James

Isaiah 1-2, James 5

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Dangerously Fat and Happy.

Isaiah 1-2, James 5

Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. – Isaiah 2:7-8 ESV

Isaiah was a prophet of God living in the city of Jerusalem whose ministry spanned the reigns of four different kings of Judah. He had unenviable task of warning the people of Judah about God’s coming judgment if they did not repent of their sin and rebellion against Him. The opening chapters of this book are not an easy read, and do not paint a very flattering picture of the people of Judah. Isaiah pulled no punches in his stinging assessment of God’s rebellious people. Speaking on behalf of God, he called them a “sinful nation” and the “offspring of evildoers.” He accused them of having “despised the Holy One of Israel.” He compared them to a sick body with “no soundness in it.” If God had not mercifully left a few survivors, their fate would have been as devastating as that of Sodom and Gomorrah. God was fed up with their religious rituals that had become nothing but rote exercises lacking in heartfelt conviction or true repentance. According to Isaiah, God had “had enough of burnt offerings or rams and the fat of well-fed beasts” (Isaiah 1:11 ESV). God was sick of their hypocrisy as they stormed into His holy presence all high and mighty, but filled with iniquity. He was done listening to their heartless prayers and gagging on their incense. His recommendation was a simple one: “Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows” (Isaiah 1:16-17 NLT). In other words, change your behavior. Let your actions reflect the true condition of your heart.

What does this passage reveal about God?

It grieved God to look at the Israelites and His holy city, Jerusalem, and witness the blatant unfaithfulness of the city and people that both bore His name. But God was not done with either. Through Isaiah, He foretells the coming day when He would restore His people and the city of Zion. “Zion will be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness” (Isaiah 1:27 ESV). There is a day coming when God will accomplish for the people of Israel what they could not have done for themselves. He will send His Son to rule and reign. He will defeat the enemies of Israel and reestablish the Kingdom of God on earth, with His Son, Jesus Christ, sitting on the throne of David in the city of Jerusalem. God will bring peace to the earth. “The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4 NLT). But those days are in the distant future. In the meantime, God had more immediate plans for the people of Judah. He had legitimate charges against them that deserved His righteous judgment. These people, whom God had chosen and promised to bless in incredible ways if they would only remain faithful, had proven to be unfaithful time and time again. Their greatest problem was a staggering self-sufficiency that sprang from their pride. Rather than being satisfied with God, they had filled up on anything and everything. They were “full of things from the east, and of furtune-tellers like the Philistines” (Isaiah 2:6 ESV). The land of Judah was “filled” with silver and gold, treasure, horses and chariots, and all kinds of idols they had made with their own hands. During the reign of King Uzziah, the nation of Judah had experienced unprecedented peace and prosperity, and it had gone to the peoples’ heads. They had replaced the worship of God with the worship of trinkets and treasures, idols and idle pleasures. And as a result, they were about to experience what it was like to try and hide from “the terror of the Lord” and “the splendor of His majesty” (Isaiah 2:10 ESV). A holy God would not put up with their sin any longer.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Mankind has always suffered from pride. It is the root of all sin. It was the cause of the original sin of Adam and Eve. They desired to be like God. Their desire for self-worship caused them to take God off the throne of their lives and attempt to take His place. But God warned the people of Judah, “the haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled” (Isaiah 2:11 ESV). In fact, God makes it painfully clear that there is a day coming when “the Lord alone will be exalted” (Isaiah 2:17 ESV). The problem of pride spans the centuries and has plagued the generations of mankind. Even in the day of James, the specter of pride hung over the body of Christ. He had harsh warnings for those who placed their hope in the things of this world. “Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (James 5:1-4 NLT). There were those in the local church who had made a god out of money. They worshiped wealth to such a degree that they were guilty of taking advantage of those around them. Like the people if Isaiah’s day, they were guilty of injustice and oppression. It all reminds me of the words spoken against the church of Laodicea: “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17 NLT). Pride blinds us to the reality of our sin. Jesus Himself goes on to tell the church of Laodicea, “So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference” (Revelation 3:18-19 NLT).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

We must turn to God for help. We are incapable of defeating the pride in our own lives. God reminded the people of Judah, “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool” (Isaiah 1:18 NLT). We must bring our pride to the cross. We must humble ourselves before the Savior and ask Him to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. Peter provides us with this encouraging words: “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:5-7 ESV). We can never afford to allow the love of money to replace our love for God. We can never be willing to let our dependence on God to be replaced by a reliance upon wealth. Anything we allow to take the place of God in our lives will become an idol. Whatever we turn to for contentment, fulfillment, rescue, self-worth, our value, or confidence, will always fail to deliver what we desire. All idols prove themselves incapable of fulfilling our expectations in them. But if we place our hope and trust in God, we will never be disappointed. We should never place our trust in anything other than God – especially man. “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2:22 ESV).

Father, never let me get fat and happy in this world. I don’t want to become content and complacent, falling in love with the plastic hopes and dreams of this fleeting world. I want to constantly remember that my treasure lies elsewhere. My hope is not found in the things of this earth, but in You. Forgive me for making idols out of so many things. Open my eyes. Help me to see them for what they are. Give me the strength to turn from anything and everything that tries to capture my affection for You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Esther 9-10, James 4

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Exalted By God.

Esther 9-10, James 4

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:7 ESV

The story of Esther ends on a high note. The whole intention of its author was to remind the people of God how He had provided for them during their time in exile in Babylon. While Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerrubabel and the remnant of the people of Judah had been busy rebuilding the temple and restoring the walls of Jerusalem, there had been a large contingent of Jews left in the land of Babylon. But God had not left them alone. He had been with them and had miraculously provided for them even while they had been living in exile in a foreign land. Through the lives of Esther and Mordecai, we are given a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes involvement of God as He orchestrated the salvation of His people from destruction. When the story opened, Mordecai was an obscure Jew raising his orphaned cousin, Esther. Through a miraculous chain of events, Esther because the next queen of Persia. This obviously God-ordained promotion set the stage for a series of events that would allow God to reveal His sovereignty and power, even in the midst of a godless and hostile environment. The story ends with Esther still serving as queen, Mordecai as one of the powerful and feared rulers in the land, and the Jews celebrating a stunning and unexpected victory over their enemies. When things had gotten tough, Mordecai and Esther turned their attention to the only one who could save them. They fasted, mourned and prayed. They sought God’s help. They took their fears, anxieties, doubts and worries about the future to God. And He heard their cries. He answered their prayers. They humbled themselves before the God of the universe and He exalted them. .

What does this passage reveal about God?

In his letter, James writes, “Draw near to God, and he will draw hear to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:8-10 ESV). These words could have been the perfect opening to the book of Esther. We have to remember that the people of God living in the land of Babylon were far from faithful. The very fact that they were living in a foreign land was due to their unfaithfulness to God. Their entire history as a people had been marked by rebellion against God Almighty. They had refused to worship Him alone. They had rejected His prophets and ignored His warnings. Their exile was God’s punishment for their sin. They had loved the world more than they had loved God. James echoes an Old Testament theme regarding the people of God. “You adulterous people. Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4 ESV). The Jews living in Babylon were still in love with the world – even in the days of Esther. The very fact that they were still there, after having been given the opportunity to return to Judah under the leadership of Zerrubabel and Nehemiah, spoke volumes. Many had likely become comfortable with their new life in Babylon. They had acclimated to their new environment and had begun to compromise their faith. So God orchestrated a series of events that would provide a wake up call and a much-needed reminder of who they were and just how powerful their God was.

What does this passage reveal about man?

It is amazing just how often we need a crisis to open our eyes and refocus our attention on our need for God. There is the old saying, “There are no atheists in fox holes.” It seems that tragedy and trouble improves the prayer lives of just about everyone. When difficulty strikes, our knees tend to bend far more easily and readily. Trials can be great reminders of our own weakness and drive us back to God in dependency and submission. Esther may have been the queen of Persia, but she knew that her position would provide no guarantee of safety when faced with a royal edict that commanded the destruction of every Jew living in the land. Her crown wouldn’t protect her. Her marriage to the king wouldn’t even give her access to the very man who could do something about the problem. Mordecai was a powerless Jew who had made an enemy of the second most powerful man in the land. His refusal to bow before Haman had stirred up a hornet’s nest of trouble for every Jew living in the land. And little did Mordecai know that Haman had built a gallows with his name on it. The Jews, living comfortably and complacently in the land of Babylon, would wake up one day to find that their peaceful world was about to be rocked. A royal decree had ordained their complete annihilation. They found themselves in a hopeless, helpless position. But if they would submit to God and draw hear to Him, He would draw near to them. If they would humbly come before Him, expressing their need for Him and confessing their sins to Him, God would exalt them. He would do for them what they could not do for themselves.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

The words recorded in the opening verse of chapter nine of the book of Esther say it all. “Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them” (Esther 9:1 ESV). Just when things were supposed to have turned out poorly for the Jews, God stepped in and turned things upside down. Rather than defeat, the Jews experienced victory. God turned their annihilation into a scene of celebration. He turned their mourning into joy. He replaced their fear with renewed faith in the power and provision of their God. He used difficulty to reestablish their dependence upon Him. Sometimes we just be brought to our knees before we will turn to God in prayer. There are times when we must be reminded just how much this world really hates us. We can so easily be lured into believing that this world is our friend and has our best interest at heart. But Jesus Himself warned us that the world would hate us just as it hated Him. We do not belong here. This world is not our home. And as long as we are here, we must constantly remind ourselves that our hope and help must come from one place – from our heavenly Father. We must submit to Him. We must humbly turn to Him in total dependence and complete reliance. We must humble ourselves before Him, acknowledging our sin and expressing our need for His help. And He will exalt us. He will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He will reveal His power. He will remind us of His sovereignty. He will turn our sorrow into celebration and our helplessness into hope. The story of Esther is the story of God’s exaltation and vindication of His people. It is a real-life illustration of John’s timeless truth: “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 ESV).

Father, may I never forget just how powerful and reliable You are. You have proven Yourself time and time again, in history and in my own life. You have turned tragedy into triumph, sorrow into celebration, and replaced my helplessness with hope and healing, more times than I can remember. I want to learn to trust You more. I want to live humbly before You. I want to fall less and less in love with this world and more and more in love with You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Esther 7-8, James 3

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Pride Before Destruction.

Esther 7-8, James 3

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. – James 3:16 NLT

Over in Proverbs 16:18, we find the sobering warning: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” That statement could have been the epitaph for Haman. This ambitious, greedy, manipulative man had gone out of his way to secure a place of highest honor in the kingdom, and had been willing to destroy an entire people group along the way. There is no doubt that Haman prided himself in his accomplishments. At one point, he “gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials” (Esther 5:10-11 NLT). Haman had it all. He had made it to the top and wanted everyone to know about it. But sadly, his rapid rise to fame was not enough. He was not only driven by pride, but by hatred and a self-destructive need for revenge. As great as his new-found success was, he desired something even more. “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate” (Esther 5:13 NLT). Mordecai was the one man who had refused to bow down before Haman and show him the honor he believed he so richly deserved. In spite of all his wealth, power and honor, Haman would not be satisfied until Mordecai was destroyed. Driven by his pride and motivated by his insatiable need for revenge, Haman was susceptible to the advice of his wife and friends. “So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, ‘Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.’ This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up” (Esther 5:14 NLT).

What does this passage reveal about God?

As has been the case throughout this story, God was working behind the scenes, orchestrating events and organizing affairs in such a way that His divine will would be accomplished. Haman prided himself in his wisdom. He was certain that his plan would prove to be successful. Not only would he have all the power and prestige his heart desired, he would be able to see his enemy, Mordecai, put to death for his insolence. But the apostle reminds us, “For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’” (1 Corinthians 3:19 ESV). Haman’s grand plan was no match for the sovereign will of God Almighty. The writer of Proverbs gives us a similar reminder: “No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the LORD” (Proverbs 21:20 NLT). The book of Job contains another warning regarding man’s wisdom and God’s sovereign will: “He traps the wise in their own cleverness so their cunning schemes are thwarted” (Job 5:13 NLT). Haman was no match for God. His plans and power were futile against the sovereign God of the universe. James writes in his letter, “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic” (James 3:13-15 NLT). True wisdom – godly wisdom – is always accompanied by humility, not pride. Jealousy and selfish ambition are not the byproduct of godly wisdom. They are of this world. James goes on to write, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble” (James 4:6 NLT). We see the grace, mercy and favor of God clearly in this story. Mordecai and Esther experience it. The people of Judah are the undeserving recipients of it.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Haman is a picture of man without God. In the absence of God, man always worships himself. He becomes the center of his own universe. His desires become central. His plans become the focus of his life. Others become the tools to achieving his desires or roadblocks that require removal. One of the key ways in which man’s pride and arrogance shows up is in his use of his tongue. Haman couldn’t keep from bragging. He couldn’t prevent himself from saying what was on his mind. When he mistakenly thought the king wanted to reward him for his faithful service, he brazenly offered the king the following recommendation: “If the king wishes to honor someone, he should bring out one of the king’s own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head. Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’” (Esther 6:7-9 NLT). Little did he know that his pride-fueled words would end up rewarding the very man he wished to destroy. Haman would find himself leading his arch-enemy, Mordecai, through the streets of Susa, as Mordecai basked in the glory and honor Haman had mistakenly thought were to be his. James described the tongue as “a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself” (James 3:6 NLT). Jesus put it this way: “But the words you speak come from the heart – that’s what defiles you” (Matthew 15:18 NLT). Haman’s real issue was a heart problem.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

James closes out chapter three with these words: “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:17-18 NLT). Godly wisdom has a different character about it. We see godly wisdom revealed in the lives of Mordecai and Esther. They were both willing to wait on the Lord. Rather than seek the destruction of Haman, they sought the salvation of the Lord. Esther appealed to the mercy of King Ahasuerus. She was willing to leave the fate of Haman in the king’s hands. Her greatest desire was that her people be spared. She asked that the king reverse his decree and protect the Jewish people from the destruction ordered upon them by Haman. Mordecai, who remained a somewhat invisible character in this part of the story, seemed to willingly wait on the salvation of the Lord. He didn’t rail against Haman. He didn’t call down God’s wrath upon his enemy. He simply waited to see what God would do. And both he and Esther reaped “a harvest of righteousness.” They would see God move in miraculous ways, not only destroying the plans of Haman, but orchestrating his death on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. And Mordecai would find himself wearing the king’s signet ring, once the property of Haman, and running the former estate of his mortal enemy. God had done a mighty work. He had accomplished the impossible. And as a result, “The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere.  In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them” (Esther 8:16-17 NLT).

Father, no one has any right to boast before You. There is no place for pride when standing before the God of the universe. The idea of any man being “self-made” is ludicrous. You govern the affairs of all men. You put kings and leaders on thrones and You take them down. You are in complete control of all human affairs – whether it looks like it or not. Help me to remember Your sovereignty whether I recognize it or not. Help me to remain humble and to understand the danger of pride and the destructive power of the tongue. May I remember the words of Paul: “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD” (2 Corinthians 10:17 NLT). Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Esther 5-6, James 2

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Putting Faith Into Action.

Esther 5-6, James 2

Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. – James 2:18 ESV

It is so easy to claim belief in God. But it’s something altogether different to live that belief out in daily life. In the story of Esther, we have belief or faith in God put to the test. Esther and Mordecai had to take what they knew about God in a purely academic or cerebral sense and apply it to their circumstances. They both had to take steps of faith and learn to stand on and trust in the character and power of God. Esther knew that, while she was queen, she was under the same law that prohibited anyone from coming into the presence of the king unless summoned. The penalty for violating this law was death. Yet Esther, after prayer and fasting, determined to trust God and place her life in His hands. She boldly walked into the king’s presence, uninvited and unexpected. But rather than encountering the king’s wrath, she “won favor in his sight, and he hold out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand” (Esther 5:2 ESV). Not only that, the king greeted her with the shocking words, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to half of my kingdom” (Esther 5:3 ESV). As God had done so many times before in the history of the people of Israel, He influenced the heart of a king and caused him to show favor to His servant. Mordecai, the man whose refusal to bow before Haman had caused the dire situation in which the people of God found themselves, continued to show up at the gate and do his job. He didn’t flee in fear or run for his life. He remained committed to His God and consistent in his refusal to bow down before a man. Under pressure and faced with the prospect of watching his people ruthlessly murdered, Mordecai didn’t compromise his convictions or succumb to situational ethics. He remained firm, trusting God, in spite of all that he saw happening around him.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God is always at work, most often in ways that are invisible to our eyes. He operates behind the scenes and orchestrates events in unseen ways. Esther had no way of knowing that the king would show her favor. Neither she or Mordecai had any idea what was taking place behind the closed doors of the palace and in Haman’s own home. Haman was plotting the public hanging of Mordecai. King Ahasuerus was having trouble sleeping. And God was behind it all. Haman, driven by pride and anger, was plotting his revenge on Mordecai. But he was unaware that his plans for Mordecai’s demise would be turned against him. He had no way of knowing that the gallows he had constructed for Mordecai’s death would become his own place of execution. Esther was oblivious to her husband’s insomnia and his seemingly random request to have “the book of memorable deeds” read to him. In that book he would hear of the earlier actions of Mordecai, who had exposed and foiled a plot on the king’s life. Haman had no idea that, when he had shown up early for work that morning, his timing was God-ordained. And when asked by the king, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” (Esther 6:6 ESV), Haman had no idea the ramifications his self-centered response would have. In this passage we see both the sovereignty and sense of humor of God. Thinking that the king wants to honor him, Haman came up with a very elaborate, over-the-top recommendation for honoring “the man” the king has in mind. Haman had no concept that the king was to Mordecai. He had no way of knowing that his words would be used to honor his mortal enemy. And Mordecai was oblivious to the fact that God was getting ready to reward his faithfulness and convictions. God was working in unseen ways, putting together a plan by which His enemies would be destroyed and His people, blessed.

What does this passage reveal about man?

As human beings, we live by sight. We are circumstantially based, and prone to focus on what we can see. We evaluate the situation surrounding us and draw certain conclusions. We make assumptions and make determinations based on the facts as we know them. But we tend to overlook what God may be doing behind the scenes. That is where faith comes in. The writer of Hebrews gives us a wonderful definition of faith: “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:2 NLT). Paul told us that we are to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV). The word he used for “walk” is a word that means “to conduct your life.” It conveys the idea of living your life, going about your everyday affairs, by faith, not by sight. In other words, we are put our faith into daily action, by trusting in what we can’t see: the reality of God’s behind-the-scenes involvement in the everyday affairs of our life. Faith has practical ramifications. Believing in God is far more than a mental assent to His existence. It is a daily reliance upon His power, sovereignty, love, mercy, and unwavering commitment to our long-term well-being. While things may not look promising, we can always count on God keeping His promises. He will never leave us or forsake us. He will not fail to keep His commitments to us. But our greatest temptation will always be to doubt God. We will always find ourselves prone to allow our faith to become compromised and our actions to be based on human reasoning. James wrote to his audience warning them of this very thing. They were showing partiality, treating those with wealth as more important and significant than those who had nothing. They were using human reasoning to determine that sucking up to the rich made sense. They had convinced themselves that associating themselves with the wealthy would have long-term benefits. But to do so, they were having to violate God’s royal law of love. It made no sense to love the poor because common sense said there was nothing to be gained by doing so. But faith rarely makes sense. Doing things God’s way will not always seem reasonable or practical. But the life of faith rarely makes sense from a human perspective.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

I can claim to have faith in God, but the proof is in the pudding. In other words, faith must show up in practical ways. It can’t remain hidden. Esther was going to have to walk into the presence of the king sooner of later as an expression of her faith in God. Mordecai was going to have to stay committed to his convictions if he wanted to see His God act. To have compromised or caved in would have openly declared his lack of faith in God. James whole point in dealing with faith and works was to convince us that faith is not some ethereal, hidden characteristic, but a practical, visible manifestation of what we know about our God. Esther’s faith in God became visible when she placed her trust in Him and stepped into that throne room, in spite of her fears and the voice of reason screaming inside her head. Mordecai kept showing up to work each day, knowing that his refusal to bow down to Haman had led to the possible destruction of the entire Jewish population. Everything in him and everyone around him was probably telling him it wasn’t worth it. He had to have been wrestling with whether or not he had gone to far. Certainly he entertained ideas of giving up his hopeless crusade and was tempted to rationalize a more reasonable solution to his problem. But he stayed committed because he trusted God. He had told Esther, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place” (Esther 4:14 ESV). He didn’t know exactly how, but God was going to save them one way or the other. His hope was not in Esther, but in Esther’s God. How we act in this world should be based on what we know about God. Our belief in God should impact our behavior. What we know about our God should influence our actions, regardless of what we know about the ultimate outcome.

Father, I want to be a man of faith. I want to learn to live by faith, not by sight. Help me to understand that it is my growing awareness and understanding of You that drives my behavior. It is my confidence in You that allows me to live confidently and uncompromisingly in this world. My faith has an object: You. And it is my faith in You that allows me to live faithfully in this world, regardless of what I can see or not see. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Esther 3-4, James 1

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Such a Time As This.

Esther 3-4, James 1

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. – James 1:2-4 ESV

We sometimes forget that while Ezra, Nehemiah and the remnant of Jews who had returned to Judah were busy rebuilding the temple and restoring the walls of Jerusalem, there were thousands of Jews left behind in captivity. They had chosen to stay in Babylon, rather than return to their native land. And the story of Esther tells us what was happening to them while their brothers and sisters were thousands of miles away. Through an amazing turn of events, Esther had become queen of Persian. Four years after her coronation, another significant event would take place that would dramatically impact the lives of the people of God. King Ahasuerus had promoted one of his officials “and set his throne above all the officials who were with him,” commanding that he be shown proper honor by bowing down before him. Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, refused to do so. Perhaps because Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites, enemies of the Jews. When word got out that Mordecai refused to show proper honor and pay homage to Haman, he became incensed and in his anger came up with a plan to destroy all the Jews living in Persia. He convinced the king to put his royal blessing on the plan and issue a decree to that effect. When Mordecai found out, he went into mourning and into action. He informed Esther of the situation and begged her to use her position as queen to plead with the king on behalf of the people of God. But Esther became fearful. She had yet to reveal her Jewish identity to the king. She also knew that unless she was summoned by the king into his presence, any attempt on her part to see him would result in death. Things looked bleak. The situation appeared hopeless.

What does this passage reveal about God?

But we must remember that this story was being written for those Jews who lived long after the events recorded had taken place. This book is a reminder of God’s sovereign hand in the lives of His chosen people. The story of Esther is the story of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. When we read of the promotion of Haman and Mordecai’s stubborn refusal to bow down before him, we can easily wonder why these things had to happen. We can question why God allowed this evil man to be given so much power and authority. We can marvel at Mordecai’s hard-headed decision to dishonor Haman. We can speculate how things might have turned out if he had just swallowed his pride and bowed down before Haman. But there is something far greater going on in this story. God had a much larger plan in mind and was working behind the scenes in ways that King Ahasuerus, Haman, Esther and Mordecai could not see. It is interesting to note that Haman used Lots to determine the best day to put his sinister plan in motion. In other words, he relied on chance. But we read that “the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month” (Esther 3:12 ESV), and the edict was issued. It just so happened that the day the edict became official was the day before Passover – a yearly Jewish holiday commemorating God’s miraculous deliverance of His people from captivity in Egypt. This was not luck or chance. It was a not-so-subtle reminder that God was still in control. As bad as things looked, the people of God needed to always remember that their God was fully aware and fully in charge of all that was happening around them.   

What does this passage reveal about man?

Haman was power hungry. His new-found position had gone to his head. When one man refused to bow down before him, he because so angry that he determined to wipe out an entire people group in retaliation. This scene had been played out time and time again for the people of Israel over the centuries. Their history was filled with other stories of men attempting to annihilate them. But God had protected them. He had been there for them. And He would do so again. As evil as Haman was, he was no match for God. But this did not mean that the people of God were just to sit back and do nothing. It does not mean that they were to simply accept the situation as is and wait for God to act. Upon learning the news of the king’s decree, Mordecai went into mourning. He fasted. But he also took action. He did what he could do to step into the situation. He went to Esther and appealed to her to use her influence as queen to beg for the king’s mercy. He recognized that this young girl’s unexpected elevation to her position as queen had a divine purpose behind it. He warned Esther that her silence would not save her. While she had managed to keep her Jewish identity a secret all these years, it was just a matter of time before the truth became known. Her life was in danger just like everyone else. Then Mordecai told Esther, “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place” (Esther 4:14 NLT). In this simple statement Mordecai revealed that he believed God was going to protect His people. He would act. But Mordecai also believed that Esther had been made queen of Persia for a reason. “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NLT). He knew that Esther held a unique position and believed that God had orchestrated her rise to prominence and influence for just such an occasion. She had a God-ordained role to play.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Esther was scared. She was justifiably frightened at the prospect of having to confront the most powerful man in the kingdom and beg him to counter his own decree. She knew that the odds were stacked against her. Centuries later, James would write, “when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4 NLT). Trouble had come Esther’s way. But James would have told her to consider it an opportunity for great joy. Her faith was about to be tested. She needed wisdom. So James would have told her, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone” (James 1:5-6 NLT). And it’s interesting to note that Esther asked Mordecai to call all the Jews living in the land of Susa to fast on her behalf. The inference is that they were to take their situation before God and lift up their sister, Esther.

One of the things that jumps out at me in this story is that no one, including Mordecai or Esther, blamed God for their circumstances. They didn’t shake their fists at God and question His love or wisdom. They didn’t get angry and demand to know what He was going to do about their situation. In the letter of James, he tells us, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19 NLT). James was writing to people who were living under tremendous pressure and persecution. The natural tendency, when things get tough, is to get mad at God. We can find ourselves getting angry for allowing difficulty into our lives. We can demand to know why He isn’t acting or why He allowed it to happen in the first place. But James would tell us to be slow to speak and slow to anger. Instead, we are to listen. Ask God what He is trying to teach us – about Him, about ourselves, about our faith or lack of it, about His power and our failure to believe in it. Esther and Mordecai had no idea what God was going to do. They had no guarantees about the outcome. But rather than get angry, they got busy. They prayed. They planned. They took advantage of their God-ordained positions and acted.

Father, You never said this life would be easy. There are always difficulties to be faced. There are always trials alone the way. But You have promised to always be there for us. You have told us that You are greater than our greatest obstacle or enemy. You have proven Your faithfulness and illustrated Your saving power over and over again. When times of trouble come, may I learn to focus my eyes on You. But may I also understand that You have me right where You want me and I must seek to know what it is You would have me do. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org