Esther 8-10
Lesson 4
"A Yearn to Return to the Garden"
What is it about a fairytale that draws us into the story? Just this week, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their upcoming royal wedding, and already we are "tuned in" to every detail. Is it because within our utmost being we long for the perfect life where we all live happily and contently ever after? I believe God has put a longing in our soul for Him, our perfect bridegroom, manifested in Jesus, our Lord. If we are not careful, we will go through life trying to fill this void with all sorts of things: relationships, position, money, things, children, etc. Our soul yearns for the perfect life with perfect relationships with perfect conditions. We long for our return to the Garden of Eden!
In the saga of the story of Esther, we find Haman, the Agagite, doing just that - he tries to get satisfaction from all the things of the world, yet he says, "Yet all this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the King's gate." (Esther 5:13) Remember our title for Esther chapter seven - Haman's Hatred Had Him Hung! Let's dig a little deeper into this hatred of Haman's. In our homework, we looked back at the volatile history between the Jews and the Agagites, or Amalekites, This hatred started long ago, and God had told them to utterly destroy them and their possessions. (Ex 17) But what is the underlying source of their hatred toward the Jews? If we can discover its utmost origin, we might better understand the hatred of many of the Jews, and even of Christians as well.
To help us with this discovery, let's look back at the original sin and fall of man in the garden. We know that Adam and Eve were told of only one tree they could not eat - The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We also know that they could eat from every other tree in the garden, and hence, their need for food was met leaving hunger as no excuse for their disobedience. So, why did they take it? I propose that they believed the lie of Satan, and then focused on the god of self, and pushed Elohim, the One True God, off the throne of their heart, and let "SELF" step up on the throne. What is sin? Sin is where the one created to bow before and serve the Creator God on His throne, rises up and demands his own selfish desires, and then realizes he is a usurper of a stolen throne. So, our answer to the source of Haman's hatred and ultimately all sin is.... the god of self.
We need to see that in our chasing of the fairytale, it is actually a yearn to return to the perfect Garden of Eden. Nothing is this world can satisfy our souls like a relationship with our Father, and our Savior, and His Holy Spirit within us. Kay's tape approached this idea in a different way with different terminology; she compared Israel's Feast of Purim celebration of REST from their enemies to our future hope of REST from our enemies. This will occur when our heavenly bridegroom returns to this earth and places all enemies in subjection to Him. There will be PEACE, and in a sense, we will have finally returned to the Garden. We, His bride, will truly get the fairytale our soul has longed for since Genesis chapter three.
So, please know and understand this - hate's ultimate root is the sin of self on a stolen throne. Haman was the "god" of his life, and when Mordecai would not bow to him, his rage was birthed because the god of his life was not being worshipped. What a burden, trying to be god of your life. Who wants that job? Yet, that is exactly what we do when we push God out of the center of our lies, and tell Him to move over, we're driving.
So today, maybe you are absolutely exhausted - you need REST! You have been in charge of your life long enough. Dear one, in your search for the fairytale, have you told the Prince and King that came to rescue you, you don't need Him? Oh, return to Him, and let Him sweep you up into His arms and carry you through this world of trouble. And then, one day, we will all look up and see our Lord Jesus coming for us, dressed in His royal white robe, on His white horse, ready to carry us home to live with Him forever and ever. No more tears, no more trouble, no more death, no more cancer, no more wars, just PEACE! Peace in the Garden once again! I yearn to return - do you?
7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Rev. 19:7-16
Rapha and Yada, Yada, Yada Him,
Be still and know that I am God, Ps 46:10
Here is part of the poem I wrote about the events of Esther:
This is just the last two chapters, it is too long to put it all:
Portions of "For Such a Time as This"
Written by Sheila Breazeale following study of Esther November 2010Ch 9
For the dread of the Jews
had befallen all the people.
No one could stand before them
As Mordecai became greater and greater.
Thus the Jews struck down hundreds
of those that hated them.
Even Haman's ten sons were killed
then impaled on the gallows, all ten of them
Then Queen Esther asked the King
"If it please thee once again
let the edict be extended one more day
for the Jews to defend."
Now the rest of the Jews in the provinces
killed 75,000 of those that hated them
yet they never took the plunder
that the edict had allowed for them.
Therefore to this day
the Jews celebrate deliverance
on the 14th and 15th of Adar
it's to be an annual occurrence.
The Feast of Purim, how ironic,
for Pur was cast against them
yet, now it is celebrated with gifts and gladness
the lot had not destroyed them.
Queen Esther and Mordecai recorded this custom
it was written in the book
two days of celebration
preceded by fasting of which they all partook.
Ch 10
King Ahasuerus laid a tribute
throughout the entire land
He advanced Mordecai as prime minister
for all the Jews were Mordecai's fans
All the greatness of Mordecai
can be found written in the books
how he sought the good of the people
he saved a nation that had been forsook.
Conclusion:
So here lies a story
where God seems not to be found
But if you look closely, He's there in the shadows
as favor and grace abound.
So when it seems He's missing
from your life as well.
remember God is sovereign over His children,
and His love and favor never fail.
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