And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
Esther 8:17
I love those moments! You know! Those moments when something from the text of God's Living Word just jumps right off the page and speaks to you. There is nothing like the experience of God illuminating something especially when it comes from a Bible passage you have read many, many times before. That happened yesterday. It was part of the text I was using to preach and had studied all week. Yet, as I was reading the phrase at the pulpit, "and many of the people of the land became Jews," it popped from the text and spoke as if He was screaming at me. I had read this verse numerous times this week as Sunday was the celebration of Purim--a good time to preach from Esther--but God had a message for me. He let that small line shine apart from the rest of the passage. It immediately let me have insight into all the news of wars and disasters and seemingly inept world leaders I had been fretting over all week.
Think about it! How was evil ancient Persia any different than what we face today? Wicked leaders who denied God and His sovereignty were in charge. The Persians partied with extravagance and decadence for 6 months at the beginning of this story--I am sure that nothing holy went on. They thought they were doing things their way, but there behind the scenes was God bringing His purposes into fruition while playing them like marionettes on divine strings. In the end it was God who was the unnamed hero using a forgotten, insignificant orphan girl and an old man whose name means "little man". The great king of Persia, who called himself the king of kings, and an blindingly arrogant man, Haman, whose name means "magnificent one", ended up looking like buffoons when God finished with them. Revival broke out in the most unlikely place--in captivity a thousand miles from home. God did such a work that many gentiles became Jewish proselytes and began to serve the Only Wise God.
Sometimes we limit the omnipotence of God. We feel that our generation is just too sinful for God to move or save. I have heard people pray that way. I have prayed that way, "God just clear out the demonic forces and we can have revival." Why does God have to clear out the devils to do anything? Since when is God limited in power by what Hell is doing? Does the devil have the capacity to hinder God's plans? Does God have to have godly men in positions of authority before He can bless the world? That is pretty weak if so! Yet the Bible tells us of an omniscient and omnipresent God that likes to work a work right in the face of His enemy so the Almighty can watch Satan's jaw drop when that enemy realizes he was played! God uses Satan's own actions against him to effect the divine will.
No, God is God! He is not wringing his hands or cringing at what Satan is doing now or what will be doing in the future. He is not in heaven's ready room trying to anticipate the next advance of Hell. He is not in a corner writhing in fear that men are getting more rebellious and sinful. He is not frightened to inactivity because many in the church are not following Him with all their heart or walking in the power and authority He gave them. He is God, and He is right now working His plan that in the end will honor and glorify Jesus Christ. He is doing a work in the face of all opposition and really could care less what the devil tries. His power is unimaginable, and His knowledge of the enemies plans is unparalleled. Even Satan doesn't even know what despicable plan he and his minions will try next, BUT GOD ALREADY KNOWS! Not only does He already know but He has molded it into the outcome to make that fallen cherub look like a fool in front of the angelic host and all humanity. He is Almighty and His plans are never frustrated. He has never ever sensed that emotion--frustration. (See the text below)
Sure, things look chaotic. Wickedness seems to be the rule of the day. Godlessness is at an all time high, while values and morals are at an all time low. In the midst of it all there is God. He is behind the scenes seemingly unnoticed and unnamed just like being unmentioned in the book of Esther. In the midst of all of this sin and Hell's finest attempts to destroy, God is planning something that will bring about a similar statement, "and many people of the world came to Christ." Just trust and believe and you will be found as a part of the plans. Even if you feel insignificant and forgotten as surely Esther must have after losing her parents and being part of a humiliated, captured people far from home, God is attracted to those who are weak by the world's standards. He uses the meek to bring about His great plans and promises they will one day inherit the earth. He uses what the world deems as fragile, futile, forgotten, and frail to do a new thing and bless all! How powerful is that?
"They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial..."
Isaiah 14:16-20a
Israel and the Middle East
Video: Israel’s Latest Secret Weapon: The Death-Defying Rodent - A7 Exclusive Features - Israel News - Israel National News *Not news--just funny!
General: Coalition Forces Strike Additional Qaddafi Defenses - FoxNews.com Of course--all the world has ganged up on him. Please don't misunderstand me! I am not a Gaddafi fan. He is an evil tyrant. It may be that God is up to His purposes again. When the world gangs up on Israel similarly and gets the Almighty's slap down, I am sure folks will take notice!
As In The Days Of Noah--Godlessness In The Last Days
Sex Toys, Restraints, Bible Among Evidence in Texas Kidnapping Case - FoxNews.com This article bothered me. Why was it mentioned that He had a Bible? He wasn't using it in the assault. It is not like the Bible is a rare book. I am sure that the majority of the houses in the US have Bibles so it is not news if one is found in a perverts house. No! I am afraid that this is a not so subtle attack on Christianity!
NH Court Upholds Order to Send Homeschooled Girl to Public School, Christian News, The Christian Post I have said it before--one of the first pieces of legislation calling for compulsory education in the US was Ye Olde Deluder Satan Act of 1647. Those "overly religious" Puritans wanted kids to be schooled in Christianity--how dare they defy today's inept judges? This is another not so subtle attack on Christ and His church! Wake up sleepy heads--you are heading towards grave persecution!
When I read the passage of scripture Isaiah 14:16-20 I get the mental picture of a shrimpy little elf of a man trying to be a 6ft. 4 in. muscle bound body builder.
ReplyDeleteI am sure someday everyone who allowed Satan to be lord of their lives will say, "that's it!!! this is him!!That's the guy I listened to and thought was a big shot? This is what I threw my life away for?"
And to think Lucifer threw heaven away and threw away the privilege of being the most beautiful of God's creation to be the one of the ugliest and who every one will some day say of him,This is it?!! This is who caused all this trouble. That is when they will also realize just how foolish they have been. Psalm 14:1 says The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. and don't forget that Living like it is the same as saying it.