OT: The Book of Job, Chapter 2

Job 2:1-13

2:1-2 Satan presented himself before God once again after throwing Job's life into chaos.

2:3 Job had evidenced that his respect for God was true; despite wrongly attributing his suffering to Him, Job refused to curse God. Also note that God confirmed Satan torment Job without cause. Job was innocent; God does not punish innocent people.

2:4-5 Satan refused to see Job's response as faithful allegiance. The rogue and evil angel felt that if Job were persecuted even more, he would break his covenant with God. There are many people, fears, and temptations in life that will try to burden your relationship with God until it breaks. Do not let it break.

2:6 God allowed Satan to continue his experiment but did not give Satan permission to kill Job. Whether this story is literal or figurative, it was written for our benefit. It was written so that we would understand that certain elements and seasons of life would challenge our relationship with God. Doubt and fear and loss all work experiments on us to see if we will break. We must insist that our bond with God is unbreakable and He will see us through.

2:7 Satan struck Job's body with boils.

2:8-9 At this point, Job became pitiable and even pathetic to his wife and friends. His wife did not understood why he clung to his trust and respect for God. Again Job faced persecuted from an unexpected source. The people in our lives will not always understand our commitment to faith; they will not always understand our source of hope or courage but we cannot allow their opinion to threaten our relationship with God.

2:10 Job felt his wife was reacting foolishly. To him it remained illogical that he would curse God. God had blessed Job with so much and Job would not forget that. Although very much opposed to the circumstances of his life, his relationship with God was not conditional. Job knew that God had freely blessed him and he remained grateful, even though all of those blessings had gone away.

2:11 Three of Job's friends heard about his plight and desperation. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar traveled together to meet with Job. His friends meant well, but Job did not benefit from their visit.

2:12-13 When they arrived they did not recognize their friend; Job was so changed from his days of glory. They mourned for him. At first, they did not have any words for him. In the next chapters, however, we will see that they had far too many words and far too few truths to speak to their friend.

Support systems are wonderful but ultimately, God should be our support system. Even well-meaning people can lead us astray.

OT: The Book of Job, Chapter 1

Job 1:1-22

Satan did to Job exactly what he did to Eve in the garden, but this time, he did it behind the scenes. Satan doesn't believe in love. He continues to doubt that anyone would love God if they had another choice. If we consider a lot of the world, we might think he was right. But it only takes one person to disprove his theory. In this book, that one person is represented by Job.

Job was a man who lived in a place called Uz. Uz stood for "wooded," in other words, it stood for wilderness. Job lived within the exact place we all live in: the wilderness of life on earth, life temporarily separate from the kingdom of God. Yet even in the midst of the wilderness, Job was happy. Job was blessed. Job loved God. Satan believed that Job's love for God was dependent on his blessings. Satan did not believe that a person would love God without God having to purchase their love. He did not believe in authenticity.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan did not believe that Adam and Eve had an authentic love for God. He believed they loved God because they didn't know better. Satan believed Job loved God because it profited him to love God. Satan's experiment on the earth is essentially to disprove true love. Our life and relationship with God is an opportunity to disprove Satan's hypothesis. 

The Book of Job calls us to question: is our love for God real? Is it greedy? Do we love who He is or do we love what He does for us? To trust God throughout our life is to allow the circumstances of our life to refine our character and strengthen our relationship with God. We must create genuine relationships with God, relationships that are not dependent on receiving. God trusts us to be productive with our life. Satan temps us to doubt the One who trusts us. 

Ultimately Job represents humanity, just as Adam and Eve represent humanity. Satan keeps trying to convince individuals out of faith. Satan asks us:

If you knew better, would you still love Him? 

He asks us: If you don't get everything you want, will you still love him? 

Job answered "yes" to both questions. Satan answered "no."

We read more about Satan in Ezekiel 28:11-19. Satan was like Job. He was like Adam and Eve. His life was perfect. He was blessed, loved and trusted by God. But Satan did not love God; he placed his lust for power over his love for God. He wanted (wants) to be God, replace God. He used everything God gave him to build himself but deconstruct the kingdom. In order to accomplish his mission, he endeavors to deconstruct the faith of the people who love God. He tries to fracture it with doubt, fear and temptation. 

Despite being heavily burdened, Job truly loved God. He did not like his circumstances; he did not understand them, he certainly did not deserve them. But true love persists amidst confusion, it perseveres through pain when the object of love is worthy.  Our God is worthy.

The Bible teaches us that God has purpose and plan for each of our lives. All things work for the good of those who love the Lord. Tribulation is a form of discipline, refinement. But in the book of Job, none of that is the case for Job. Satan had a plan for Job's life but Job's faith rejected it. Job's name means "persecuted" and he was, just like Jesus. And just like Jesus, the persecution did not affect his relationship with God. 

1:1-3 Job was a man whose faith yielded a blessed life. He was obedient to God; he submitted to the will of God, and because of that, he planted good seed. He allowed God to lead him into blessing and abundance. He appreciated what he was given, he allowed God to instruct him on how to maintain what he was given, and therefore he became the most successful man in his region. 

Notice that the book first opens with mention of Job's faith. His faith comes before his possessions. Right in the introduction of the chapter we learn that because Job had faith, Job had a blessed life. Job did not develop love for God after receiving his blessings, he developed blessings because of his love for God. 

1:4 Job raised his children to love God and to be a righteous, compassionate family. They were close and generous with each other. They ate and celebrated together; they valued their time together and appreciated their blessings together. After every gathering, Job would thank God and pray for his children. 

1:5 Job was realistic: he had a big, happy family but nobody is perfect and therefore he knew that his children had likely, at some point, sinned. Job repented for the ways his children might have offended God. It would have been easy for Job to take his life for granted but he never did. He was equal parts grateful and repentant and reverent. The moments of joy and abundance reminded him of God's goodness, rather than distracted him from it. It was important to Job that God "regularly" knew he was thankful and aware that it was a gift they were probably unworthy of.

1:6-7 One day, several souls came to God and Satan was among them. Apparently, Satan had been away because God asked him where he had been. Satan confessed that he had been walking around the earth. 

1:8 God already knew where Satan had been, but wanted Satan to explain his observations of where he had been (that is, earth). Satan was looking for evidence to prove that people did not, would not, steadfastly love God. Likely he found a few examples. But God knew of a man who did love Him, and who would love Him no matter what: Job.

1:9-11 Job disproved Satan's theory and that annoyed him. So Satan answered contemptuously; he told God that Job only loved God because God had given him many blessings. Satan challenged Job's faith: he believed that Job would not love God if all of his blessings were taken away. In fact, Satan believed that Job would hate and curse God if all of his blessings were taken away.

Consider Satan's mindset: He cannot conceive of unconditional love. He does not understand or value anything that does not directly benefit him. His viewpoint is in direct opposition to God's viewpoint. God loves us knowing that we can never give Him anything in return except love.

1:12 God gave Satan permission to take away all of Job's possessions.

Luckily for you and I, Satan did not receive such permission from God over our lives. But we did learn that Satan likes to walk around the earth looking for weak faith. Imagine if God and Satan were in a room together looking at you. You would want God to have complete faith in your love for Him. You would want to be one of the souls who disproved Satan's theory. 

With permission to experiment, Satan eagerly left to do his worst to Job. Consider that life is a more diluted version of Satan's experiment. Every time we trust God, we disprove Satan. Every time one of God's children chooses love over doubt, humility over arrogance, selflessness over greed, we reprove Satan. 

1:13-19 Suddenly Job's whole life changed. He started to lose everything, everyone. Remember, it was not God who was testing Job. It was Satan who was testing Job. God was trusting Job; God was not insecure. He was confident in Job's love and did not need to test it. 

After a quick succession of emergencies, Job's once abundant life became desolate. He had the most in the region; suddenly he had the least. How did Job respond to such despair?

1:20 He fell to the ground and worshiped.

Job's first response was humility and gratitude to God. Even when he had nothing, Job was still grateful to God! Incredible. Job responded well and faithfully to his desperation, but he misinterpreted it. 

1:21 Job thought God had taken away his blessing. It was Job's first mistake and one that would cause him a lot of torment. Because Job thought God had taken his blessings away, he spent a lot of his life wondering why. If only Job knew that God does not take away blessings from His children. 

God's children sometimes neglect their blessings.

God's children sometimes forfeit their blessings.

God's children sometimes waste their blessings.

But God's righteous children never have their blessings taken away as punishment. Job's life until that point had God's fingerprints all over it. But Job's life, after losing everything, had Satan's fingerprints all over it. Job misinterpreted the work of Satan as the work of God. 

Side note: It's important to realize that Satan is not always responsible for desolation in our lives or in the world. Satan represents a world-view, a way of life that is greedy, selfish, unjust, and deceitful. Sometimes we lose things because we neglected them. Sometimes we do not receive things because we have not worked to be responsible enough to have them. But Job's account of loss is a particular lesson in love. Do you love God, or anyone, because of what they can do for you? That is not love.  

Job misinterpreted the reason for his suffering, he wrongly identified the entity behind it. Despite that, He loved God. He loved God enough though he thought God had taken so much away from him. He loved God because he knew Who God was. He knew what God stood for. Do you love God for Who He is? Do you find Him just, inspiring, and kind? Or do you foster a relationship with Him simply to have someone to ask for things from?

1:22 Job grieved, but he never cursed God. He did not understand; he did not think it was fair, still he did not yell at God. He did not argue with, what he thought, was God's choice. Even then, he trusted God: for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer.

Your relationship with God is a union, a covenant, a marriage and it will be as strong as your faith. 

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 10

Esther 10:1-3

10:1-2 Although it would seem that king Ahasuerus was in power, God arranged and powered the framework and details of this book and Esther's life. God advanced Mordecai and Esther because they had the faith, humility and sense of righteousness that qualified them for impactful, purposeful work.

With willingness and courage in faith, we become the type of soul God can use to create and restore. He offers us to be the instruments through which His blessings are implemented. Mordecai was humble enough to serve God exclusively, and that humility enabled God to reverse his situation and save his life.

10:3 Be willing to serve; God delegates truly honorable, important work to the people who are willing to do it. Mordecai sought the good of his people and peace for all of the people around him. God helps us to achieve success when our motivations are just, selfless and faith-based.

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 9

Esther 9:1-32

9:1-2 When the day came for the kingdom-wide attack, the people of God overpowered their enemies. Their triumph was made possible by God.

9:3-5 The king's officials assisted the children of God in their effort against their enemies. They respected Mordecai and therefore took his side rather than the side of their own people.

9:6-11 Listed are men (and numbers of men) who died fighting against them, including Haman's family. The children of God did not plunder their belonging (though they had been given permission to).

9:13-16 Esther asked the king for Haman's family to be killed. God would not have allowed Esther to request the death of innocent men. The only people who were killed were people who were evil and had tried to kill innocents. Overall, seventy-five thousand of their enemies died.

9:17-19 Finally they were able to rest with gratitude that they had overcome their enemies. They were safe. Their spouses and children, friends and family were finally safe; they feasted.

9:20-28 Mordecai created and sent out a new custom: the celebration of rest from their enemies, orchestrated by God. The holiday would serve as further reminder that the will of God works in service of God's children. It would be a reminder that the will of God is the true authority over the world and thus over all of our enemies and fears.

9:29-32 Esther sent out letters of peace and truth throughout the provinces, confirming Mordecai's own letters. The journey God presented Mordecai and Esther with was an extraordinary one. He made an orphan a wise and courageous queen and an anonymous man a respected authority in a massive kingdom.

It should excite us to think about what extraordinary plans God has for our own lives. Faith in Him yields beautiful results and a powerful life journey.

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 8

Esther 8:1-17

8:1-2 King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther all of Haman's possessions, including his land and home. The king also gave Mordecai his signet ring, which had formerly been given to Haman, and the significance was that it gave Mordecai honor and power within the king's administration. God orchestrated a complete reversal of Haman and Mordecai's situation. 

8:3-6 Esther still had to save her people. With the deference required of a subject speaking to the king, she implored Ahasuerus to counteract the decree. God placed Esther in a position to fight for her people and she fulfilled it. 

8:7-8 In response, the king granted Esther and Mordecai permission to write the counter-decree themselves! The king gave Esther and Mordecai the opportunity to save their people... such an opportunity was granted first and foremost by the King of kings, God. God arranges the details of our lives to support our righteous agendas. 

8:9-10 Therefore Mordecai wrote, with permission and under the king's irrefutable name, a new decree and he had it sent out to all of the provinces. 

8:11-14 Notice that Mordecai did not abuse the power; he simply utilized the material and opportunity God provided to restore justice. The children of God who had been sentenced to death were given permission to defend themselves against anyone who would attack them.

8:15-17 Relief flooded the provinces. God exalted the humble Mordecai, Matthew 23:12. Mordecai stepped out of the king's house with royal apparel, no longer did he wear the sackcloth of mourning. To God, the people who are actually royal are those who serve people. Esther and Mordecai dedicated themselves to their people rather than to their own self-preservation (as Haman had). 

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 7

Esther 7:1-10

7:1-2 Once again, Esther called the king and Haman to a banquet. The king asked Esther what her petition was and once again promised to fulfill it.

7:3-4 Finally Esther answered: her request was that the king save her life and the lives of her people. Without mention the decree, Esther explained that she and her people were to be destroyed and killed. This annihilation was ordered by Haman. Esther recognized that the king would not want to lose his wife and suspected that he would therefore try to save her.

7:5-6 The king demanded the name of the person who ordered such destruction and Esther named the man responsible: Haman (who sat with them at dinner). Haman was terrified! God continued to upturn all of his plots and he was stunned.

7:7 King Ahasuerus responded with wrath and left the table. Haman begged for his life, but not because he was apologetic. Haman was evil: he sentenced innocents to death, but to save himself, he begged the for the guilty to be allowed to live.

7:8 Haman had thrown himself over Esther and when the king returned, he misinterpreted Haman's posture as impropriety. The king was already enraged with Haman and his anger only increased.

7:9 It was then revealed to the king that Haman plotted Mordecai's death, the man who the king was grateful to! Again, the situation seemed to imply that Haman was working against the king. And though Haman had always tried to ingratiate himself to the king, Haman only ever truly worked for himself. The consequences of his selfish motives came crashing down upon him in the worst moment.

The king ordered Haman's execution. He would be hanged on the gallows he intended for Mordecai. God completely reversed the situation; He parted the sea; He made a way when there seemed to be no way. The same God of Mordecai is at work in our lives today.

7:10 And so, Haman was hanged. His plots resulted in death while Mordecai's prayers resulted in life.

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 6

Esther 6:1-14

6:1 The night of Esther's banquet, the king went to bed but could not sleep. Perhaps to induce a slumber, the king requested that the book of records be brought to him. 

6:2-3 This is where we truly begin to see God's intricate work in the details of our lives. The king comes across Mordecai's name and realizes that Mordecai was never honored for saving the kings life (in chapter 2).

6:4-5 At the same time moment of the king's rediscovery of Mordecai, Haman entered the king's court to suggest Mordecai's murder. But the king had just been reminded of Mordecai's honor. This is truly exquisite timing! The book of Esther does not specifically mention God; instead, it allows us to relate to Esther and Mordecai because no one narrates all of the specific things God is doing behind the scenes of their life. No one narrates the things God is doing in our life, but God is still doing them.

6:6 The king asked Haman: What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor? Ironically (arrogantly), Haman assumed the king was speaking about him.

6:7-9 So Haman answered the question greedily. With each line, he envisioned himself receiving the honor. Instead, Haman designed Mordecai's honor: 

let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’

God arranged the circumstances so that Haman honored the man he meant to punish. Exalted the man he meant to hang. Haman handed everything he wanted for himself to the man he (unjustly) despised. What Haman meant for evil, God cleverly transformed into good for His faithful child, Genesis 50:20.

6:10 Once Haman finished speaking, the king told Haman to hurry and bestow those honors upon Mordecai. 

6:11 Haman must have been flummoxed to so quickly see the complete reversal of his plans that night. God loves to surprise His children with blessings; simultaneously, he surprises the evil with His immutable power.

6:12 Haman actually mourned. It is extremely poor character to mourn the success of a righteous person. Others' success should not make us jealous or cruel. He went home and told his wife, Zeresh, and friends about the turn of events. Haman's friends and wife realized and then told Haman that he would not be able to prevail over Mordecai. This evil cabal recognized and admitted their inability against God's might!

Evil will not triumph over a righteous child of God. 

6:14 In the middle of their conversation, Haman was called away to once again join the king for Esther's banquet. God's plan had not yet entirely unfolded. God is thorough; He is precise. The matter of Haman's decree to kill innocents was still unresolved.

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 5

Esther 5:1-14

5:1-2 After her three-day fast, Esther changed into her royal robes and walked into the king's inner court. From his throne, the king noticed Esther and was glad to see her. By law, a person could only speak if the king offered them the golden scepter. The king offered to Esther. God orchestrated Esther's chance to speak.

5:3 The king was generous with Esther, before she even said half a work he offered to grant her request. The king implied that she could made a grand request and he would sanction it. So often, the things which intimidate us are reduced to dust by God before we even arrive at their doorstep.

5:4-5 Esther asked the king to come to dinner with her, and to bring Haman with him. Haman was the force behind the malicious decree and was therefore connected to God's plan. The king agreed and called for Haman. 

5:6-8 At the dinner, Esther chose to postpone her request. We are not privy to her reasoning but because we know she followed the instruction of God, we know that it was not the right time to speak it. 

5:9-11 Haman was clueless, of course. He perceived Esther's invite as a compliment. He was an arrogant man. Yet as soon as Haman saw Mordecai at the king's gate, his mood soured. Haman's anger and insecurity soared up from his depths. Haman went home and bragged to his friends about his prominence within the king's court. 

5:12-13 Haman boasted about being invited to a second banquet with the king and queen. The irony is that Haman had everything he thought he wanted. He loved to show off his power and wealth and yet it was not enough to satisfy his soul. All his new power and wealth were not able to quench the anger and discontent with him. 

Learn from people who received everything they wanted and realized it was not actually what they needed. Sometimes what we want is not what is good for us. Rarely does what we think will make us happy actually make us happy. Only God knows how to fill our life and heart with the substance and nourishment that will truly satisfy us. 

5:14 Haman's wife and friends were also malicious. They decided to build the structure they intended for Mordecai's death. Does someone else's destruction or demotion please you? God wants us to pray for people, not curse them, not plot against them. Haman did not have a legitimate complaint against Mordecai but even if he did, plotting his demise was not the productive or righteous thing to do. We should always seek justice and resolution, God's advice above all else.

Mordecai constructed the gallows, but Mordecai would not be the one to hang from it. Haman's evil decisions tied his own noose.

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 4

Esther 4:1-17

4:1-2 The king and Haman's inhumane decree drove Mordecai into despair. He changed into his mourning clothes and went into the middle of the city. He grieved aloud and loudly. He was unafraid to emotionally demonstrate the cruelty of the decree. Mordecai mourned in front of the king's gate; he would have gone further had it been allowed. 

It is helpful to examine the grief of faithful people in scripture. Their tribulations were not different from our own; they experienced the same wide rage of emotions we experience. Yet from them we learn that when we respond to grief and injustice with faith in God, not only is our perspective changed but so is our outcome. 

4:2 Mordecai was not alone in his grief. All of God's children within the king's provinces mourned and fasted. Haman's decree fell over the provinces like a pall. From Haman we should learn that whatever our position of leadership, our actions impact others. We should be careful not to make selfish decisions that corrode justice. We should be self-aware; we should pay close attention to our motivations and intentions. If our priorities are skewed, we create potential to truly harm the people around us. 

4:4 Esther was informed of Mordecai's grief and presence at the king's gate and she became distressed. She organized for Mordecai to be brought new clothes but he refused them; he wanted to remain in his mourning clothes. 

4:5-9 Esther sent Hathach, one of the king's servants, to Mordecai; she wanted to know why he was in such despair. Mordecai explained the decree, gave Hathach a copy and asked him to show it to Esther. Mordecai believed that Esther, as queen, would be able to plead for her people to the king. 

4:10-12 Initially, Esther was too afraid to approach the king. It was law that only a person holding the golden sceptor could enter the inner court of the king. Anyone else would die. Esther was somewhat removed from the decree: she felt sympathy but not yet empathy. She was not evil but her perspective was short: as the queen (and secret Israelite), she did not believe herself tied to the decree.

4:13 Mordecai was frank with his adopted-daughter: she was not exempt from the decree. Her life was as subject to the decree as his and all of their people. She had a chance to risk her life in order to save it, before her death was final. In Matthew 16:25-26, Jesus says this: 

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

It was Esther's opportunity to offer her life to save the lives of many others (as well as her own soul). 

4:14 Despite his grief, Mordecai was confident in God's ability and commitment to rescuing His people. He knew that if Esther refused to serve her people righteously, someone else would be chosen for the task. Our life and our position is strategic. God offers us purpose within our individual life and it is our decision whether or not to claim it. It is our decision whether or not to fulfill it. 

Sometimes purpose seems difficult, often it seems scary but refer to the book of Acts. In Acts 18:10, the Lord explained to the apostle Paul that he did not need to be afraid "for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." God strategically places us in areas where He can provide those most effective and abundant support.

4:15-17 Esther made a decision: she would help her people regardless of the potential, dangerous consequences. She asked Mordecai to gather their people in the city to participate in a three day fast. Esther herself chose to fast: she would use that time to pray to God  for guidance and instruction and to build her courage in faith. 

Create a habit of consulting God on all life matters. Trade haste for spiritual contemplation and conversation with God. Esther's purpose in life was rather apparent but often life purpose is not so. If we keep our communication open with God, throughout our day and month and year and life, we arrive at the specific places He chose for us to be the happiest and most impactful.

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 3

Esther 3:1-15

3:1-3 King Ahasuerus promoted a man named Haman as his second in command. Everyone within the kingdom, no matter how high their station, bowed to Haman. Everyone bowed to Haman except for Mordecai. Mordecai had made a life commitment to bow to God alone and despite the tumult that would create in his life, he remained faithful to it. 

3:4 The quality and depth of our life is determined by the steadfastness of our faith. Mordecai recognized God's authority over his life; he respected the government of the land he lived in, but refused to bow to it. As more people noticed Mordecai's consistent refusal to bow to Haman, Mordecai's life became more difficult. Temporarily.

Faithful children of God are placed by Him into circumstances which generate unlikely, and yet inevitable results.

3:5-6 Haman was infuriated with Mordecai's refusal; Haman was an arrogant man, greedy for power and praise he did not deserve. In an act of wounded pride and cruelty, Haman sought to punish Mordecai by punishing all of God's children within the provinces. 

These were likely not the results Mordecai foresaw. Through so many accounts of people in the Bible, we learn that our journey with God sometimes seems murky and difficult. In those times we must remember that from God's perspective, the journey is clear and easy for Him to accomplish through our faithful life.

Mordecai would have had to ask himself: will my steadfast faith in God result in the slaughter of the rest of his people? He would then have had to remembered that faith in God never yields negative results. We should recognize adversity as the materials with which God builds something grand. Ultimately, Mordecai must have recognized his situation in such a way because he remained obedient to God. The threats and ominous outlook did not diminish his faith.  

3:7 The men against Mordecai cast lots (threw dice) to determine when to attack the people of Israel. Yet for months the lot fell in Israel's favor; God was busy organizing the details of Israel triumph over the malicious attack. This is a perfect example of how random and senseless life is without commitment to our righteous God. These corrupt men cast lots to murder innocent people.

3:8 Haman then approached the king with an embellishment against the people of Israel. He did not name the people, but he told the king that there was a large group of people dispersed within his kingdom who disobeyed the kings laws. Haman did not mention that his anger was personal. He did not mention that it was actual to Haman that Mordecai would not bow; the issue was unrelated to the king. 

Haman is the type of person the book of Proverbs often speaks of. Proverbs 22:12 explains that malicious lies are an abomination to God, and that God delights in the trustworthy, the truthful. As a truthful, righteous man, Mordecai was protected by God against Haman's deceit. 

3:9-11 Haman asked the king for permission to destroy the group of people who were supposedly disobeying the king and was granted permission by him. But Mordecai trusted the King of kings to protect him and his people and no plotting can stand against the almighty power of God. 

3:12-15 A decree was sent to every province: to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate... both young and old, little children, and women. On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the people of Israel were to be killed. Sometimes God waits until the last minute; Esther 3 is our perfect example to never lose hope, no matter how far or deep we are in tribulation. For God had a plan and was able to perfectly execute it; that terrifying decree had no power but it likely did not feel that way when it was issued. 

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 2

Esther 2:1-23

2:1-4 Four years after the events of the previous chapter, king Ahasuerus returned from an unsuccessful conquest with, bluntly: lust. The king did not desire a companion; he did not seek love. It was arranged that beautiful women from the provinces of his kingdom would be gathered into a harem. The most appealing woman to the king would be chosen as queen. 

2:5-7 This chapter and the rest of the book of Esther, is a perfect example of how God is able to manipulate the self-centered motivations of others to push forward and elevate the purpose and power of His humble children. 

A faithful man of God (and of the tribe of Benjamin) named Mordecai was in the citadel with his uncle's orphaned daughter: Hadassah, also known as Esther. Mordecai took responsibility of his cousin because she lived in a patriarchal society and was without parents; she needed a provider and protector. Mordecai adopted Esther as his own daughter. 

2:8-9 Esther became a member of the king's harem. The man in control of the harem was named Hegai and he had partiality for Esther, who is described to have been beautiful. Esther, previously unknown by the king or anyone else of consequence (except for her uncle), became a candidate for queen. 

2:10 Esther and Mordecai chose to keep her identity as an Israelite a secret. It was a secret that would eventually serve to advance the welfare and save the population of the children of God within the king's provinces. 

2:11 Mordecai cared about Esther and ensured her well-being every day that she was in the women's quarters of the king's place. 

2:12-14 The beauty preparations for the women of the harem was a luxurious, albeit ridiculous, and extensive (year-long) process. The king met each of the women but they were not allowed to return to him unless he called for them. 

2:15-18 When the king met Esther, he liked her best of all the women. He chose Esther as queen and held a feast. Esther suddenly had position and power, yet the new position and power qualified her as a candidate for a servant of God's will. The true celebration, though no one had known it at the time, was God's infiltration into the system of the world to bring about the agenda of heaven. 

2:19-20 Even as queen, Esther kept her identity as an Israel from everyone except her uncle.

2:21-23 While Mordecai was waiting to her about Esther's well-being by the king's gate one day, he overheard a plot to kill the king. Mordecai passed the information on to Esther, and Esther then informed the king. The deceitful plot was revealed to be true and the guilty men were hanged. God placed Mordecai in the right spot at the right time to create a situation by which Esther would earn the trust and respect of the king.

OT: The Book of Esther, Chapter 1

Esther 1:1-22

The book of Nehemiah was a portion of scripture which told the account of a man who was faithful enough to recognize (and utilize) his position as an opportunity to assertively implement spiritual restoration among his people. The book of Esther is the account of two people who had no position, yet still had faith enough to be vigilant and resourceful in order to accomplish the same goal of spiritual restoration among their people. 

1:1-4 The account begins with a king: Ahasuerus (or Artexerxes). This king had a massive kingdom that stretched over twenty-seven provinces. From his throne in Shushan, the citadel, he began a one-hundred and eighty day long feast. The feast was a boastful display of his wealth and power more than a celebration. 

1:5-8 Afterward, the king held an extravagant seven day feast for the people within the citadel.

1:9 The king's wife, queen Vashti, also held a feast for the women in the royal palace.

1:10-11 On the seventh day of his feast, the king ordered his servants to bring his wife to be paraded around. The queen was beautiful and the king wanted, more than her company, to show off her beauty as another display of his excellence. Yet the queen refused the king's command, though we are not given the specific reason why. 

We can perhaps deduce that queen Vashti was resistant to the patriarchal society of her time. 

1:12-15 The queen's refusal infuriated Ahasuerus; he consulted the wise men around him for advice on how to respond to her disobedience. He wanted advice on how to punish her. 

1:16-18 A man named Memucan answered the king: he decided that queen Vashti's disobedience was not only a marital issue but a social one as well. He felt that her refusal might start an uprising among women within their own homes and marriages across the kingdom. 

1:19-20 Memucan suggested that the king essentially divorce queen Vashti and replace her with another woman. King Ahasuerus was not a faithful man; he did not rule his kingdom with righteousness or compassion. It was not difficult for him to divorce and replace the woman he entered into a union with. 

1:21 Memucan wanted to threaten women into disobedience; the king was pleased with the suggestion. 

1:22 Letters (which no doubt had harmful consequences) went out to every household declaring the husband's superiority over his wife. Every man and women in the kingdom was informed of Vashti's refusal and subsequent punishment. 

The marriage between the king and queen was an unrighteous union. The king forced his dominance and commanded his wife to behave in a demeaning and inappropriate manner. He responded to her with anger and divorce. God asks spouses to respect each other and to serve each other just as he instructs us to serve our neighbors, God's fellow-children. 

Ahasuerus and Vashti had no such union. Yet the turmoil of their marriage became an opportunity for God's people through Esther and Mordecai. 

OT: The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 13

Nehemiah 13:1-31

13:1 Fledgling kingdom that it was, they read from the Book of Moses to familiarize themselves with God's commandments and instructions. While reading, they learned of the importance of keeping separate from peoples and institutions that harm rather than heal, hurt rather than help. In Deuteronomy 23:3-4, Ammonites and Moabites were restricted from Israel because of their refusal to help during Israel's time of need in the wilderness. 

13:2 The Ammonites and Moabites were given the opportunity to be a haven to a people struggling to survive but rejected it. In reading the book of Moses, they learned what we learn: we may not have the support of anyone around us, but we always have God's support; and He is all we need. God was able to turn their desperation into deliverance; He turned the curses cast against them (Numbers 22-24) into blessings. 

Our relationship with God is so powerful. He goes before us; He exists in our periphery; He is behind and around us, he transforms our plights into provision, chaos into order, and fear into peace. 

13:3 They read and obeyed. They trusted His counsel over anything, anyone else. We should be willing and even eager to rearrange our life according to God's law and will. We should be grateful that He provides the instruction that delivers us from harm. 

13:4-9 Nehemiah entered Jerusalem and discovered corruption. He began an complete spiritual overhaul. Nehemiah cleaned up the evil work of the men before him, namely Eliashib and Tobiah, and restored the house of God. Be someone so connected with God's work that you constantly work to restore His kingdom. It grieved Nehemiah that the kingdom was out of order. 

13:10-13 Nehemiah placed faithful men into positions within the temple. He fought to restore what other men had forsaken. This was a spiritual battle; Nehemiah contended not with men but with a principality, Ephesians 6:12. Had the temple not been restored, the people of Israel's spirituality would have quickly fallen into disrepair. 

13:14 Like most humble souls, Nehemiah likely thought more of his short-comings than he did his successes. He prayed to God, asking Him to remember the good that he had done. It can sometimes feel as though the bad outweighs the good but God is a champion for our successes. He is a proud parent; He remembers and appreciates our well-intentioned efforts. 

13:15-16 Nehemiah restored the Sabbath. God commanded that a day be set aside for spiritual rest and reflection. In our own hectic generation, it is easy to understand why God and His prophets would stress the importance of consistently scheduled rest. From within a busy lifestyle, it becomes more difficult to spend restful, quality time with God. The chaos is a detriment to the health of our spirit. When our spirit is undernourished, the rest of our mind and body suffers.

13:17-18 Everything Nehemiah did for Jerusalem was a courageous effort. He had to fight for spiritual restoration. He had to know the commandments of God well enough to recognize when they were absent from society. Israel badly needed to remain connected with God; their former wayward lifestyle was proof of that. 

13:19-20 Nehemiah commanded the gates within the walls around Jerusalem be shut during the entire Sabbath. He posted guards to ensure that they remained closed. With the gates shut, people were forced to cease working and procuring money to focus on other, more important things like God and family.

13:21-22 The merchants were so desperate to make money that they slept outside of the walls. Nehemiah rather aggressively warned them not to do so again. From the beginning, Nehemiah wanted desperately for the people to return sincerely back to God. He wanted them follow the commandments of God out of trust and respect rather than reluctance. 

At a certain point in our relationship with God, as it deepens, we understand His "No's" to be blessings. We know that if He tells us to stop or to slow down, it is for our well-being. We begin to have deep gratitude for His every commandment. 

Again Nehemiah asked God to remember Him for what he did right. From within the turmoil, Nehemiah needed to be aggressive. Most of the progressive change that he made could happen if He contended with others for change. It is not that God wants us to fight, but He does want us to divide right from wrong, Luke 12:51. The cleaving process is often a messy task, and from within it, Nehemiah asked God to remember that his heart meant well.

13:23-27 The people married outside of their faith; this was especially dangerous because they married pagans and idol worshipers that led them astray. Nehemiah used the example of Solomon, who was the wisest man on earth but still not invulnerable to temptation or corruption. God wants us to choose to join our lives with people who had righteous values, for what and who we bring into our lives is going to determine the quality of our lives. 

A marriage is a union. You cannot unite righteousness with unrighteousness, justice with injustice, slavery to sin with freedom in God. Nehemiah was so angry. It was illogical to him that they would so openly disregard God's prudent commandment. 

13:28-29 Nehemiah was disturbed by people who defiled the priesthood and the covenant. When our emotion wells up like fire, we must do as Nehemiah did, he asked God to take care of the people/situation that was causing him so much anger and grief. One of our greatest blessings as children of God is to have the supplemental support of our Father in our weak and deficient moments. Sometimes there is nothing we can do, but always there is something He can. 

13:30-31 Nehemiah cleansed the temple of pagan and idol worship. He cleansed and organized not just the temple but all of Jerusalem and the wall around it. Nehemiah is known for the wall but the greatest work He did was the reconstruction of the faith of God's people. 

OT: The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 12

Nehemiah 12:1-47

12:1-26 Listed are the priests and Levites who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel. 

12:27-42 Nehemiah arranged for spiritual celebration throughout the city of Jerusalem on the day he dedicated the wall. He also appointed thanksgiving choirs; through song and instrument the people rejoiced at both the restoration of the wall and their renewed covenant with God. 

12:43 The celebration was kingdom-wide and was heard beyond the borders. In Revelation 19, we learn of the great, kingdom-wide celebration that the righteous will take part in at the fall of Babylon, the destruction of evil. 

12:44-47 People were appointed to fill certain responsibilities within the temple. 

So much like our actual life responsibilities: God plants willing souls in places where they can serve in a way specific to their personality, skills and purpose. Jerusalem had teachers, singers, gatekeepers, soldiers and so much more. Like them, we have varying skills and responsibilities but all of them are important within the kingdom:

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Steadily, Jerusalem became a city of organization and dedication (to faith in God). Appreciate the process of spiritual restoration and all the work it requires, it is the most constructive work you will ever do.

OT: The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 11

Nehemiah 11:1-36

11:1-2 The leaders made their home in Jerusalem. As only a fraction of the former people had spiritually returned, an effort needed to be made to establish the city as well as grow the population of the city. They were grateful to anyone who was willing to offer themselves as inhabitants of Jerusalem and therefore, servants of God.

11:3-4 Generally, each family returned to the portion of the city allotted to their ancestors. Each of Jacob's (renamed Israel by God) children represent a tribe of Israel, Genesis 49. It is fitting that Jacob's descendants would be named the Israelites: The name Israel means 'God Prevails' and God had prevailed despite their frequent immorality and negligence of faith. 

11:5-6 The children of Judah. 

11:7-9 The sons of Benjamin.

11:10-14 Of the priests.

11:15-18 (Also) Of the Levites. 

11:19 The gatekeepers. 

11:20-21 The Nethinim, 'temple servants,' lived in Ophel. 'Ophel' means hill; a ridge of hills in Jerusalem, fortified for defense of the city. Servants of God's temple, the kingdom of God within themselves, dwell indeed on a raised and well-defended platform. As servants of God, our perspective is heightened and the Lord is encamped around us. 

11:22-24 Also of mention were the overseer of the Levites as well as the singers in charge of the service of the house of God.

11:25-36 The people dwelling outside of Jerusalem.

Compared to what it could have been, had everyone remained faithful to God, it was a sparse group. But the sparse group was fervent in their love and obedience for God and thus, though small, they had great significance. 

OT: The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 10

Nehemiah 10:1-39

10:1-27 Listed are the names of the Nehemiah, the priests, Levites, brethren, and leaders who had sealed a new covenant with God in the previous chapter. More than a document, they signed a commitment to God and a righteous lifestyle.

10:28-31 The rest of the people accepted the specific conditions of the law and covenant Moses proffered to their ancestors:

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 

But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

10:32-34 They made ordinances to reestablish the traditions of offering and Sabbaths and feasts. 

10:35-38 They made ordinances to willingly give to God the first-fruits on their ground and trees every year; to dedicate their firstborn to His cause; to donate to the teachers of God's law; and to tithe to the house of God and its storehouse. 

They made commitments to design their lifestyle in such a way that it would support their faith and thus righteously maintain their kingdom and every other blessing given by God.

10:39 Their ultimate statement: We will not neglect the house of our God. Negligence in faith is the destruction of soul. The destruction of soul is the paling of character. Poor character corrupts motivations and aspirations. Poor motives and aspirations result in harm and shame. Therefore do not neglect the house of our God. Support His kingdom; claim a spot in it. Absorb the purpose He designed specifically for you and work arduously at it. 

OT: The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 9

Nehemiah 9:1-38

9:1 The people entered a state of spiritual regeneration. God had generated the blessing of their release from captivity as well as the construction of the wall which would solidify their freedom. His tremendous power inspired them to humble themselves in both gratitude and repentance. 

The participated in a collective fast, dressed in sackcloth and brushed with dust on their heads. The physical display of lowliness was meant to be representative of their comparison with God. Based on recent divine intervention, their modest nature became apparent to them.

As individuals, we benefit our life greatly when we endeavor to live in a state of humility. For when we are aware of our deficiencies, God instructs us on how to fill them. And anything that is out of our power is solidly within His. The apostle Paul gleefully claimed his weaknesses as he understood them to be hosts and invitations to God's strength. Every void (anger, greed, weakness, fear) within us is a place that can be filled by the light of God. 

Therefore the people humbled themselves. They had never made so much progress as they did when they stopped trying to lead and started instead to follow. So often we begin to chart and travel our own course, in pursuit of self-focused desires, but that is a chaotic and cyclical journey. To actually progress we must place God in the forefront and personal desires behind. 

9:2 The people of the Israelite lineage separated themselves from the others, they had something specific to atone for: their own disobedience and the disobedience of their ancestors despite the covenant God personally made with them. Once we have a personal relationship with God, our experience with Him is much more intimate: disobedience becomes a personal affront.

9:3 For one-fourth of the day, the people dedicated themselves to reading scripture. For another fourth, they confessed and worshiped God. It is so important that we dedicate ample time to intimacy and worship with God. In the space of worship, we can confess our transgressions but also our fears and hopes and questions. In the space of worship, we can profess and thus deepen our love for Him. We should make a commitment to spend time considering the generous and compassionate nature of our God. We should make a commitment to observe and ponder not just Who He is but also what He has created within and around us. 

9:4-5 The spiritual leaders of Jerusalem made a supplication to our God whose glory is worthy of interminable praise (which continues to the end of the chapter): 

“Stand up and bless the Lord your God
Forever and ever!
“Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

9:6 In awe, the leaders spoke of the magnitude, eternity and creative omnipotence of God.  

You alone are the Lord;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You.

9:7 The acknowledgement of the transformation Abraham's faith in God produced. It is important for us to know the history of God's people because through them, we learn of the glorious work God can cultivate within us too. He adds depth and breadth to our lives, so much that our old selves must be made new in order to carry the weight of abundant blessing. 

“You are the Lord God,
Who chose Abram,
And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans,
And gave him the name Abraham;

9:8 God proved Himself to be honorable in the fulfillment of His promises. We can trust God to make steadfast covenants with us when we proffer to him our faithful heart. A faithful heart is an unwavering commitment and submission to righteousness, compassion, and humility. A faithful heart is spiritually conscientious: thorough, dutiful, attentive, studious. 

You found his heart faithful before You,
And made a covenant with him
To give the land of the Canaanites,
The Hittites, the Amorites,
The Perizzites, the Jebusites,
And the Girgashites—
To give it to his descendants.
You have performed Your words,
For You are righteous.

9:9 God is both aware and responsive. He is fully informed of our condition and our lamentations reach His compassionate ears. 

“You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt,
And heard their cry by the Red Sea.

9:10 To those who observe, God makes clear the difference between His power and the supposed power within the world. The power of the world is dependent on fickle, mortal and selfish humans. The power of God has no such limitation, neither is it bound to any law of man or nature. He is able to decimate any person, power or entity which behaves or believes otherwise. 

You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
Against all his servants,
And against all the people of his land.
For You knew that they acted proudly against them.
So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day.

9:11 God is able to re-calibrate the earth and universe in order to orchestrate our survival amid impossible conditions. We each have a (or a series of) "red seas" in our life. God is able to help us cross them all, even if it means He has the redefine the laws of science. The lesson, figuratively spoken of, is that God makes a way through whatever mighty water, Isaiah 43:16.

And You divided the sea before them,
So that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land;
And their persecutors You threw into the deep,
As a stone into the mighty waters.

9:12 God does not simply free us. He makes a way and then leads us through, throughout it. He is our beacon as well as our shelter. Our protection as well as our warm. He is with us in the day; He is with us in the night. He is aware of every provision we require to thrive. 

Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar,
And by night with a pillar of fire,
To give them light on the road
Which they should travel.

9:13-14 He graciously delivers instruction in order to encourage us to live within the coordinates of His absolute refuge.

“You came down also on Mount Sinai,
And spoke with them from heaven,
And gave them just ordinances and true laws,
Good statutes and commandments.

You made known to them Your holy Sabbath,
And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws,
By the hand of Moses Your servant.

9:15 In the wilderness, God became provision. He becomes so for us in our wildernesses. We can depend on His heaven-sent sustenance; we can trust that He will bring forth water out of rocks if He needs to before He will ever let us shrivel. 

You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger,
And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst,
And told them to go in to possess the land
Which You had sworn to give them. 

9:16 From our spiritual ancestors, we learn the grace of faith but also the consequence of faithlessness. The children of Israel became arrogant and ungrateful. They became stubborn and heedless of His commandments. They tarnished their relationship with Him, forfeit His provision, corrupted their character and condemned their soul.

“But they and our fathers acted proudly,
Hardened their necks,
And did not heed Your commandments.

9:17 Selfishness tempted them into disobedience. They replaced God and in the seat of power they placed sin. Yet God remained patient and magnanimous. Jesus came in the spirit of our Father; they came to gather, heal, and transform the sick, Mark 2:17. Thus we have the blessed benefit of the resilience of God's love and patience.

So many times in Exodus (and beyond), the children of Israel were unworthy and ungrateful but God never abandoned them. He disciplined them. He reprimanded them. But He did not abandon them; it was they who abandoned Him. God creates a covenant with us that, at least on His end, endures.

They refused to obey,
And they were not mindful of Your wonders
That You did among them.
But they hardened their necks,
And in their rebellion
They appointed a leader
To return to their bondage.
But You are God,
Ready to pardon,
Gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger,
Abundant in kindness,
And did not forsake them.

9:18 They replaced God with idols. Instead of obedience to Him, they were obedient to their desire for money, vengeance and lust. We must not let those things be our gods; inanimate gods like money and fame, lifestyles of corruption, it all steadily kills us. Only our God gives us life. He should be our motivation and pursuit, the leader and authority within our lives. 

“Even when they made a molded calf for themselves,
And said, ‘This is your god
That brought you up out of Egypt,’
And worked great provocations,

9:19 God always provides a beacon for us to follow Him. Although humanity often disregards and opposes Him, He is always there. He is always patient for us to realize how advantageous a righteous lifestyle will be. He provides the chance and choice for us to be better.

Yet in Your manifold mercies
You did not forsake them in the wilderness.
The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day,
To lead them on the road;
Nor the pillar of fire by night,
To show them light,
And the way they should go.

9:20 God's leadership and instruction is available to us. His provision is abundant and generously offered. Should we chose to become obedient children of righteousness, we find both haven and sustenance from and with which to practice His ways and become more like our Father. 

You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,
And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth,
And gave them water for their thirst.

9:21 There is no limit to God's hospitality, generosity or compassion. They lacked nothing. The depth of our faith determines the amount God will fill our lives with. When we trust Him with everything, we find ourselves in possession of everything we need and surplus. He covers us from every angle, supports us at every level, sustains each atom in our body and light in our soul.

The Holy Spirit doggedly works to get us to understand that the how of our situation is God's business and not ours to figure out. Like the children of Israel, we worry so much about the hows... we focus so intently on the buts. How can I cross a desert? But what if I get tired? How will I eat? But how will I know the way? 

Throughout our life journey, we worry so much about failure and getting lost even though our God has already planned both our triumph and our arrival at our destination. Our hopes vary, as do our doubts, but God works personally, intimately, arduously with each of us to bless and reassure us through them all. The hows in our life are not important, toss them out the window; the Who in our life is, put Him in the driver's seat. 

Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness;

They lacked nothing;
Their clothes did not wear out
And their feet did not swell.

9:22 Those who followed, by God were led home. They were established, organized, and blessed. 

“Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations,
And divided them into districts.
So they took possession of the land of Sihon,
The land of the king of Heshbon,
And the land of Og king of Bashan.

9:23-24 By God their blessings abounded in the fulfillment of His word. Lifelong adherence to God's will cultivates a bright and beautiful land for our souls. Closely follow His instructions, cling to His love; He will steadily build a beautiful life around you. 

You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven,
And brought them into the land
Which You had told their fathers
To go in and possess.

So the people went in
And possessed the land;
You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land,
The Canaanites,
And gave them into their hands,
With their kings
And the people of the land,
That they might do with them as they wished.

9:25 God made every aspect of their life ripe and abundant. We can trust God to surround us with solemnity, health and joy. His great goodness provides more than we could ever plan or procure ourselves. God blesses elements and aspects of our lives we do not even realize needed revival.

And they took strong cities and a rich land,
And possessed houses full of all goods,
Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves,
And fruit trees in abundance.
So they ate and were filled and grew fat,
And delighted themselves in Your great goodness.

9:26 Unlike our spiritual ancestors, we should make every effort to remain obedient. The children of Israel chose to be like the world, rather than separate and holy with God. We should not make the world's values our own, for fame and wealth and aesthetics are hollow things, too brittle to ever serve as the pillar of a person's happiness or character. Jesus is the only celebrity. Wealth only has merit in charity. And beauty is justice, beauty is compassion, beauty is love.

Whatever does not serve the Kingdom of God, does not serve any child of the Kingdom. Therefore, should we ever attain fame, wealth or beauty, if they are to be any benefit to us, they must be a platform from which we exalt and serve the Kingdom of God rather than ourselves.

“Nevertheless they were disobedient
And rebelled against You,
Cast Your law behind their backs 

And killed Your prophets, who testified against them
To turn them to Yourself;
And they worked great provocations.

Although a former people rejected them, killed them, God's prophets walk about the corridors of our hearts and minds every time we open, read, and live scripture. Listen to them, heed their advice! Allow them to turn your whole body, whole heart, whole mind, whole soul to God. 

9:27 When they needed correction, God our Father disciplined them. He remained present with them, but He employed the tough love that would precipitate the redemption of their character. 

Invite every element of God as a Father into your life. He is intentional. Productive. He is precise and resourceful in the way the He designs the regeneration of our body, mind and soul. In 1 Peter 5:10, the apostle Peter actually prayed for God's discipline in your life:

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 

He understood that the less obviously compassionate elements of God's nature were just as important as the obvious ones (if not more so). His discipline produces quality, maturity, authenticity and strength. 

Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies,

Who oppressed them;
And in the time of their trouble,
When they cried to You,
You heard from heaven;
And according to Your abundant mercies
You gave them deliverers who saved them
From the hand of their enemies.

9:28 As consistently as the people abandoned God, God forgave them. The people within the newly-built wall of Jerusalem were regretful, sorrowful because they became aware of how unfaithful they and their ancestors had been. They were ashamed. Remember to thank God for the way that He continues to remain and reclaim us every time we disengage.  

“But after they had rest,
They again did evil before You.
Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies,
So that they had dominion over them;
Yet when they returned and cried out to You,
You heard from heaven;
And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies,

9:29 For when we neglect to be grateful and receptive to His will and word, chaos ensues. Our enemies, fears, failures encamp around us. He is our protection, therefore when we deconstruct our faith, we deconstruct our wall of protection: darkness floods in when we push away the light. 

And testified against them,
That You might bring them back to Your law.
Yet they acted proudly,
And did not heed Your commandments,
But sinned against Your judgments,
‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’
And they shrugged their shoulders,
Stiffened their necks,
And would not hear.

9:30 The Old Testament is a cyclical story: rebellion, repentance, redemption. Escape the circle and follow God on a progressive path. 

Yet for many years You had patience with them,
And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets.
Yet they would not listen;
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

9:31 Juxtaposed the repetitive nature of humanity's disobedience, God's merciful and gracious nature is made starkly apparent. He chooses not the lose patience with us. He chooses not to fall out of love with us. He chooses to endure our insult and neglect.

Nevertheless in Your great mercy
You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them;
For You are God, gracious and merciful.

9:32 The people therefore make a supplication to God, they wish to retain His merciful nature. They wish to call upon and claim His grace, the grace that persists with them even though they are unworthy. 

“Now therefore, our God,
The great, the mighty, and awesome God,
Who keeps covenant and mercy:
Do not let all the trouble seem small before You
That has come upon us,
Our kings and our princes,
Our priests and our prophets,
Our fathers and on all Your people,
From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.

9:33-34 God is honorable. The leaders were aware in their exhortation: they were in the wrong, God was and had always been in the right. The took full ownership of their crumbled situation as they asked God to once again take ownership of them.

However You are just in all that has befallen us;
For You have dealt faithfully,
But we have done wickedly.

Neither our kings nor our princes,
Our priests nor our fathers,
Have kept Your law,
Nor heeded Your commandments and Your testimonies,
With which You testified against them.

9:35 The leaders admitted that their ancestors had not served the Kingdom, the children of God, with their blessings. In 1 Corinthians 12, it is explained in depth that God blesses us and gifts us in order that we bless and gift others. As God's children, we are meant to be  pillars of the kingdom and the instruments through which God's blessings are built into the earth. We are blessed not so that we can selfishly indulge, but so that we can selflessly serve the foundations of the Kingdom: compassion, justice, love and wisdom. 

For they have not served You in their kingdom,
Or in the many good things that You gave them,
Or in the large and rich land which You set before them;
Nor did they turn from their wicked works.

9:36 That day, in this chapter of Nehemiah, the people spiritually prostrated themselves as servants of God's will. Never could we make a more impactful choice than to submit to the creator of the universe, the One Who designed then jump-started our hearts and filled our lungs with His own breath.

“Here we are, servants today!
And the land that You gave to our fathers,
To eat its fruit and its bounty,
Here we are, servants in it!

9:37 The submitted to God because finally, they understood their need of Him. Their situation was bleak and only His light could transform it. 

And it yields much increase to the kings
You have set over us,
Because of our sins;
Also they have dominion over our bodies and our cattle
At their pleasure;
And we are in great distress.

9:38 They regenerated their covenant with God; they spoke it, wrote it and sealed it. 

“And because of all this,
We make a sure covenant and write it;
Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

Seal your covenant with God, prostrate yourself spiritually as a servant of His will. Life will explode with blessing.  

OT: The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 8

Nehemiah 8:1-18

8:1-2 We take a step back into Ezra's account: With the people gathered together as one in the open square, Ezra read the word of God at the water-gate. It is pertinent that Ezra would read the law at the water gate; our God, the author and inspiration of scripture, is the Living Water, John 7:37-39. 

8:3 From morning until midday, Ezra read to the people with understanding, to the people who were attentive to the word of God. It is stated throughout scripture that only those who seek wholeheartedly will find, and only those who listen attentively will understand, Jeremiah 29:13. Jesus spoke of spiritual sight and spiritual hearing, Matthew 13:15-16.

"For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear."

There is power in the word of God for those who take spiritual hold of it. Ezra read from the book to the people who were listening to hear and learn and grow. He read to the people who cherished the insight and instruction their generous God had written down for them. 

8:4 Ezra stood on a wooden platform, made for the purpose of reading aloud the word of God. On his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. On his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malachijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah and Meshullam. 

8:5 As Ezra opened the book, the crowd stood. They stood out of gratitude and respect for its contents and reverence for their God. They understood that the word of God is a map, a blueprint and love letter from God. The words within scripture have been infused by God with the power to lead us in purpose and fulfillment, build us in strength and character, and draw us into God's presence and love. 

It is a book worth standing for, we have a God worth kneeling for.

8:6 Before anything else, Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. It was a beautiful moment, all of the people gathered together for the purpose of worshiping and listening to their God. Ezra took time to acknowledge the God who had made and organized all of the pieces that added up to the blessed moment. 

Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

8:7-8 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Masseiah, Kelita, Azaraiah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites stood among the people, helping them to understand the word of God. To devoted students, God provides teachers (often the ability to teach themselves) to assist them in interpreting the depth of meaning within scripture and how to apply it to their lives. 

8:9 The people wept over the word. Ezra, Nehemiah and the Levites encouraged the people to be joyful; it was a holy day, a day of restoration. But the people likely wept over the beauty of God's powerful love and also over the spiritual disintegration of their ancestors. They were so spiritually impacted by scripture that it affected them physically.

8:10 The people were sent home to celebrate and to share with others, especially those in need. The wall was completed, they journey had been and would be long, there were still parts and homes of the city that needed rebuilding, but that day was special. The completion of the wall was symbolic of the great work God would continue to do to restore them if they kept a relationship with Him.

In weak moments and seasons of life, remember what is written here in Nehemiah: the joy of the Lord is our strength. God sustains us. 

8:11-12 Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved. It is therapeutic for us to understand that a day with God is a holy day. A holy day with God disintegrates our grief and reforms our joy, His strength within us. 

8:13-18 From reading scripture for the first time in so long, the people learned of the celebrations written by Moses. The people went out to make preparations, according to the word, to reinstate the spiritual tradition of their ancestors. Ezra continued to read from the book and the people were filled with great gladness. 

Indeed the word of God fills our spirit, day and life with great gladness. 

OT: The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 7

Nehemiah 7:1-73

7:1 Nehemiah's focused faith had been so productive for Jerusalem and its returned people. It all began with a prayer. The wall was built, gatekeepers, singers and Levites were appointed to surround it.

7:2 Nehemiah placed his brother Hanani as the leader of the citadel. He trusted Hanani (gracious) with leadership because Hanani was a faithful man and feared God more than many. Jerusalem needed people who were obedient to the word of God.

7:3 It was instructed that the gates of the doors remained closed overnight and in the morning. The walls were constructed to protect the city within; a restored wall ensured that while the people were most vulnerable (overnight and early hours) the doors could be closed and guarded. 

Just as the wall surrounded and protected, the angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them, Psalm 34:7.

7:4-5 Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt. So many had been lost to sin and corruption but the families who returned to Jerusalem made spiritual commitments and were found by God. God moved Nehemiah to register by genealogy all who had returned. God always records the names of those who are members of His family, Revelation 3:5.

Just as the city was spacious, so is the kingdom of God in heaven. Jesus told us that the harvest is plenty, but the workers are few, Matthew 9:37. God's kingdom has the capacity for us all, John 14:2. Revelation 7:9-17 speaks of a great multitude from all around the earth gathered to God. With our faith, we can fill the haven God has built specifically for us. 

7:6-73 A list of the captives who returned to Jerusalem to dwell and submit to God.