Tag: feast of purim

Hadassah (continued)

“When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry. . .” Esther 4:1 KJV

“. . .and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law–to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:7-14 ESV

Okay, so undoing Mordecai’s disobedience of the king, his not reverencing Haman, is now the responsibility of Hadassah? Oh, that’s right, we are not considering Mordecai to have disobeyed, but to simply have obeyed G-d. So it is G-d that has made a mess that Hadassah must risk her life to turn around, right? Why? Why ever would G-d cause a situation in which His own people would be put into harm’s way? As I see it, G-d’s people were already in harm’s way. And it was just a matter of time that something else would have triggered a massacre of His people. G-d foresaw it coming, prepared people in the right places. Look at what Mordecai tells Hadassah: “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

G-d is wise. We try. One thing I notice throughout the Bible is that G-d has the end in sight. He has a plan. And as rough as it is for me to take, G-d allows suffering if it produces what is necessary for G-d’s plan to succeed, for G-d to succeed. For if G-d succeeds, we succeed. He is our Victory. His Victory, is our victory. It can be no other way. We are too short-sighted. We haven’t the end in sight. We live too much in the present. Oh, sure, that’s what the New Age is all about—living in the present, not the past, not the future. And certainly, in some instances this may seem prudent. But we must have hope, and G-d’s Victory is our True Hope.

We must remember that in taking a look at various scriptures within the Book of Esther, or any Book of the Bible, it is easy to loose sight of the whole picture. Esther shows us there is persecution of those who would belief the One Lord, the One G-D. And we are shown that in the end, the Goodness of G-d prevails against His enemies. That’s right. Haman isn’t just the enemy of G-d’s people; Haman is the enemy of G-d. As I’ve said, and say again, G-d is Victorious. We are victorious in Him. Thank G-d for Y’shuaJesus, through Whom we come to G-d, the Father, and have right to be called Sons and Daughters of the Living, Holy G-d.

Still curious about connivance? Maybe next time. And remember the military academy cadet? Perhaps we shall discuss this event, too.

Until then, let us keep the Feast, and think of the Feast with Y’shua to come. Maranatha, Lord, Maranatha!

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Hadassah

“And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury.Purim

“But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.” Esther 3:5-6

Matthew Henry Comments on Esther 3:4
“Mordecai refused to reverence Haman. The religion of a Jew forbade him to give honours to any mortal man which savoured of idolatry, especially to so wicked a man as Haman. By nature all are idolaters; self is our favourite idol, we are pleased to be treated as if every thing were at our disposal. Though religion by no means destroys good manners, but teaches us to render honour to whom honour is due, yet by a citizen of Zion, not only in his heart, but in his eyes, such a vile person as Haman was, is contemned, Psalms 15:4. The true believer cannot obey edicts, or conform to fashions, which break the law of God. He must obey God rather than man, and leave the consequences to him. Haman was full of wrath. His device was inspired by that wicked spirit, who has been a murderer from the beginning; whose enmity to Christ and his church, governs all his children.”

As we approach the Feast of Purim, I have Hadassah on my mind. As with all scripture, if we take the time, if we seek the leading of the Spirit of G-d, we shall gain much. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

“. . .the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

Now Hadassah and Mordecai lived during the Exile between 483BC and 471BC. They, as all Jews in exile, were unable to worship in the Temple. They began to gather together for teaching, prayer, and mutual encouragement. As we see in the Book of Esther, G-d makes a way for His people to assemble if we really want to learn about Him, praise Him, worship Him, and grow in His Ways.

Let’s think about that, and return together Wednesday.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .