Bibledoorajar Comments on A Sleepless Night

     "If you can't sleep, then get up and do something

instead of lying there worrying. It's the

worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep."

Dale Carnegie

     The king could not sleep. He got up and sent an attendant for the chronicles in which were written  the history and facts of his nation. These, being chronicles, were, of course, kept in chronological order. Chronicle after chronicle, and it just so happened that the attendant brought in the volume that recorded an event about Mordecai. Surely the Providence of God can override anything to see that His will is accomplished! As the attendant read, the king listened again to how Mordecai sent a warning of a plot to kill the king. What was done to reward this wonderful man. Nothing. Nothing?  Surely this oversight must be rectified.

     Honoring the brave and those who make valuable contributions to a society is still done in most civilized countries and in places of employment. Loyalty and excellence are premier values that all recognize. Jesus knows about your loyalty and valuable contributions to Him and the Bible says that those things one does in secret for Him will be rewarded openly (Matthew 6:6). He is just and true and it is a mistake to think that He is asleep at the wheel. The psalmist declared that the One who kept Israel neither slumbered nor slept. Sometimes it may appear that He sleeps because He is so long-suffering. However, this is not the case. Thomas Jefferson, concerned for America, made this comment: "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever." It is a truism, our long-suffering God will "awake" and return in justice. Let us seek to serve him well now just as Mordecai did in the midst of evil.

 

Bibledoorajar Has a Look at Hypocrisy

...heard Jesus' teachings they scoffed at him. But he

responded: "You try to look good in the eyes of

men. But God sees your hearts. And what men think highly

of is a stench before God."

Luke 16: 14-15

Haman's desires about killing Mordecai were now visible in the gallows he had had built. No one around him spoke to him about the evil intent of his heart. However, those gallows made clear what he wanted and expected. Perhaps those close to Haman knew that whatever he did, he did with the intent of being praised by others. As long as they were not going to be hurt by his actions they gave him what he relished: attention and preeminence. But Mordecai did not give him what he relished and refused to be in cultural bondage to this man and his deceit. 

Haman has been asked by the king what reward the man who had helped the king should receive. Haman, thinking that there could not possibly be another that the king would want to honor more than him,  said this to the king:

For a man the king wants to honor, have royal robes brought

which the king himself wears and the horse the king

himself rides, with a royal crown on its head. The

robes and the horse should be handed over to one of the king's

most respected officials, and they should put the robes

on the man the king wants to honor and lead him on horseback

through the streets of the city, PROCLAIMING ahead of him. "This 

is done for a man whom the king wants to honor."

       

Jesus spent a lot of time trying to help people learn the importance of matching their public face with their inner heart. In Matt. 6:1 he says that we should "be sure that we do not do our acts of rightness before human beings with the INTENT of being seen by them. Otherwise your Father, the one in the heavens, will have nothing to do with it." In 6:2 he says that all of those who insist on having TRUMPETS  BLOWN before them will have received their reward. That recognition is what they wanted and that recognition is what they got--- along with an inflated ego. What my mother said must be true, "Nobody likes a show-off."

Bibledoorajar Comments on Haman' Fate

Gloom, despair and agony on me

Deep, dark depression, excessive misery.

If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

Gloom, despair and agony on me.

Buck Owens and Roy Clark as sung on

the T.V. show "Hee-Haw"

Haman left that first banquet thinking he was the luckiest guy in the world, the only man invited to the banquet beside the king. However, by the time he got home, having seen his arch nemesis, Mordecai by the gate, he was in the pits of despair. But his wife and friends console him and help him in problem solving. The best thing to do was to kill that Jew, after all, out of sight out of mind. This really appealed to Haman and as the murder of Mordecai came more into view, Haman became elated. That very evening he had a seventy-five foot gallows erected in his side yard and then at some time returned to the court.

In the meantime, over at the palace, the king awakened and, not being able to sleep ,sent for the royal records. As "heavenly coincidence" would have it, the attendant was reading about how Mordecai had saved the king's life by advising him of a plot to take the king's life. When the king inquired as to how Mordecai was rewarded he was told nothing had been done. He immediately sought to rectify the situation. Hearing that his "loyal" friend was in the courts, he sent for Haman. Without mentioning a name, the king asked Haman how he thought a loyal subject who had assisted the king should be rewarded. Thinking only that the king could be referring to him, Haman proposed a spectacular reward.

Haman acted only out of self-will. The truth about himself was concealed from him. His wife and friends had provided only ungodly counsel and that allowed the truth about Haman to remain concealed from him. No one in the group was thinking about upright behavior and no one was thinking about the God of the Jews. But that was a mistake as we will soon see.

"Don't demand an audience with the king's presence,

and do not claim a place among great men..."

Prov. 25:6

It is a good reminder that we are to serve humbly and that our Father will do the rewarding as He sees fit. "Lord, help us crucify our will and seek to serve as you would have us. Amen."

Bibledoorajar Loves the Revealed

     The king has become enthralled with Esther, the queen. He has brought the arch enemy of the Jews to her banquet as requested. However, the truth has been concealed from him and being queen did not guarantee respect if he should become angry with her. Vashti is certainly an example of how quickly a human, no matter the lofty position, can lose respect. One thing we know, Haman had no respect for Queen Esther. He was in attendance only to enhance himself and to further his heinous plan to destroy the Jews. At this first banquet Esther's plans remained concealed. Only Esther had clear knowledge that God secretly moves on behalf of His people among the nations. The banquet ended with the king not having become impatient with her and Ahaseurus and Haman have been asked to return for a second banquet.
By the second banquet it is clear that Haman had completely devalued God's people and their ability to have any intellectual abilities that could lead them to victory over his prowess and ability. In doing this he also devalued the primacy and sufficiency of their God. So still, the truth is concealed from some and revealed to another.  Our goal is to learn from Esther's story. While God's power may be concealed from some, believers are to understand God's provision with clarity. The first banquet forces the question: Is God present or not? Does the story move us to say YES! and to move us to reveal Him to others?  Is He on the Throne or not? The second banquest builds this tension. Though concealed, is God revealed to those who discern spiritual matters? Will deliverance, though hidden yet come?
     For some, Jesus was a good man, a prophet, but not the son of God. The truth is concealed from these people. But for many of us, through faith, study and understanding, we have come to know and believe the following as absolute truth:

For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead

bodily.

Colossians 2:9

Bibledoorajar Recognizes the Degree of Hatred Toward One Jew

     Esther had successfully gotten the king to her banquet. She had wisely invited his prime minister even though she knew the sinister deeds he planned for her people. While the king and his prime minister were enjoying the event, the king asked Esther for her petition. She chose not to make it known on this first visit. Rather, she asked him to return for a second banquet in order that she might not presume on the value of his kingdom abruptly. This would give the king time to consider the offer he had made and further cement it in his mind. After all, he had extended the scepter and Esther had touched it in respect for his authority. Unlike Vashti, she had humbled herself before his authority and it had pleased him greatly in light of Vashti's bad behavior.
     Haman, too, enjoyed being the only other Persian invited to the queen's banquet. This was indeed an honor and he left the banquet boasting within himself of the conquest. But, then as things sometimes happen, he saw his mortal enemy Mordecai, sitting at the gate and his gloating bubble burst. He could not continue to pat himself on the back when that one Jew would not acknowledge him and give him honor!
     So it was with the Pharisees and Sadducees. They simply could not continue in their own building up of themselves as long as Jesus, that one Jew,  would not give them the special honor they thought they deserved. It was driving them crazy! And everywhere and on every occasion, His words and strategy or lack thereof seemed to be besting them! But just like Mordecai, Jesus had the favor of God and the end result would be as God decreed.

           " You are my beloved Son,
In Whom I am Well Pleased."
Mark 1:11

Bibledoorajar Sees Jehovah Honor a Commitment to His HIdden One

"Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah

Pilgrim through this barren land,

I am weak but Thou art mighty.

Hold me with Thy powerful hand..."

     Esther had now been summoned to the inner court. The king was pleased to see her. Esther had been true to her God and now her powerful God had given her power with the king. So impressed was the king with her that he offers her the solution to her problem up to half his kingdom. She could have told him her problem immediately, but a still small voice gave her another thing to say. What she said took place on the third day of the people's fast. This triangle of prayer days formed a solidly complete prayer request before a solidly complete Godhead. Now, He put words into Esther's mouth: "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king." The king turned immediately to his attendants and asked them to go and tell Haman to come and come quickly to the banquet just as Esther had requested. There would be three people at the banquet: Esther, the king and Haman. While one of them would be hidden there by God, another would be hidden by the enemy of God and His people. The king knew nothing of these characteristics at that point. One was there to do the will of the Great Jehovah and one was there to do the will of the great counterfeiter. 

      The Bible says that we can come freely before the king, but it also says the accuser of the brethren can come too. But we know that Lucifer was cast out of heaven, so how does he show up? He shows up in personalities like Haman who are devoted to criticism, and other evil desires against people who follow the Three in heaven.  Jesus told a parable about the wheat and tares. He told his disciples that they would remain together until the end and then the tares would be destroyed. We certainly don't want to appear before the king displaying any of these characteristics! That would make us an accuser of the brethren before the king. Let us rather choose to love one another and build each other up! I stand before the king challenged to do better. Recently, I heard a young Christian college student tell that her professor was going to give her a failing grade because the professor said she had missed too many classes. While the student felt this was not true, she did not accuse the professor. Rather she agreed to come to class seven additional times as the professor directed. Interestingly, the professor asked the class members to tell how they had been impacted positively in life. Over and over, the Christian's classmates gave honor to Jesus Christ as to how He had impacted them positively. Our student ended up being blessed. She would have missed out on so much if she had chosen to be a bitter accuser.

"Songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee,

Songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee."

William Williams, 1745

Bibledoorajar watches as Esther Approaches the King

Be strong in the Lord (be empowered

through your union with Him); draw your

strength from Him (that strength which His

boundless might provides).

Ephesians 6:10 Amplified Version

     Esther's attention had been drawn to an evil plot intended to be carried out against her and her people. She had asked the people to fast and pray and she had put on royal clothing befitting an audience with the king. Now she stood in the outer court and waited until she was summoned. This would be completely up to the king, but Esther has been empowered through her union with her God and His people.  Who knows what weighty matters the king was considering at the time, but the scripture says that when he saw his queen, he immediately extended his scepter to her. She approached the king and bowed before him, touching the scepter.
     I am impressed with Esther's humble approach before the king. Some might have come running in not clothed properly and yelled in distress from the outer court. This approach could have, of course, been disastrous. The disciples of Jesus once asked Him how they should approach their heavenly Father. Jesus said start out this way: "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".  He then went on to advise of their need for a humble position before God making their supplications known.
     By humbly standing in the outer court, Esther drew in the king to her. What was her plight? What did she need? Why was she coming to him now? And, finally, an overwhelming desire to call her to himself overtook the king. This week, I have been challenged to drop my critical spirit of "pointing the finger" at others, particularly our politicians. I am humbly standing in the outer court repenting of this
ungodly trait and instead substituting heartfelt prayer for our leaders (as the scriptures direct). I have every reason to believe that my king has seen me in the outer court, observed my repentance and has extended the scepter to me. I will approach boldly but with great humility acknowledging that His name must be hallowed and my debts (sins) need forgiveness. It is a great blessing to know that this can occur. All we have to do is approach the king with sincerity. I am awed by so great a union.! Praise God for His goodness.