Day 19

Esther 1:1-3:15 KJV NLT
Today we are introduced to the Jewish/Persian queen Esther , also known as Hadassah. When we first start reading, King Xerxes I was having 180 day festival in Persia and at one point he had summoned the presence his current wife , Queen Vashti, to show off her beauty. When she refused to come, the king was angered and so were his many male followers . They believed that if she could disobey the king that all women would feel they could do that to their husbands as well. With advice from one of his advisers, the search was on to replace her as queen. Just to interject for a moment...... I do have to give some props to Vashti, because most women in the bible tend to be very submissive and she chose the opposite role. She did not want to appear as just the Kings pet but as a Queen. As you can guess on the search for a new queen, they stumbled upon Esther. It was unknown to them about Esther's Jewish background and she swore that it would stay that way. She was an orphaned child that her cousin, Mordecai, took in and raised as one of his own. Not to mention that their family lineage is from the Jewish tribe of Benjamin ( we saw them mentioned as returning exiles in Nehemiah). For the time being , Esther was used as a concubine for whenever king wanted her. Her cousin also gained a position at the palace. With this position came some drama. Hanan the Agagite, was angered when Mordecai refused to bow down before him. It was against Jewish law to bow down to anyone but God and Hanan later found out that Mordecai was Jewish. This led to a decree being issued under the King's approval to kill all Jewish people in the area. What does this mean for Esther? My other question is, why is important to keep the fact that Esther and her cousin were Jewish?

1 Corinthians 11:17-34 KJV NLT
As Paul continues to reprimand the Corinthians, he brings up a point that has crossed my mind several times....receiving communion. Many people just receive communion because it is part of routine. But I always wonder if every single week do they believe they are worthy to receive it. I know that if I was going through some stuff I would not go up because I didn't think I was deserving of Jesus' body and blood. Paul reminds us that we must examine ourselves and be honest with the Lord and confess our sins prior to receiving communion. Although it is a personal thing it also effects our Christian family. If you do not receive communion with a clear conscience we are shaming not only ourselves but our Christian family as well.


Psalm 35:17-28 KJV NLT
Passage Psalm 35:17-28:

¹⁷ How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing?
Rescue me from their fierce attacks.
Protect my life from these lions!
¹⁸ Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly.
I will praise you before all the people.
¹⁹ Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.
Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.
²⁰ They don’t talk of peace;
they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.
²¹ They shout, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we saw him do it!”

²² O Lord, you know all about this.
Do not stay silent.
Do not abandon me now, O Lord.
²³ Wake up! Rise to my defense!
Take up my case, my God and my Lord.
²⁴ Declare me not guilty, O Lord my God, for you give justice.
Don’t let my enemies laugh about me in my troubles.
²⁵ Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted!
Now we will eat him alive!”

²⁶ May those who rejoice at my troubles
be humiliated and disgraced.
May those who triumph over me
be covered with shame and dishonor.
²⁷ But give great joy to those who came to my defense.
Let them continually say, “Great is the Lord,
who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”
²⁸ Then I will proclaim your justice,
and I will praise you all day long.

Proverbs 21:19-20 KJV NLT
Passage Proverbs 21:19-20:

¹⁹ It’s better to live alone in the desert
than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.

²⁰ The wise have wealth and luxury,
but fools spend whatever they get.