Lots of excitement going on in my family this weekend. First, my twin granddaughters came home yesterday! We are so thankful they were well enough to come home, and I can say with 100% certainty that their household will never be the same again :-). I hope and pray their home will be filled with more laughter than tears, more peaceful than fighting, and that their children will grow up knowing about Jesus. And today my 2 month old nephew was baptized this morning. My sister is 23 years younger than me, so we never grew up together. We don't have a close relationship, something I wish we had but I have inserted my foot into my mouth a time or two too many so its been a rocky road.
Lets continue our story about Esther - a beautiful young woman who has been chosen to be Queen.
Verse 19-23. Mordecai goes to the King's gate daily to hear how his cousin Esther is. While Mordecai is sitting at the gate one day, he overhears two of kings officers, Bigthana and Teresh, get into an argument and they conspire to plot to kill King Xerxes. Mordecai tells Queen Esther about this, and she in turn tells the king. They follow up on this tip, find out its true and they hang Bigthana and Teresh. And a side note here - Mordecai has told Esther not to reveal the fact that is of the Jewish nation.
Chapter 3
Enter the evil person in the story Haman. Verse 1. After these events Haman is honored and given a seat higher than all the other nobles.
Verses 2-3 King Xerxes had commanded that everyone in the kingdom bow down to Haman. Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman. One commentary I read said Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman because Haman's ancient ancestors were enemies of the Jews.
Verses 4-6 Day after day Mordecai refuses to bow down to Haman, so the officals told Haman that Mordecai refused to bow down to him, and that he was a Jew. Haman becomes enraged, and he decides to kill of all the Jews who live under King Xerxes rule.
Verse 7 In the 12 year of King Xerxes rule, in the first month, Haman casts lots to determine which day the Jews should be killed. The lot fell on the 12th month.
Verses 8-9 Haman tells King Xerxes his plan by saying that some people in the land do not obey his laws so they should be eliminated. The King agrees with this plan, and issues a decree. And Haman says he will pay the people who kill the Jews 10,000 talents of silver. The talents of silver will come from the Jews they kill.
Verses 10 -11 King Xerxes gives his ring to Haman, agrees this should be done, and Haman do whatever he wants with the people and the money. King Xerxes has no idea that Esther is a Jew and he has just issued her death warrant.
Verses 12-15 The decree was was issued through out the land. Many people were confused why this decree was issued for the Jewish people where known as good, hardworking citizens.
Father God, we read today about how one man in power has a personal issues with another man and he convinces the King to kill off a whole ethnic group of people. We know that you already have a plan in place for your people, but today we want to be made aware that we should not allow personal bad feelings towards one another become so out of control, innocent people are killed. This continues today Lord with ethnic cleansing. It is so wrong. I pray today for those being senselessly murdered, and I pray that those can allow this to happen - to be stopped. I ask this day also that those who take a stand for Christ - that you show mercy upon them - that they will not be severely punished for these people follow your law, not man's law. We know you have the power to stop these actions. We also thank you for all the family members who go above and beyond to raise and care for other family members, such as Mordecai. In Jesus name we pray.
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