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Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. We appreciate your tuning in to us today. We have begun to wrap up our study of the book of Esther, in which we have seen how God used a young Jewish girl by the name of Esther to be His instrument through whom He saved His people from a mass genocide at the hands of the wicked Haman, the king’s former right-hand man who had tricked the king into signing into irrevocable law that on one day (in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day) the Jews all throughout Persia would be rounded up and killed. Now through Esther this plot becomes known and Haman is executed. And the king allows a second decree to be written allowing the Jews to defend themselves and to attack those who were intent on bringing them harm. And so on that day, when Israel was supposed to fall at the hands of their enemies, they instead gained mastery over their enemies. And so there is a dramatic reversal that we observe. And the author of the book of Esther really highlights this in how he has structured the text.
[Chiastic Structure of Reversals-- In 3:10 - the king gives Haman his ring. In 8:2 - the king gives Mordecai that same ring. In 3:12 - Haman summons the king’s scribes. In 8:9 - Mordecai summons the king’s scribes. In 3:12 - letters are written and sealed with the king’s ring. In 8:10 letters are written and sealed with that same ring now given to Mordecai. In 3:13 we see that the Jews, even women and children, are to be killed on one day. In 8:11 - the enemies of the Jews, even women and children, are to be killed on one day (though that was never carried out; it was just part of the law given to directly confront Haman’s decree). In 3:14 - Haman’s decree is publicly displayed as law. In 8:13 - Mordecai’s decree is publicly displayed as law. In 3:15 - couriers go out in haste. In 8:14 - couriers go out in haste. In 3:15 - the city of Susa is bewildered. In 8:15 - the city of Susa rejoices. In 4:1 - Mordecai wears sackcloth and ashes. In 8:15 - Mordecai wears royal robes] So in this we see a dramatic reversal of the fate of Israel. But one of the questions we need to ask (especially in this latter part of the book of Esther) is “How does this passage (and really the book as a whole) shape our understanding of how you and I are to relate with our enemies? And moreover, how do we balance a desire for God’s justice with an understanding of His love and forgiveness?” Our Motivation To Seek God’s Justice-- What scripture points us to as we wrestle with this question is to how we are to model our justice after the pattern of a God who chooses to receive the just punishment due us upon Himself and to forgive the wounds inflicted upon Himself. God hates sin, but He loves the sinner and is always seeking to redeem each and every one of us. And you know the same ought to be true of us. Our central desire must not be to see our enemies pay, but to see sin conquered and people freed from the power of death. Whenever we cry out for the justice of God, it cannot be from a desire to see our enemies perish because of their wounding us. Our cry for the justice of God must always be tempered with the desire to see the hearts and lives of our enemies changed by the power of Jesus Christ. If your desire is to see people receive hell from Jesus, then your spirit is not right. The disciples, when offended by the Samaritans, make this mistake in Luke 9:54-55, where it says… Luke 9:54-55 (ESV)-- 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. Jesus was not out to punish, but to redeem. That is why He says in… John 3:17 (ESV)-- 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 12:47 (ESV)-- 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. Not Against People, But Against Sin-- Now you can argue from the Old Testament that Holy War was often used by Israel at the instruction of God. But what we must always remember is that [The essence of holy war in the Old Testament is not about two nations in warfare, one of which happens to be Israel. Holy war is about God warring against sin and evil on the earth.] It’s not against people; it’s against sin. And whenever God does wages war on a people, it is because those people have not repented and accepted the redemption offered to them. You see, God’s Holy War is not against people, but against the sin that enslaves people. Now given those who bind themselves to sin and never allow Christ to set them free have bound themselves to their own destruction. But even then Jesus is fighting tooth and nail for them to come to repentance in order that they might be saved. Hence, the CROSS!!! The Cross Changes Everything-- And really the cross changes everything in regards to how we think about the justice of God; because Jesus doesn’t cry out from the cross a plea for God to destroy those who pressed that crown of thorns into the capillaries of His forehead; who lacerated his back; who nailed his hands; who pierced his feet; who hung His body in such a way (from what we know of Roman crucifixions) so that every time he had to breath out he had to pull himself up. No, instead, with what strength He could muster between these breaths he was struggling to work out, Jesus uttered these words: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34 ESV) I confess to you, I have been a Christian for most of my life; I have been pastoring for many years now and have preached on that statement of Jesus many many times. And yet I still have trouble processing that. I still cannot wrap my mind around that kind of forgiveness. Karen Jobes and Holy War-- Holy War ends at the cross. An author I was recently reading said that: [The death of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, provides the only basis for the cessation of holy war, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit provides the only power by which one may love one’s enemies as oneself. All of the vengeance God’s people would like to wreak on those who practice evil has now been satisfied in the suffering and death of Jesus. He has taken the wages of sin, he has suffered the vengeance of evil. The vengeance due to us for our sins against others and due to them for their sins against us has been satisfied in Jesus’ body on the cross. It is only on the basis of recognizing that the penalty has been paid by Jesus that we can forgive others as we have been forgiven. True holy war in human history has ceased because Jesus has fought its last episode on the cross. It is no accident of history that the modern nations that still endorse the concept of holy war (Arabic, jihad) are nations that reject the gospel of Jesus Christ and the moral system he commands.] Jonah’s Attitude-- Now you and I can cry out for the judgment of God. There’s a place for that. But what we have to remember is that God’s judgment is always redemptive. If Jonah had had the right perspective, He would have rejoiced at Nineveh’s repentance. But did he? No. He wanted to see the justice of God exacted in the form of vengeance. He wanted to see Nineveh burn. Why? Because of their wickedness and particularly how they (Assyria, of which Nineveh was the capital) had injured his people. What Would We Do?-- But where do we stand on this issue? If your greatest enemy; the one who persecuted you the most; who was the greatest thorn in your flesh repented and therefore escaped the judgment of God, would you be happy for them? Or would there be bitterness in your heart? Would you be like the second son in the story of the prodigal son; angry because of the mercy of the father? Or would you, recognizing God’s own mercy towards YOU, be able to rejoice in their escaping God’s wrath? And more so; do we go beyond that to actually seek their salvation and help them to escape God’s wrath? One of the verses I find to be the most difficult passages in all of scripture to apply; and I think it is virtually impossible to apply without the infilling of the Holy Spirit is… Matthew 5:43-45a (ESV)-- 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. Agape your enemies-- Now that word “love” here in Matthew is a special kind of love in Greek. It’s not a casual kind of love or an entry-level kind of love; no, it’s agape; a sacrificial kind of love; the very kind of love Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated in His life and ministry and then on the cross. Well, how does sacrificial love translate into my relationship with my enemy? Do I extend to them the agape of Christ? Many of us struggle just to pray regularly for those close to us. How about how much time we actually devote to praying for our enemies? In thinking about our world, we often pray for justice. Yet I think the cross challenges what we mean when we pray for justice; because ultimately the Christian’s cry for justice is always and must always be a cry for people to find forgiveness and redemption from sin and find healing. And that can be hard to desire for those who have wounded us. And that leads me to think about the question, “Are we truly yearning for people to find freedom from God’s judgment in and through Jesus Christ?” Now we say we do. But if we are to take what Jesus says seriously, “How does our prayer life reflect that?” “What kind of prayers are we offering on behalf of those who have set themselves against us, against Christ, and against His Church?” “What kind of love are we showing to our enemies?” A love that merely tolerates? Or a pro-active, sacrificial, pouring out kind of love; an agape kind of love? Burned Hands-- [Corrie Ten Boom in the book, Reflections of God’s Glory (page 69), wrote, “In Africa a man came to a meeting with bandaged hands. I asked him how he had been injured. He said, “My neighbor’s straw roof was on fire; I helped him to put it out and that’s how my hands were burned. “Later I heard the whole story. The neighbor hated him and had set his roof on fire while his wife and children were asleep in the hut. They were in great danger. Fortunately, he was able to put out the fire in his house on time. But sparks flew over to the roof of the man who had set the house on fire and his house started to burn. There was no hate in the heart of this Christian; there was love for his enemy and he did everything he could to put out the fire in his neighbor’s house. That is how his own hands were burned.”] What a remarkable story. Our Focus/Central Concern-- We live in a culture that is in flames; and as we watch the news we see that is now often literally true. When we get to heaven, Jesus is going to ask us, “Where are your burn marks? Where are the marks of your intercession for those who needed me?” Folks, we need to make sure that we are actively seeking the redemption of those who are lost; that we are praying for them; that we are ministering to them; that we are leading them to Jesus. We need to allow Christ’s mission to seek and to save the lost to become the very center and focus of our lives. Peace is only found at the foot of the cross. Because it is through our reconciliation with God that we can then become reconciled with one another. That is is the message of the Gospel. And so let us make the decision to be instruments of peace by bringing people the Good News of the Gospel of Christ. Amen.
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Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Esther.
The Second Decree— We are entering into the final chapters of the book. You will remember that Haman (who had conspired to have all the Jews in the Persian empire exterminated) has himself just been executed; and executed in the very manner that he had wickedly devised for Esther’s cousin Mordecai. And so King Xerxes gives Esther the estate of Haman. And Mordecai comes into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. And the king gives Mordecai his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman.; giving Mordecai his own authority and power; just as he had previously given to Haman. And Esther appoints Mordecai over the estate of Haman. Yet even though Haman has been killed, God’s people are still in danger from this decree that has been issued against them; this decree that has authorized the complete destruction of the Jews. So Esther pleads again for her people. Now the king cannot revoke or cancel the previous decree according to Medo-Persian law, but he can offset it by empowering the Jews to fight back and defend themselves. And so King Ahasuerus tells Esther and Mordecai to write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to them and to seal it with his ring, encouraging them by saying, “for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.” And so Mordecai writes the decree. And it says in… Esther 8:9-12 (ESV)— 9 The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. 10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud, 11 saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods,12 on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. A Cold War Missile Silo-- Not long ago I was watching a show about an underground nuclear missile silo that was manned during the Cold War. President Eisenhower had given the military pre-authorization to launch their nuclear missiles from that silo if they were attacked by the Soviet Union. Now there was a reason they were buried deep underground. The idea was that although above-ground bases could be damaged by the Soviet attack, the silo would survive and be able to launch a whopping counter-attack. Now the silo never needed to be used. It was enough of a deterrent just to be there. Well, this counter-decree formed by Mordecai was to have a similar affect. Yes, you can attack us as Haman’s decree will allow you to do. But be prepared for a ready defense; a whopping counterattack backed by the king’s new right-hand man, Mordecai. Esther 8:13-15 (ESV)— 13 A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies. 14 So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king's service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king's command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. 15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16 The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. 17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them. The Robes of Mordecai-- Now we see here that this second rewarding of Mordecai exceeded the first (cf. 6:6-9). Because blue and white (these colors that he is clothed with) were the royal colors of the Persian empire. He’s royalty now. Just think of that! Mordecai (the one who only a short time before this was sitting in sackcloth and ashes) is now adorned in the clothes of royalty. Now what I want to highlight for you in this is that God has the power to bring us from ashes to glory. He will (ultimately) humble our enemies and will lift us up. And that is God’s resounding promise to you and to me in every page of scripture, and especially here in the book of Esther. The Tables Turn-- Now after this Mordecai is seen to leave the king’s presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen it says that Susa has a joyous celebration. The Jews, filled with gladness and joy, are feasting and celebrating. And Mordecai rises in prominence; and fear comes on the people to the point that many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them. Now just think about how ironic this is; because God’s people who (were hated and despised by many around them) have now become the desired people. Almost everybody wants to associate with Jews now, help them, and be on their side because the balance of power has shifted suddenly into Jewish hands. And so on the appointed day, the second edict is carried out; and Haman’s evil plot falls on his own head (9:25). It says… Esther 9:1-10 (ESV)— 1 Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. 2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. 3 All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful. 5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In Susa the citadel itself the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men, 7 and also killed Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha 8 and Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha 9 and Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they laid no hand on the plunder. His Boast Was Toast-- By the way it is so interesting how the text highlights how Haman lost everything he had bragged about back in 5:10-11; even his sons, who suffer the consequences of his sin. Now the next passage reveals what could be seen as very uncharacteristic of Esther, who up until this point has seemed like such a sweet, kind, innocent girl; but listen to what she says. It says in… Esther 9:11-16 (ESV)— 11 That very day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was reported to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now what is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled.” 13 And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict {(in other words, let there be another day of killing here in Susa)}. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king commanded this to be done. A decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they killed 300 men in Susa, but they laid no hands on the plunder. 16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they laid no hands on the plunder. Not Vengeance, But Self-Defense-- So you have this massive slaughter of Israel’s enemies, including Haman’s 10 sons. And honestly, there are some Christians who shy away from the book of Esther (particularly this last section) because of what they perceive to be Esther’s (and the people in general’s) vengeful nature. How can a God who commands that we love our enemies and do good to them be pleased with this slaughtering of Israel’s enemies? But you know what I think we have to realize is that these were not merely enemies (people who hated them (9:5)); these were people 9:2 says sought their harm. This isn’t vengeance in the sense that you and I think about vengeance; this is self-preservation; we are talking here about self defense here. I want to make that very clear. Taking Steps to Protect Themselves-- Notice that although the edict allowed them to, the Jews are not said to have killed any women or children. They are only said to have killed men; 8:11 says any armed force. You see, we have to be careful to not miss the details given to us in the text. They were not trying to do what Haman tried to do to them. Haman was going to exterminate all of them (men, women, and children). But they, though the edict allowed (as a reversal to Haman’s decree), didn’t do that; but rather killed only those who were actively seeking their harm; any armed force that sought their harm. Now remember also that Haman sought to lay hands on their plunder; yet here the Bible emphasizes over and over again that they did not touch the plunder. It wasn’t about money; it wasn’t about vengeance. They were concerned for their very lives. And the same thing with hanging Haman’s ten sons on the gallows after they had been killed. Some see that as vindictive or vengeful. I see it as, “Hey, don’t ever touch us or your fate will be like these guys.” It was not for some barbaric purpose, but to be a deterrent against further attack. And it works. Israel prevails over their enemies and there eventually is peace. And so in a pagan land God establishes His people. And what this shows us is that God has always and will always stand with His people. Those who set themselves against His sheep He will bring down. The Enemies Fall-- Just recently I was talking with a woman who (though very kind and godly) had some people at her place of work who had set themselves against her (and against some other women of character and integrity who worked at the same establishment). And I remember praying with this woman and have been carrying her in prayer for some time, ever since she first let me know the situation. But just recently she approached me and told me that over the past several months, the most amazing thing has happened; almost ALL of those malicious people who had set themselves against her had started to drop off one by one due to various circumstances. And not only that, but her employers have begun showing her a greatly increasing amount of respect for the skill, character, and kindness that they say they see in her. There is a favor that seems to be going before and with her. And I’m telling you, God always does this kind of thing. He always stands with His faithful ones. He always brings justice in due season, even if He allows us to suffer for a while. That is why I want to encourage you today to trust in Him. Give yourself over into God’s hands and (as He did for Esther, Mordecai, and the rest of His people) He will prove Himself to be a faithful Deliverer for you. Amen. Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Esther. Now I have to share with you a story I read not long ago that made me laugh.
[The Gossiping Priest-- Four priests met for a friendly gathering. During the conversation one priest said, “Our people come to us and pour out their hearts confessing certain sins and needs. Let’s do the same. Confession is good for the soul.” In due time all agreed. One confessed he liked to go to R-rated movies and would sneak off when away from his church. The second confessed to smoking cigars, and the third one confessed to gambling. When it came to the fourth one, he wouldn’t confess. The others pressed him saying, “Come now, we confessed ours. What is your secret or vice?” Finally he answered, “It is gossiping and I can hardly wait to get out of here.”] It Takes One To Blow The Horn-- It is easy to think that our sins will never be exposed; that we can get away with the wrong things we have thought, done, or intended to do. This was certainly true in the life of Haman, who set himself against God and His people Israel. Yet it only takes one person to blow the horn. And in this story it is Esther who, because of her faithfulness to act in obedience according to the will and timing of God, brings to light the wickedness of Haman and thwarts his plans. And what we ought to learn from this is that all sin will ultimately be exposed. Numbers 32:23 (ESV)-- 23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. Job 20:27 (ESV)-- 27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. Proverbs 26:26 (ESV)-- 26 though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Ecclesiastes 12:14 (ESV)-- 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Luke 12:2 (ESV)-- 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 1 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV)-- 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. The Ashley Madison Accounts Exposed-- You will remember that a number of years ago the famous website “ashleymadison.com" (a website that was designed to promote marital unfaithfulness by encouraging married people to have an affair) was hacked; and numerous accounts were exposed. And many lives have been drastically affected by that exposure. Some even went so far as to take their own lives. They never thought that their sin would be found out. But it was. The Exposed Purposes of the Heart-- All sin will ultimately be exposed. And that last part of 1 Corinthians 4:5 is scary because it stretches beyond just outward sin into the very realm of the heart and mind. It says the Lord will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. So this brings us to the question, “Are we clean not only outwardly (like the Pharisees were), but inwardly?” Have we allowed Christ to change our hearts? Because one day our hearts and minds are going to be opened and the real depth of our Christian faith revealed. How deep did we allow Christ to touch us? Haman’s Sins-- Our sins will find us out. And Haman’s most certainly were. In the king’s eyes, he was guilty of three capital crimes. [One, he manipulated the king in planning to kill the queen’s people. Two, he was perceived to accost the queen. Three, he planned to execute a man whom the king had just greatly honored for extreme loyalty to the kingdom.] God Reverses the Attack-- And after his dark deeds have finally been revealed Haman is punished. And the very pole he set up for Mordecai to be impaled on, which towered above the city in its height to make a display of Mordecai’s corpse, he himself is impaled on. Now your translation may say that Haman was hung. But it is not what we typically think of when we think of hanging. He wasn’t hung with a noose, but on a pole. And the [Hebrew word translated “poles” literally means “tree” or “wooden object.”] And it was actually common practice during that time to impale victims on wooden stakes. And sometime it was an actual method of execution, but more often criminals were killed by other means and their bodies then impaled for public display. Now having said that, the [Persians {also} practiced crucifixion, and the punishment spoken of here might refer to that practice: impaling people alive on wooden posts and allowing them to die of exposure.] The Attack Reversed-- Now I know all of this is very graphic. But it very clearly demonstrates an important Biblical truth. And that is that God turns upon the very heads of the enemies of His people the persecution they themselves had sought to inflict. And this is the central theme we see in these closing chapters of Esther; God reverses the attack and His sovereign plan remains un-thwarted. And we will explore this more in our time together today. Go ahead and look with me at chapter 8, starting at verse 1… Esther 8:1-2 (ESV)-- 1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. 2 And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. Haman’s Estate Given to Esther-- And so with the King’s giving Mordecai that signet ring, he is giving Mordecai the very power and authority that had previously been Haman’s. And ironically, Mordecai would never have had that power had Haman not sought to destroy him to begin with. And the next turn of events is just as ironic. [Haman’s plot to destroy Mordecai leads to Mordecai’s acquiring both Haman’s position and property.] He gets control of Haman’s estate. And what is important for us to note is that it is not Mordecai who takes that vengeance. It is God who brought it about by His sovereign hand. And this is how it is with us as well. God stands with us and He will bring justice; we never have to seize it for ourselves. And similarly, it is also God who protected Mordecai. Consider that Mordecai very likely knew nothing about Haman's plot to hang him. And yet despite that, God showed Himself to be a shield for Mordecai as well. Now it was Persian custom during that time for the property of a traitor to be returned to the king. And in this case the king gives that estate over to Esther, who places Mordecai in charge of it. But for Esther, this is not enough; because her ultimate concern was not for honor; or for an estate; but for her people. Therefore it says in verse 3… Esther 8:3-7 (ESV)— 3 Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. 4 When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, 5 Esther rose and stood before the king. And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. 6 For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?” 7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he intended to lay hands on the Jews. A Counter-Decree-- Now I want to point out that the King had promised to grant Esther whatever she requested. He said, “Even up to half my kingdom, it will be given you.” And yet here we find that he is unable to grant Esther’s request; for doing so would mean rescinding the decree he had already made; something that he was not legally allowed by Medo-Persian law to do. And the reason behind this law could very likely be because revoking a previously made law would cause the king to lose face and would also undermine his authority. And so as frustrating as this is, we find that the decree of death instituted by Haman cannot be revoked by a mere word from the king. Yet although King Ahasuerus cannot revoke the first decree he has made, he can institute a counter-decree. It says in verse 8 and following... Esther 8:8 (ESV)-- 8 But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked.” Sin’s Consequences Cannot Be Rescinded-- And we will see that this is exactly what Mordecai will do; he issues a counter-decree. Now the idea that the decree of death cannot merely be taken back is very important because it reflects (in a way) the larger decree of death pronounced on all of mankind as the natural result of sin. Now we know the king’s decree was unjust here. However, God’s decree against sin and the penalty of death that is the result of that sin is not unjust. And in a similar way, God cannot simply call off His decree without compromising who He is as a just and Holy God. All Sin Will Be Punished— All sin will (and must) be punished. Now in and throughout the book of Esther, we see the effects of sin. And as we know from scripture, sin always leads to death. And the lie of sin is that you can continue in it without there being any consequences. It should be noted that the first thing Satan ever says about sin is, "You shall not surely die." The lie of sin is that we can engage in it without consequence. Yet what we must realize is that all sin must and will be punished. God’s Counter-Decree— An author I was reading just recently pointed out that: [Just as {Ahasuerus/} Xerxes king of Persia could not simply rescind the first decree of death, God, King of the universe, cannot simply rescind the decree of death pronounced in the Garden of Eden against humanity. Instead, he issues a counter-decree of life, the gospel of Jesus Christ.] Now I think he’s exactly right. The power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ lies in the fact that although God’s decree of punishment for sin cannot be undone, a counter-decree can and was made to preserve us from that death. Jesus Christ Himself became the recipient of God’s punishment. Jesus Himself was God’s counter-decree against sin and death. God’s judgement fell on Him, therefore paying for our sin and liberating us. And that salvation is available to anyone who is willing to receive and follow Christ. And if you have never done that, I encourage you to simply ask Him today to forgive your sins; and tell Him that you receive that counter-decree against the sin in your life and that you want to follow Him. And (as all of God’s people were delivered in this book) so you will be delivered also and given eternal life in Him. Choose Christ today. Amen. Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. We have reached an exciting turning point in the book of Esther. Up until our passage last week, evil has seemed to have been prevailing. Mordecai had uncovered a murder plot against the king’s life, but instead of him being rewarded, the following chapter (chapter 3) sees the rise of an evil man named Haman, who (because of Mordecai’s refusal to bow down to him) tricks the king into signing an edict to annihilate all the Jewish people in the Persian empire. Mordecai pleads with Esther to go to the king unannounced on behalf of her people, an act that could cost her her life; because it broke Persian protocol and might be seen by others as the same kind of rebellion the first Queen (Vashti) had committed all the way back in chapter 1. But Esther chooses to do this, and finds that the king receives her with favor, and agrees to come to a banquet she has prepared in order to hear her request. And she asks for Haman to be there too, to which the king agrees. So the king comes (with Haman) to Esther’s first banquet to hear her request, but Esther senses God telling her to remain silent and to not share her request at that time, which is kind of frustrating for her because there is some urgency to her request. But she chooses to follow God’s leading and to instead invite the king and Haman to a second banquet, during which she will then share her request. After that Haman has a pole erected for Mordecai on which to have him impaled as soon as he can get the king’s permission. But of course that night the king can’t sleep and so the royal records are read to him and he comes across the account of how Mordecai had saved his life from that assassination plot 5 years earlier. And so he decides to reward Mordecai, so he asks who is in the court; and of course it is Haman; Haman has come to issue his own request (to have Mordecai impaled); but the king speaks first and asks what ought to be done for the man the king delights to honor. And Haman, thinking it is him, gives him a long list of things that ought to be done for him (including exalting him publicly). And so the king tells him to go and do all these things (leaving nothing out) for Mordecai the Jew. And Haman (horrified) finds himself compelled to obey the king and ends up exalting the very man he had sought to destroy. And the text says that afterwards he went home with his face covered in grief. And so (in the midst of a lot of grief and pain) we see that God is working in an amazing; and we have already begun to see how God’s plans are unfolding and the tables are beginning to turn on the enemies of His people. Last week I read to you Deuteronomy 7:9, which reads:
Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)-- 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. But I intentionally left the following verse for today, because of how it sets the tone for our discussion. It says in verse 10… Deuteronomy 7:10 (NIV)-- 10 But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him. The Hidden Face-- Now notice that twice it says in this verse that God will repay to their face; because there is a lot of Old Testament imagery and meaning behind that phrase. You will remember that in breathing life into Adam, God gave life to Adam from His very face. When man sinned, he was cut off from the face of God. When Cain committed murder in killing his brother Abel, he says Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. When we sin, (in the Hebrew mind) our face is always affected; we are cut off from God’s face. Yet later in the Tabernacle (and even later the temple) there was kept there the bread of the presence of God. In Hebrew it was known as the Lechem Panim, which literally meant “bread of the faces”; signifying that bread for life was found as man looked into the face/faces of God. It was a promise; because in Jesus (the bread of life), who was born in a bakery (that’s what Bet-Lechem means; “house of bread”), man got to look once again into the face of God in Jesus. Now I say all this because of how Haman in our story today has just covered his face because of his having to exalt Mordecai. He races home with his face covered. There is a spiritual overtone to all of this. And his friends and family tell him he’s doomed because Mordecai is a Jew (interesting how they seem to understand that God stands with His people). And it says… Esther 6:14-7:1-- 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared. 7:1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, So Haman is ushered to Esther’s second banquet. And his heart is still racing and he’s trying to regain his composure the best he can. And so he comes in and sits down, only to experience another horrifying surprise. It says… Esther 7:2-4 (NIV)— 2 and as they were drinking wine [there's that theme of wine again] on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” 3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” Now the king suddenly becomes wild with fury. Who would dare set themselves against His queen (the woman he loved) and her people? And Haman’s eyes are growing wide as well. He begins to feel the drumbeat of his own heart. And he thinks to himself, “Surely Esther is not a Jew!” But it says… Esther 7:5-6 (NIV)— 5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?” 6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” And Haman’s jaw drops to the floor. And the king’s eyes lock onto Haman like a bulldog’s on lamb chops. And all the blood drains from Haman’s face. It says Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. And the King is beside himself with rage. He gets up and storms out. And look what it says... Esther 7:7-8a (NIV)— 7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine [there’s that wine mentioned again; something bad is about to happen] and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. 8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. And for some reason this looks to Xerxes like an assault upon the queen; probably because of how aggressively Haman is pleading for his life; I mean HE IS TERRIFIED!!! Esther 7:8b-10 (NIV)-- The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.” The king said, “Impale him on it!” 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided. God Lifting Us Up— Now I’m sure most of you have gone through times of persecution and oppression; and maybe you have wondered when and how God would deliver you. And especially we Christians in the United States have a skewed understanding of what it means to be in favor with God. We think it means prosperity and feeling close and connected with God all the time. Prosperity gospel prophets will tell us that if we are suffering in some way, then something is wrong with our relationship with God and we need to have a deeper kind of faith; because obviously our faith is not strong enough. I’m not sure why we tend to gravitate towards that heresy so easily, especially when Jesus speaks so clearly about our taking up our crosses (our emblems of suffering and shame) and following Him in His suffering. In the early church there were precious few Christians who expected anything less than pain and suffering on behalf of the Gospel. And looking back through the Old Testament, we discover that God’s faithful ones lived lives that were characterized by suffering. Think of Abraham’s and Sarah’s childlessness; think of Joseph’s imprisonment; Moses’ flight from Egypt and living in isolated seclusion for decades because of his having killed an Egyptian; or just look at the Psalms. Incredible works of poetry? Yes. But they were written (many of them) out of circumstance of intense persecution and pain. David had to deal with enemies who set themselves against him all of his life (from Goliath of Gath to Saul to even members of his own family). Those on whom God’s favor rested in a special way were those who (facing hardship) chose to rely on God in a special way. And in so doing, they found deliverance. Abraham’s wife Sarah conceived and gave birth. Joseph was freed from prison and God made him second in command over all of Egypt; God called Moses out of hiding and (in his senior years) made him His chosen leader for His people; God helped David defeat Goliath, to supersede Saul as king, and delivered him from his enemies time and time again. And so in all these accounts, we discover that the dark times were not God’s vacation days or God somehow backing off for a while. No, it was often during those times that God was working the most. And the same is true of us; if we can rely on God in the hard times, we will find ourselves joining in some of His greatest work. That is one of the key truths we discover in Scripture and is something we see demonstrated so clearly here in the book of Esther. And so I want to encourage you today (in whatever you are facing). Trust in God. If you are anchored to Him (in Christ Jesus) He will not always keep you from the dark times, but He will bring you through those dark times; and He will use those times to do mighty works both in you and through you. So let us trust in Him 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
January 2021
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