Fri.’s Devo - Haman’s Promotion

Read: Ester 1:1-3:15; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; Psalm 35:17-28; Proverbs 21:19-20 King Xerxes was a king who depended on the advice of others to run his life and help him run his kingdom. This caused him to make many bad decisions and kept his people guessing. In the third year of his reign he had a huge banquet honoring his officials and the princes of all his 127 provinces. When that was over he had another banquet for the people of his kingdom which lasted for 7 days. On the last day of his banquet he asked for his beautiful wife named Vashti to come into the room with all the drunk men and let them gaze at her beauty. She was to wear the crown and probably that was all. She was having her own banquet for all the women and refused to obey her husband’s request. *** Xerxes was humiliated in front of the common men of his kingdom and went to his advisors to ask what law was written about what to do when a wife didn’t obey. There was no such law but the advisors didn’t want Vashti to get away with it or their wives would do the same. They advised him to exile Vashti and write letters proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own house and should say whatever he pleased. He did. *** After a while, Xerxes got lonely and missed Vashti. His advisors didn’t want him to turn on them so they suggested a beauty contest to bring in all the beautiful women in his provinces and let him choose the one he wanted to replace Vashti. *** There was a very beautiful Jewish woman named Esther who had lost her parents during the exile. Her uncle, Mordecai had adopted her and raised her as his own. She was chosen to be one of the contestants for the next queen. Mordecai warned her not to tell her nationality to anyone. Every day he checked up on how she was doing. *** She was given much favor and was expedited through the treatments. In the meantime, Mordecai overheard a plot to assassinate Xerxes and told Esther to warn the king. She gave the warning to her handler and they were able to catch the killers. She made sure that Mordecai’s name was given as the informant. *** Xerxes promoted a man named Herman to be over all his leaders making him the most powerful official in his empire. All the king’s officials were to bow down before Hamas to show him respect whenever they passed him. Mordecai refused to bow. When Haman was told about Mordecai’s disrespect he plotted to not only kill Mordecai, but all the Jews. *** That spring when the yearly calendar was planned they used lots or purims to decide the timing of their plans for everything. It was decided that in the 12th month all the Jews would be slaughtered and that whoever killed a Jew would get their property. It was everyone’s duty to comply. When this edict was read aloud in all the provinces, the people were thrown into confusion. But the king and Haman went and had a meal and a drink. *** Paul told them that their meetings were doing more harm than good because there was so much division among the people. They were suppose to meet together for the Lord’s Supper but people who could afford it only brought food for their family and didn’t share with those who had nothing. He reminded them that when Jesus shared the Lord’s Supper with his disciples he was giving himself to them. It was a very solemn occasion. He gave them the wine and told them that it represented the new covenant of his blood that was about to be shed for them and the generations to come. They were to practice this remembering that when they ate the bread and drank the cup they were announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. To eat this meal unworthily was to bring guilt and sin against their body and the blood of the Lord. They were to examine their own hearts before they ate it or drank the wine. So, when they met together they needed to wait and let Paul lead them in the teaching of it so they could learn more of what their salvation was really about. *** Lord, may we reflect on the great sacrifice you laid down for us. Thank you for your willingness to save us and give yourself as the final sacrifice for our sins. We now walk in newness and free from the power of sin.