Mordecai advanced in Persian kingdom                                verse 1- 2 

And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land – upon the isles of the sea

            and all the acts of his power and of his might

                        and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai

                                    whereunto the king advanced him

                                                are they not written in the book of the chronicles

                                                            of the kings of Media and Persia? 

Mordecai advanced the cause of the Jews                              verse 3 

FOR Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus – and great among the Jews

            and accepted of the multitude of his brethren

                        seeking the wealth of his people – speaking peace to all his seed 

COMMENTARY:           

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

           

: 1        And the king Ahasurerus laid a tribute on the land, and on the isles of the sea. (4522 “tribute” [mac] means forced labor, corvee, conscription, payment form one nation to another for protection and as an acknowledgment of submission, or obligatory service)

DEVOTION:  Remember that Haman promised King Xerxes or Ahasuerus a great amount of money if he would allow him to kill all the Jews. So we find that one of the motives behind the king wanting to kill the Jews was money.

Here we see that the king imposed a tribute throughout his empire to make up the money without having to kill the Jews. He gained wealth under the leadership of Mordecai.

The LORD blessed him for making the move to deal with those who opposed God’s people. He was blessed with a wonderful wife and her guardian. This was more than he would have received under Haman as it seems that Haman wanted to take as much away from the king as he could get.

This is true today with some people who seem to want to look out for your best interest but in reality they are only looking out for their own best interest. We have to ask the LORD to give us discernment in those we chose to be over our possessions or investments.

A genuine believer is one who helps others gain wealth if they are their financial advisor. They are individuals who genuinely want to see others advance even if they don’t advance.

Make sure that your interest in others is for their benefit and not just your own. That is what the LORD would have us do while we are here on this earth.

CHALLENGE:  We are to be a blessing to all those we meet.

 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 2        And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? (1420 “greatness” [gaduwlah] means great deeds, the property possessed by something or someone of outstanding importance or eminence, magnitude, great actions, or magnificence)

DEVOTION:  How many genuine believers do we find in secular history books?  We have many believers written about in Christian books but are they also mentioned favorably in secular history books?

Remember there is no mention of the LORD in any of the book of Esther because the book would have never entered the Bible if it was part of the history of the Mede-Persian Empire.

We find that Mordecai was mentioned in the history of the nation because of his acts of power and might. He was a great man in a secular culture. He advanced in the kingdom of Persia. He had his name written in their history as a great man who helped the king become a great king.

We really don’t know the influence of what he did for the children of Israel as they returned to the Promised Land to build the Temple and establish a culture there to honor the LORD.

So we need to know that we can be involved in secular culture for good if we hold to our convictions from the Word of God. We can help in political matters if we used the wisdom of God in our life and in our responsibilities serving in our nation.

There are many great men who were believers that influenced our nation at the beginning and there are even now some men and women who are moving our nation toward the LORD instead of away from HIM.

It seems that those who are believers are outnumbered in our government but there are still a few genuine believers whose voices are being heard today. Mordecai was an example of this type of secular leadership.

CHALLENGE:  Wherever you work make sure that you honor the LORD in whatever you are doing!!! You influence for good is important!!!

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 3        For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed. (7521 “accepted” [ratsah] means to be pleased with, be favorable to, accept favorably, be determined, or satisfy)

DEVOTION:  A book with no mention of the LORD but at every turn the presence of the LORD was evident. God was watching over HIS people. HE worked out the details of their deliverance from Haman.

The providence of God is evident in the lives of Esther and Mordecai. Each had their responsibility. Each had to trust the LORD in trying circumstances.

Mordecai was headed for the gallows but the in the providence of God, he was put in the palace. This has happened to many followers of the LORD. Here we have the people of God in captivity. Here we have them hated by those in leadership. Here we have a date set for them to be destroyed. However, the LORD steps in and things turned around.

In the palace Mordecai helped the kingdom move forward. Also for the nation of Israel he found himself able to help them become stronger. They in turn also found him to be favorable in their sight. What a turnaround for someone who was headed to the gallows.

All of the wealth of the people of God was to be given to the king. All the people of God were to be killed. Now they are the ones who are honored. Having many come to be followers of HIM honors the LORD.

The people were gathering wealth instead of having it taken away from them. The people had peace instead of being destroyed. They had an advocate, Mordecai.

We have an advocate. Our advocate is the LORD Jesus Christ. HE is seated at the right hand of the Father. HE is defending us. HE has given us many gifts. HE has given us a peace that passes all understanding.

When our world is turned upside down, we need to turn to the LORD to make it right side up. No matter what our circumstances the LORD can work a miracle when it is part of HIS plan. Are we staying in touch with the LORD?

CHALLENGE: When the LORD puts us in a place of leadership we need to serve those under us for their good and serve the LORD for HIS glory.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD) 

Book of the chronicles of the

kings of Media and Persia                            verse 2 

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group) 

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)    

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation) 

King Ahasuerus                                                        verse 1- 3 

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins) 

Brethren                                                                     verse 3

Wealth                                                                        verse 3

Peace                                                                          verse 3 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

Greatness of Mordecai                                             verse 2

Mordecai – great among the Jews                           verse 3 

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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DONATIONS:

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        QUOTES regarding passage

This final section emphasizes Mordecai’s rise to greatness (v. 2). Mordecai represents the rise of the Jewish people in the society and culture of Persia. Esther is not mentioned, although she was both the heroine and deliverer of the people. (Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 369). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

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3 The book closes with a paean of praise to Mordecai, who rose to be second in rank to King Xerxes and “preeminent” (Heb., “great”) among the Jews. He was held in “high esteem” (Heb., “favored”; “popular,” RSV) by his fellow Jews because he worked for their good “and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews” (Heb., “speaking peace to all his seed”; cf. Ps 85:8; Zech 9:10). (Huey, F. B., Jr. (1988). Esther. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 839). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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The evanescent character of human greatness and the crumbling kingdoms of earth as contrasted with the “stone kingdom” yet to come are well brought out in the second verse of our chapter in Esther. “And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?” These books are probably lost beyond recall. God has, however, preserved His own record of the events of those days. Were it not for this, we should never have known from secular history of Mordecai and of God’s intervention for the preservation of His people in the land of their exile.  Loizeaux, P. J. (1921). Prefatory Note. In Notes on the Book of Esther (2d ed., p. 121). New York: Loizeaux Bros.)

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10:1–3. The book closes by speaking of King Xerxes’ power; but more importantly the closing verses extol Mordecai, once a hated Jew in the Persian Empire. He was promoted by Xerxes and revered by the Jews. He was their great patriot because he worked hard for them and spoke up on their behalf to Xerxes. However, it is noteworthy that the Book of Esther nowhere states that Mordecai was a righteous individual or that he was careful to follow the Law. Many have doubted that a Jew could have such a high rank in the Persian Empire. However, it is known that many foreign people were fully assimilated into the mainstream of life in the empire (e.g., Daniel; Dan. 5:29; 6:1–2, 28).

As the original Jewish readers read this account they would have been struck by the way God was sovereignly protecting them, often when they did not even know it. Many things in the Book of Esther happened that were beyond anyone’s control except that of God, who oversees history. And the Book of Esther is filled with irony, with ways in which events turned out unexpectedly and in favor of God’s people. Queen Vashti, a Persian, was deposed so that Esther, a Jewess, could become queen and save her people. Haman, once exalted, was brought low, and Mordecai and the Jews, once hated, were exalted and honored. A decree that would have wiped out the Jews was overruled by one which led to the destruction of nearly 76,000 enemies of the Jews. No wonder Purim was celebrated yearly with such rejoicing: to help the Jews remember that God is in control and that people should faithfully worship and serve their great God. (Martin, J. A. (1985). Esther. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 713). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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This brief chapter tells us that Mordecai, unlike his predecessor Haman, used his office to serve the king and help the Jews. Sometimes when people are elevated to high office, they forget their roots and ignore the needs of the common people. Mordecai wasn’t that kind of man. Even though his political deeds are recorded in the official annals of the empire, what he did for his people has been recorded by the Lord and will be rewarded.

Why did the author mention the new tax program of King Ahasuerus? What does this have to do with Mordecai and the Jews? Some Bible students think that it was Mordecai who engineered this new system of tribute as a substitute for war and plunder as a source of kingdom wealth. Now that there was peace in the kingdom, the Jews were free to work, earn money, and prosper; and the prosperity of the Jews increased the prosperity of the empire in general. Mordecai reminded the king that the throne deserved a share in that prosperity. After all, it was the king who had chosen Esther, a Jewess, and promoted Mordecai, a Jew; and all three of them had worked together to save the Jews from destruction. Didn’t the people of the empire, Jews and Gentiles alike, have an obligation to their monarch.

But the important message in this chapter is that God continued to use Mordecai to help the Jewish people. The Jews were aliens in a foreign land and subject to all kinds of harassment and abuse. Mordecai saw to it that they were treated with fairness. The last words of the book are variously translated. The Authorized Version says “and speaking peace to all his seed,” suggesting that he encouraged the Jews and kept them at peace with one another. The NIV reads “and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.” This implies that there were still forces at work in the empire opposing and threatening the Jews, but Mordecai represented them at court and protected them. “He did his best for his people, and was a friend at court for all of them” (TLB).

The exciting drama of Esther is over, but the blessings go right on. God preserved the Jewish nation so that we today can have a Bible and a Savior. Now it’s our job to tell the whole world about this Savior and seek to win as many as we can to the Lord. We are the King’s couriers, and we dare not fail.

Ruth and Esther reach across the centuries, join hands, and say to the church today: BE COMMITTED! (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Be Committed (pp. 162–163). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)

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10:3 Mordecai … was second. Mordecai joined the top echelon of Jewish international statesmen like Joseph, who ranked second in the Egyptian dynasty (Ge 41:37–45), and Daniel, who succeeded in both the Babylonian (Da 2:46–49; 5:29) and Medo-Persian Empires (Da 6:28). spoke for the welfare. Less than 10 years later (ca. 465 b.c.), Ahasuerus was assassinated. There are no further details concerning Esther and Mordecai. What Mordecai did for less than a decade on behalf of Israel, Jesus Christ will do for all eternity as the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6, 7; Zec 9:9, 10) (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Es 10:3). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

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Ver. 3. For Mordecai the Jew was next unto Ahasuerus, &c.] The second man in the kingdom, the principal of the counsellors, and prime minister of state: and great among the Jews; highly respected by them, in great honour and esteem with them, for which there was great reason; and accepted of the multitude of his brethren; or of many, of most, of the greatest part of them; for, let a man be ever so deserving, there are some that will envy his greatness, cavil at everything done by him, and speak evil of him without any just reason: seeking the wealth of his people; their good, their welfare and happiness, temporal and spiritual: and speaking peace to all his seed; not only to his family, but to all the Jews who were of the same seed with him, the seed of Abraham; either speaking to them in an humble and condescending manner, being very humane, affable, and courteous; or speaking for them to the king, asking of him for them what might conduce to their peace, prosperity, and happiness. No mention is made in this history of the death and burial either of Mordecai or Esther; but the author of Cippi Hebraici says, that Mordecai was buried in the city of Shushan, and that all the Jews in those parts assemble at his grave on the day of Purim, and sing songs, playing on tabrets and pipes, rejoicing that there was a miracle wrought; and the same writer says^a, they do the like at that time at the grave of Esther, half a mile from Tzephat, read this book that bears her name, eat, drink, and rejoice. Benjamin of Tudela says, they were both buried before a synagogue, at a place called Hamdan. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, pp. 186–187). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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FROM MY READING: 

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

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Obadiah 1
Edom is judged because she has acted with violence toward Israel.
INSIGHT

Esau and Jacob were brothers. Esau was the father of the nation Edom, and Jacob was the father of the nation Israel. Therefore, in a sense, the nations of Edom and Israel, are brothers. A day comes when Assyria wages war against Jerusalem. But instead of joining Israel, their brother, in the fight against Assyria, Edom joins Assyria and fights against their brothers in Jerusalem. Because of this breach of loyalty, God pronounces judgment on Edom through the prophet Obadiah. God offers no hope for possible restoration or deliverance for Edom. Her fate is sealed. Edom is destroyed as a nation. (Quiet Walk)

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Offering Willingly
“Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.” (1 Chronicles 29:9)
As the people brought gifts for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem, it is mentioned no less than six times in this chapter that their offerings were willing offerings (once in verses 6 and 14, twice each in verses 9 and 17). In fact, they were not only willing but also joyful in their giving.
Joyful giving is not the usual response to a fundraising effort for a religious cause. The great proliferation of causes today—not only for churches but for multi-church or para-church projects, usually associated with high-pressure solicitations by professional money-raisers—has developed a growing cynicism in Christians toward all such appeals.
That is not the way it should be, “for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The churches of Macedonia, though going through “a great trial of affliction” and in “deep poverty,” nevertheless “abounded unto the riches of their liberality,” and they did so in “the abundance of their joy” (2 Corinthians 8:2). What made the difference was that they “first gave their own selves to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:5).
No doubt another vital factor leading to the joyful offerings of the people for the building of the temple was the example set by David’s great personal joyful generosity, followed by that of all the other leaders of Israel (1 Chronicles 29:3-8). This encouraged the people also to give “with perfect heart” (today’s verse). They had evidently, like the Philippians of Macedonia, also first given themselves to the Lord. David had led them by example, not coercion, reminding himself and his people as he prayed a prayer of thanksgiving that “all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee” (1 Chronicles 29:14).      

               (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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Loving Your Enemy

You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria. Acts 1:8

READ Acts 1:1–8

 

 

YOU ARE NOT HERE BY ACCIDENT

by Anne R. C. Neale

 

Believers know that God created them

Believers know that God died for their sins,

Believers know that God has a purpose for each one,

Believers know that they can freely pray to Him.

You are not here on earth by accident,

God has programmed you to do things you see,

You may not know what it is right now,

But you will find out eventually.

Believers know that Heaven exists

Believers know that their Spirit and Soul move on too,

Believers know that each person is unique,,

God made each one of us special, God made us that way it’s true.

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When Jesus rides into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey, why does the crowd rush out to greet Him? The answer is found in Jewish culture and history. In Old Testament times, one of the ways a king was inaugurated was to get on a donkey and have a large retinue of people walk along behind him shouting, “Long live the King!”

The crowd in the temple wants to make Jesus king. When they see Him riding toward them on a donkey, they use it as an opportunity to precipitate a coronation. That He was crucified shortly afterward indicates that they were looking only for a national leader rather than a personal Savior. How do you see Him? (Quiet Walk)
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THE ESSENCE OF SANCTIFICATION

“that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
1 Peter 2:9
The essence of sanctification is that I love the God in whom I believe and who has been revealed to me with the whole of my being. Indeed, I do not hesitate to assert that if I think of sanctification in any lesser terms than that, I am being unscriptural. This is scriptural holiness. This is the holiness, the sanctification that is produced and promoted by the truth of God, because it is the truth concerning God. 
Then it follows from that “I think directly” that a man who thus loves God with all his heart and soul and mind and strength does so because he is called upon to do so and is commanded to do so. To such a man the main thing in life is to glorify God and to show forth His praises. 
This is the argument of the apostle Peter when he reminds the people to whom he is writing that at one time, before they became Christians, they were not a people. “Which in time past,” he says in 1 Peter 2:10, “were not a people but are now the people of God.” You who are called out of darkness into light are a “peculiar people”(verse 9). Why? What is the object of it all? “That ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). “Praises” there means “excellencies” or “virtues”; it means the glorious, marvelous attributes of God. And so sanctification is that condition in which we praise God just by being what we are. Of course, it includes not doing certain things, but it is not only that. It is much more. By being what we are in all the totality of our personalities and in the whole of our lives, we reveal and manifest the virtues and the excellences of God. 
A Thought to Ponder: Sanctification is that condition in which we praise God just by being what we are. (From Sanctified Through the Truth, pp. 91, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones) 

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