A Mornin Cup of Tea: A Study of Esther part 4

The Plan

This is a small study of the book of Esther. If you would like to catch up you can find part one here, 

part 2 here 

and part 3 here.

Today we are reading chapters 5 and 6. My notes from this one may seem hurried or short and sweet because my J Man is wide awake and very vocal. He's had a quick breakfast of pizza eggs (2 eggs scrambled with three pepperonis that have been julienned and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese) and he is very happy.

  

Esther and her maids, along with the Jews in Shushan, have fasted and prayed for three days. On the third day Esther dressed in her royal clothes and went to see king Ahasuerus. He sees her waiting and points his golden scepter at her. Because of his love for her, he asks her request and tells her she can have anything she wants, up to half of his kingdom. "If it pleases the king, then you and Haman come to a feast I've made for you today," was her reply. So simple. The king accepts. The two have a fine old time at the feast and Ahasuerus asks again, what is your request? Ask for up to half the kingdom and it will be given to you. Once again, Esther simply asks that they both come to a feast for them that she will prepare tomorrow. They accept.

    On the way home Haman is pleased with himself. He got to dine with the king and the queen by special request and he gets to do it again tomorrow! Nothing can take away his happiness. That is, until he catches sight of Mordecai sitting at the gate. Mordecai did not so much as stand up when Haman came by, much less bow to him. There goes that happy mood he was in. And it's all Mordecai's fault. 

 Now, stop for a moment. Do you ever catch yourself doing that? I was having a great day but so and so did something to ruin it. Or this happened and there went my day. I've done that a time or two. And all I can think now is :really? you're going to allow someone else or a bump in the road take away your joy? Most of the time those things that suddenly turn our blue skies gray aren't worth even the time it takes to growl and stomp and fume. It may seem like it at the time, but most times, once we look back at it, it's not really worth even a frown. Don't give anyone or anything power to rule your emotions for you. 

   True joy isn't being deliriously happy 24/7. I don't think anyone would ever feel like that. Joy should be in our hearts when we know that our lives belong to the One True God. We put our hopes and our fears in his hands. If you are a Christian, you know that setbacks on this earth are temporary, in the long run. If we hear the word, believe, repent, are baptized, and strive to live the way God wants us, we get everlasting life with him in heaven. Yes, our hearts are going to be broken a time or two or even more here on earth. It's okay to grieve for those. In Haman's case, however, just the sight of a man who refused to bow before him gave him cause to frown.

  The king could not sleep that night so he called for someone to read to him from the book chronicling all that happened during his reign. It was from this reading that Ahasuerus was reminded that Mordecai had once saved his life by reporting of the two chamberlains who meant to harm him. As it happened, Haman was wishing to see him. The king called him in and asked his opinion of how to reward a man in such high favor. 

  Now, you know this put a huge silly grin on Haman's face! Remember, Haman has a huge ego because of his position. So he tells the king, send him royal clothes by way of one of the highest princes. Let him ride through town wearing the royal clothes on a royal horse, and let him wear the royal crown.  The king agrees to this --and then says to Haman, You take the clothes and the horse and the crown to Mordecai the Jew --and that grin freezes. Maybe even dims a little bit.  He did as the king asked though, because you just don't disobey the king's command. And it galled him so much to help Mordecai dress up and parade him through the area showing this high honor, he went home afterward in mourning, with his head covered. Translation? He pouted! He doesn't really want to do anything other than stay home and sulk for a bit, but he has another feast to attend with the king and queen. 

  I hope you are enjoying the study of Esther as much as I am.         

 

A Morning Cup of Tea: A Study of Esther, Part 3

Enter Haman

 Please read chapters 3 and 4 of Esther.

Yesterday we read that the king loved Esther above all the others and crowned her queen. The king gave a large feast and gave gifts to many. 

  It was during this time that Mordecai sat at the city gate. He heard two chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, who were angry and were looking to harm the king. Mordecai got word to Esther, who let the king know, and the two were put to death. The king knew that Mordecai was the one who saved his life.

  Sometime after, Haman was promoted to a high position in the kingdom. A decree was given that everyone would bow to Haman because of his position, and everyone followed it. That is, everyone except Mordecai. It came to Haman's attention that he would not bow, and the fact that Mordecai was a Jew.

  Position sometimes inflates the ego, or in a phrase from back in the day (and yes, I'm probably dating myself with this) Haman got the big head. He wasn't about to let this pass. No way. Haman went to the king and told him that there was a group of people in the kingdom that don't follow the king's commands. They are different from everyone else. It's not good for the king to let these people live.  I'll pay ten thousand talents of silver to the kings treasuries if you'll let me kill them.

  King Ahasuerus thought this was a good idea, and a decree was sent out. On a certain day, all Jews, young and old, male and female, would die. This sent everyone into mourning, including Mordecai. He ripped his clothes and dressed in sackcloth and ashes and set himself up at the city gate, wailing and crying.

   Word of Mordecai's mourning came to Esther. She sent clothes to him and asked that he remove the sackcloth and ashes, because no one was allowed inside the gate unless properly dressed. Mordecai refused the clothing. He sent word to Esther news of the decree and asked that she intercede to the king.

   It had been a few years since she had be crowned queen, and she still had not revealed her heritage. Because of all the favors she had garnered, she was probably fairly well settled in her lifestyle. Or maybe she was just hesitant to risk the wrath of the king. No one, not even the queen was allowed in the court without a summons from the king. If you did show up unannounced, you were most certainly put to death unless the king held out his scepter to you. Esther reminded Mordecai of this fact.

   Cousin Mordecai sent back word: Don't think that just because you now live at the palace as queen that you will be spared once it's known that you too are a Jew. Don't be selfish. What if this is the very reason you became queen, so that you could prevent this slaughter?

   Esther's words to Mordecai show her true strength of character. Tell everyone to pray for me, and to fast, night and day, for three days. Don't eat or drink anything. My maids and I will do the same thing. Then I will go see the king. If I perish, then I perish.

   That's a pretty heavy responsibility, knowing that the lives of so many people rest on your shoulders. But Esther, though hesitant at first, is willing to try and save her people. She knows that prayer and fasting will give her strength. She's trusting God to see her through this. I think that's one of the reasons why I like the book of Esther so much. She shows such strength even though her first thought is to shy away from trying. 

  I love hearing your thoughts on this.