Esther 9 Daily Bible Reading with Paul Nison

Esther 9 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Victory of the Jewish People

9 So on March 7^[a] the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies. ² The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them. ³ And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai. ⁴ For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.

⁵ So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them. ⁶ In the fortress of Susa itself, the Jews killed 500 men. ⁷ They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸ Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha— ¹⁰ the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not take any plunder.

¹¹ That very day, when the king was informed of the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa, ¹² he called for Queen Esther. He said, “The Jews have killed 500 men in the fortress of Susa alone, as well as Haman’s ten sons. If they have done that here, what has happened in the rest of the provinces? But now, what more do you want? It will be granted to you; tell me and I will do it.”

¹³ Esther responded, “If it please the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today, and let the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be impaled on a pole.”

¹⁴ So the king agreed, and the decree was announced in Susa. And they impaled the bodies of Haman’s ten sons. ¹⁵ Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8^[b] and killed 300 more men, and again they took no plunder.

¹⁶ Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder. ¹⁷ This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested,^[c] celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness. ¹⁸ (The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9,^[d] making that their day of feasting and gladness.) ¹⁹ So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter,^[e] when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.

The Festival of Purim

²⁰ Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes, ²¹ calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days.^[f] 22 He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.

²³ So the Jews accepted Mordecai’s proposal and adopted this annual custom. ²⁴ Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the date determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim). ²⁵ But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. ²⁶ That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots.

So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, ²⁷ the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year. ²⁸ These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.

²⁹ Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen’s full authority behind Mordecai’s letter to establish the Festival of Purim. ³⁰ Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. ³¹ These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.) ³² So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

Catholic Church Truth or Tradition?

Catholic Church Truth or Tradition?

What The Bible Says About Television

What The Bible Says About Television

Esther 8 Daily Bible Reading with Paul Nison

Esther 8 New Living Translation (NLT)
A Decree to Help the Jews
8 On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related. 2 The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.

3 Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews. 4 Again the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him.

5 Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. 6 For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”

7 Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. 8 Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”

9 So on June 25[a] the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.[b] The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews. 10 The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.

11 The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. 12 The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.[c]

13 A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day. 14 So urged on by the king’s command, the messengers rode out swiftly on fast horses bred for the king’s service. The same decree was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa.

15 Then Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple. And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree. 16 The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere. 17 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.

Does Yahweh appoint evil leaders to lead nations?

I am reading this from this link of a ministry called Never Thirsty

https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/does-god-appoint-evil-leaders-to-lead-nations/

Esther 6 Daily Bible Reading with Paul Nison

Esther 6 New Living Translation (NLT)

The King Honors Mordecai

6 That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. ² In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.

³ “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked.

His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”

⁴ “Who is that in the outer court?” the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared.

⁵ So the attendants replied to the king, “Haman is out in the court.”

“Bring him in,” the king ordered. ⁶ So Haman came in, and the king said, “What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?”

Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” ⁷ So he replied, “If the king wishes to honor someone, ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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!’”

¹⁰ “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!”

¹¹ So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” ¹² Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.

¹³ When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.”

¹⁴ While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

Sin is more contagious than covid-19

Sin is more contagious than covid-19

Esther 3 Daily Bible Reading with Paul Nison

Esther 3 New Living Translation (NLT)

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

3 Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire. ² All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.

³ Then the palace officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” ⁴ They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai’s conduct, since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. ⁶ He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.

⁷ So in the month of April,^[a] during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.^[b]

⁸ Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. ⁹ If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks^[c] of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”

¹⁰ The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.”

¹² So on April 17^[d] the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year.^[e] The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.

¹⁴ A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day. ¹⁵ At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion.

The Whole Matter

The Whole Matter

(#365 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

www.sufferwell.org
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear the Almighty and keep His commandments, for this is man’s whole duty. For the Mighty One will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

You were created in the image of Yahweh and to keep His commands. Your carnal attempt at “free will” will always end in a death of His choice, just as in the Garden of Eden. Your whole duty is to obey Yahweh, a death of self that should be the only choice, just as offered in the Garden of Gethsemane! This will transform you into His image, to a perfect man [perfection], to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Messiah (Ephesians 4:13). And do not think it pride that you are called to such a lofty place; you are joint heirs with the Messiah (Romans 8:17). And He thought it perfectly acceptable, and even more so, was commanded to be like His Father. Don’t be fooled loved one; there will be a death either way. The only question is whether you will bow willingly or be forced.

Let this mind be in you which was also in the Messiah Yahshua, who, being in the form of the Mighty One, did not consider it robbery to be equal with the Mighty One, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the stake. Therefore the Mighty One also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Yahshua [Yahweh saves] every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Yahshua the Messiah is Master, to the glory of the Almighty Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

With this confession on your lips, let’s revisit the first Garden and ask ourselves, “Were they given choices or commands?” Yahshua’s example in the second Garden, as well as these bold words, can help you with the answer. “If you love Me, keep My commands.” (John 14:15) You must settle this answer inside of you, once for all times, and then you must live by it! Let this mind be in you which was also in the Messiah Yahshua. The Kingdom within (Luke 17:21) is the mind of the Messiah in you (1 Corinthians 2:16). It is the conclusion of the whole matter.

If you have eyes to see and ears to hear, read this aloud; “I was never intended to think for myself, but rather only to have His mind in me.” This will transform every aspect of your life. And make no mistake, life, the entirety of it, the whole duty of it, is lived first in the mind! And if you are willing to surrender your will, it can be lived with His mind, the Messiah in you, the hope of glory. (Colossian 1:27) Your soul, your conscience, lives forever and for those who obey rather than insist they have a choice, “forever” is pure bliss. The others, those forced to bow, whose conscience is seared (1 Timothy 4:2), will involuntarily acknowledge Yahweh’s glory, but will live forever absent His presence. Hell indeed!

Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, had it all. He had every luxury the world could offer, all the riches of the physical realm. And how did these strong attachments impact this most valuable gift of the Father? It turned his wisdom into vanity. His final reckoning, his repentance; his conclusion of the whole matter; fear the Almighty and keep His commandments. All else is “vanity!” “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) The result of “choosing” to go against what Yahweh commands: Vanity!

And so, again, if you have eyes to see and ears to hear, read this aloud; “If I give up the idea that I have a right to my own thoughts, my obedience will allow me to become all I was intended to be; I will attain the Holy mind.” This is exactly what His Covenant (unilateral mind contract with fallen men) guarantees loved one. When all vanity is washed away, the Kingdom of Yahweh will manifest in the Holy of Holies of your mind. He will have total dominion over all of your thoughts. The result: a conscience without sin (Hebrews 9:14)! This, loved one, is the conclusion of the whole matter!

To All Our Loved Friends Who Traveled With Us,

Thank you for taking this devotional journey to the Kingdom within.

Michael & Jeffrey

P. S. “It” is “not” finished; go back to #001 Merciful One and travel deeper!

Still Work To Do

“It”

(#364 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

“It” is not some lifeless thing or abstract idea. “It” is not an object or some concept that is easily minimized or dismissed with a few popular Christian soundbites. “It” cost everything. “It” is the two letter word from the mouth of the One who redeemed you and made a way for your sanctification and salvation. And what is so very special about this “it?” It is the “it” in “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

The context in which this two letter word is used reveals the word’s powerful intention and also exposes any carnal disregard you may have inherited through doctrinal prejudice. We would do well to define what Yahshua was referring to as being finished. It would be equally as important to emphasize what He was not including. Anything less than a solid understanding about the enormity of what this little word refers to can be very disruptive to your walk as a disciple.

For far too long those He has entrusted to take up His cause, to put on His mantle (Matthew 28:19-20), have failed to embrace what He desired when He promised we would do “greater things” (John 14:12-14). This is because we cannot press on to greater things having interpreted the “it” as meaning anything and everything. If everything is finished, what more is there to do, let alone greater things? Historically, this misperception has caused men to say such things as, “We’re under grace now; it was all finished in Christ; that’s been done away with (speaking about the majority of the Law/commandments); Jesus fulfilled that when He died so I don’t have to; and He did it all for us.”

These soundbites feel good as they conjure up feelings of “freedom in Christ.” The problem, however, is that they are simply not true. To the contrary, the freedom we have in the Messiah is that we have become bondservants, voluntary slaves to do His will, to finish what He started. For this is the will of the Almighty, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of the Almighty. (1 Peter 2:15-16) He left us and is waiting at the right hand of the Father until the restoration of all things (Acts 3:21). This restoration is our job; it is the “greater thing!”

What He did was magnanimous; but it was not so we would need to do nothing. Rather, “it” was so we could do something! “It” was to open our minds and to restore access to the presence of Yahweh Himself. When Yahshua died on the stake, His self-will died and the veil (blindness) was torn (Matthew 27:51). But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains [over their hearts/minds] in the reading of the Old Covenant, because the veil is taken away in the Messiah. But even to this day, when Mosheh is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Master, the veil is taken away. (2 Corinthians 3:14-16) The veil over your mind has been removed so you could see (spiritually perceive) the Father again; understand and obey His word; and know the hope of His calling on your life (read Ephesians 1:15-23; 4:1-13). This is what His “it” is referring to. This is the “it” that is finished.

Yes, His work (“it”) is finished loved one; your “it” remains undone. Where His work left off, your work begins! And you have much work to do. You must work out your salvation (a saved, perfected mind) with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). He did not work out your salvation for you; rather, He redeemed you (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:7), which gave you permission, access, and power to do it yourself. The Spirit within you now awakens and empowers you to do everything for which Yahshua the Messiah gave His life; you now possess the inspiration and ability to abide in Yahshua’s love and to obey Yahweh’s commands! Yes, just as the Messiah taught us; “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10) When you argue that “it” means it is all finished, and that you are free from any obligations as a believer, it is like you are still living with a veil over your heart.

Perhaps the next time you hear someone express that Yahshua finished it all, you might allow those words to resonate within you. Meditate on how He certainly did finish His part and how He now expects you to fulfill yours. He would say “It is finished (John 19:30); go therefore (Matthew 28:19), and do greater things (John 14:12).” Yahshua’s “it” meant everything to His Father and finishing it proved His utter obedience. If you truly love Yahweh, you can prove it as well, by acknowledge that your “it” also means everything to Him. How so? You can do it in the same way Yahshua did, by utter obedience. For this is the love of the Almighty, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)

If this is now your declaration, pray: “I stand in You and for You Yahshua. I believe the shedding of Your blood (life, Adam) gave me the ability to shed my blood (Adam). I believe You have given me the right to be perfectly obedient, for You have commanded it. I long for Your purging, Your cleansing that removes all sin from my conscience (Hebrews 10:2; 9:14). I believe that others wait upon us to also be made perfect (Hebrews 11:40). I believe Your ‘it’ allows your chosen ones to finish their ‘it.’ Only then will the Kingdom of Yahweh manifest on earth within perfected men. The Messiah is in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Hallelu-Yahweh!”