Study Notes From Esther Chapter 6

God has a sense of humor. This may be the funniest chapter in the Bible but also one of the best examples of a godly man not lording it over his enemy’s shame.

6:1-4, God shows up to intercede for Mordecai, Esther, and the Jews. From His heavenly throne, God keeps the king awake. It seems the king combats insomnia by reading his own history. Tonight, God chose his reading material and Xerxes learns Mordecai’s act was unrewarded.

God, when writing the book of Esther, did not record Mordecai as prideful. Even when he saved the king’s life, he never said anything when unrecognized. Both Xerxes and Mordecai seem to have forgotten the episode.

Mordecai’s unpretentiousness is similar to Daniel when he brushed off Belshazzar’s gifts of the royal robe and the gold chain. (Daniel 5:17) A pagan king’s rewards are cheap trifles when your King is Almighty God.

"Let another man praise you. and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips." Proverbs 27:2. 

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven" Matthew 6:1.

Mordecai is a great example of Peter’s exhortation, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” 1 Peter 5:6.

The servants in the gate put Mordecai and Haman in a battle of wills, (3:2-5) Now Mordecai’s faithful stance is holding and he appears to be winning. Haman, on the other-hand, though he exalted himself, is about to be brought low.

Mordecai did nothing but prepare for God’s answer with fasting and prayer. He exhorted Esther to speak on their behalf and sought God’s protection in faith. When he knew Haman’s sanctioned plot was set to destroy him and his people:

He did not storm the castle.

He did not attack Haman personally.

He did not override Esther's free will.

He trusted Esther's own personal faith.

He fasted and prayed.

He trusted God.

Paul exhorts us to wield the sword of the Spirit with care. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.

We learn obedience through practicing the meekness of our Lord Jesus Christ. For although He has all the power that holds creation, He never uses it to subvert His greater plan of salvation. The pain and humiliation was overcome in victory by obedience. (Hebrews 12:1-3). Mordecai’s obedience sets the stage for Haman’s punishment from God.

Mordecai has let God have the glory. “For whoever humbles himself will be exalted and whoever exalts himself will be humbled” Matthew 23:12.

6:5-11, God has begun to show Himself to the condemned Jews when Haman is forced into the humiliating position of delivering the king’s blessing to Mordecai. The very blessing Haman had imagined his own. The city is seeing the beginning of the end for Haman.

6:12, “Afterward, Mordecai went back to the king’s gate” seems an understatement.

When we see God lift a great burden, we praise with joyful hearts and voices. His time of fasting is over and this is answered prayer. Here, Mordecai appears silent as he waits on God. He still has to wait for Esther to plead to the king.

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10.

But there is a stronger witness from Mordecai as he does not lord it over Haman for the episode in the city square. He leaves room for God to bring Haman’s defeat.

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him” Proverbs 24:17.

God sees our pride and if displeased, He has the privileged of lifting our enemies back up and not punishing them because we took it upon ourselves to condemn them in their troubles.

In what circumstances might we fail our witness by being prideful?

Haman is now falling before the eyes of the city. Xerxes still is blind to Haman’s jealousy, but it has been in plain sight to all the residents of Shushan. (see J. Vernon McGee’s notes) And God knows Haman’s heart.

6:13-14, Haman has a houseful of eager gossips awaiting his remarks but the man is in defeat. His wife makes the fatalistic statement, “Husband, you’re doomed.”

Esther’s banquet likely forgotten and when he’s summoned back to the palace it was probably the last thing he wanted. For going back to the palace meant being seen by the people as if he’s being ‘taken’ to the king. This could have been avoided if he had only reentered the palace after he had presented Mordecai with the king’s reward.

This entire chapter showcases God’s power over all circumstances, over the evil and the good. Our faith is in the Living God. The Bible is our way of learning about God, there is no other book that showcases Him and Him alone.

"Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him."—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Lesson Points:

1. The subject of the book of Esther is God, not Esther

2. When your enemy falls, do not boast in pride at their defeat.

3. Our patient faith glorifies God

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When the Majority Was Wrong (Numbers 13)

"Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said 'Let us go up at once and take possession for we are well able to overcome it.' But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we" Numbers 13:30 & 31.

Two men believed God when He said He would bring them into the promised land.

A million others saw giants and believed they were bigger than God.

Because the greater number failed to trust God, the entire group was denied access to the best blessings of God.

What a terrible thing when Caleb and Joshua were forced to go along with the majority when the majority was wrong.

Happens today doesn't it. Christians are forced into social corners when the majority of unbelievers create laws with the purpose of disobeying God.

Even worse, in the church,when one or two people propose an exciting evangelistic ministry and the majority of a congregation fail to believe God can do a mighty work among them to bring the lost to salvation.

The promised of salvation is there, yet many see the worldly obstacles instead of Almighty God's desire to save the lost.

"And when those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" But He (Jesus) said, 'The things which are impossible with man are possible with God" Luke 18:27.

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A Lesson in Ruth's Beautiful Refusal

But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." Ruth 1:16,17.

Having heard that God has blessed her homeland, Naomi plans to go home to Bethlehem still in her pitiful condition. Even with the good news, she doesn't believe she will be blessed there.The girl, Ruth, knows the same distress that Naomi is going through. She's a widow and she's poor. She's as empty as Naomi. But Ruth has a different goal than Naomi.

Ruth ignores Naomi’s declaration that God has not blessed her and instead makes her own declaration. "I want to go to Bethlehem and worship the God of Israel."

She’s determined to live in Israel and worship their God. And further proof she has come to trust in the LORD as her Savior is recorded in verse 17 when she takes an oath in His name that only death will ever separate her and Naomi.

Ruth’s promise is a wonderful proof of a transformed life in Jesus. God has drawn Ruth to Himself. We know He has saved Ruth because she declares the LORD, God is now her God no matter what. She changed from idolatry to worship the true and living God. If anyone truly seeks to know God, God will come to them and introduce Himself.

Despite Naomi's urging her to stay in Moab, Ruth has set a life-changing goal. Because of that, Ruth is enjoying eternity with God right now.

Ruth's beautiful refusal say's to her Mother-in-law, "I'm making a change and nothing you say can change my mind. We're both going to Bethlehem!"

A person trusting Christ the LORD will trust Him even through the unknown. Ruth had no promise of anything from God. From Naomi's depressed attitude, it seems she hadn’t told Ruth of God’s provision, God’s love, or God’s protection, yet Ruth believes it.

Ruth left the familiarity of her home, her country and her native people because she trusted God to replace all of it. She didn't know what her new life would be like but she knew God would take care of her no matter what happened.

Good advice from Ruth's refusal to stay behind is this: When repenting, don’t just stop doing something, but leave it far behind. And our loyalty shouldn’t hinge on the character of the person we love.

What has God replaced in your new life as a Christian that you once thought was so important in your former life?

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Motivating Peter

God wants to show us His great grace and mercy apart from what we already know.

We often talk of Paul's missionary journeys, but Peter did some remarkable things also while out in the field.

"Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda" Acts 9:32

&

"So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner" Acts 9:43

Peter was someplace he'd never been before, yet God knew exactly what He was going to show Peter about His awesome power to save anyone, anywhere.

God told the early Christians that in the power of the Holy Spirit, the church is to go everywhere preaching the salvation of Jesus.

"But you shall receive power when

the Holy Spirit has come upon you;

and you shall be witnesses to Me in

Jerusalem, and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the end of the earth"

Acts 1:8.

But the first century church stayed in Jerusalem until after Stephen was killed and the persecution began in earnest. Then they scattered but they took their faith with them everywhere.

Whether Peter was moving around a bit because of the persecution the Bible doesn't say, but we do know that while Peter was not in Jerusalem, God showed him the great expansion of the church.

God does record in Acts that Peter, in his new faith and boldness in Jesus, speaks to a sick person whom God healed, prays for a dead person and sees God bring them to life, and stays with a tanner, (Acts 9:33, 40, & 43).

We're not told if Peter had traveling companions. And the fact it says he was staying at Simon the tanner's house, we can assume no one from Jerusalem was with him. It seems Peter was stepping out of his comfort zone by traveling alone.

Peter's expressions of faith while apart from his fellow Christians is culminated in the salvation of Cornelius, the Centurion. Peter hadn't personally thought about going to the Gentiles before that time. But now, with God's prompting, Peter's submission to do things in faith as he had ever done before revealed to him God 's love for all peoples, everywhere.

Maybe Peter was reluctant at first,

but the more he saw God work,

the easier his obedience became.

Which thing is true in our witness. Even when it is out of our comfort zone, the Holy Spirit may wait until we're in a place where He can do something amazing. This new thing God uses us for will glorify God and grow us in our faith and knowledge of God, (2 Peter 3:18).

Our small steps of obedience can be the very thing God uses to bless all those with which we come in contact. We step out in faith that God is with us and our obedience to that is God's door to His grace.

"(Jesus) answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him" Matthew 13:11,12

& repeated in the parable of the talents (money)

"For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him" Matthew 25:29.

Peter didn't have to do anything. Yet, if he hadn't trusted God at His word, Peter would have missed out on seeing God's miracles.

Sometimes God waits to use us after we leave our familiar territory.

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Prayers For Blessings--Presented by my Husband

This is from the notes on the subject of prayer that my husband Ivan presented to the Silver Saints, a monthly luncheon for the older members of our church. Each month someone will deliver a short Bible topic and my husband was asked several times to speak. 
Please enjoy Ivan's message.

Lesson Topic--Prayers for blessings.
Matthew 6:31, 32. Therefore do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

Prayer is letting God know your personal wants for yourself and to others even though He already knows. Being able to talk with God one on one, letting Him know personally what you are asking, even when He already knows what you’re going to say. It isn’t selfish to ask for blessing or pray for yourself because He wants to hear from us individually. It pleases Him for us to talk with Him.

If you’re praying for health and wealth and you don’t get it, you may decide your faith isn’t right or maybe not enough. You begin to believe that’s why you’re not getting what you’ve asked for. I think that when we pray or ask for a blessing, we would like to have a response quickly, but time to the Lord is on a different schedule than ours.

Isaiah 55:8 "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways' Says the LORD."

Blessings don’t always equal health and wealth but praying for blessing is a good thing to do. It’s not selfish to ask. God wants to give everything good to us. But a good thing to remember is it’s not always a good thing to ask for yourself. Ask for others to be blessed; family, friends, even the unsaved, and your enemies.

If you prayed for someone to accept Jesus’ salvation and they do accept it at some point, it certainly is a blessing for them. It also blesses you and it blesses God. That’s a positive. And further, now they will have blessings of their own! Just think; if they accept Jesus as Savior, they then would have their lives turned around and their focus changed. They wouldn’t still be seeking the things mentioned in the verse in Matthew. Now, you can join in their happiness too.

I don’t know about you but I don’t think I pray enough. 

Examples of men who diligently prayed are Daniel, Paul, and Jesus.

Daniel 6:10 cf (....knowing the writing had been signed... he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom.."

(Paul’s letters open with praying blessing for someone. Romans 1: 7,  Corinthians 1:3, 2 Cor 1:2 and so forth) 

Daniel and Paul were very steady with prayers, praying everyday and anytime.

We know Jesus often went to be alone to pray and gather strength and get refreshed. Getting alone with God is important, but He prayed for His people. 

Finally, asking for blessings we don’t get doesn’t mean we’re not blessed. We might not receive blessing in our time but in God’s time. 

We are still being blessed. We’re making God happy!

• We awoke this morning. We’re blessed!
• We got dressed. We’re blessed!
• We ate breakfast. We’re blessed!
• We’re breathing. We’re blessed!

The list goes on and on and on………

I found these 2 quotes from Our Daily Bread that I feel sum up prayer.

“I blindly ask for what I crave,
With haughty heart and will so stout;
He oft denies me what I seek,
But gives me grace to do without”

And this quote—If God doesn’t give us what we ask for, we can be sure that He has something far better.

Have faith in the Lord for who He is and what He can do or will do for you or anybody. You can be certain it will come about in His time.

God is the Living God, there is no other we can go to have our prayers answered.

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This was delivered in 2008. Today, because of age and health, Ivan has since become too ill to attend church. But he is still a faithful prayer warrior.

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Women With Backbone--Lessons From the Book of Judges

"In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" Judges 17:6.

     That is one of the saddest verses in the Bible. Crime ran rampant, yet in the book of Judges two women stand out with a lesson for godly living amid a time of everyone doing what was right in their own eyes.

• Deborah--The Judicial Scholar

“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth,
was judging Israel at that time” Judges 4: 4”

     Deborah must have been a holy woman of prayer and strong in her faith to have people trust her as judge in Israel, when men were doing what was right in their own eyes.

     Deborah’s faith in God and His ability to save her and her people showed through her stand against the evil in her country. Although she couldn’t lead as a man could have, (she held no office in town but under a tree where people came to her), she took a firm stand on the side of right and spoke against the wrong. And she even rebukes the general of the army who loses out on a great blessing when he shows a weakness in engaging into battle with the enemy.

     What shame it is to a people when the women are the strong walls of faith and not the fathers, husbands and sons. How many blessings are lost to marriages, families, communities and even churches because god-fearing men are not leading.

Lesson: In faith and knowledge of God, stand strong in times of trouble.

• Manoah's Wife: The Energetic Believer

(The Angel of the LORD said to her) "Now therefore,

please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink,

and be careful not to eat anything unclean" Judges 13: 4.

     The pre-incarnate Jesus came to this God-fearing woman and gave her a conditional promise. Keep yourself holy for you are destined for great things. In her enthusiasm for obedience, she took her husband into the presence of God where he was commanded to stay aware of his wife's life choices. When this husband and wife got on the same track, from that day on, their home would be forever changed by the LORD's visit.

Lesson: Obedience to God will change you and your family in surprising ways.

     For Deborah, and Manoah's wife, their lives are witness to what godly women can do through faith in the promises of God. These women had a life of prayer. Make a difference in your home, community and your church through faith, wisdom and prayer.

Bonus....

Another woman stands out for a totally different reason--a bold woman who knew who to ask for blessings.

Achsah--the Intelligent Beauty Queen

“Then Calab said, “Whoever attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it,

to him I will give my daughter Achsah as wife” Judges 1: 12.

     How would you like to have that as your marriage proposal? It would be safe to assume she's a pretty girl and even as the youngest, must have been quite a bride to win. A soldier named Othniel beat the competition and became the husband to this woman.

     It appears not only is she satisfied to be the bride of a mighty soldier who won a city and her hand, this strong-willed woman goes to her father with a bold request. This girl rides a horse into the army camp, dismounts and asks her father  straight out for a specific plot of land filled with springs. This gal is right on the mark, knowing the wealth in owning fresh water. And furthermore, she knew exactly who to ask--her Father!

Lesson: Go straight to the source of the power to give you what you need. God's blessings begin in His throne room and when we are strong in Him, we will see blessings we never imagined. The springs of life are ours when we ask God for them.

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The Blessing of the Barley Harvest

In the book of Ruth, in the very last line where chapter 1 stops in our Bibles, there is this very interesting statement. "Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest" Ruth 1:22.

All of the Bible is about God. This story surrounds Naomi and Ruth, yet it teaches us about God's grace, love, mercy and His mighty working power in the lives of His people.

We see God's mighty power shown in the way this chapter ends. Ruth and Naomi didn't realize the significance of returning at this exact time. Being widows and the poorest of poor in the land they needed this season. Naomi believes she's at the worst part of her life but she is about to experience the loving care of God. Ruth needs someone to take care of her, and God is going to show Himself to be her faithful care-giver.

The last part of verse 22 has a great hope attached. "Now they came to Bethlehem at the time of the barley harvest." Because God watches over the care of His children, He arranges for Naomi and Ruth to hear there's food in Bethlehem. With this good news, they travel back to the land where God has placed His name.

When in need, return to the last place you met God

When God gave Moses the Law, He set up a simple welfare system for the poor to go into the fields to pick up food for themselves. (Deut. 24:19-20) By providing the barley harvest, God has supplied the very thing Ruth and Naomi seek when most in need. With a little work, they have food and sustenance. A days' work proved self-support for these women.

God supplies for His sons and daughters

We give glory to God when we recognize our need and seek the One who can supply everything that is. He doesn't always give us what we want, but He does supply His children all we need, and He is waiting for us to pluck it into our hands.

For what are you in need? Maybe the blessing is waiting for you to pluck it into your basket today. Are you seeing the blessing of barley harvest surrounding you? 

God knows just what we need and just when we need

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Guest Blog (YouTubeVideo) Focus On Jesus

This is a video of a friend speaking at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Exeter Maine.

Linda Griffin Handzel uses her great sense of humor, combined with her love of 

Jesus and trust in God in ministering to women around Maine and New England. 

Through tragically losing her husband in a motorcycle accident, 

she learned to love Jesus more and more. In her personal grief 

during her painful circumstances that stretched her faith, God 

brought Linda to a new place of service into a ministry to help 

widows and hurting women.

Linda's delivery of the Good News is a fresh a dose of smiles and laughter in anyone's day.

This video is a good representation of Linda's style and wonderful personality. 

Click this link Linda Griffin Handzel Video YouTube to 
see and hear Linda's comedic approach to Peter walking on water 
from Matthew 14, while applying a great lesson of keeping your 
eyes on Jesus. There is nothing better for a Christian in a
storm to do than call out to Jesus for help.

Click this link to go to Linda's Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/lists/493303820757115

Please leave her a comment

& Cornerstone Baptist Church's website

http://www.cbcexeter.com/

Permission to post this video was given by 

Cornerstone Baptist Church 

&

Linda Griffin Handzel

Prayer--The Simple Ministry

Pray without ceasing 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 

If you're a born again Christian, you are in ministry for God

 

‘We love Him because He first loved us.’ 1 John 4:19. God loves our service. With it, we return blessings to Him. He says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14: 15. How simple a love. Because love motivates the desire to serve, we ask God, “What can I do for You today? How may I bless You since You’ve blessed me.”

Do you feel as if you cannot be in ministry--put it out of your mind! Going into your room to pray, in the privacy of your own home can get you involved in every ministry in your church. prayer is vital to every ministry in God's church. The Gospels record Jesus frequently praying. Paul mentions prayers in all his letters and especially the need for prayer. Matthew 17: 14-21 records Jesus as saying prayer is important to get certain Spiritual work done because we are humanly unable and must seek God in faith.

You should have no excuse for shirking service, for prayer is the easiest form of ministry we can give to God while serving everyone else in the world. For example, Paul when writing from prison, had long prayer lists. In between visits from friends, probably with nothing else to do for hours, Paul took many of his people before Jesus in prayer. His knew it to be a necessary service for them and to God.

Check out your church and see what is going on and try these to start your own prayer ministry.

• Jot down a list of the outreaches your church supplies
• Jot down a list of names of the ill and/or in the hospital
• Jot down a list individuals, especially first time visitors, guests, and the unsaved
• Pray for the children: infants to teens
• Pray for the leadership
• Pray for the janitor and all the behind the scenes workers
• Check out this PDF file Ten Things to Pray for Others 

Prayer is an action service  

 

Do not confuse the prayer as any power you have attained. Remember it’s not the prayer we believe in, but who we pray to that is the basis of our faith. Prayer is a simple act of faith toward God and a way to serve. 

Ministry is not a duty but a willing service to God. Prayer is one way we all can serve God and it’s a ministry we can be involved in, anywhere. anytime.

God Tell's Them Off--Not So Subtly

 "Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds" 

Numbers 17:8.

A group of people opposed Aaron, challenging his right to be priest in the tabernacle. God stepped in and made it an absolute fact that He approved of Aaron's service.

In having a dead stick produce leaves, buds, and ripe fruit, God left no room for anyone to not know He chose Aaron.

We will always have people jealous of our ministry, especially if God blesses it. Many people will only see 'our' success and forget that we're only being an obedient servant, pleasing our Master. It's the Master's choice to bless openly, which He often does.

Every employment opportunity in the secular has an equivalent in the Body of Christ. It is God who empowers that career to further His kingdom and bring lost people to salvation through what you do.

When God does take your service to new levels, always remember it is never your power, strength, knowledge or ability to get the Supernatural work of God done. Only God has the power to make His word or His work different than any other words spoken or work done on earth. You're just the servant--be a good one.

Let God take care of the jealous people.