Remember Who You Are

What a privilege for me to be able to choose to do my post on portions of Scripture from Esther. Esther has always been one of my favorite books. It thrills me to be able to share some valuable truths I learned last Spring from the study of Esther by Beth Moore.


We know that Esther and her cousin Mordecai (who had adopted Esther) were Jews living in Susa of Persia as a result of the original exile of God's people to Babylon. We have also learned from our Bible reading that a group of God's people already returned to Jerusalem before the account of Esther. Many Jewish families, including Esther's, chose to stay behind. Although the book of Esther never mentions God, it's central theme demonstrates God's mighty hand providentially taking care of His people.


Xerxes, the King of Persia, is portrayed as someone very irresponsible and easily manipulated. Queen Vashti refuses his request to appear at his feast, so in anger he takes the advice of his manipulative adviser for her to be banished from his presence forever and to choose another queen. All young virgins of the empire are gathered into a harem for year long beauty treatments. Esther was taken into the harem and eventually to the King's bed. He was so delighted with her that he made her queen and celebrates with a great banquet. Soon afterwards her cousin/father, Mordecai, became a palace official at the king's gate.


Xerxes appoints an official named Haman as the most powerful official in the empire. Now Haman was an Amalekite and, as we've learned in our reading, the Amalekites were a ruthless people who had attacked the defenseless Israelites on several occasions through the history of their settlement in the land of Canaan. God made his people a promise to "erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven." according to Ex. 17:14. After giving His people rest from their enemies in the promised land, God commanded the Israelites to destroy the Amalekites. (Deut. 25:19). So, Saul, Israel's first king, was instructed by God through Samuel the prophet to completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation. (1 Sam. 15:3). If Saul had obeyed and destroyed every man, woman, and child of the Amalekites, Haman would never have been born. However, Saul disobeyed God and Haman became a descendant of King Agag. Mordecai, on the other hand, was a descendant of Kish (Saul's father). Many scholars conclude that there was a persisting generational rivalry between the Jews and Amalekites.


At this point in Esther, we can possibly understand why Mordecai would not bow down to Haman even though Xerxes had not only promoted him, he commanded that all his officials would bow down whenever Haman passed by. Surely Mordecai's office at the city gate had given him opportunity to learn of Haman's heritage. And so we read in Esther 3:5-6, "When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. He had learned of Mordecai's nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes." This is "persisting generational rivalry" way out of control!


Timing now becomes very significant. We read in verse 7 that Haman cast lots in the month of Nisan (April) to determine when to destroy the Jews and in verse 12 that the decree was written on the 13th day of Nisan. Most likely it was then dispatched to all the provinces of the empire on the next day, the 14th. Lev. 23:4-5 reveals a connection between that day. It tells us that the Lord's Passover began on the 14th day of Nisan. Beth Moore enlightens us, "From a divine perspective, the chronology was the furthest thing from coincidence. We have no idea how many of the seven annual feasts of Judaism were observed among the exiles of Persia. Of this we can be confident, however: If they celebrated only one, it was undoubtedly Passover. Even today very few people who count themselves Jewish are oblivious to the holiday or its significance, whether or not they commenmorate it."


So the edict hits the provinces that day God's people are preparing their tables for Passover. That evening at dusk, in accordance with God's command, fathers would recount to their wives and children the story of Israel's deliverance from Egypt by God's mighty hand. As they choked backed tears, they rehearsed every detail of the miraculous redemption. Celebration turned to shock and horror. They must have wondered - why must we receive this terrifying news on this - our Passover? To God, the timing was perfect - perhaps His way of giving His people hope. Jews were reminded who they were and what God had done for them. Beth shares, "Decades earlier the Persian Jews had chosen not to take advantage of their deliverance under the decree of Cyrus and their permission to return to Jerusalem. They decided they liked Persian life and stayed put. Then came Haman. Maybe that's one reason God allows "Hamans" to come along in life - so we'll quit being so at home here."


I hope like me you will read over these next declarations several times until they sink in. "Sometimes God uses the winds of a new threat to blow the dust off a past miracle that has moved from our active file into the archives. Remember what God has done for you! Remember who you are!"


You have been raised up and seated with Christ in heaven. Eph. 2:6


You are a citizen of heaven. Phil. 3:20


You are an alien and stranger to this world in which you temporarily live. 1 Pet.2:11


You have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor 2:16


SO you should set your mind on the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Col 3:1-2


Some say that there are those who are so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good.


I say lets become so heavenly minded that it releases us to be our most excellent earthly best!


Press on sisters - I love you!