Sunday, August 3, 2014

Getting Rid of God's People

Good morning!

As I write this, the "conflict" between the nation of Israel and the Islamic terrorists of Hamas, in Gaza, rages on into its 28th day, with no end in sight.  This is a conflict that contains no middle ground:  the nation of Israel maintains its right to exist; Hamas wants to destroy it.  In such cases, "the peace process" is a farce.

Eugene Peterson points out in his foreword to the book of Esther, which I was reading this morning, that the very presence of God often brings out the worst in people.  Those of us who have lived a while have seen this repeatedly.  A righteous-living person often draws evil people, who hunger and thirst to tear them down, for example.

At best, when the Jewish people dwelled in foreign lands, they were merely tolerated.  More often, they were outright persecuted, treated as slaves, or (as is the case today by Hamas) threatened with extermination.  I heard on the news yesterday that a leader of Islam had said that it would be great if all the earth's Jews came to live in Israel so that Islam could destroy them easier, with them being all in one place.

The Book of Esther gives us a historical snapshot of one such time in Jewish history, when the Jews came perilously close to extermination.  Then, as now, God raised up heroes to be used by Him to win the battle.  In this case, those heroes were Mordecai and Esther.

This episode takes place in the fifth century B.C., and the Jewish population was those exiles who had been snatched from Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar conquered the area.  Even though he allowed all captives to return to Jerusalem 70 years later, many of them chose to remain in Babylon, as they had made new lives there.  They remained and prospered.  Meanwhile, the Medes and Persians had conquered Belshazzar and established the Persian Empire that ruled the area we today know as Iraq.

Esther gets the most attention because she was queen, and the book bears her name.  However, it was her older cousin (and adopted father) Mordecai who gave Queen Esther the wise counsel (some would say an unveiled threat) that enabled her to make the pivotal decision that saved her people.  Let's look at some verses.

We read in the first 4 verses of chapter 2 that the king's representatives were ordered to "gather" beautiful young women from across the land.  It does not give the impression that the women had a choice in the matter, although the chance to live a life of non-stop beauty treatments and pampering and to compete for the Queenship must have been a powerful lure.

The Scriptures emphasize in chapter 2, verses 21-23, that Esther was a young woman very obedient to her adopted father.  Mordecai had told her to keep her Jewish heritage a secret.  One has to wonder if King Xerxes would have looked on her with such favor had he known she was a Jew?

In the first few verses of chapter 3, we see what a godly man Mordecai was, in his refusing to bow down to Haman.  Jews viewed this as an act of worship (remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abedneggo in the book of Daniel?); so, Mordecai would not do it.  He was a fearless man of principle and much wisdom.  It was this act of righteous defiance that sparked the conflict that nearly wiped out the dispersed Jews of Babylon.

Unfortunately, King Xerxes put his trust in this evil man, Haman, making him the #1 administrator of the kingdom, right below the king.  Haman had fallen prey to the sin of pride.  He had let his high position go to his head, and was thinking more highly of himself than he ought to think.  We read in chapter 3:8-9 that Haman misrepresented the Jews to the king.  This prideful, angry act of deception led to his downfall, and also to the downfall of his family.  But, the king trusted this man so much that he, the king, was largely unconcerned about what Haman was attempting to do to the Jews...until he learned it would affect Esther.  (chapter 7)

His love for her must have been very, very great.  For her sake, he spared an entire people group.
Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had erected for the execution of Mordecai.  In the end (chapter 8) Mordecai was elevated to Haman's high governmental position and made executor over his estate.  Moreover, and this is a little-emphasized point ... Xerxes became a champion for the Jewish people, writing an edict that authorized them to defend themselves to kill anyone who threatened them.

To celebrate in perpetuity this great deliverance on the part of their Almighty God, the Jewish people today celebrate the Feast of Purim, each spring.  They remember the book of Esther and thank God for their deliverance those 2600 years ago.  (Chapter 9, verses 26-28)

The Bible tells us that, while Jews and Christians have been persecuted down through history (and will continue to be until the end), neither group will be totally destroyed.  God allows persecution because it purifies His people.  But, the Bible is very clear in the book of Revelation that His Jewish people will have a massive turn and recognition of their Savior, Jesus, in the last days, and that, as He has down through history repeatedly, He will deliver them from final extermination.

So, don't write off God's people yet.  I hope that you are one of us.  We are on the winning side, in the end.  Some of us believe that time is very near.

Meanwhile, please pray for Israel and for persecuted Christians around the world!  And, stand steadfast in your faith!

Father, those of us Americans who know you are so blessed to dwell here in this country where, at present, we are largely un-persecuted.  I pray for Israel and for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are experiencing intense persecution, often even becoming martyrs for refusing to renounce the name of Jesus.  Please give us such faith and steadfastness, if and when persecution comes to our door. Please give us courage, like Mordecai and Esther! 
I pray for the eradication of radical Islam, around the world.  May Your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.  Thank you, Father, for your Son, in whom we can trust.  In His name, Jesus' name, I pray, amen.

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