Series: Shaped by Environment
Message: Personal
Preacher: Jessyka Albert
Daily Walk: Jessyka Albert
Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 72:8-14.
Read: Esther 8-10 (NLT). As you read the New Living Translation, note 1-3 insights/questions.
Reflect: Because the law of the Medes and the Persians is irrevocable, the king hands over his signet ring for Mordecai and Esther to make a law to counteract that which was made by Haman.
“In them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to till, and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them including children and women and to plunder their spoil” (Esther 8:11).
“Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. For the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor (Esther 8:15-16).
Do you remember when the first law that Haman had passed went out into all the land? Mordecai dressed himself in sackcloth, covered himself with ashes, and mourned publicly. As the Jews got word of the law, the wailing grew louder. But now, with this second law passed, Mordecai goes to the streets dressed in royal robes. His head is not covered with ashes, but rather with a crown, and instead of publicly mourning, he publicly rejoices. The Jews are not weighed down with sorrow; they are light with gladness and joy!
In Esther 8:17 we are told that “many of the people of the land became Jews.” Warren W. Wiersbe shares his thoughts on what this means:
“I think the phrase means that many of the Gentiles in the empire sided with the Jews and acted as though they were Jews. They weren’t ashamed to be identified with the Jews even though the Jews had enemies. . . . The book of Esther opens with the Jews keeping a very low profile, so much so that Esther and Mordecai wouldn’t even confess their nationality. But now the Jews were proud of their race and so happy with what God had done that they were attacking others to their faith! Even the pagan Gentiles could see that God was caring for His people in a remarkable way (p. 175).
Recalibrate:
Respond: Pray for a joyful spirit in recognition of how God has taken care of you this week.
Research: What other stories in the Bible include God overcoming on behalf of His people and turning their mourning into joy?