Nov 20

Queen of Sheba visits King Solomon

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I Kings 10:6-7

And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

Queen of Sheba was a wealthy queen who traveled all the way to Jerusalem to test King Solomon’s wisdom. She came not empty handed but with a train of camels that carried spices, gold and precious stones for King Solomon (I Kings 10:2). This is similar to the wise men of the east that came to see Jesus after his birth following the star in the east all the way to Bethlehem of Judah (Matthew 2:1-2). Queen of Sheba came to Israel following the outstanding report that she heard of King Solomon. She who was King Solomon’s equal heard of him concerning the God of Israel. She wondered if all that was told about him was true. She arrived personally to test the King’s wisdom and to hear his words of wisdom. She chose to commune with a godly man and to experience the truth herself. In doing so, she was bountifully blessed and in return blessed King Solomon. Out of royal generosity the King granted Queen Sheba what she requested and much more. What she returned with to her royal kingdom was not just material gifts but something that no man can ever steal from her… WISDOM!

King Solomon told her of everything and concealed nothing from Her Majesty. She personally witnessed the wisdom of the King, the house he had built, the meat at his table, the positioning of his servants around the table, the attendance of his ministers, their apparel, his cupbearers, and his ascension to the house of the Lord. She was so amazed that there was no more spirit in her. What is to be noted is that the queen surveyed King Solomon’s glory and the wisdom with which he ruled his kingdom and his passion to worship the Lord God by offering sacrifices. A gentile queen was thoroughly impressed by the King of Israel. She said that the report she heard in her own land of King Solomon was not even half of what she saw. She further added that King Solomon’s wisdom and prosperity exceeded the fame which she heard. The report of the queen after seeing with her own eyes surpassed what she heard. She was convinced about King Solomon’s wisdom and nobility that her report simply authenticated her conviction. May God transform our lives so that our lives reflect His divine wisdom and glory so that people around us truly testify of our faith! 

Remember, the people around you are watching you to see if you walk the talk of a Christian. You represent Christ’s Kingdom and His glory. Your life is a living testimony of Lord Jesus Christ and you are a light in the dark world. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” King Solomon represented his Lord by his divine wisdom which was talked about widely that this fell in the Queen of Sheba’s ears. She came to witness this wisdom personally. Are you a true witness of Jesus Christ that the words spoken about you depict your passion for the Lord?

Queen of Sheba chose to commune with a man of God and was awestruck by what she saw with her own eyes. How much more will you be satisfied when you commune with Jesus Christ? His divine wisdom will freely flow into you and your face will shine with His glory. The people around you will see you and praise the God you trust. May our lives exemplify the one in whom we trust and by whom we are sustained and of whom we boast about!

Tomorrow: Ruth at the Feet of Boaz till Morning

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Nov 19

Haman at the Queen’s Banquet

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Esther 7:1-6
So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

In yesterday’s message we saw that King Ahasuerus raised his golden sceptre for Esther and eagerly enquired of her petition. The King was ready to give even half of the kingdom to Queen Esther because she found favor in his eyes. Esther’s answer was (Esther 5:4): “If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.” She invited the King and Haman to a special banquet. Haman was elated at this special invitation and went home with a joyful heart. But, on the way to his home, he noticed Mordecai at King’s gate and was filled with indignation against Mordecai as it says in Esther 5:9: “Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.” Haman’s joy was short-lived and when he saw Mordecai at the King’s gate making no obeisance to him, he was filled with indignation. When he reached home his wife Zeresh suggested (Esther 5:14): “Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.” Proverbs 27:1 says “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” You can see in this blog how a man who considered himself so high and mighty was pulled down all in a single night.

The same night that Haman’s wife Zeresh suggested the evil plot to prepare gallows and hang Mordecai, King Ahasuerus was restless and he commanded that the book of Chronicles be read for him. Esther 6:2 says, “And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.” Mordecai had done a mighty act and saved the King’s life when Bigthana and Teresh had sought to kill him. He had informed Queen Esther of the evil plot against the King and thus protected him from falling as a prey in the wicked hands. An act so noble and so sincere, will it ever go without being honored?

The King was determined to honor Mordecai for his sincere act, as Haman was entering the King’s court to speak to the King to hang Mordecai on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai. King sought the advice of Haman as to how a person that King delights to honor should be honored. Haman in his pride and dignity thought that the King was about to honor him and gave an elaborate plan for himself. He did not realize that the King wanted to honor his opponent, the man against whom he was raging in anger and was about to kill. The King ordered that Mordecai be honored per Haman’s plan. Haman had to follow the King’s order and honor Mordecai per his plan in its entirety. He was now humiliated before Mordecai. Not just that, his evil plot against Mordecai was simply thwarted and utterly destroyed. He went home completely disappointed and explained his wife Zeresh and the wise men what befell him and they said (Esther 6:13) “If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him”. Those who plotted against Mordecai were now saying that Haman will not prevail against him. Right then it was time for the banquet hosted by Queen Esther and the King’s chamberlains hasted Haman to the banquet. He who planned to go to the banquet merrily was now in a state of fear and shock. See how quick and fierce the end came to wicked Haman. It all happened so quickly that Haman did not get a chance even to breathe. Psalm 73:19 says, “How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.”

Queen Esther was given the privilege of conveying her petition to the King and she said (Esther 7:3) “If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request”. Furthermore Esther added (Esther 7:4): “For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.” The moment came when Esther revealed her true identity as a Jewess. She had already won the King’s favor and he greatly delighted in her. Would he not grant her, her royal petition for her own sake and her people’s sake? The King enquired of who the person was and Esther responded: “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.” The King was filled with wrath against Haman and Haman had to plead the queen for his own life. The King’s wrath was so great that he reacted instantaneously. Esther 7:10 says, “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.” Could anyone withstand the mighty King’s wrath? No, never!

Our heavenly King is ever ready to hear our prayer and supplications and grant us peace that passeth all understanding. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” When an earthly King could grant a petition in a way that is fully in favor of God’s chosen, how much more should a heavenly King grant our petitions in our favor? He is a God who shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). The wicked Haman was destroyed by King and so will the wicked prince of this world (Satan) be destroyed by our Father in heaven. Haman was subject to pride and what befell him was what he plotted against Mordecai. In the same way Satan today is full of pride and is operating according to his own whims and fancies and what befalls him is what he is plotting against God’s people and even more. Know therefore that His grace is on us His people and while His grace is abounding let us turn from our wicked ways and repent of our sins. Upon seeking His forgiveness and grabbing His forgiveness, let us cry out for all others around us like the way Esther did and plead the King of Glory for these souls. He sure is eagerly waiting to hear our supplications and His saving arms are outstretched for every soul. Let us go with the Great Commission vested on us, completely trusting that He will save those we reach out to and give them eternal life whereby there is no tear, no sorrow, no pain, no fear, no starvation and no trouble. In the heaven we will be free of the enemy and his roars and he cannot devour us like he is doing today. There in the presence of the Father we will rest safe in the arms of our Savior Jesus. Now we just need to hang on to the cross and lead a victorious life with the resurrected Lord! Oh, how I look forward for my homeland, SWEET BEULAH LAND!

Tomorrow: Queen of Sheba visits King Solomon

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Nov 18

King Held out the Golden Sceptre for Esther

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Esther 5:1-2

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
 
In the message on October 11th Called to Bring Deliverance from Sin, we saw how Mordecai urged Queen Esther to go to King Ahasuerus to raise supplication unto the King to stop the decree against Jews. The King’s decree was to destroy the Jews based on the plot devised by wicked Haman for he noticed that Mordecai who was a Jew did not pay respects to him when he passed by the King’s gate as did the other men. His main intention was to get rid off Mordecai somehow. So he came up with a plan to destroy him by destroying the entire Jews in Shushan. Haman did not know that Esther was a Jewess for she kept it a secret as suggested by Mordecai.

Esther’s response to Mordecai was (Esther 4:16): “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.” In other words, Esther agreed to go before the King Ahasuerus and plead on behalf of her people knowing fully well that she could perish. She urged all the Jews in Shushan to fast for her while she and her maidens fasted too. She was carrying the burden of all her people and representing all the Jews before the King. This is much like Christ bearing the burden of all of us on His back and carrying the same burden to the cross on our behalf representing us before His father, God Almighty. The fast that she had was in preparation for this great event that was not easy.

On the third day Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the King’s house. King was seated on his throne of majesty and when he saw Queen Esther, she found favor in his eyes. We like Queen Esther should represent the people we are called to minister to. When we represent the people that are about to perish in the world and intervene on their behalf by raising supplications, the Lord God will surely shower His grace and favor on us. He will not only hear our plea but will also surround the people we uphold with His grace and mercy. The enemy has a plan to destroy the people but the enemy’s plan will be annihilated by the Almighty God because He reigns forevermore and is in control of everything including the enemy. He is the creator of heavens and earth and our help comes from Him alone (Psalm121:1-2).

King Ahasuerus raised his golden sceptre for Queen Esther and she went near and touched the top of the sceptre. This golden sceptre symbolizes his sovereign authority and power. Yes, our Lord God will raise His golden sceptre when we intercede for the people out in the world who know not His salvation, who are given to the vile traps of the enemy and subject to the temporal passions. He will let us touch the top of His sceptre to listen and answer our humble entreaties. When we take our requests to the Lord in prayer we should also accompany our prayers with fasting. Matthew 6:17-18 says, “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” Esther when she went before the King was dressed appropriately and probably she did not have the appearance as though she fasted. The King very well knew that she had a plea and by allowing Queen Esther to touch the top of the sceptre was willing to hear her plea and answer accordingly.

Esther 5:3 says, “Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.” King Ahasuerus was so gracious to the queen and was ready to hear her request and willing to even give half of the kingdom. Our father is a gracious Lord and is waiting to hear our prayers and supplications for therein His heart rejoices. He answers our humble prayers in His own sweet way for He cherishes in us and our communion with Him. Won’t you intercede and lift up the people of the world and pray that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is accepted and that they all might have everlasting life?!?!

Tomorrow: Haman at the Queen’s Banquet

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Nov 17

Esther Crowned as the Royal Queen

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Esther 2:17

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

When the wrath of the King was subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she did unto him and what was decreed against her. King’s servants advised him (Esther 2:2-4): “Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.” The King’s servants were advising him on an extravagant process in order to crown the next queen. The young virgins were to go through a purification procedure and the maiden that pleases the King was to be crowned the queen. What level of pleasing a carnal mind free of spiritual thoughts needs? No matter what the King’s servants or the King had on mind, God had a definite plan as to who should be the next queen.

There was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai, a Benjamite who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away (Esther 2:6). Mordecai had brought up Hadassah who was called Esther, his uncle’s daughter when she became an orphan. Esther was fair and beautiful to look upon. When the King’s commandment and decree was passed Esther also was brought into Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai the keeper of the women. What is interesting and worthy of our thought is that she won the favor of Hegai immediately. Esther 2:9 says, “And the maiden pleased him (Hegai), and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.”

Esther followed Mordecai’s instructions and Mordecai had charged her that she should not reveal her people or her kindred. She was a Jewess, brought as captive along with his cousin Mordecai and his family. But the King and his people did not know that she was a Jewess; she just was charged to keep it a secret and she did so. Esther was well taken care of by Mordecai and he walked daily before the court of the women’s house to know how Esther did and what happened to her. This is a great example of how to care for children either adopted or own and how the children should respect and obey their parents.

The women that were in the house were set to all manner of purifications for twelve months. When it was a woman’s turn to go before the King she was given whatever she desired. In the evening she went to the King and the morrow she returned to the second house of the women and kept under the custody of Shaashgaz another of the king’s chamberlains. She went not to the King unless she was called for by name.

Now, it was Esther’s turn to go to the King during the seventh year of his reign. She desired nothing more than what Hegai appointed for her. Here as well we see Esther’s utmost simplicity in not desiring anything more than what was appointed already and yet she found favor of all of them that looked upon her. Esther 2:17 says, “And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.” What a joyous occasion it must have been for Esther and Mordecai for she was crowned the queen… An orphan and a captive crowned as queen! How wonderfully God operates in exalting the most humble. The King who was without a queen for four years was also greatly delighted to have a queen for him at last. So great was his happiness that he made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

Esther was a humble and a simple person who respected and obeyed her cousin Mordecai who took care of her. She embellished herself with simplicity and had no hint of arrogance in her. This is in contrast to Vashti who was arrogant in rejecting the King’s commandment (check yesterday’s blog) knowing fully well the King’s sovereignty, although the King was commanding in his gaiety and merriment for he had authority to do what he desired. She lost her position as a queen just because she thought she had the authority to reject King’s commandment or at least it appears she thought she had the authority that she did not have. Esther on the other hand proved herself to be a virtuous woman far worthier than rubies (Proverbs 31:10). He who humbles himself will be exalted by God. James 4:10 says “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Tomorrow: King Held out the Golden Scepter for Esther

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Nov 16

Vashti’s Refusal to Appear

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Esther 1:10-12

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

King Ahasuerus was a powerful King that reigned from India to Ethiopia with altogether one hundred and twenty seven provinces under his authority. In the third year of his reign, he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom for about one hundred and eighty days to many princes, nobles and their servants from various provinces. This King was filled with vainglory and was ostentatiously displaying not just the grandeur of his kingdom but of his own character which was against God’s. He dwelled in his pride and was now making a public display of the same not realizing what this pomp was about to bring him. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom”. He attributed all his achievements to his own strength and might as opposed to God and His grace. After this he made a great feast to all that gathered there for about seven days and served drinks in golden vessels and had royal wine in abundance. They all drank per their wish and none was compelled as was the law during those days. In serving and being served by drinks the heart of the King was merry with wine and so were the hearts of the men around him. In such a state they must have involved in frivolous activities that far outweighed their regular activities when in a good sense free of drinks.

While the King and all the men had a royal feast in the palace, Queen Vashti entertained her lady guests in the royal place away from men. The custom of Persia in those days was not to inter mingle men and women in their celebrations. When the King’s heart was merry he sent King’s seven chamberlains Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas to bring Queen Vashti before the men with royal crown on her head for she was beautiful to look upon. These chamberlains merely executed the King’s order for their duty was so. Queen Vashti refused to come before the King and his men and the chamberlains returned to the King without the queen with them. King who was exultant and exuberant at the pomp and pride of his kingdom was now belittled before all the men because the queen refused to come before him. The King was raging in anger at his own wife’s refusal to appear before him and his men. Was the queen being disrespectful to her husband? Or was the King going against his land’s customs and acting foolishly? We can very well see that the King’s orders were against the land’s traditions and Queen Vashti simply used her common sense in refusing to follow King’s order for she knew that they were all drunk. Queen Vashti’s refusal was justifiable to her and the women in the chambers.

While it seemed right to the queen to refuse to obey King’s orders, the King and his men thought it an outright mistake on the queen’s part. It hurt their ego and especially King’s pride was shot beyond measure. King sought the counsel of his seven princes Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan who knew the times well. Memucan responded saying (Esther 1:16), “Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus”. Their fear was that “this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes”. The queen acted wisely in her own eyes according to the customs of the land. She would have been fairly respected by men and women if she just would have followed King’s orders for what seems right to the King would have been well accepted by the people in the Kingdom. The King Ahasuerus followed the advice of his prince Memucan and his advice was (Esther 1:19): “That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she”. Queen Vashti preserved her dignity and esteem but was now stripped off her royal privilege to be a queen. She did what was better for her because it was better for her lose her royal crown than to be a public spectacle.

Queen Vashti’s choice directly impacted her and she lost her royal crown. The King too was now without a queen in the palace. The King who reveled in his mighty kingdom was now humiliated by the queen before all the men. Had he been in his senses this would have been averted. God used the King’s folly for some good cause. God turned around the situation in protection of His chosen ones. Queen Vashti’s choice was reasonable to her and she made a decision that later God used to bring providence to Jews.

In all His humble state, the Son of God stooped down to the level of a human being forsaking the royal prestige and went all the way to the cross bearing the sin of the mankind. He was raised from the dead and is seated on the right hand side of His father. He soon is going to come back to take us, His chosen unto Him. What good are we before the Son of God that we should glory in our vanities? Let us all cast our pride at His feet and adorn ourselves with the beauty of humility for therein rests His grace in abundance.

Tomorrow: Esther Crowned as the Royal Queen

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Oct 11

Called to Bring Deliverance from Sin

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Esther 4 :14

14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

These are the words that Mordecai sent to Esther through Hatach, king’s chamberlain that was appointed to attend unto Esther. When Haman devised a plan to get rid off the Jews, Mordecai and many other Jews started mourning, fasting, weeping and wailing. Mordecai sends an important message to Esther through Hatach asking her to go to King Ahasuerus to raise supplication unto the king to stop or reverse the decree. Esther was hesitant first because the king hadn’t called for her for over thirty days. But Mordecai sends even stronger message saying God will bring deliverance to Jews from another source if Esther doesn’t take up this mission. He also warns her not to think that she can escape the decree. He further says “who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

There is a strong message for us today that the Spirit of God is sending. God is asking us to raise supplication to Him asking for deliverance from sin for the people that we care. God cares for every soul and so we should cry out to God for every soul and bring deliverance from sin through Jesus our Savior. If God is calling you and you resist the call, God still can bring deliverance to His chosen people through other sources. But, do you want to miss the glorious opportunity of winning souls for Jesus? Remember, there is a glory to be revealed unto us in heaven as it says in Romans 8:18 “18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” If God is calling you at such a time as this, just respond and say “Here I am!”.

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