Devotions

Any Who Are Willing

by  • 

Psalm 106 reflects on the mistakes of Gods chosen people who God had asked to “observe justice” and do “righteousness at all times”. The Psalm turns to a plea in vs. 5 “that I may see the good done”, but the good is not just personal, it is also for the nation, for all of them.

This is transition time for Ezra as he readies to return to Jerusalem. His request is granted. He is being sent to bring restoration, justice, good “for the nation”. The king issues a decree “any of the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you” and he sends an offering of silver and gold. And then says, pay “the remainder of the needs … from the house of the kings treasury”. The king doesn’t leave any room for opposition. Finally, the king charges Ezra in Ezra 7:25-26 to “appoint magistrates and judges … and teach those that do not know … let judgement be executed”. Ezra closes this account saying “the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me”. 

The Mighty Deeds of Yahweh

Psalm 106:1–5
As we are working our way through the time of Ezra, in Psalm 106:1-3 we come to this recognition of the great and loving goodness of God toward “those who observe justice, he who does righteousness at all times”. This turns to a plea in Psalm 106 4-5 “remember me … show favor … look after me … that I may see the good done”. But the good is not personal, it is for the all of them, “the joy of the nation” and is very much the heart also of Paul as described here: “This little prayer beautifully relates the one to the many, refusing to lose the individual in the crowd, yet retreating into no private corner of enjoyment. We are reminded again of Paul, whose joy and crown was the prosperity of God’s chosen (e.g. Phil. 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:19; 3:8), and whose daily burden was ‘the care of all the churches’ (2 Cor. 11:28, AV)”.1

They Did Not Remember

Psalm 106:6–12
There is an accusation in Psalm 106:7 that “they did not remember” yet it is only given to bring to memory how God dealt with them. He didn’t abandon them, in Psalm 106:8-11 “he saved them … he led them … and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy”. Then we find the action that was prompted in them in

Psalm 106:12 (LEB) Then they believed his words; they sang his praise.

And we can come back to opening statement that says “we”, in Psalm 106:6 “have sinned along with our ancestors”. We followed them in sin and have come to the action for us also to take in vs. 12. Now let us follow them in praise.

They Tested God

Psalm 106:13–27
The ways they turned from God are listed in Psalm 106:13-25 they “forgot his works”, “did not wait on his counsel”, “craved”, “were jealous”, “exchanged their glory”, “forgot God their savior”, “refused the desirable land”, “did not believe his word”, “grumbled in their tents”, “did not obey the voice of Yahweh”. And in Psalm 106:26-27 “he made an oath against them”.

Many have said that the length of our life is seventy years by quoting Psalm 90:10 but they fail to connect Psalm 106:26-27 with Psalm 90:7-9 which is the length of our life as it was for them wandering in the wilderness as they tested God and stirred up his anger against them.

Psalm 90:7–10 (LEB) For we are brought to an end by your anger, and we hasten off by your wrath. 8 You have put our iniquities before you, our hidden sins into the light of your countenance. 9 For all of our days dwindle away in your rage; we complete our years like a sigh. 10 As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years or if by strength eighty years, and their pride is trouble and disaster, for it passes quickly and we fly away.

The length of life was one hundred and twenty in Genesis 6:3, were in Genesis 6:5 “Yahweh saw that the evil of humankind was great upon the earth”. Again, a statement related to evil behavior that shortened their life. So, “The hundred and twenty years could be the time of respite before the flood (cf. 1 Pet. 3:20), or the shortened average life-span now to be expected. Either of these meanings would be consonant with what follows in Genesis”.2

Or as another commentator says, “they will have 120 years to do repentance. It is not therefore that human life was contracted to 120 years”.3

What do you believe about your life? The world believes it exceptional to live to be one hundred. I don’t see this limitation anywhere in the Bible. I do see that God will satisfy you with long life in Psalm 91:16 and that “hope that is deferred makes the heart sick” in Proverbs 13:12. What do you believe about your life?

Psalm 27:13 (LEB) 13 Surely I believe that I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.

They Mingled With the Nations

Psalm 106:28–39
Rather than live with God in righteousness, they sought the ways of the world in Psalm 106:28-38 and in Psalm 106:39 “became unclean by their works”. It wasn’t just that they thought to separate from God. They “mingled with the nations” and “sacrificed their sons and daughters to the demons”.

He Remembered His Covenant

Psalm 106:40–48
In Psalm 106 :46 it says “he let them find compassion before all their captors” as we have read in Daniel and Ezra, and Esther. And now in Psalm 106:47 they cry out “Save us”, “gather us”. This might have been the cry of those in Ezra’s day who are now ready to return to Jerusalem.

After These Things

Ezra 7:1–10
There often are things that must occur before God’s plan unfolds. And after these things in Ezra 7:1, Ezra secured permission from the king in Ezra 7:6 to go to Jerusalem and take these others with him. It was a four month journey but this was Ezra’s life, purpose, mission in

Ezra 7:10 (LEB) 10 For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, to do it, and to teach the regulations and judgments in Israel.

 

Any … Who Are Willing

Ezra 7:11–17
Here is the decree of the king, not the first king Cyrus’s decree or the second king Darius’s decree, but the third king, Artaxerxes who said in

Ezra 7:13–14 (LEB) I issue forth a decree that any of the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you. 14 For you are sent from the king and his seven counselors to enquire about Judah and Jerusalem concerning the law of your God, which is in your hand.

And Artaxerxes also sends this delegation with, in Ezra 7:15-17 “silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely offered” and from “the whole province of Babylonia, with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests”. 

All That is Commanded by the God of Heaven

Ezra 7:18–28
The king then goes on in Ezra 7:20 to say “the remainder of the needs … from the house of the kings treasury”. Then in Ezra 7:21 “to all the treasurers … whatever the priest Ezra asks (up to a very generous limit)”. And in Ezra 7:23 “let it be done with diligence”, don’t drag you feet or impede this work in any way. And in Ezra 7:24 do not “place tax, tribute, or duty”. The king understands the ways people get around what was commanded and doesn’t leave any room for the treasurers of the region to reclaim what they are told to freely give. Finally, the king charges Ezra in Ezra 7:25-26 to “appoint magistrates and judges … and teach those that do not know … (and) all who do not obey …let judgement be executed”. Then Ezra closes this chapter with a personal note in Ezra 7:27-28 “the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me”.

The Heads of Their Families

Ezra 8:1–14
This is the record of those that willingly prepared themselves to return with Ezra.

The Sons of Levi

Ezra 8:15–20
As the whole delegation gathers in preparation in Ezra 8:15 “I (Ezra) found no one there from the sons of Levi”. Ezra 8:17 “suggest that Iddo occupied a top administrative position within a Judean temple enclave in Babylon, a social structure commonly found within Achamenid Babylon”.4

And there is a positive response with a solid leader and nineteen other qualified as priests in Ezra 8:18-19 and two-hundred and twenty, in Ezra 8:20 “temple servants … all of them were registered by name”.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Psalm 106:1-48
  • Ezra 7:1-28
  • Ezra 8:1-20

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Return to Israel – Ezra

We often read one book of the Bible at a time and that is easier for everyone to follow. The order of our readings, beginning with Ezra, are from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible because the return from Babylonian exile includes Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Esther, a few Psalms, and other connections. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much better context and helps us understand the move of God as He is reestablishing His people. Review the whole series beginning with Go Up To Jerusalem.

References

  • 1. Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 2. Kidner, D. (1967). Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 1, p. 90). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 3. Louth, A., & Conti, M. (Eds.). (2001). Genesis 1–11 (p. 125). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 4. Wright, J. W. (1992). Iddo (Person). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 3, p. 376). New York: Doubleday.
Devotions

What Is Your Petition

by  • 

A decree has gone out from the king to all of the Persian empire, in Esther 3:13 “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, on one day, the thirteenth day of the month, that is Adar, and to plunder their goods”. After three days of fasting, Esther invites the king, and her enemy Haman to a banquet she has prepared for them. Esther finally has the ear of the king and she says “let my life be given to me … and my people”. The king finally understands, Esther is a Jew and he has been manipulated by Haman. Haman is hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai and Mordecai takes his place next to the king. But the Jews are still under a decree of annihilation. With the kings authority, Mordecai sends another decree to the Jews, “Assemble and defend your lives”. Those that were enemies of the Jews are killed and what was to be the day of their death, God turns to become the annual time of feasting and celebration called Purim. 

What Is Your Petition

Esther 7:1–6
Esther, Mordecai, and all of the Jews have fasted and prayed for three days. Esther has prepared a banquet for the King and Haman, interrupting all of the business of the kingdom. Now, they enjoy their meal, they enjoy their wine, and the king asks, in Esther 7:2 “What is your petition, Queen Esther?” then adds, “It will be given to you. What is your request? It will be given to you—even half the kingdom”. Esther finally has the ear of the king and answers, in Esther 7:3-4 “let my life be given to me at my petition and my people at my request; 4 I and my people have been sold to be destroyed and killed, to be annihilated. If we had been sold as male and female slaves I would have kept quiet, because this is not a need sufficient to trouble the king”. The king hasn’t connected Esther or her people to the decree against the Jews so he asks in shock in Esther 7:5 “Who is he, and where is he, who gave himself the right to do this?” She answers straight out in Esther 7:6 “The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman! … And Haman was terrified.”

Esther gives us a great example of how we should handle opposition. She invites the right audience, creates the right environment, and waits for the right time before she raises the issue that needs resolution. Haman had quietly manipulated the king using concerns about insurrection to get a decree to kill and annihilate the Jews. Esther is very careful not to raise any public accusation against Haman. She does though, make sure that Haman is there when she explains to the king what Haman has done. Haman is exposed, and without defense.

The King Rose in Anger

Esther 7:7–10
Haman knows the king well and has seen him react this way before, in Esther 7:7 “the king rose in his anger … and went to the palace garden”. For them, “Even the sudden rising of the king in anger was the same as if he had pronounced sentence”.1

And Haman was still there in Esther 7:8 “the king returned … and, the king said ‘Will he also molest the queen with me in the house?'”. For the Persians, “Etiquette with regard to the harem was so strict … Haman was going too far, and by falling on the couch he set the seal on his execution”.2

And, in Esther 7:8 “As the words went from the king’s mouth they covered Haman’s face”. This was their custom because they believed “a criminal is unworthy any longer to look on the face of the king, and hence, when malefactors are consigned to their doom in Persia, the first thing is to cover the face with a veil”.3

We also recognize here that when the king went to the palace garden, it wasn’t just to walk off his anger, Haman knew he was going to get his guard and in Esther 7:9-10 “they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai”.

The House of Haman

Esther 8:1–8
Haman, the instigator of the opposition to the Jews, was dead, and in Esther 8:1-2 the king “gave Queen Esther the house of Haman … (and) his signet ring that he had taken away from Haman, and he gave it to Mordecai. So Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman”.4

Esther and Mordecai are now set for life, with wealth, position, and favor with the king. But the decree to kill the Jews still stands so in Esther 8:3-6 “Esther again spoke before the king (again risking her life because she had not been summoned to speak) … and the king held out the sceptre … and she said … how can I bear to look on the disaster that will find my people”. And, the king replied, in

Esther 8:8 (LEB) Write ⌊as you see fit⌋ concerning the Jews in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be revoked.”

The king could not undo the edict to kill the Jews so he gave them liberty to write whatever they thought would counter it. 

Assemble and Defend Your Lives

Esther 8:9–17
Haman was dead, but his decree of death for the Jews had gone to all of the empire. Carrying the kings signet ring, Mordecai sends out another decree in Esther 8:9-14 “the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and defend their lives, to destroy and kill and annihilate any army of any people or province attacking them, including women and children, and to plunder their spoil, 12 in one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar” which was the day decreed for destruction of the Jews. And, in Esther 8:15-17 “wherever the king’s edict and his law came, there was gladness and joy for the Jews” their celebration was a little premature because they still needed to defend their lives, but they knew they could. But there is one more note, “and many of the people from the country were posing as Jews because the fear of the Jews had fallen on them”. We sometimes forget how fickle public opinion can be. There are many people that are not motivated by their beliefs but like these, act out of fear. For these, there is no loyalty, no moral compass, there is only what is currently politically correct.

The Enemies of the Jews

Esther 9:1–10
These enemies of the Jews were living alongside them and quietly looking for an opportunity too destroy them. And even now, in Esther 9:2 “the Jews gathered in their cities … to strike against those who sought their destruction”, not to maraud through the country routing out every Jewish man woman and child as Haman had decreed. The Jews were defending against attackers, protecting themselves and their families so in Esther 9:6 “killed five hundred men”, not families, not women, not children.

They Did Not Touch the Plunder

Esther 9:11–19
In the original decree from Haman, they were to annihilate the Jews, and take the plunder. This invoked, not just those that were against the Jews, but every greedy mercenary minded person that wanted to take the land, or home, or business of a Jew for themselves. When Mordecai wrote the decree for defense by the Jews, he also said, in Esther 8:11 “and to plunder their spoil”. But the Jews did not touch anything that belonged to their enemies. It was bad enough that their were widows and orphans left in the wake of this genocide. How could they also dispossess them of everything? 

A Day of Feasting and Joy

Esther 9:20–25
What was meant as the day of destruction for the Jews became a day of deliverance, a day to remember. In Esther 9:20-25 Mordecai wrote the story and distributed it to the Jews throughout the empire. Mordecai asked them to remember this day every year when, in

Esther 9:24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and he had cast pur, that is the lot, to rout them out and destroy them. 25 But when it came to the attention of the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plot that he had devised against the Jews should return on his head, and they hung him and his sons on the gallows.

Casting lots is unfamiliar for most in our day, but it was common for them “in order to find the most propitious day to cast lots so that he would be sure to succeed, links the derivation of Purim with the word pûr … The lot was used in Assyria for choosing annual eponym officials, dividing property and in divination, and the practice lived on in the eastern part of the empire in Persian times.5

This casting of lots makes this day of feasting and celebration different than the Jewish feasts that were set by God’s command. And it is the deliverance that God gave the Jews against the schemes of man that makes it so important to remember.

Days of Purim

Esther 9:26–32
The Jews adopted Purim in response to Mordecai’s letter and to celebrate God’s deliverance, in

Esther 9:27–28 (LEB) 27 the Jews established and adopted it for themselves and for their offspring, and for all who joined them. They did not neglect to observe these two days every year as it was written and appointed to them. 28 These days are to be remembered and are to be kept in every generation, and in family, province, and city; and these days of Purim are not to be neglected among the Jews, and their memory shall not come to an end among their offspring.

There is also a reminder of how this all happend in Esther 9:31, they accepted “these days of Purim (feast and joy and celebration and giving of gifts) … just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had impose … regulations of the fast and their lament”. Sometimes there is intercession before the joy of overcoming.

He Sought Good for His People

Esther 10:1–3
In Esther 10:3 “Mordecai the Jew was second-in-command to King Ahasuerus” and he certainly was a great man. But his greatness was that “he sought good for his people, interceding for the welfare of all his descendants”.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Esther 7:1-10
  • Esther 8:1-17
  • Esther 9:1-32
  • Esther 10:1-3

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Return to Israel – Ezra

We often read one book of the Bible at a time and that is easier for everyone to follow. The order of our readings, beginning with Ezra, are from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible because the return from Babylonian exile includes Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Esther, a few Psalms, and other connections. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much better context and helps us understand the move of God as He is reestablishing His people. Review the whole series beginning with Go Up To Jerusalem.

References

  • 1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 306). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 2. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Es 7:8). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 3. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 306). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 4. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Es 8:1–2). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 5. Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, p. 108). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Devotions

Go To The King

by  • 

Mordecai and Esther are not in the kings inner circle. Haman has the ear of the king and convinces the king that these Jews “do not observe the laws of the king” and a decree is issued to “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, on one day”. The decree was issued before anyone knew it was coming. Mordecai is distraught and tells Esther she must go to the king for her people but no one knows she is a Jew. She says she has not been called, but they agree to fast for three days and then she will approach the king. When she does, she finds favor, and the king receives her. Esther invites the king and Haman to a banquet and they agree to come again the next day. God is at work, Haman goes home to celebrate his favor with the king and orders a gallows to hang Mordecai. That same night, the king cannot sleep and finds Mordecai’s name in the daily records and decides to honor him. In the morning, Haman is charged to parade Mordecai through the city honoring him for the king and the eunuch’s arrive to escort Haman to Esthers banquet.

All of the King’s Servants Were Bowing Down

Esther 3:1–9
Chapter 3 begins with “‘After these things’, that is, after Esther became queen in the seventh year of the reign (2:16) and before the twelfth year (3:7), Haman was exalted to a position second only to the king”.1

Some years had gone by and Mordecai’s good deed for the King is forgotten. Now in Esther 3:1 we find Haman “The Agagite is reminiscent of 1 Samuel 15, where Saul is reprimanded for sparing King Agag, leader of the Amalekites against whom he was fighting. There had been enmity between Israel and Amalek since Amalek attacked at Rephidim (Ex. 17:8–16; cf. Dt. 25:17–19; 1 Ch. 4:43), before the Israelites reached Sinai”.2

And it does seem that there was animosity between Haman and Mordecai. It may have been the result of their history or it may have been Mordecai’s revulsion to the pride-fulness and arrogance of Haman. Whatever the reason, Mordecai would not bow, in Esther 3:4 “day after day, but he did not listen to them”. And in Esther 3:5 Haman “was filled with wrath” but waited for an opportune time and then spoke a decree into the kings ear. In Esther 3:9-10 Haman said, “their laws are different … destroy them … and I will pay”.

A Decree Was Issued

Esther 3:10–15
The king gives Haman his signet ring, full authorization to handle this task, in Esther 3:13 “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, on one day, the thirteenth day of the month, that is Adar, and to plunder their goods”. Then in

Esther 3:14 (LEB) A copy of the edict was presented as law in every province making it known to all the people to be ready for that day.

They were to learn who the Jews were, prepare their weapons, and plan their ambush for every Jew and all of their family. And as the messengers went out, in Esther 3:15 “The king and Haman sat down to drink; and the city of Susa was bewildered”

By our way of thinking, and the Jewish law, the wrong doer was punished. In this culture it was common for them to punish also the family and descendants who they assumed were involved in any plot or scheme and were also guilty. It was not uncommon for the Persians to destroy their opposition. For example, “In 522 BC, at the time of King Cambyses’ death, Smerdis the Magus usurped the throne. When he was put to death in a conspiracy, every Persian in the capital took up his weapons and killed every Magus he could find”.3 

Go To The King

Esther 4:1–8
Mordecai had a position at the gate as an official in the kingdom, but he was not in the kings inner circle. All of this plot was carried out behind closed doors and no one knew until after the edict had been signed and the messengers had been sent. Mordecai was distraught as were all the Jews across the empire as we see in Esther 4:1-3. Esther was also outside the kings inner circle as this was easily five years after she had become queen (see Esther 2:16, 3:7). As Esther inquires about Mordecai’s distress, she learns of the edict in Esther 4:4-8 and is asked to “make supplication to him (the king) … for her people”. Yet, she has not revealed her heritage to anyone. Even the king does not know she is a Jew. 

I Have Not Been Called

Esther 4:9–17
Esther explains to Mordecai in Esther 411 that only the king can summon her and he has not called her for more than thirty days. There is a death penalty for anyone that approaches the king without being called. Only the king can stay that execution by extending his sceptre, which is for him to acknowledge and call them. Mordecai responds in Esther 4:13-14 that her position as queen will not spare her life. Mordecai knew the Persian mind and culture. What the king decrees is done absolutely and with vigor by all of his subjects. Esther asks Modecai and “all the Jews that are found in Susa” to fast for three days and “then I will go to the king”.

I have heard some good Christian people say, we live in the new covenant, so stay in the new testament. But here is a great lesson we can learn from the old testament. When you face opposition, an insurmountable problem, something bigger than you, or something others are doing to you, fast and pray. And then act on what God has put in front of you to do. Then as she says in Esther 4:17 “if I perish, I perish”. 

She Found Favor

Esther 5:1–6
Esther prepared herself, first by fasting and praying for three days, but now in Esther 5:1 she “put on royal robes” and stood “in the inner courtyard of the king’s palace” where the king could see her. It seems a small thing to us that she entered the courtyard, but this was a transgression. She had her place as the queen and he had his place as the king. And his place was “in the midst of their guards and counsellors, are the bashaws, kadis, and other great officers, accustomed to distribute justice, and transact the public affairs of the provinces [SHAW, Travels]. In such a situation the Persian king was seated”.4 Anyone entering without invitation interrupted the business of the day, the kings business and the needs of the empire. This was not proper, not allowed, and punished harshly.

The king, in Esther 5:2 extends his sceptre, and she approaches. The king asks, what is your request in Esther 5:3 then she invites the king and Haman to a banquet in Esther 5:4 saying “let the king and Haman come today”. She has already interrupted the business of the day, now she says, drop everything and come with me now and as it said in vs. 2 “she found favor in his eyes”. Esther holds back her request as the king and Haman are drinking wine and getting comfortable.

Come to the Banquet

Esther 5:7–14
Esther holds her petition and in Esther 5:7-8 invites the king and Haman back for a banquet the following day and they agree.

What Is To Be Done For Honor

Esther 6:1–6

The Man Whom the King Wishes To Honor

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Esther 3:1-15
  • Esther 4:1-17
  • Esther 5:1-14
  • Esther 6:1-14

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Return to Israel – Ezra

We often read one book of the Bible at a time and that is easier for everyone to follow. The order of our readings, beginning with Ezra, are from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible because the return from Babylonian exile includes Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Esther, a few Psalms, and other connections. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much better context and helps us understand the move of God as He is reestablishing His people. Review the whole series beginning with Go Up To Jerusalem.

References

  • 1. Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, p. 71). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 2. Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, pp. 71–72). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 3. Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, p. 74). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 4. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 305). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Devotions

At the Gate of the King

by  • 

As we move forward past the time of the exile and after the rebuilding and dedication of the temple, we find those that stayed behind in Babylon, now the Persian empire. Cyrus had offered for all to return in Ezra 1:2 “to build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah” and in Ezra 1:5 “all whose spirit God had stirred” did go but some remained behind. Nehemiah and building the wall around Jerusalem is still ahead. But now, there is danger for the exiles that stayed behind. These first chapters of Esther simply introduce the greatness of the empire and the internal threats of losing face through Queen Vashti’s refusal and the plot to kill the king. But God has raised Esther to be Queen and Mordecai an official at the city gate.

He Gave A Banquet

Esther 1:1–9
The Persian Empire in Esther 1:1 near its height “over one hundred and twenty provinces”. The King, “Ahasuerus was Xerxes, the son of Darius I … Apart from Esther, this Ahasuerus is mentioned only in Ezra 4:6 in relation to an accusation which was lodged against the Jews in his reign”.1

Banquet is hardly the word, as described in Esther 1:3-9 it lasted one hundred and eighty days, included all of the leaders and concluded with a seven day banquet “in the courtyard of the kings palace garden”.

Bring Queen Vashti

Esther 1:10–17
On the last day in Esther 1:10 “the heart of the king was merry with wine” the king sent the eunuchs to bring the queen before all of the people. But in Esther 1:12 “Queen Vashti refused to come”. The king was angry. This whole show was to demonstrate the kings wealth and power, his dominion over the empire, yet his wife refused him publicly. So, the king in Esther 1:13-17 asked the wise men, “according to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti” because she refused the king. These “persons named in Es 1:14 were the “seven counsellors” (compare Ezr 7:14) who formed the state ministry. The combined wisdom of all, it seems, was enlisted to consult with the king what course should be taken after so unprecedented an occurrence as Vashti’s disobedience of the royal summons. It is scarcely possible for us to imagine the astonishment produced by such a refusal in a country and a court where the will of the sovereign was absolute”.2 

Every Man Should be the Master of His House

Esther 1:18–22
The kings advisor said in Esther 1:19-20 “let a royal edict go out from him, … that Vashti cannot come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to her neighbor who is better than she”.

Esther 1:22 (LEB) And he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province according to its own script, and to every people in their own language, that every man should be the master of his house and who speaks in the language of his people.

We can’t agree with the action of setting aside his wife, but we can see one of the most powerful men in that time struggling to cover his vulnerability as a leader “King Ahasuerus at the beginning … is the world’s greatest monarch, rich and powerful, aloof yet generous, and that same king by the end of the chapter, (is) attempting to maintain his dignity despite the defiance of his wife”.3

Pleasing in the King’s Eyes

Esther 2:1–9
The king may have regretted his action in Esther 2:1 but it was done and there was no changing the decree of the king. so, in Esther 2:3-4 they began to gather the young women and prepare them for presentation to the king. Mordecai, in Esther 2:5-7 an exile as Daniel and others were, was raising his uncles daughter whose parents had died. And in Esther 2:8-9 Esther was taken into the harem and “she won favor”. 

Favor in the Eyes of Everyone

Esther 2:10–18
In Esther 2:10 “Esther did not disclose her people” and for one year she was in preparation as it says in Esther 2:12-15. Then her time came in Esther 2:16-18 “and the king loved Esther more than all the women … so he put a royal crown on her head and made her queen”. 

At the Gate of the King

Esther 2:19–23
In Esther 2:21 “Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king”. It isn’t clear if Mordecai previously had a position or came to this position because of his relationship with Esther, but it is likely he was an appointed official. This would have been common “throughout the ancient Near East, ‘the gate’ was the area where justice was dispensed, and that, while the litigant stood, the king or his appointed official ‘sat’ (cf. Pr. 31:23, RSV)”.4

Mordecai hears a plot against the king in Esther 2:21 and tells Esther in vs. 22. The two conspirators are hanged and the incident is recorded in “the scroll of the events of the days” in Esther 2:23.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Esther 1:1-22
  • Esther 2:1-23

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Return to Israel – Ezra

We often read one book of the Bible at a time and that is easier for everyone to follow. The order of our readings, beginning with Ezra, are from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible because the return from Babylonian exile includes Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Esther, a few Psalms, and other connections. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much better context and helps us understand the move of God as He is reestablishing His people. Review the whole series beginning with Go Up To Jerusalem.

References

  • 1. Yamauchi, E. M. (1992). Ahasuerus (Person). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 1, p. 105). New York: Doubleday.
  • 2. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 3. Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, p. 63). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 4. Baldwin, J. G. (1984). Esther: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 12, p. 70). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Devotions

I Will Bring Them Back

by  • 

These last prophecies from Zechariah describe the end times. It is a hard message to read, but how much harder for sin to continue unchecked. The Lord will bring his people back (Zechariah 10:6-12) but it is in preparation for the fall of humankind. This fall is because of the failure of shepherds who sell the flock for gain to those who devour the flock. The Lord says he will remove three shepherds which I understand to be prophets, priests, and kings. The prophet who speaks God’s word. The priests who are to lead us to righteousness. The Kings who represent fair and just government. Then he says he will break the staff, the instrument used by the shepherd to guide the sheep, he will break the staff of kindness which we might call civility, the social contract of fair treatment will be broken “and they will devastate the land”. Zechariah ends with all nations coming against Judah and Jerusalem and Jesus Christ reveals himself to “the house of David and … the inhabitants of Jerusalem” then steps on the Mount of Olives and takes his place as King of all the earth.

Ask Rain From Yahweh

Zechariah 10:1–5
There is a time of judgement coming. God had told them that He would provide Prophets that would speak for Him. And He was able to speak to people directly through dreams and visions as He did to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2. Now though, the people had fallen away from their connection with God substituting idols, and diviners, and dreamers. During this time “Teraphim were household gods (Gen. 31:19), used in the Judges’ period for divination (Judg. 17:5; 18:5), condemned by the time of Saul (1 Sam. 15:23), but still in use in the eighth century (Hos. 3:4). Diviners interpreted omens as a means of foretelling the future, but in Israel they were banned, together with a whole list of dubious practitioners, whom the prophets were to replace (Deut. 18:10ff.)”.1

God says in Zechariah 10:2-3 “the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted because there is no shepherd. 3 My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders”.

He also says in Zechariah 10:3-5 “Yahweh of hosts watches over his flock, the house of Judah; and he will make them (Judah) like his majestic horse in war … And they will be like warriors”.

I Will Bring Them Back

Zechariah 10:6–12
To the house of Judah, the Lord says: I will strengthen, I will save, I will bring them back, I will answer them, I will whistle to them and gather them.

Zechariah 10:10 (LEB) And I will bring them back from the land of Egypt, and from Assyria I will gather them. To the land of Gilead and Lebanon I will bring them, until no room will be found for them there.

Though some returned from Babylon, is still to be fulfilled “The distinct mention of both Judah and Israel shows that there is yet a more complete restoration than that from Babylon, when Judah alone and a few Israelites from the other tribes returned”.2 

Shepherd the Flock Doomed to Slaughter

Zechariah 11:1–8
There was great abundance, beauty, provision, and this area was known “The agricultural abundance of the Beqaʿ is mentioned in Ps 72:16, where hope is expressed that the reign of a good king will cause crops to flourish like those of Lebanon”.3

but it is destroyed. This marks the end of civility. The shepherds have given up their flocks for gain to those that will devour them. And humankind falls as it says in

Zechariah 11:6 (LEB) For I will no longer have compassion on the inhabitants of the land,” declares Yahweh. “Look, I am going to cause humankind to fall, each into the hand of his neighbor, and into the hand of his king; and they will devastate the land, and I will not deliver anyone from their hand.”

Then in Zechariah 11:8 the Lord “got rid of three shepherds in one month”, as described in one commentary, “Messiah, the Antitype, was at once prophet, priest, and king, so He by the destruction of the Jewish polity destroyed these three orders for the unbelief of both the rulers and people [MOORE]. If they had accepted Messiah, they would have had all three combined in Him, and would have been themselves spiritually prophets, priests, and kings to God”.4 

Thirty Silver Shekels

Zechariah 11:9–17
God is lifting his hand as shepherd in Zechariah 11:9. And in

Zechariah 11:10 And I took my staff Kindness and broke it, to break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples.

We must understand that “A “covenant” is an agreement enacted between two parties in which one or both make promises under oath to perform or refrain from certain actions stipulated in advance”.5

Did you ever wonder why even unsaved people can be kind? God is talking about a shepherds staff, used to correct and bring the strays back into the fold. The context here is all of humankind. There has been a covenant, a work spoken by God that is over all humankind, kindness. Which is also defined as “the concept of that which is acceptable and favorable to one”.6 But a covenant is enacted between two. It is not just God being kind to us, it is also us willing to be kind to each other.

Here, Zechariah makes a reference to the thirty pieces of silver paid for the betrayal of Jesus. Zechariah was a prophet, and this is a prophetic word written some four hundred years before the event. But God knew Jesus would be rejected, betrayed, sold for money.

Now, another staff is broken in

Zechariah 11:14 Then I broke my second staff Unity to break the family ties between Judah and Israel.

David, and his descendants were of the tribe of Judah, “The ten northern tribes of Israel who rejected the rule of Solomon’s successor Rehoboam and formed a separate kingdom under Jeroboam son of Nebat around 922 BC. This kingdom was known as Israel (and Ephraim in some poetic literature) while the southern kingdom was known as Judah. The northern kingdom was conquered and absorbed by the Assyrians in 722 BC”.7

God is separating the foolish leaders, the foolish shepherds, “The foolish shepherd is a priest who does not counsel his flock with the knowledge of spiritual perfection. Christ the true shepherd brings the entire people of God—flock (laity) and shepherds (clergy)—spotless before God (GREGORY OF NAZIANZUS)”8

It is difficult for us to understand the guiding principle for civility that is represented here. For us, for me as Western born United States citizen, this statement is true, “covenant-based relationships in the West have become almost obsolete, the fragile institution of marriage remaining the most noteworthy vestige of such relationships. Thus, one legitimate issue in the study of biblical covenant must be the extent to which modern and Western students of the Bible can conceive and imagine relationships built upon little more than promises reliably made and honorably kept”.9

Nations in the Siege Against Judah and Jerusalem

Zechariah 12:1–7
Again in Zechariah 12:1 the context is humankind and this is still unfulfilled prophecy of the end times. Judah will stand as defender of Jerusalem as all nations come to fight.

Zechariah 12:2–3 (LEB) ‘Look, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling for all the surrounding nations; it will also be against Judah in the siege against Jerusalem. 3 And then on that day I will make Jerusalem a stone weight for all the peoples. All those lifting it up will grievously hurt themselves, and all the nations of the earth will assemble against it.

And in Zechariah 12:7 “Judah first” because Jesus, Revelation 5:5 “the lion of the tribe of Judah”, will have the preeminence. 

Yahweh Will Shield Inhabitants of Jerusalem

Zechariah 12:8–14
As all nations seek to destroy Jerusalem, in Zechariah 12:8-9 “Yahweh will put a shield around the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and … will seek to destroy all the nations coming against Jerusalem”. And it is on this day, the veil will be lifted and they will see Jesus Christ, their Messiah and it will be a grievous day of mourning as it says in

Zechariah 12:10 (LEB) “ ‘I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, and they will look to me whom they pierced, and they shall mourn over him, as one wails over an only child, and they will grieve bitterly over him as one grieves bitterly over a firstborn.

2 Corinthians 3:14–16 (LEB) But their minds were hardened. For until this very day, the same veil remains upon the reading of the old covenant, not being uncovered, because it is done away with in Christ. 15 But until today, whenever Moses is read aloud, a veil lies upon their heart, 16 but whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

A Well Will Be Opened

Zechariah 13:1–9
“On that day” as it says in Zechariah 13:1, the day they recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah, the way will be open “to cleanse them from sin and from impurity”. And “the remaining third” in Zechariah 13:9 “will say, ‘Yahweh is my God'”.

Yahweh my God Will Come

Zechariah 14:1–11
Jerusalem will be captured in Zechariah 14:2. Then Jesus Christ will stand on the Mount of Olives and in Zechariah 14:4 it will “split in half”. From then on, in Zechariah 14:8 “living waters will flow out from Jerusalem and in Zechariah 14:9 “Yahweh will be king over all the earth”.

Worship the King, Yahweh of Hosts

Zechariah 14:12–21
The armies that come against Jerusalem will be destroyed by plague, in Zechariah 14:12-13,15 and “great panic … the hand of the one will be raised against the hand of another”.

Zechariah 14:16 (LEB) And then every survivor from all those nations coming against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the king, Yahweh of hosts, and celebrate the Feast of Booths.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Zechariah 10:1-12
  • Zechariah 11:1-17
  • Zechariah 12:1-14
  • Zechariah 13:1-9
  • Zechariah 14:1-21

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Return to Israel – Ezra

We often read one book of the Bible at a time and that is easier for everyone to follow. The order of our readings, beginning with Ezra, are from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible because the return from Babylonian exile includes Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Esther, a few Psalms, and other connections. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much better context and helps us understand the move of God as He is reestablishing His people. Review the whole series beginning with Go Up To Jerusalem.

References

  • 1. Baldwin, J. G. (1972). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 28, p. 184). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 2. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 729). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 3. Smith, R. H. (1992). Lebanon. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 4, p. 269). New York: Doubleday.
  • 4. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 731). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 5. Mendenhall, G. E., & Herion, G. A. (1992). Covenant. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 1, p. 1179). New York: Doubleday.
  • 6. Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 7. Mangum, D. (2014). The Lexham Glossary of Theology. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 8. Ferreiro, A. (Ed.). (2003). The Twelve Prophets. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 9. Mendenhall, G. E., & Herion, G. A. (1992). Covenant. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 1, p. 1179). New York: Doubleday.
Devotions

Your King Comes

by  • 

Praise rings out at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. There is joy in the people as they experience the fulfillment of God’s promise to them. They observed the Passover and celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Then we hear the final prophecies from Zechariah. Their land has been the pathway for armies back and forth with them caught in the middle. God says, “No Oppressor Will Cross Through Them Again” and we are looking forward to the fulfillment of this. Then God says, through Zechariah, “Look! Your king comes to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, the foal of a female donkey!” which was fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem.

Sing to Yahweh a New Song

Psalm 149:1–9
Let His praise ring out from the assembly of His people. Be glad in our maker. Rejoice in our King. Dance, sing, make a joyful noise of celebration.

Psalm 149:4 (LEB) For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people; he glorifies the afflicted with salvation.

And now, we join together two things we don’t expect in our modern age gospel. From singing, they go in Psalm 149:6 to “the extolling (praise enthusiastically) of God” and in Psalm 149:9 “the judgment that is decreed” with a sword in hand.

Psalm 149:6–7 (LEB) Let the extolling of God be in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand, 7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,

There is a day of God’s judgment. We just celebrated Passover and are reading Ezra 6:19-22. It is a reminder of the day the angel of death passed over the houses of the children of Israel that were covered by the blood.

Praise God in His Sanctuary

Psalm 150:1–6
Wherever you are, praise the Lord. Remember His greatness and “his mighty deeds”. Praise Him with every instrument. And most of all

Psalm 150:6 (LEB) Every breathing thing, let it praise Yah. Praise Yah.

 

The Passover Feast – The Passover Sacrifice

Ezra 6:19–22
The priests and Levites prepared in Ezra 6:20 “the priests and Levites together had consecrated themselves; all of them were clean”. And because they were under the Law of Moses, “they slaughtered the Passover sacrifice for all of the returned exiles, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves”. (note the law is fulfilled as shown in Hebrews 4:12–5:10 the final offering for sin has been made Hebrews 6:13–10:25 our great high priest Jesus Christ has taken His place) Then in

Ezra 6:21 (LEB) The Israelites who returned from the exile and all those who separated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the earth to seek Yahweh the God of Israel, ate.

And in Ezra 6:22 “With joy they celebrated the festival of unleavened bread for seven days” (see Leviticus 23:5–8). 

No Oppressor Will Cross Through Them Again

Zechariah 9:1–8
Israel has been the highway that armies have crossed. God set them as a sign post of righteousness for all to see. There is coming a time when they will no longer be the highway for war, but when God himself will reign as it says in

Ezra 6:8 “But I will encamp at my temple like a guard, against those crossing through and returning; no oppressor will cross through them again for now I have seen with my own eyes”.

 

Your King Comes

Zechariah 9:9–13
This was fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem as recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19. Jesus is coming to bring peace in Zechariah 9:9 “Look! Your king comes to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, the foal of a female donkey!”

This prophecy presents the reaction of the people when the Lord comes “A similar call to exult in Zephaniah 3:14 is linked with a proclamation of the presence of ‘the King of Israel, the Lord’ (3:15) in the city. In Zechariah 2:10 there is a call to sing and rejoice because the Lord has promised to come to reside in Jerusalem, and now his arrival is to be accompanied with wild joy.”1

Riding on a donkey is significant and represents his mission of peace. There was “prophetic scorn of trust in war-horses (verse 10, cf. Isa. 2:7; 31:1; Mic. 5:10; Hag. 2:22) may have favoured the use of asses in Israel. The ass was an appropriate mount for one who came on a mission of peace”.2

Yahweh Their God Will Save Them

Zechariah 9:14–17
The Lord will appear. The Lord will defend. The Lord will save. In Zechariah 9:17 “For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!”. But he will not just appear, he will appear “like lightning” and “will blow the trumpet”, and “shall go out in the storm winds of the south”.

“The prophet is expressing in vivid metaphor the exuberant abandon of a victorious Israel. They shall devour and tread down the slingers, better ‘slingstones’ as in the Hebrew (RSV mg.). The verb devour (Heb. ʾākal) is the common word ‘to eat’, and so the sense can equally well be, ‘They shall eat’—the victory banquet”.3

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Psalm 149:1-9
  • Psalm 150:1-6
  • Ezra 6:19-22
  • Zechariah 9:1-17

JESUS ’16

Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit. Listen to the message beginning at 30 minutes.
JESUS ’16

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

Return to Israel – Ezra

We often read one book of the Bible at a time and that is easier for everyone to follow. The order of our readings, beginning with Ezra, are from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible because the return from Babylonian exile includes Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Esther, a few Psalms, and other connections. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much better context and helps us understand the move of God as He is reestablishing His people. Review the whole series beginning with Go Up To Jerusalem.

References

  • 1. Baldwin, J. G. (1972). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 28, p. 177). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 2. Baldwin, J. G. (1972). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 28, p. 179). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 3. Baldwin, J. G. (1972). Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 28, pp. 182–183). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.