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Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today.
A Worldview of Providence vs. Blind Chance-- This past week I was helping my son with his schoolwork (which is all online for the moment due to the current state of things); and he was learning about fossils and dinosaurs. And because he goes to a Christian school, he is learning those things from a Biblical perspective, which I am very thankful for. But I remember one night last week sitting with him in bed reading from his Bible the Genesis account of creation. And I told him that some people do not believe that God created everything; some people believe that at one time nothing existed except a tiny little speck, which they believe exploded and everything somehow came together from that explosion. And of course I was talking about the big bang. And I remember he simply couldn’t believe that by chance everything in the world that seemed so rich with design could come together randomly by chance. And I directed him across the room to his box of Legos and said it is like believing that your Lego box could explode and somehow form a house. And he immediately saw that as being complete nonsense. There would have to be intelligence behind any creation like that. If there is a design, there has to be a designer. And I think agreed with me when I pointed out how much more sense it made that God created the world. But though we as Christians know that, sometimes we forget that the God who created the world is also the God who sustains the world. And (to get specific), let’s consider the major world events like the ones we are facing today). Some people (even some Christians I know) seem imprisoned by fear. But what we as Christians have to remember is that we believe in a Divine Creator; a being who is orchestrating all things together for the good of those who love Him. Nothing is outside of His control; and while things may seem chaotic, we know that God has a purpose and plan that is being worked out. And this is what we see so clearly here in the book of Esther. The name of God is not mentioned anywhere in the book, but the author still points to Him as the main character; as the Great Orchestrator, defending and shielding His people as He slowly but steadily moves everything towards the fulfillment of His purposes. And we will see this theme play out more and more as we progress through the book. God is the great Defender of His people. Haman the Agagite-- Now last week (as we began Esther chapter 3) we saw a man come to power who comes from the Amalekite people generally (the ancient enemies of the Jews whom God had cursed for coming against and attacking His people when they first left Egypt) and from the line of King Agag specifically, the Amalekite king whom Saul had failed to put to death as God had instructed him to. And so this man who comes on the scene here carries a centuries-old grudge against the Jewish people. And of course his name is Haman. Haman is honored by the king and all are ordered to bow down and pay him homage. However, there is one man who refuses. And this was Queen Esther’s cousin Mordecai (an official who sits at the kings gate, most likely in the role of a judge). He refuses to bow to Haman. And this is a very public refusal. Verses 3-5 say… Esther 3:3-5 (ESV)-- 3 Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king's command?” 4 And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. The “Wrath” of Haman-- So we see that when Haman is told about Mordecai’s refusal and when he sees it himself, he is absolutely livid. In fact, [Haman’s name sounds something like the Hebrew word for wrath (Heb., hemah), an apt description of his temperament and role in this story.] Mordecai Open About His Jewish Identity-- Now one of the fascinating things in this passage about Mordecai is that it says [he had told them that he was a Jew. Mordecai did the very thing he had told Esther not to do in her situation (Est. 2:10, 20).] He tells the king’s servants he’s a Jew. And no doubt Haman wasted little time finding out what family he came from, his history; and when he found out, that made Haman hate him all the more, so much so that the scripture says… Esther 3:6 (ESV)-- 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. An Excuse to Destroy the Jews-- Now Haman’s pride is hurt. And he has been hating the Jews all along. And so he determines to exterminate them throughout all the kingdom (which by the way included Jerusalem; those who had returned from exile). And so it says in… Esther 3:7 (ESV)-- 7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus {(And the twelfth year reveals to us that [Haman has been biding his time for five years.)]}, they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) (Pur is the persian word for “lot”; [A lot would be like modern dice which were cast to determine future decisions (cf. the Hebrew lot, 1 Chr. 26:14; Neh. 10:34; Jonah 1:7).] It was [A traditional way of seeking divine guidance (Josh. 18:6; Prov. 16:33) or, as here, finding the most opportune time to do something.] And so these lots were being cast, it says…) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. Biding Time; Passover Connection-- Nisan was [The first month of the Jewish religious calendar, which began in spring with the Passover (Ex. 12:1–2). While the Jews prepared to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt, Haman plotted their destruction.] And until the twelfth month (the month of Adar) Haman has been casting lots against God’s people. Now Haman may have cast the lots, but neither he nor chance were in control. God was in control. It says in… Proverbs 16:33 (ESV)-- 33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. [God providentially controlled the outcome of the lot.] It says in… Esther 3:8-13 (ESV)-- 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. (Notice how he is making it seem like this is in the king’s best interest.) 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay (by which he means collect)10,000 talents of silver [that’s a huge sum, by the way; about 12 million ounces; over 300 tons of silver] into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” [Haman…appeals to the king’s need to replenish the treasury depleted by Xerxes’ disastrous war with Greece.] 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand ([A ring used to seal official documents (Jer. 22:24).]) and gave it to Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews (which of course made it so that [Haman is empowered to act with royal authority.]). 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.” (So [Ahasuerus authorizes Haman to use as much of the 10,000 talents of silver as he needs to implement his plan.]) 12 Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month ([Presumably of the following (13th) year of Ahasuerus’s reign (see v. 7).]), and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion. God Preserves The Righteous-- Now one of the things you are going to see in the next few chapters is an unraveling of Haman’s plans. Everything just kind of goes haywire. And out of this story rises the theme of God’s victory over the enemies of God’s people and the lifting up of the righteous. Those who are righteous; those who walk with God may be hated by the world; yet we see that God defends those who walk in faithfulness with Him. It says in… Job 5:12 (ESV)— 12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. God’s Deliverance of His Righteous Ones— And this is really one of the central themes in this book. God thwarts the plans of the wicked and helps the cause of the righteous. He blesses the humble and humbles the proud. He honors those who place Him first and remain obedient to Him. And we can take courage in the fact that, even though we are going through persecution, God will deliver us by His sovereign hand. When we walk with Christ, we will often find that people will take offense at us; because our lives (the Light we live in) exposes their darkness. If everything is dark, nobody seems to care. But when you have somebody stand for something, it shames those who are bowing to everything. Mordecai and Obedience-- But in Mordecai we are reminded that we (as followers of Christ) cannot pay homage to anything that God has cursed. We cannot leave anything alive in our hearts that God has called us to destroy. We have to commit to walk with Christ in obedience because obedience in our hearts and lives to His will is the very fruit of salvation. And if we see anything from this story, we see that God never overlooks disobedience. He didn’t overlook Saul’s; Saul was punished. He didn’t overlook Israel’s (His own people’s sin); even they were punished, having been sent into exile. And God won’t overlook your sin and mine. Saul tried to separate his love for God from his obedience to God. But that is something we cannot do. Jesus Himself said in… John 14:15 (ESV)-- 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 1 John 5:3-4 (ESV)-- 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. May we overcome the world the world through our faith this week. And may we discover the freedom that comes through living lives of obedience to God. Amen.
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Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. Today we are continuing our study of the book of Esther. Last week, following the rise of Esther, we talked about how Esther’s cousin Mordecai (an official appointed by the king who judges at the king’s gate), uncovers a plot to assassinate the king and therefore saves the king’s life. But instead of the following passage opening with his promotion, as the original readers would have expected, we find instead honor being given to another man. It says in…
Esther 3:1-2a (ESV)— 1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. … Consuming Credit-- It is interesting that our story last week closes with Mordecai not receiving or even looking to receive credit for saving the King from a deadly plot on his life. And yet our passage today (which immediately follows) is introduced by a man who consumes credit. For Mordecai, it was enough for him just to know that he had done the right thing and that his master the King was safe. Haman on the other hand (as we will see) feels the perpetual need to always glorify himself. He was an egotist; or (in other words) […a person…me-deep in conversation.] And (as we will see later in the story) it is Haman’s pride and vanity that will be his undoing. Vanity Confession-- I remember reading a story of how [Once a girl knelt in a confessional and said, "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.” "What is it, child?” "Father, I have committed the sin of vanity. Twice a day I gaze at myself in the mirror and tell myself how beautiful I am.” The priest turned, took a good look at the girl, and said, "My dear, I have good news. That isn’t a sin - it’s only a mistake.”] Sometimes it only takes one person to unravel our own false perceptions of ourselves. Every time Haman rides through the king’s gate, everyone at the king’s gate bows to him. Well, everyone except one. The Bible says… Esther 3:2b (ESV)— …But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. Why The Refusal?-- Now why doesn’t Mordecai bow? It is believed by many that the reason that he did not bow was because bowing means worship; and because he worshiped God alone, he could therefore not bow to anybody but God. However, that interpretation is most likely not correct because it was a universal custom during this time to bow before your superiors. In fact, [It is known from other sources that in general, Jews did bow to pagan officials of the Persian court. It was not a religious act but one of court protocol, much as moderns still curtsey or bow to the British queen.] In fact, we know that later in the story Mordecai will eventually receive Haman’s former job as grand vizier. And in order for him to receive that job he would have had to pay King Xerxes the very honors he here refuses to Haman. So why then does he here refuse? Hebrew Introductions— Well [In Hebrew narrative the characteristic described when a character is introduced is key to understanding his or her role in the story….When Haman is introduced, he is identified as an Agagite.] The Agagites-- And the Agagites were the ancient enemy of the Jews. When Israel left Egypt, remember they were attacked by these people called the Amalekites, [whose lineage began with Amalek, grandson of Esau (Gen. 36:2).] And so God curses them. And when God gave the covenant at Sinai, He said He promised [to protect Israel and to be at war with Amalek {(those who set themselves against His people)} in every generation]. Well, the king of the Amalekites during the reign of Saul was a King by the name of Agag. And in the book of 1 Samuel, God says to Saul through the prophet Samuel: ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” (1 Samuel 15:2b-3 ESV) But remember Saul doesn’t listen. He defeats the Amalekites (who are led by king Agag)…. 1 Samuel 15:9 (ESV)-- 9 But {(it says)} Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. But Samuel the prophet comes to Saul. And Saul is all proud of himself (probably like Haman) and boasts about his obeying the commandment of God. But Samuel puts his hands to his ears and says, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” And Saul starts making excuses. Well, I saved the best animals to be an offering for the Lord. And he starts trying to justify himself. But then Samuel says that famous statement… 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (ESV)-- 22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:32-33 (ESV)— 32 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33 And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Expel the Evil-- Wow; that’s pretty intense. But you have to understand that the Amalekites were so intensely evil (practicing child-sacrifice and other horrific practices) that God wanted them out of His land; and even more importantly, He didn’t want Israel to adopt those kinds of practices. And yet we see that the Israelites never fully drive the Canaanites from their land. And because of that, they did indeed fall into those same practices. And really Saul’s failure in this conflict with Agag really foreshadows Israel’s continual inability to expel all evil from the promised land. Now why does all this matter? Because it says here that Haman is an Agagite; he’s a descendant of King Agag. And that is what drives his hatred the Jews; and especially Mordecai. Why Mordecai? It’s not just because Mordecai is a Jew. No, Mordecai comes from a very specific line, which is given to us when he is first introduced in Esther 2:5 (which means that it is also key to understanding the story). It says… Esther 2:5 (ESV)— 5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, Colliding Heritages-- Now remember that [Kish.{..was} Mordecai’s great grandfather who actually experienced the Babylonian deportation… {But} Kish {also} represents a Benjaminite family name that could be traced back (ca. 1100 B.C.) to Saul’s father {(whose name was also Kish)} (1 Sam. 9:1).] So this is the family Mordecai is a descendant of; the royal family of Saul, who slew the Amalekites and should have killed Agag. So in this chapter you have more than two men colliding; you have their whole heritages colliding! Why Mordecai Refuses-- Now by order of the king, every man is to bow down to Haman and pay him homage. But Mordecai doesn’t. Why? Very likely because [no self-respecting Benjaminite could bow before the seed of the ancient enemy of the Jews.] And next week we will see just how well Haman takes this. If you think it is not very well, then (as Sherlock Holmes once said) “you have a very keen insight into the obvious.” Our Homage-- But what our passage today shows us is that we need to be careful not to pay homage to anything that God has called us to put to death; anything that might rob you of the fullness of God’s presence. This past week my daughter Ally asked Jesus into her life for the first time. And she knew she was making a very important decision to follow Jesus. But as a father, as I look into her beautiful blonde-haired face (I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more beautiful face), I think “What is my precious Ally’s walk with Jesus going to look like if I’m not completely sold out to Jesus?” What are the ungodly things I still choose to pay homage to? When she gets married, how is her marriage; her kids; her grandkids; how are they going to be affected by my present willingness to be sold out to Jesus? Saul thought his sin was no big deal. And yet it affected generations. And so I wonder if those small choices we make every day to choose godliness over worldliness might not be so small after all. They could affect a lot of people. Choosing Cleanness-- This week I have been remembering the life of Ravi Zacharias, a wonderful Christian thinker and apologist who just went home to be with the Lord; and thinking about the millions of people (myself included) who have been touched by his extraordinary life and ministry. So much of my faith and thinking has been shaped by his faithfulness. But you know I wondered this week in my reflecting, “What does a person like him have to give up to be able to be used by God so mightily?” And maybe there are some major things, but I think most of what true men and women of God give up are little things; any little thing that might rob them of the presence of God. God anoints people and blesses people who are sold out to Him; who will not call clean or okay anything that He has called unclean. And so my challenge to you today (and to me) is: let us (like Mordecai) choose to live lives that are free of uncleanness; let us commit to living lives of holiness and obedience to God. If do, then we (like Esther and Mordecai) will experience the favor and blessing of God. Let’s commit to that today Amen. Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. In our study of the book of Esther, we have come to Esther’s coronation. Out of a group of 400 girls, she has been chosen to be the next queen of Persia. And King Ahasuerus throws a huge party to celebrate. So it is a time of joy and feasting. But in the midst of all this there is also plot and intrigue, as two men secretly lay plans to try to assassinate the king; Esther’s new husband. It says in…
Esther 2:19 (ESV)— 19 Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time {(most likely so King Ahasuerus could choose more concubines for himself in addition to Esther, it says}, Mordecai {(Esther’s elder cousin)} was sitting at the king's gate. The King’s Gate— Now [the courthouse of the ancient world was the gate of the city.] If you had a legal matter to settle, you went to the city gate to do it. Court would convene at the city gate. And so Mordecai, we see, holds a position of prominence at the gate; very likely a judgeship. But he was more than just your run of the mill judge because he is not just at the city gate; no, he is at (the text says) the king’s gate. And the king’s gate was where officials appointed by the king sat to administer justice (2 Sam. 15:2–6; cf. Ruth 4:1–11). And so Mordecai (though Jewish) was an important official appointed by the king. And it seems very plausible that Esther was the one who had him appointed to that position, as he is not mentioned as being in that position until after her coronation. But even if that were the case, we see that she kept her connection to him as her cousin a secret. It says in verse 20… Esther 2:20-21 (ESV)— 20 Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. {Now it says in…} 21 In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. The Threshold-- Now these two men were guardians of the threshold, the door to the king’s private quarters. So these are guys who have direct access to the king. They have opportunity. And apparently they have motive, though we don’t know exactly what that was. Esther’s crowning may have had something to do with it. Perhaps those in the palace who were supporters of Queen Vashti resented Ahasuerus for de-throning and replacing her. Or it is possible these two men didn’t like that Esther was an outsider, because (although it wasn’t consistently obeyed) tradition dictated that wives for the Kings of Persia should be selected from within the seven noble families of the land. And so these men might have been traditionalists who saw Esther’s becoming queen an offensive thing. We don’t know. But whatever the motive, they are plotting together to kill the king. Now it says in… Ecclesiastes 10:20 (ESV) — 20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. Well that little bird was Mordecai. The text says… Esther 2:22a (ESV)— 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, Not Overhearing, But Being Informed-- Now in the movies, Mordecai somehow overhears this conversation and reports it to Esther. But that is not what the scripture says. It says that this plot came to the knowledge of Mordecai. He did not overhear it; but acquired the information, probably because of his prominent position. It seems that because of his integrity (being one of the few righteous politicians in history), somebody gave him this information knowing that he would do the right thing. Can We Be Counted On?-- And that just makes me think how wonderful it would be if all the people we came into contact with on a day to day basis could know that no matter what happened, you and I could always be counted on to do the right thing. Now some people won’t like you for that, but they will know where you stand. And you will often win their favor in the end. And that’s because the greatest testimony that you and I will ever bear to the world is the testimony of our living our lives in integrity. You want people to accept the Gospel. Then live it before them; and they will be drawn to it. Now why did Mordecai feel compelled to try to stop the assassination of Ahasuerus? We aren’t sure. Perhaps it was for Esther’s sake. Yet in the book of Jeremiah we see that God says through Jeremiah about the coming captivity… Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV)-- 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Mordecai Seeks Persia’s Welfare— And here we see Mordecai acts in accord with the spirit of this verse. He seeks the welfare of Persia by actively preserving the life of the king. Now Mordecai thinks he is doing the right thing by saving the life of the Persian king. Yet what he doesn’t realize is that it will be that very act that will cause his own life, the life of Esther, and the lives of God’s people to be preserved years down the line. And an important principle is revealed here. When you preserve the life of another person, you also find (perhaps unexpectedly) that you have brought life to yourself as well. This can be in a physical sense (as in our passage this today) or it can be in a spiritual sense. Any of you who have ever had the privilege of bringing somebody to Christ know exactly what I am talking about. When you lead somebody to Jesus, your own faith is strengthened. Why? Because we are called to be agents; to be bringers of life. And you are never closer to Jesus than when you bring His life to another person. And Mordecai demonstrates this spirit in his choosing to be faithful to the king. It says… Esther 2:22-23 (ESV)— 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king. Book of the Chronicles-- Now that last fact is what makes this account relevant to God’s plan of redemption here in this story, as it will play a key role in the following chapters; this whole incident is recorded in the minutes of the king. Mordecai’s Reward Overlooked-- Now kings during that time, just like rulers nowadays, know that it is just as important to reward good behavior as to punish bad behavior. You fail or betray the king; your life was probably forfeit. You serve the king in a responsible or extra-ordinary way; you are honored. And [Acts of loyalty were usually rewarded immediately and generously by Persian kings.] But what is interesting here is that Mordecai gets overlooked by Ahasuerus. And this is understandable. Ahasuerus is so enamored by his new wife that all he remembers is her telling him about the plot. Yes the text says she warned him in the name of Mordecai and that is what was recorded. But you can really see how his human mind would have associated that memory with Esther. So Mordecai (for the time being) goes unrecognized. He is neither honored or promoted. And what is interesting is that Mordecai never draws attention to it, even though he could have expected a reward; that is what we would expect to see. Yet instead of Mordecai being honored, the next section opens with the honoring of someone else; a man named Haman. Esther 3:1-2a (ESV)— 1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. … Juxtaposed Rewarded with Unrewarded-- Now here [The author places the promotion of Haman just where the original readers would have expected a report of Mordecai’s reward as a benefactor of the king.] And so [Haman’s introduction forms an unexpected twist when juxtaposed with Mordecai’s unrewarded loyalty.] And what is more frustrating is that we know that Haman will be shown to be an unrighteous, devious person, while Mordecai is upright and honest. The Unrighteous Rewarded-- But you know, we experience this kind of thing in our day and age as well; don’t we? Those who are often the most unrighteous are often the ones who are promoted; who are honored; and the good people are overlooked. Yet God eventually does bring judgment where judgement is due and glory where glory is due. Now it may take time. Here it probably took years. But God is a faithful judge. And if Mordecai could be trusted to do what is right, how much more can we trust God (the Divine Judge) to do right. But we have to learn to operate independently from praise; not for reward or our own glory, but for the glory of God. Bach’s Glory to God-- For those of you who love music, it is interesting that Johann Sebastian Bach once said ["All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul's refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub." He headed his compositions: "J.J." "Jesus Juva" which means "Jesus help me." He ended them "S.D.G." "Soli Dei gratia" which means "To God alone the praise."] Our Reward-- When we live our life for the glory of God, it doesn’t matter who sees or what reward we receive. Now will we receive a reward for doing right? Yes. Jesus himself said in Matthew 6:4, “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” But scripture also reveals to us the understanding that righteousness before God is it’s own reward. It says in… Proverbs 11:18 (ESV)— 18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. Isaiah 3:10-11 (ESV)— 10 Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. {Now on the flip side, it says in…} 11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. God Will Reward— Now that last verse we see will be very clearly fulfilled in Mordecai’s relationship with Haman. The evil that Haman will intend for Mordecai will fall on his own head. And the same will come of those who oppose Christ and His people. We may have to suffer persecution for a time; we may go a long time without being rewarded for the everyday acts of righteousness that we perform. But God will be faithful to reward us if we, like Mordecai; like Esther, choose to do what is right no matter what the cost. Let us commit to that integrity as we abide in Christ. Amen. Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. In our study of Esther, we have come to the part of the story where Esther (along with 400 women) is taken into the palace of Xerxes, King of Persia. Many of these women were to become concubines for the king and one them was to be chosen as Xerxes’ next queen. Now Hegai (you will remember) was one of the men in charge of the women. And he is taken aback by this young woman he encounters named Esther. It says in…
Esther 2:9 (ESV)— 9 And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king's palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. Not just another pretty face-- And we know why. Because there was more to Esther than physical beauty; she was not just another pretty face. Nor was it just that she had a likable personality. There are a lot of people with likable personalities. No, there was something different about the way Esther lived her life that made her stand out from everyone else around her. And we see at least three important characteristics in particular that set her apart as being one on whom the Lord’s favor rested. And these are three basic things that we as Christians can and should implement in our lives as well. POINT 1: ESTHER’S OBEDIENCE— First of all, Esther was obedient. Remember verse… Esther 2:10 (ESV)--10 Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. She respects and obeys her elders; particularly Mordecai. And we will see this much more as we progress through the book. She honors and obeys those who have been placed in authority over her. Unhappy Under Authority— Now often people don’t deal with authority very well; and that can be anywhere, but especially the workplace. For some people, it doesn’t matter what job they have, they are never happy simply because of the fact that they cannot work under another person’s authority. They want to be the one in control of themselves and (ironically) often over the lives of others. Submission is a dirty word for them; and that is true for many in our day and age. But scripture teaches us that happiness in our lives can never be found until we learn how to submit to the authorities God has placed over our lives; until we learn how to follow. Even Jesus modeled this kind of submission in His relationship to the Father. But the problem in our culture is that we always want to be the ones to lead; never the ones to follow. Are You a Leader?— There's [a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, “Are you a leader?” Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”] We have too many people nowadays who are unable to follow; people who want to lead their own lives. But the Christlike life is the life that is characterized by the ability to submit to authority and to honor those placed in positions above us. Not that we can’t challenge authority when they are wrong, but even then we can do so with a Christ-like attitude and spirit. But how can we be sure we have that right attitude? First, we must be submitted to God. If we are fully submitted to God, then we can be submitted to those He has placed in authority over us. Because (remember this) our submission to others is an extension of our submission to God. POINT 2: ESTHER’S HUMILITY & TEACHABILITY— Now the second characteristic we see in Esther's life is that she acts not on impulse, but with wisdom; being both humble and teachable. How do we know this? Look at verse 15… Esther 2:15a (ESV)— 15 When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. So she takes the time to listen to advice. She doesn’t just grab the richest; most elaborate things. No, she chooses to take less (only what Hegai advises and nothing more). So she exercises restraint; she demonstrates a listening ear, which shows teachability and humility. Now how are we when it comes to being teachable? Are we humble enough to allow somebody else to show us a better way? Proverbs 1:5 (ESV)-- 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, Proverbs 12:15 (ESV)-- 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Proverbs 19:20 (ESV)-- 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. So Esther showed herself to be teachable. She trusts not in her wisdom, but in the wisdom of Hegai. POINT 3: ESTHER’S REFUSAL TO GRASP— But her actions here also reveal something else about her character; her unwillingness to grasp. David vs. Saul— Earlier in Israel’s history you had two famous kings: Saul (Israel’s first king) and then immediately following his reign you have the reign of David. And you will remember that the way in which they ruled was night and day. Saul incurred God’s curse and a withdrawal of His presence (His Spirit). David on the other hand was called a man after God’s own heart; he was pleasing in the eyes of God. Yet what made the difference? The difference is this. David never forgot whose kingdom it was. Saul did. Saul thought it was his kingdom; he thought that he was the king. David, on the other hand, recognized that he was not the king; God was the true king of Israel. That is why he never tried to take the throne by force; why he didn’t kill Saul, whom (even after his own anointing) he still calls "the Lord's anointed"); even though he had the chance (multiple chances) to take his life and seize the throne. David is hiding from Saul in a cave. And Saul comes into the cave to relieve himself. And David’s men are whispering to him, saying, “Look, the Lord has delivered him into your hand. Let’s kill him!” But David resists. He resists the temptation to seize; to grasp and instead He trusted that God would bring it about in His own time and patiently waited for the Lord. And that attitude; that demeanor really characterized the majority of his reign. Esther doesn't grasp-- And here we see the same attitude with Esther. She could seize anything she wanted. She could use the various adornments available to her to try to tip the scales in her favor. But no; she resists. She chooses the wiser path, saying “If God wills for me to be queen, He will do it by His outstretched hand, not my grasping hand.” Our grasping-- And I just think, “How often do you and I reach for things; take hold of things; grasp for things that either God doesn’t want us to have or that are not in accordance with His perfect timing? Saul chose the kingdom over God's presence; David chose the presence of God over the kingdom. And God's anointing could therefore remain on David. And here we find an anointing of Esther that went deeper than the perfumes that covered her body. What caused her to stand out was the aromatic fragrance of the presence of God made manifest in her life. She didn't grasp, but instead listened to the voice of wisdom, which IS the very voice of God. God wants to bless us. But first we must be willing to cease grasping for ourselves. Now it is because of these three things that the next part of the verse follows… Esther 2:15b (ESV)— Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. When you and I are obedient to those God has placed in positions of authority over us; when we honor them; we win the favor of others. When you and I remain humble and teachable, we win the favor of others. When you and I keep from grasping and trust that God is in control and will give us good things in His perfect timing, we win the favor of others. And sure enough, it says in… Esther 2:16-18 (ESV)— 16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, [by the way this is four years after the King has banished Vashti ] 17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity. Esther’s Coronation— And so ends the coronation of Esther; and yet another feast. Yet this is a feast that stands in contrast to that feast in the opening chapter, because it is one which is permeated with the favor of God. This week, live in the favor and joy of walking in obedience and humility with God. Remain teachable before Him and others. And trust in Him to meet your needs (even in difficult circumstances, such as the ones we’re facing during these Covid-19 days). Refrain from grasping and instead let your hands be outstretched to receive those the gifts God has for you when and how He wants to give them to you. And may His peace and favor rest on you. Amen. Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim.
Winning Things— I don’t know how many of you have every won anything before. Winning things can be exciting. Once I remember entering a contest for a Canon digital camera. And I actually won, which absolutely made my week! It is fun to win things. And sometimes that desire to win things can be intoxicating; even addictive. I've never played the lottery before. And I don't think it is a right way to use the money God has given me. But sometimes it appears on the news, especially when there is a record-breaking jackpot. And a lot of people are interested in that event. And many many people buy lottery tickets just so that they can have a chance of winning that money. Now the chances of winning are astronomical! They say you have better chances of getting struck by lightning. Now I think my odds would be better. Chances are, I’d get struck by lightning twice; probably. But you know, it doesn't matter how impossible those odds are, when the winner is announced those people who have entered are glued to that announcement. Because no matter how small their chances are, there is a chance. A chance of their lives being changed in one single moment. When your number is called. The Ultimate Win— What if the prize was more than money? What if it was also a relationship; the chance of being married to a wealthy or good-looking person? You know, it’s fascinating how many people are captivated by the royal family. Well, have you ever imagined what it would be like to be somebody like Kate Middleton, instantly ushered into an enormous amount of wealth and into a relationship with another person; and more than that, into Royalty!? What would it be like to have your name called, for you to be chosen? Women’s Lives Forever Changed-- Well that is the situation that Esther has found herself in, whether she wanted it or not. She has been chosen from 50 million people to be a part of a harem of 400 girls. And the way the King (Ahasuerus) is going to choose his next queen is by having each individual woman spend a night with him in his bed. And the one who pleases him the most will be made queen. Now just think about what this would mean for Esther; being made to enter into the bed of a gentile king. And Esther is often criticized for this. Yet what we must realize is that this is completely out of her control. There's no such thing as women's rights. Ahasuerus made that pretty clear in his dealings with Vashti in chapter 1. Women were to remain subject to their husbands as the rulers of the household. And if women were to be subject to their husbands, how much more so to the will of the king. Esther is made to enter into a relationship that she knows is unholy. Yet she cannot resist. And so she also must prepare herself for her one night with the king. And King Ahasuerus clearly spares no expense in preparing these girls for their special one night with him. It says in… Esther 2:12 (ESV)— 12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women-- Princess Diaries— Now there's a movie that I remember watching with my wife a long time ago called Princess Diaries. Some of you may remember it. The story centers around a young girl who finds out that she is a princess and her journey towards becoming a queen; and the whole beautification process and learning that she has to go through in order to prepare herself to be queen. Everything from her hair being cut and straightened, eyebrows being waxed, makeup being done. Learning how to wave like a queen; walk like a queen; have the mannerisms of a queen; how to eat right at the royal table. And it takes time; time for her to go from being an ordinary, messy teenager to being an extra-ordinary, royal woman. And that is part of the humor of the movie, watching her as she tries to become this whole new person. Preparing for Royal Life-- And in many respects, this is the exact same thing that Esther had to go through. She is being prepared for royal life. She is learning how to operate within a royal court. And more than that, she is beautifying herself. The text says that the women were given twelve months to beautify themselves. That’s a lot of Maybelline, Loreal Paris, and everything else. Well, what is going on during those twelve months? The text says that they spent six of those months with oil of myrrh and another six months with spices and ointments for women--. Cosmetic Burners— One of the unique things that archaeologists have found in Lachish in Israel are some cube-shaped spice burners. And these were originally thought to be used for burning incense during religious rituals. However, now it is believed that what these actually are are cosmetic burners used by women therapeutically and for hygienic purposes. A woman would take oil of roses, oil of cloves, or essence of musk (scents that are still being used today by the way) and place them in the cosmetic burners and heat them in the fire. Just wearing a robe that she would drape over her body like a tent, she would crouch over one of those burners and let that aroma cover and perfume her and scent her clothes. And one very famous archaeologist cites this passage as a biblical example of this very common ancient practice, which would make sense because aromatic oils and spices were actually Persia’s major export. Persia was known for it. Remember the Magi who came to see Jesus, whom many scholars believe came from Medo-Persia? Two out of the three gifts they brought were aromatic oils (Frankincense and Myrrh). One Night-- Now this entire year of preparation is for one night; that first encounter with the king that each girl will have (as indicated in verse 12). And now that year is over; and each girl is preparing for her special night with the king. And it says of each woman in… Esther 2:13 (ESV)--13 when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. They have prepared themselves physically and now each girl has the privilege of picking out those things she is going to adorn herself with to make herself stand out. Dress for the Job You Want-- Now you know that piece of wisdom, “Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want to have.” Well that applies here. These girls want to make themselves look the part. And more than this, it is believed that these women were also allowed to keep whatever they chose. So you can imagine that each woman is trying to pick out the most expensive; the most elaborate; the most queenly things she can find. And you can imagine the spirit of competition; the bickering; the squabbling over who has the best whatever. This is all about who is the most beautiful; who has mastered the art of seduction better. I mean, talk about an uncomfortable environment. And yet what is amazing is that Esther keeps clear of all of that, as we will see. Now the text says of each woman… Esther 2:14a (ESV)— 14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. Concubines-- Ok, now what is going on here? We have mention of another second harem, another eunuch (Shaashgaz), and suddenly this word concubine. What is a concubine? Well a concubine is like a wife, but of lower status. They were women who were [officially recognized as the king’s mistresses]. And this is what most (if not all) the women became after their one night with the king. Remember, Ahasuerus is not choosing one woman. He is choosing one Queen. After these women lost their virginity to the king during their one night, they became his concubines. And in fact [Each woman’s first night with the king was her initiation as a concubine.] And this is who that second harem is for; for those women who had become concubines. And what this meant was that she could never return to her family; she could never marry. She went to the king's harem of concubines [where she would spend the rest of her life in luxurious but desolate seclusion...The woman would not even see the king again, unless he asked for her by name.] The text says… Esther 2:14b (ESV)--She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name. Old Dreams Died-- Now I think it is important for us to understand the position that Esther has found herself in. Was it really a good thing for her to be chosen to be a part of this glorified beauty contest? Would she have seen it this way? I think sometimes we forget exactly what this would mean for her in that context. No hope of having a normal marriage between her and a man who would keep himself only for her; small chance of ever even seeing him again; small chance of raising a family of her own; and little chance of ever getting to see her friends and loved ones ever again. A new place; a beautiful and rich place, yes; but a place of isolation and loneliness among other women who most likely operated with a very different value system. Before we think she hit the jackpot too quickly, we must realize that every dream Esther ever had up until this point as to what her future would look like and her future relationships would look like have all died, as she is thrust into an environment and a situation she probably never would have chosen for herself. And yet she trusts God. And we will see just how much He is involved in all of this and how much He will take care of her as she moves in step with Him. A Present Trust in Christ-- And you know, maybe things have taken a sudden turn in your life recently. Maybe your future that you at least had a general idea of what it would look like has suddenly either changed or become very uncertain. What we learn from Esther (and really the entire Bible) is this; and I want you to remember this; write it down; engrave it in your memory. It doesn’t matter where life takes you. What matters is that wherever that might be, you are hand in hand with the Savior. God is less concerned about destinations than we think. He is more concerned about how we walk with Him. And for Esther that was in a relationship of faith and trust. And so I want to encourage you today (to encourage myself) to learn to walk in that relationship of faith and trust. If we can do that, we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding no matter what circumstances or trials life throws at us. Let us trust in Christ today. Amen. |
Rev. Cameron Ury graduated from Asbury University in 2007 with a B.A. in Bible and Theology. From there he continued his studies at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, MS. It was there that he met his wife Tanya, who graduated from WBS with her M.A. and M.Div. degrees. Cameron and Tanya got married in 2009. Cameron then graduated with his M.Div. degree with a pastoral concentration in 2011.
After shepherding churches in both Mississippi and Ohio, they joined the ministry team at Renton Park Chapel in January of 2018, where Cameron serves as Senior Pastor and Teacher. Cameron is also the founder and host of Lechem Panim, a weekly radio show that airs on KGNW 820AM "The Word Seattle". The ministry of Lechem Panim is centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through Bible study, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Archives
April 2021
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