, “and do just as you proposed. Take the robe and the horse to Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the King’s Gate. Do not neglect anything that you have suggested.”

So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai, and paraded him through the city square, crying out before him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!”

Then Mordecai returned to the King’s Gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief.

Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is Jewish, you will not prevail against him—for surely you will fall before him.”

While they were still speaking with Haman, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed him to the banquet that Esther had prepared.”

God really has a sense of humor! King Xerxes can’t sleep, so he asks for the chronicles of the kingdom to be read to him, no doubt assuming that they will be boring enough to put him to sleep easily! But wait, suddenly the king discovers a fascinating tidbit about the plot hatched by two of the eunuchs who were planning to assassinate him. Suddenly, Xerxes is wide awake! He has a fascinating new project, one that can’t possibly wait until morning. Here’s a new and glorious way in Xerxes can advertise his generosity and his magnificence.

Xerxes calls Haman in and puts a question to Haman. “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?” And Haman told the king, “For the man whom the king is delighted to honor, have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head. Let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them array the man the king wants to honor and parade him on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!’”

By now, Haman is rubbing his hands with glee! This is working out even better than he had hoped. Take a quick ride through the city on a royal horse while he wears a royal robe, have his name announced in the city, and then return to secure Xerxes’ approval to hang Mordecai. “No problem!” thinks Haman. But Haman is wrong. That insignificant scribe who scratched out that chronicle on clay tablets has saved Mordecai, and it’s MORDECAI whom Xerxes wants to honor and NOT Haman! Haman can scarcely believe it, but he still has that invitation to Esther’s banquet to buoy up his spirits. So Haman finds Mordecai and puts the royal robe on Mordecai and then parades Mordecai through the streets of Susa, proclaiming loudly for all to hear, “This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!” But there’s worse yet to come.

Haman rushes home, seeking comfort from his friends and his wife. But look what these people tell Haman: “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is Jewish, you will not prevail against him—for surely you will fall before him.” WHAT? Why would Haman’s most trusted advisers and his wife say such a thing? The answer lies in the history of the Jews. Even though many of the Jews have little regard for their God, the same is not true for those from surrounding nations. These people remember how God wiped out the Egyptian army and how He led the Israelites across the Red Sea and the Jordan River on dry ground. Ironically, these people may have more respect for the God of Israel than do many of the Jews. And now, there’s no time left. The palace eunuchs rush in and hustle Haman off to Esther’s banquet.

APPLICATION: Such a short story but so many fascinating lessons! The clerk who recorded Mordecai’s original report that saved Xerxes was probably bored out of his mind the day he wrote it; however, he did his work properly. Xerxes couldn’t sleep and figured that nothing could be no more soporific than listening to a reading of the royal chronicles, never dreaming how God was going to use that entry. Haman appeared in the outer court at precisely the wrong time because he was hoping to gain permission to hang Mordecai; instead, he wound up leading the royal horse through the streets of Susa, proclaiming Mordecai’s praises.

But the most surprising responses of all are the ones from Haman’s own family. Evidently, until now, Haman’s people have been unaware of Mordecai’s nationality. Suddenly, the same people who were counseling Haman to hang Mordecai on a 75-foot gallows so everyone in Susa would see the body are now predicting Haman’s fall. Are these people fully conscious of what they are saying or is God putting words in their mouths? After all, God has been known to allow a donkey to speak when necessary.

God can use the smallest details to work out His perfect Will. The same Creator who spoke the universe into existence with a single word is quite capable of moving clerks to work diligently and kings to suffer from insomnia. And that same God can also move villains to appear in royal courts just in time for their evil schemes to be thwarted. Psalm 147:4-6 tells us, “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.”

Perhaps today you feel your situation is hopeless. If you were in ancient Susa, you too would be mourning in sackcloth and ashes. But take heart! God has not forgotten you and He knows every detail of your situation. The same God who saved Mordecai from hanging is still running the universe and He can deliver you as well.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are those reading these words who feel that their situations are hopeless. But You are the God of heaven and earth, and nothing is too difficult for You! Move in all our hearts, so that we may know Your love for us and may see Your deliverance. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Esther Approaches the King

“On the third day, Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace across from the king’s quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing the entrance. As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.” “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king.” “Hurry,” commanded the king, “and bring Haman, so we can do as Esther has requested.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

Esther replied, “This is my petition and my request: 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, may the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Haman’s Plot against Mordecai

That day Haman went out full of joy and glad of heart. At the King’s Gate, however, he saw Mordecai, who did not rise or tremble in fear at his presence. And Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. And calling for his friends and his wife Zeresh, Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.

“What is more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she prepared, and I am invited back tomorrow along with the king. Yet none of this satisfies me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King’s Gate.”

His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows fifty cubits high,(75 feet high!) and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.”

The advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows constructed.”

Reading about Esther’s actions, we wonder what she can possibly be thinking! Here’s Haman, the arch-enemy of the Jews; yet, Esther is inviting him to a banquet along with King Xerxes. But Esther and her maids have been fasting and praying, and God is the One who has instructed Esther in how to proceed. Taking her courage in both hands, Esther enters the outer court, where King Xerxes sees her. King Xerxes extends the golden scepter, Esther touches it, and Xerxes makes a magnificent offer. Would Xerxes actually have given Esther half the kingdom at this point? Who knows? Perhaps Xerxes has been drinking again, but it’s far more likely that Xerxes has been keeping close tabs on Esther and has been receiving glowing reports about her kindness, her gentleness, and her sweet nature. Palace spy systems have always been very efficient, and the eunuchs serving Esther probably report to the king regularly.

Haman is stoked! Not only has Xerxes honored Haman above all the other princes, but now even Queen Esther has issued an exclusive invitation. As Haman is rushing home to share this latest honor with his family, he sees Mordecai just outside the King’s Gate. Mordecai is probably still wearing sackcloth and ashes and looks wretched; moreover, he refuses to rise or bow to Haman as Haman passes. “The very nerve of that abominable Jew!” Haman thinks. “I’ll settle with him as soon as possible.” Later, Haman’s wife and friends advise him to build a towering gallows seventy-five feet high and have Mordecai hanged on it before he goes off to Esther’s banquet. Things are looking black for Mordecai and the Jews.

APPLICATION: What could be more innocuous than a private banquet? A meeting with only King Xerxes and Haman ensures that King Xerxes will not be embarrassed and at the same time allows Esther to test the king’s emotional state at this point. Xerxes is well known for being a mean drunk; look what happened to Queen Vashti. Despite the king’s munificent statements offering Esther up to half his kingdom, Esther knows it’s far better to make modest requests and see what God will do with the situation.

Notice what Esther is NOT doing. Esther is not planning to poison Haman, although that option has probably been used at more than one royal banquet. Instead, Esther is offering her enemy hospitality. If we overlook the significance of this act, we are underestimating its importance. Purim is one of the traditional Jewish festivals and it is helpful to see what the Talmud says about it. Alan D. Corré, Emeritus Professor of Hebrew Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has collected the following comments from the Talmud:

“Purim [The Feast of Lots] is a light-hearted festival, and we catch the Rabbis in a festive mood when they discuss in the Talmud this question: Why did Esther invite Haman to a banquet? Presumably, she had no liking for the man; moreover, could she not have persuaded the King to revoke his evil decree against the Jews without having the hated Haman to a banquet? The Rabbis give no less than twelve separate views on what Esther’s motive was.

Rabbi Elazar: Esther hoped that Haman would make some blunder at the banquets, thereby offending the King. Apparently this rabbi felt that there was some danger in accepting dinner invitations from ladies.

Rabbi Joshua: Esther was a religious young woman, and she simply followed the instructions in the book of Proverbs, 25.2 “If thine enemy be hungry, give him food to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.” In other words, act the gentleman towards your enemies, and have confidence that God will ultimately right the wrong. Notice the difference in emphasis between these two views. In one, Esther herself is a practical schemer, fighting evil with the same; in the other she is a religious believer, relying on God’s mercies.

Rabbi Meir: He is reputed to be one of the cleverest of the Talmudic rabbis. According to him, Esther had an idea that Haman intended to overthrow the king, and set himself up as monarch. She felt that Haman’s star was in the ascendent and wanted to postpone what she thought would be a successful revolt. So she placated Haman by inviting him to a banquet.

Rabbi Judah

This was a ruse on Esther’s part to avoid recognition as a Jewess. She felt she could work better if no one knew her origin, and her invitation to Haman was a smoke screen, since obviously no Jewess would invite him.

Rabbi Nehemiah

His opinion is psychologically interesting. Esther invited Haman so that the Jews would not say: “We have a friend at the court” and thus not bother to seek God’s mercy. The rabbi knew that for most people God is the last resort. If they can rely on men, however fickle, they prefer it. Esther wanted the people to feel that God had saved them through her, not that she saved them.

Rabbi Jose

Esther wanted to get to know Haman better, and thereby discover his weak spots.

Rabbi Simon ben Menasya

Esther’s action was a very shocking one, which she did deliberately in order, as it were, to delude God into thinking that even Esther had joined Haman, and make him arise in anger and do something about it! Such an explanation seems incredibly naive to us, yet it shows to what degree God was a part of the lives of these people. He was like a friend, whom, when all else failed, you could irritate into doing something for you. Naive, but touching too.

Rabbi Joshua ben Korha

“Cherchez la femme!” He thinks that Esther wanted to give the king the impression that she was in love with Haman, and hence the king would, in best Persian style, do away with them both. No doubt Esther was ready to die for her people, but it is hard to believe that her strategem included her own death.

Rabban Gamliel

She wanted Haman there, so that when she denounced him, the king could point to him and order him executed before he had a chance to change his fickle and not too bright mind. This explanation is so simple that it will appeal only to the least romantic of us.

Rabbi Eliezer of Modin

Esther wanted to make the princes and the court jealous of Haman, whereupon they would arrange for him to be taken for a ride different from the one that, to his chagrin, he had to arrange for Mordecai. The great commentator Rashi cites this explanation with approval.

Rabba

“Pride comes before a fall.” Esther wanted to blow up Haman until he burst (which, of course, he did.)

Abbaye and Rava

A very common theme in literature is the downfall of the wicked while they are steeped in their orgies. Think of the destruction of the suitors in the Odyssey. Think of the death of Job’s sons, and especially the feast of Belshazzar who was too bleary-eyed to read the writing on the wall, and had to call in the sober Daniel to do if for him. Esther wanted to have a Belshazzar’s feast, in which Haman would be the victim.

What can we learn from this? First, there is more in Holy Writ than meets the eye. Second, the rabbis are very ingenious at explaining it. Third, Esther was a very clever young woman.

The end of the tale is this. One of the rabbis had a visitation from Elijah, who, in Jewish folklore, is the man who can answer all questions, a veritable quiz producer’s ideal. The rabbi asked: “Which opinion was right?” He answered: “They all were.” Apparently Esther was cleverer and the rabbis more ingenious even than we thought.”

I feel that God advised Esther to hold this banquet and the subsequent ones and that God knew exactly how He was going to resolve the issue. I also suspect that Esther was acting in accordance with God and going one day at a time. This situation was so precarious that scheming on Esther’s part might have caused the whole thing to fail.

Personally, I have found that God frequently tells me to take one step and then after I have made a start, He will direct the next step. But God rarely tells me His entire plan because I would probably be tempted to try to fix it and I would make a complete mess of the situation. So Esther and her maids planned the first banquet and Esther made the invitation in fear and trembling, setting an example for all of us who must follow God’s leading.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You that even when we encounter problems that seem insurmountable, You still have perfect solutions. Help us to trust You and to take the first steps, knowing that You will give more guidance as we go along. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.