Celebration Today we finish reading the book of Esther. Quite a remarkable story, isn’t it? It reveals God’s hand in so many ways. It seems that Esther and Mordecai are among those Jews whose hearts were not moved by God to return to Jerusalem under the decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1:5). God had a plan for them that was of major importance and it required that they remain in Susa. Even as they remained, they continued to observe the worship of the Lord in the way that they could in the culture they were in. You have read how Esther was used for such a time as this to preserve all Jews throughout the Persian Empire. Today we read of the decree that called for this event to be remembered in a celebration. That celebration is Purim and it is still observed by Jews today. They still remember the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies (9:21). Haman was a bitter man with anger and vengeance in his heart. That caused him to misuse the power that he had been entrusted with. He cast the lot (the pur) to determine what day he would use his power to carry out his sentence upon those whom he was so bitter against. Many believe that the reason he was so bitter against the Jews is because of what had happened to King Agag some 500 years earlier (Esther 3:1; 1 Samuel 15). The Amalekites and the Jews were not the best of friends. Bitterness carried becomes a very heavy load. It caused Haman to do some very irrational things. On the other hand, there is Mordecai. He has every reason to be bitter and yet maintains a faith in the hand of God that allows him to use great power in a way that honors God. While he could have used his position and power for revenge, he used it instead to provide protection and defense. His epitaph in 10:3 reveals the heart of this great servant of the Lord. So the celebration of Purim allows one to consider two powerful men with the same position and much different hearts. Bitterness or forgiveness. Self-confidence or faith in God. Hatred or love. The choice is yours to make. That which you choose to celebrate or recognize as important reveals your heart. Family Discussion Question: What do I celebrate in my life? Digging Deeper ~ Pastor Chuck Cervenka
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 12:41:18 +0000