Esther 5:9-14
Hello everyone.
Happy New Year to all!
I hope you had a fantastic Christmas week. I sure did!
My plan was to take the week off, but a couple of people were wondering where my podcast was! I have actually been taking this week off work and podcasting to complete editing my book! I am so excited because it is near completion!! Stay tuned for more on that!
I have also been able to get in some quality Jesus time! I wrote down some thoughts I feel God has shared with me about the coming New Year, so stay until the end, when I am going to share a bit of what I feel God is speaking to, and doing with, His church in the coming year!!
And the truth is, I have been continuing to study Esther. Our church is going to be hosting a 3… we shall say 3 1/2 day fast January 2nd-the 5th, and husband Charlie and I will be doing Facebook Live videos through the book of Esther beginning January 2nd. So it has taken me back to some of the early chapters, and we have had some great discussions on the many ways the book of Esther relates to today.
For today, I am going to finish Esther chapter five! Things are just beginning to heat up in this amazing story!
We left off at Esther 5:8, after Esther risked her life to approach the king. Yet instead of immediately sharing her request, she invites the king and his right-hand man and enemy of the jews, Haman to a banquet. Yet again, she does not share her request. Something makes her resist. We can only contemplate why. I think she was working at re-instating her relationship with the king. Winning his heart.
She also exercises patience and discernment. For everything there is a season. My poor daughter is pregnant with a child due 10 days ago. Sometimes… we just have to wait. We have to learn to be still before God and not panic. He has His timing. Trust.
So now we see what Mr. Haman does as he leaves the Banquet.
“Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.”
We often talk about how Queen Esther risked her life to stand in the kings courtyard, but first we must remember the bravery of this man, Mordecai, who is, in many ways the real hero of the book.
Refusing to stand in the presence of the Kings second in charge in a crazy, pagan culture was certain death! Yet stand he does. Mordecai is unmoved by those with earthly power. I wonder if I would have such courage. Sadly, I tend to think, I would excuse my bowing by saying “I am only showing respect.”
My husband points out that Haman was a modern-day Hitler. Mordecai was basically implying “I know who you are and I know what you are doing.” Haman may have deceived the king with smooth talk and slick moves, but Mordecai is silently saying “I have your number.” Hence he sends Haman into a Rage!!
We live in a day of feckless politicians afraid to move without permission from the wealthy elitists. We watch those in high places fold up their values to achieve success and wealth. It is rare to see someone willing to stand out in a cancel culture intent on silencing us and making us sit down!
Yet in Esther, we see God rewards the ones who stand, and keep standing, even when all worldly logic and the media voices are saying “Sit! What is wrong with you?”
Based on a prayer recording by Dutch sheets I recently looked up the story of a man named Alvin C York, who became what they called the “wars biggest hero”
The events of October 8, 1918, took place as part of the Meuse-Argonne offensive—what was to be the final Allied push against German forces on the Western Front during World War I. York and his battalion were given the task of seizing German-held positions across a valley; after encountering difficulties, the small group of soldiers—numbering some 17 men—were fired upon by a German machine-gun nest at the top of a nearby hill. The gunners cut down nine men, including a superior officer, leaving York in charge of the squad.
As York wrote in his diary of his subsequent actions: “[T]hose machine guns were spitting fire and cutting down the undergrowth all around me something awful…. I didn’t have time to dodge behind a tree or dive into the brush, I didn’t even have time to kneel or lie down…. As soon as the machine guns opened fire on me, I began to exchange shots with them. In order to sight me or to swing their machine guns on me, the Germans had to show their heads above the trench, and every time I saw a head I just touched it off. All the time I kept yelling at them to come down. I didn’t want to kill any more than I had to. But it was they or I. And I was giving them the best I had.”Several other American soldiers followed York’s lead and began firing; as they drew closer to the machine-gun nest, the German commander—thinking he had underestimated the size of the enemy squadron—surrendered his garrison of some 90 men. On the way back to the Allied lines, York and his squad took more prisoners, for a total of 132. Though Alvin York consistently played down his accomplishments of that day, In April 1919, York was awarded the highest American military decoration, the Medal of Honor.Lauded by The New York Times as “the war’s biggest hero” and by General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), as “the greatest civilian soldier” of World War I, York went on to found a school for underprivileged children, the York Industrial Institute.
Those who bow to the world want you to bow as well so they are not reminded that it is possible to keep standing! Yet in standing, others see and take courage to stand as well. That’s what happened here. As Alvin stayed strong and fought in the midst of impossible odds, the men joined in!
Lets finish off this chapter:
Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12 “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”
14His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,[a] and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.
It would seem Mordecai’s “stand” does not serve him well as we end this chapter.
But the book of James tells us God gives grace to the humble.
Matthew 23;12 says “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Hamans pride, hatred, and arrogance have poisoned him completely. He does not realize that by allowing this evil to reign he has actually fallen into a trap of his own making!
More on that next episode of “For Such a Time as this.”
Now, I promised y’all to share what I feel Gods is saying concerning 2021. I was not looking for this, yet three separate times God is leading me to see a pattern in my reading times.
I am not going to share details, but the main points.
1.) God is using these times to “train our hands for war.” God is stirring up a sleepy and slothful church. We have not needed to be as prayerful as we are now. 2020 was a shock to the soul! I believe we are not done being shocked into wakefulness and we continue to learn more and more on what it really means to stand firm in the Lord, trust and rely on Him, and mostly: To pray and intercede.
2.) This is a new season. 2020 was the “transition.” A new era has begun. I believe 2020 will be the “turning point” year where we consider life “before and after” 2020. While there will be continued darkness in the earth, God’s church is going to truly “Rise and shine for thy light has come.” I can’t tell you how many times recently I have seen or heard Isaiah 60:1. Revival is coming. In the midst of darkness, God’s light will shine on us like never before! Be prepared to share the Hope within you!
3.) I saw a boat ride towards the shore as tremendous waves attempted to overwhelm it! Those who know their God will be like “Yeehaw!” Standing at the bow as the waves spray their faces and enjoy the roller coast ride. Others will be terrified but will be steadfast and make it to shore. Some will turn back. Some may actually become casualties, as the times may become fierce and difficult. Persevere!
I have not heard specifically from the Lord concerning the election, but I do believe the words from the prophetic voices I trust, that say Donald Trump will prevail. We shall see soon.
God is God no matter who is in office. Esther shows us how to live in a pagan culture as well as a culture favorable to the Christian faith. Either way, it will be a time to stand and a time to persevere!
Music: “Hope and Inspire” by Purple Planet
Tell me your Christmas story!
email: jandc811@gmail.com
twitter: @stormingthegat1
web site: stormingthegates.net
