3Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.a ”
5King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
6Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
8Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubitsb stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Impale him on it!” 10So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided. (Esther 7)
Thoughts: Haman had tried to kill all the Jews, but in God's providence, he was killed instead. The Feast of Purim, still celebrated today, reminds the Jews that God providentially saves them. There have always been those who have tried to exterminate the people of God or at the very least snuff out the faith. The list is long and this is incomplete- the Agagites (1300 BC), the Philistines (c. 1000 BC), Baal worshipers- like Jezebel (c. 850 BC), the Assyrians (725 BC), the Babylonians (586 BC), the Romans (70 AD), the Muslims (700 AD), Hitler (1934-44), The Palestinians (1948, 1967, 1972), For Christians there were three major Roman persecutions meant to snuff out the faith. Today more Christians die for the faith than ever before. In the secular West the effort is to just keep Christians from practicing their faith publicly- to hush it up or regulate it to church on Sundays. The faith still survives.
There are articles in The State paper about the demise of Christianity in America. While the faith has faced a decline (mainly from nominal worshipers), still over 72% claim Christianity as their faith in America today. Where the faith has been faithful and trying to reach people for Christ, the church has grown (where it wants to be comfortable and only culturally relevant- it fades). Christianity is still the fastest growing (in number, in number of countries reached in overall percentage of adherents) of any other religion- including atheism or new age religion.
There are articles in The State paper about the demise of Christianity in America. While the faith has faced a decline (mainly from nominal worshipers), still over 72% claim Christianity as their faith in America today. Where the faith has been faithful and trying to reach people for Christ, the church has grown (where it wants to be comfortable and only culturally relevant- it fades). Christianity is still the fastest growing (in number, in number of countries reached in overall percentage of adherents) of any other religion- including atheism or new age religion.
Prayer: Lord, give me confidence in the 7,000 who still have not bowed the knee to Baal in my area. Help me to work with other believers for your glory and honor. Let me rely on your salvation to save me and others
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