Morning Message: The Hatefulness of Haman

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "The Hatefulness of Haman"

Written by:  Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Proverbs 26:27 says, “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.” This quote seems like an appropriate passage in the aftermath of the Resurrection story. It applies to Adolph Hitler’s 3rd Reich, as well as today’s look at Haman the Agagite. It applies to what has happened in Gaza, and in Iran currently: in Lebanon in the near future, and anywhere else that holds a cultural hatred towards God’s people. Certain people in Minneapolis, Minnesota may accel for a time, but they too shall be trapped in their own plans. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should parish, but that all should come to repentance.”

There are so many that yet have to be saved and brought to repentance. If we all understood that God, Jesus Christ is preparing a place for us, we would all rethink how we live. It is only the Gospel of Jesus Christ that saves us.

Loyalty to a religion? Doesn’t count. Familiarity with a church or temple? It cannot save you. Brick and Mortar cannot save you, not even with regular visits. Following a friendly teacher-pastor won’t challenge you towards salvation. Only the man Jesus Christ is worth following for salvation. Keep your hearts and minds focused of Jesus’ teachings. Heaven responds to prayer, and praise. Lift up your hands, and the battles will be won. Let your hands fall, and the battle is already lost. Be a prayer warrior. Send. Go. Follow through. Help the stranger. Feed the hungry. Help the poor. And do it in humility so only the Lord sees it. And if you think you have done it all, look at 1 Thessalonians 5: 11-28.

" Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?”  - Matthew 25:44

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Esther 3:1-15 - "The Hatefulness of Haman"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

In the last study we were introduced to a rather lovely character by the name of Esther. Under the direction of her guardian, Mordecai, she arose from obscurity to become queen in the Medo-Persian Empire. God's providence. After a yearlong preparation period Esther was chosen by King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) to become his queen, and a great feast was proclaimed throughout the empire. Esther was happy, the king was happy and everything was going swimmingly.

Throughout this whole book we shall see that King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) makes very poor decisions. Choosing Haman, the Agagite, to be the highest in command in the king's court, is a glaring example of this.

This week, in chapter 3, we are introduced to the nasty villain, Haman. Haman was a proud and ambitious man who demanded that everyone bow down to him as a sign of respect. Those refusing, well, we will see just how far this hateful man is willing to go to punish the offender. When Mordecai refuses to bow, citing his identity as a Jew, this triggers Haman's fury, exposing his true nature and his pure hatred of an entire race.

As Esau hated Jacob, so Amalek hated Israel and so Haman hates Mordecai and the Jews. In fact, Haman is so full of rage that Mordecai will not bow down to him that he forms a plan to not only destroy Mordecai himself, but the entire Jewish population! Sound familiar. The same scenario is playing out today.

The types in verses 5 and 6 are hopefully clear. We have seen above that Haman is an Amalekite - the sworn enemy of Israel. You may remember from other studies that Amalek speaks of the flesh - that sinful self-centered old nature that we all possess. Thus, the conflict here between Haman and Mordecai gives us a glimpse of that which battles in our own hearts - the conflict between flesh and spirit. This battle may be internal and unseen to those around us, yet it is as real as the conflict that we see brewing in these first verses in Esther chapter 3. Mordecai then, is a picture of the Holy Spirit who will not bow down or give any ground to Haman, the sinful old nature. The two will always be in conflict:

"And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: for he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exodus 17:16).

On a prophetic level, Haman is a type of the Antichrist still to come. Whether it is Haman, Antiochus Epiphanies, Adolph Hitler, the Ayatollahs or the Antichrist himself, the goal is always the same - kill the Jews! Thus, it is no surprise that we read that "Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai."  And thus, unfortunately, it shall happen again. In a very sobering prophecy Jesus directly warned the Jews in Judea (and indirectly all believers on earth at that time) to flee for their lives when they see the 'abomination of desolation' for ' then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-- and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:21-22). We shall see more about the prophetic implications of this book later on in the series. But for now, let's return to the drama at hand!

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  Upcoming!

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

After these things (3:1) - Sometime between the seventh (2:16) and twelfth year (3:7) of the king's reign.

Haman . . . the Agagite (3:1) - Haman was an Agagite and the son of Hammedatha. Haman was likely a descendent of Agag, king of the Amalekites, long-time enemies of the Jewish people. Haman was married to a woman named Zeresh, and they had ten sons. Haman, is a central villain in the book of Esther, was the high-ranking minister to Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) who plotted to annihilate all Jews in the empire. He sought revenge against Mordecai, a Jew who refused to bow to him, but was ultimately hanged on his own gallows.

Bowed Not (3:2) - Mordecai refused to bow because the act constituted idolatrous worship that violated the first commandment and because honoring an Amalekite enemy contradicted God’s covenant mandate. His allegiance to Yahweh overrode imperial decree, modeling faithful resistance that preserved God’s people and advanced redemptive history.

He was a Jew (3:4) - Originally, God’s chosen people were known as the Hebrews. Later, after they settled in the Promised Land and formed a nation, they were known as the Israelites. The term “Jew” did not come into use until after the ten northern tribes were exiled to Assyria and Judah was exiled to Babylon. In the later stages of the captivity (Esther) and in the early stages of the return to the land of Israel (Ezra and Nehemiah), the tribe of Judah was dominant. The word Jew developed as a shortening of the word Judah. But the word Jew was used as a descriptor for more than just the tribe of Judah. The dominance of the tribe of Judah in the return to the Promised Land resulted in all of the Israelites, people from all 12 of the tribes, being referred to as “Jews.”

It seems evident, from Haman's fury and attempted genocide, that there were strong anti-Semitic attitudes in Shushan, which seems to explain Mordecai's reluctance to reveal his true ethnic background. 

The People of Mordecai (3:6) - The Jews. Haman was being satanically influenced and used to target the entire Jewish race in an unsuccessful attempt to change the course of redemptive history and God's plans for Israel.

Destroy all the Jews (3:6) - Haman had apparently such delusions of grandeur that he craved worship as a divinity.  He realized that not only Mordecai but also the Jews as a people would refuse him the worship he desired.  Therefore, he determined to stamp out the Jews and their monotheistic religion altogether. 

Nisan (3:7) - The time period March/April.  Ironically, the Jews should have been celebrating the Passover to remind them of a former deliverance.

Twelfth Year (3:7) - circa 474 B.C.

They Cast (3:7) - Haman's court advisers made decisions superstitiously based on astrology and casting of lots.

Pur . . . Lot (3:7) - A lot would be like modern dice which were cast to determine future decisions (cf. Hebrew lot, 1 Chronicles 26:14; Nehemiah 10:34; Jonah 1:7).  Proverbs 16:33 states that God providentially controlled the outcome of the lot.

Adar (3:7) - February/March.  There would have been an eleven-month interval between Haman's decree and its expected fulfillment.

A Certain People (3:8) - It may be significant that Haman did not reveal that this "certain people" were the Jews.  He may have been afraid that Ahasuerus (Xerxes) would remember the earlier decrees of Cyrus and Darius favoring the Jews, and possibly also remember the honored position that Daniel - also a Jew - had held in the courts of two Persian kings (Ezra1:2-3; 6:11-12; Daniel 6:25-28).

Ten Thousand Talents (3:9) - The exact dollar amount is uncertain, but reportedly it would have weighed 375 toms and equaled almost 70 percent of the king's annual revenue.  Since this sum would have been derived from the plunder of the Jews, it indicates that they had grown prosperous. Haman was evidently the wealthiest man in Persia, and Ahasuerus had dipped heavily into his own resources in financing his ill-fated Grecian campaign.  No doubt one reason for the king's promotion of Haman was this wealth, which he coveted.  Haman thus agreed, in effect, to make up personally any lost income that might otherwise have been received from the Jews.  Whether monarchy or democracy, men of wealth have often been able to manipulate political leaders by controlling their financial resources.

Sealed . . . King's Ring (3:12) - Equivalent to the king's signature.  The date has been calculated by historians to be April 7, 474 B.C.

To Destroy (3:13) - An ambitious plot to annihilate the Jews in just one day.  Historians have calculated the date to be March 7, 473 B.C.  The king had unwittingly approved this provision which would kill his own queen.

For a Commandment (3:14) - As Law. It would be irrevocable.

Perplexed (3:15) - No specific reason is state.  Most likely, even this pagan population was puzzled at the extreme and deadly racism of the king and Haman.

Morning Message: From Death To Life

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "From Death to Life"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

On the third day after His death on the cross, some of Jesus’ female followers reached the tomb, only to find it empty. Sadness hit Mary Magdelene in particular, and she asked the Gardener where Jesus’ body had been taken. She had already spoken to two men inside the tomb, and they just said, “He is not here.”

Among three of the Gospel accounts, there are varying reports of how many women came, and whom they were. But the common theme is that He was not in the tomb any longer. Witness reports can differ according to who is writing it. And interestingly, between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, none of them were even there as eyewitnesses of what the women discovered.

Even by today’s standards in the Middle East, the witness of a woman is worth only half as that of a man. As the ladies went to tell Peter and the other Apostles gathered together, they were not believed. Then we have John’s record of running to the tomb with Peter running close behind him. Then the two of them became witnesses of the empty tomb.

As it is used in the Old Testament, “The Angel of the Lord,” or of God, most always carries the implied presence of Deity. Whether we break it down to Father, or to Son, or to the Holy Spirit individually, it is understood that the fulness of the Trinity is present, for He is on God (John 14:16-26; Deuteronomy. 6:4). And being raised on the third day was surely no problem for Jesus, the physical expression of our God.

As Isaiah 54:5 says, “He was wounded for our transgressions… and with
His stripes we are healed.” The wounds Jesus received, from the crown of thorns, the scourging, the humiliation of being spat upon and paraded through the streets of Jerusalem, and finally being nailed to the cross… well those were all meant for our healing. Imagine! He endured all that for our healing!

“Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." - John 2:19

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Matthew 28:1-10 - "From Death to Life"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Jesus’ death and resurrection is the single most important event in the history of our faith. Without it, we would have no hope. When Jesus rose from the dead, He conquered death forever and completed God’s plan for restoring us to a right relationship with the Father. Praise God! As we look at Christ’s followers, we see two main responses to Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection: worship and sharing the Good News.

For some, Easter is bereft of all but the secular meaning. For them, Easter is a time to dye eggs, hide them, and send children in search of them. It’s a time to recite the myth of the Easter bunny and allude to his continuing escapades. It’s a time of giving candy, taking pictures, eating Peeps, and feasting around the family table. It’s a day to mark the start of spring and celebrate the rejuvenation of nature and the greening of the grass. Such observances of Easter, if they go no further than this, are a faint and feeble shadow of the real meaning of Easter; they are as empty as a plastic egg, as hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny.

Easter is a Christian holiday, and Christian celebrations focus on the true meaning of Easter: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Two thousand years ago, a man died on a cross, was buried, and three days later rose to life again. This fact—that a dead man came to life again and lives evermore—is why we celebrate Easter. The meaning of Easter is that the Son of God paid the price for our sins and rose again to reconcile us to God (see Romans 4:25).

After Jesus spent three years in active ministry, bringing the Good News of the Kingdom to both the Jews and the Gentiles, the religious elite finally saw their opportunity to arrest and kill Him. He was tried, beaten, mocked, stripped, nailed to a cross, and died in agony. At His death, the earth shook, the sky darkened, and graves opened. All hope was lost. But that wasn’t the end of the story.

Matthew 28:1-10 depicts the resurrection of Jesus, where Mary Magdalene and the other Mary find an empty tomb, witness an angel, and encounter the risen Christ. The earthquake and angel signify God’s power overruling the crucifixion. Jesus greets the women, transforming their fear into "great joy," and commands them to tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.

Sunday Morning Audio Message: 

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

End of the Sabbath, as it Began to Dawn (28:1) - The Jewish Sabbath officially ended with sundown on Saturday. At that time, the women could purchase and prepare spices (Luke 24:1). The event described here occurs the next morning, at dawn on Sunday, the first day of the week.

Other Mary (28:1) - She was the "wife of Clopas" (John 19:25) a variant of Alphaeus.  She the mother of the apostle known as "James the Less" (Mark 15:40). 

A Great Earthquake (28:2) - This earthquake is the second associated with Christ's death (27:51).  This one may have been confined to the immediate area around the grave, when "an angel" supernaturally "rolled back the stone from the door" - not to let Jesus out, for if He could rise from the death, He would need no help escaping an earthly tomb, but to let the women and the apostles in (v. 6).

Angel of the Lord (28:2) - Angels were present at the Lord's birth, strengthened Him in the wilderness temptation and the passion in Gethsemane, and rolled away the stone at His Resurrection (not to release Him from the tomb but to allow the disciples to see that it was empty.  While the angels were present on all these occasions, Christ was all alone on the cross.  

As Dead Men (28:4) - This suggests that they are not merely paralyzed with fear, but completely unconscious, totally traumatized by what they have seen.  The word translated "shook" has the same root as the word for "earthquake" in verse 2.  The sudden appearance of this angel, at the same time the women arrived, is their first clue that something extraordinary is happening. 

As He said (28:6) - The angel would gently remind both the women and the disciples that Jesus had repeatedly promised that He would rise from the dead in the third day.  Why then, were they coming to embalm Him in the tomb?

There Shall Ye See Him (28:7) - See verses 10, 26; 26:32; John 21:1-14.  This does not mean They would not see Jesus until then.  He was seen by the apostles several times before they saw Him in Galilee (Luke 24:15, 34, 36; John 20:19, 26).  But His supreme post-resurrection appearance is in Galilee, where " He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once" (1 Corinthians 15:6).

Jesus Met Them (28:9) - Each of the four Gospel writers has a different account of the resurrection to be somewhat contradictory, but their very differences prove the absence of collusion.  Furthermore, when compared carefully, the contradictions vanish, and their combined testimony becomes an impregnable verification of the reality of Christ's bodily resurrection. Scripture describes at least ten distinct appearances of Christ between the Resurrection and Ascension.  He appeared to: 

1. Mary Magdalene at the tomb (Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18)
2. To the women on the road (Matthew 28:9, 10)
3. To the disciples on the road to Emmaus (vv. 13:32)
4. To Peter (v. 34)
5. To ten of the eleven disciples, Thomas being absent (vv. 36-44; Mark 16:14; John 20:19-25
6. To the eleven disciples (with Thomas present) eight days later (John 20:26-31)
7. To seven disciples by the shore of the Sea of Galilee (1 John 21:1-25)
8. To more than five hundred disciples, probably on a mountain in Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:6
9. To James (1 Corinthians 15:7)
10. To the apostles when He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:3-11)

After His ascension, He appeared to Paul (1 Corinthians 15:8).  Then next time He appears it will be in glory (Matthew 24:30).

My Brethren (28:10) - These are His disciples.

Morning Message: The Perfecting

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "The Perfecting"

Written by:  Pastor Bob Lawrenz

We meet Esther in chapter 2, verse 9 as a maiden. In the Hebrew, the word is “na’ara” which is a young woman of marrying age, but the word is also used to describe a girl from toddler to adolescent age. So as customary in the middle east, her description fits a young girl up to her adolescent years, and who is eligible for marriage. She would be as the Virgin Mary, perhaps 11 or 12 years old.

In chapter 2, we read of beautifying ointments and salves to protect her young skin, and her purification. She lived with other young women, preparing for their presentation before the King.

At the removal of Vashti as Queen, a decree went out from the Palace at Shushan, that a search for a new queen would include all 127 provinces of Persia. No King should be without his Queen! And here is Esther, named after a Goddess of multiple kingdoms, a young Jewish girl, who with her uncle/cousin Mordecai, remained in Persia, even after the Jewish Captives had been told they could return to Jerusalem, after their Babylonian captivity. The Jews were not required to leave Babylon, but many of them did, in order to rebuild their Temple, and its City of Jerusalem.

After 12 months of waiting, the final 6 months being with the oils, salves, and perfumes, Hegai (keeper of the women), Chamberlain of the King, the young Esther needed nothing more before she appeared before the King.

You may recall Christ and His Bride, the Church, prepared to be spotless, blemish-free, glorious, and without sin. Paul writes of the Bride of Christ as having been perfected by her Husbandman, and prepared to be His eternal Bride, His dear possession forever (Ephesians 5: 25-30). The Church is in the process of being perfected by Christ daily, to be His forever bride, and that includes every true Christian member of the Church. Ephesians 5 as a whole describes the relationship between Christ and the Church, and tells us by way of example, that it is our goal as His Church-in-Christ, to be like Him, of one mind with Him, and singleness of purpose.

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, But grievious: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to Them which are excercised thereby.” - Hebrews 12:11

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Esther 2:1-23 - "The Perfecting"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

As we begin chapter 2 of Esther, we are introduced to the one whom the book obtains its title from, Esther. She arises from humble surroundings, a young Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, to be the new Queen of Persia after she gains the favor of King Ahasuerus and his eunuchs. Following Mordecai's advice, she conceals her Jewish heritage. Additionally, Mordecai uncovers a plot to assassinate the king, which is recorded in the royal chronicles.

In this chapter, the Gospel illustration becomes clear. Believers in Jesus Christ are said to be espoused to Jesus Christ, the king of Kings. The marriage takes place in heaven after the rapture of the church and during the seven-year tribulation period. In this age, we find favor with the king through faith and come into a time of preparation and perfecting for the wedding that is to come. Paul wrote it like this:

2 Corinthians 11:2-3 - "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

Ephesians 5:25-27 - "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

2 Timothy 2:20-22 - "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

Esther, though a foreigner to the Medo-Persian kingdom, rose from complete obscurity to be queen alongside her king. But behind all the preparation and events occurring on the natural level was a God working in providence to arrange all the actors and participants that would grace the stage for the unfolding of a truly historic story.

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

After These Things (2:1) - The succeeding account was probably at least two years "After these things," for the king and all his officers embarked on their projected invasion of Greece immediately following the great assemblage.  

Remembered Vashti (2:1) - As history shows, however, the great fleet of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) suffered bitter defeats at the naval battles of Thermophylae and Salmis and returned home sadder and wiser.  According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the king went back to "comfort himself" with his harem.  At this time, he "remembered Vashti." The king was legally unable to restore Vashti, so the counselors proposed a new plan with promise, the search for a new queen. 

Mordecai (2:5) - The name "Mordecai" has been found a a cuneiform tablet, mentioned as a high official at the court of Xerxes.  He may have been the great-grandson of a Benjamite named Kish who had been one of the captives taken from Jerusalem in the days of King Jeconiah.

Kish (2:5) - Mordecai's great grandfather who actually experience the Babylonian deportation.  After Babylon fell to Medo-Persia (c. 539 B.C.) Jews were moved to other parts of the new kingdom.  Kish represents a Benjamite family name that could be traced back (c. 1100 B.C.) to Saul's father (1 Samuel 9:1).

Jeconiah (2:6) - Former king of Judah (also known as Jehoiachin and Coniah) who was deported c. 597 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 24:14, 15; 2 Chronicles 36:9, 10).  Due to his disobedience, the Lord removed his descendants from the line of David to Christ (Jeremiah 22:24-30).  The family of Mordecai and Esther were part of the good figs in Jeremiah 24:1-7.

Hadassah, that is, Esther (2:7) - "Hadassah," is a Hebrew feminine name meaning "myrtle tree or "myrtle branch," a plant that symbolizes peace, joy and prosperity.   Biblically, it is the original name of Queen Esther, making it a symbol of courage and beauty. It is widely used as a girl's name, often shortened to Haddie or Dassa. The name "Esther" was from the Babylonian goddess "Ishtar."

Esther Was Brought (2:8) - The fact that Esther was brought instead of "came' may suggest that her participation in this "contest" to become queen was not voluntary on her part, but compulsory.  In any event, the Lord used it and her to deliver His people at a time of great crisis.

Pleased Him (2:9) - That she pleased Hegai points to God's providential control.

Her People (2:10) - This was evidently during one of those intermittent periods in history when the Jewish people were looked upon with disfavor (even though Cyrus and Darius had aided them earlier in their desire to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple), and it was unwise for Esther to risk her chance of becoming queen by revealing her background.  Jews have often been made scapegoats when trouble befalls a nation, and it is possible that they had been accused of complicity in Xerxes' recent naval defeats.  This probably also accounts for the fact that the Book of Esther, alone among all the Books of the Bible, contains no direct mention of God or of religion.  The author (possibly Mordecai, although the actual author of the book is not known) may have surmised there would be reprisals if he had connected the remarkable deliverance of Israel with their religious faith.

She Should Not Show It (2:10) - Possible because of the hostile letter mentioned in Ezra 4:6 or the anti-Semitic sentiments of Haman and other like-minded people.

The Second House (2:14) - The place of concubines.

Obtained Favor (2:15) - According to the Lord's providential plan.

Tebeth (2:16) - The tenth month corresponding to December/January.

The Seventh Year (2:16) - (c. 479-478 B.C.) Four years had elapsed since Vashti's fall from favor.

Above All the Women (2:17) - Although the Book of Esther contains no mention of God, it abounds with implicit testimonies to providential leading and provision for His people.  Under Persian law, Esther had no choice but to obey the king's decree.  She herself retained her own virginity until she became the king's chosen wife.  She was in a polygamous household, a common and accepted practice in the culture of those times.  Esther found grace and favor with the king because God was working behind the scenes to move the chess pieces into place for the challenging events that were still to come in this story.

A Great Feast (2:18) - depicts King Xerxes holding a "great feast" (or banquet) and declaring a tax holiday/generous gifts to celebrate marrying Esther and making her queen. This event serves to officially honor her, display his lavish power, and crucially marks God’s providential placement of Esther, a Jew, into a key position of influence.

Second Time (2:19) - refers to a second gathering of virgins for King Ahasuerus's harem, marking a time after Esther was crowned queen. This event likely highlights the king's continued self-indulgence and provides the context for Mordecai, now an official at the king’s gate, discovering an assassination plot against the king.

The King's Gate (2:21) - Mordecai is positioned at the "king's gate," a site of official business, allowing him to overhear a conspiracy by eunuchs Bigthan and Teresh to assassinate King Ahasuerus. This pivotal act of vigilance, prompted by Esther’s rising influence, sets up a divine appointment where Mordecai’s loyalty is recorded in the royal chronicles, ensuring future favor.

Were Wroth (2:21) - indicates that the "furious" anger of Bigthan and Teresh was likely born from the volatile nature of court politics, creating a "ticking time bomb" that God used to position Mordecai for future intervention. The word "wroth" (or "became furious"/"angry") in this context refers to an intense rage or discontent that motivated the two eunuchs to conspire to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

Hanged on a Tree (2:23) - (Gallows) The Persian execution consisted of being impaled (cf. Ezra 6:11).  It is likely that they were the originators of crucifixion.

Book of the Chronicles (2:23) - The king would five years later (Ahasuerus's twelfth year) read these Persian records as the turning point in Esther (6:1,2).

Morning Message: Costly Disobedience

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Costly Disobedience"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Last week’s look at Ancient Elam was due to current events in Iran, which used to be called Persia. But the Persian Empire didn't begin until around 550 BC/BCE. The oldest culture we know of in Iran was the Elamites. They flourished from around 6000 years ago; as old as the world's oldest known civilizations in nearby Sumer (or Sumeria) in southern Iraq today. The main cities of Elam were Anshan in the southwest Zagros mountains, and Susa (Shush) on the plain of what was Khuzestan, Susiana or Ilam.

In Jeremiah 49, the Elamites that God had a burden for were those in the land where the Book of Esther takes place, the Capitol City of Susa. The events that take place in Esther were just after Persia’s ascension to Empire status. Elamite culture was foundational to the Persians. The Elamites had their own language, which was diverse from all other Middle Eastern tongues, probably one of the confused tongues of Ancient Babel (Babylon being just northwest of the Elamite Kingdom). When the Medes conquered the region, which was later conquered by the Persians, Elam never recovered. By the 7th Century BC, the Elamites and Persians were already so intertwined, that some historians interject that the Persian Empire could well be called the Elamite Empire.

As we read in Esther’s first chapter, the Elamite Kingdom controlled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia in Africa. They controlled the Trade Route from Africa to the Far East. The wealth would have been overwhelming.

Elam also had its own remnant of Jews, left over from the Babylonian Captivity. And as a young Jewess, Esther became the Queen of Elam’s King Ahasuerus. And so, we embark on Esther Chapter 1.

“And (God) changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them who know understanding." - Daniel 2:21

Bobservations' Column: Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Esther 1:1-22 - "Costly Disobedience"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

We are beginning a new Series from the Book of Esther.  The book is named for the “star” of the story, a young Jewish girl named Hadassah who was taken from her guardian, Mordecai, and forced to compete for the affection of the king. This unlikely contestant for a beauty pageant was crowned queen of Persia and renamed Esther, meaning “star.”

The events in the book of Esther occurred from 483 BC to 473 BC, during the first half of the reign of King Xerxes, who chose Esther as his queen. During this time period, the first remnant of Jews who had returned to Judah were struggling to reestablish temple worship according to the Law of Moses. But Esther and Mordecai, along with many other Jews, had chosen not to make the trek back to Judah. They seemed content to stay in Susa, the capital city of Persia, in which the story is set.

Haman, the king’s evil second-in-command, was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people (Numbers 24:7 1 Samuel 15:8). He cast the lot, called “pur,” in order to determine the day that the Jews would be exterminated (Esther 3:7–9). The feast of Purim, still celebrated by Jews today, commemorates the Jews’ deliverance from Haman’s plot (9:24–32).

While the primary purpose of the book of Esther was to relate the dramatic origins of the feast of Purim, a greater theme shines through the story. The sovereignty and faithfulness of God permeate each scene. Nothing is truly coincidental, the book of Esther says to us. God’s sovereignty is best summarized in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther: “and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).

When events seemed out of control to Esther and Mordecai, when the king dictated ruin for their people, when evil was poised to triumph . . . God was at work. He worked through their dark days (Esther was taken to the harem [2:1–16), their faithful obedience (Esther risked her life before the king [5:1–3), and their victories (Esther revealed Haman’s plot and the Jews’ destruction of their enemies [7–9). This message is clear: God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense.

God is also the great Promise Keeper. Mordecai said to Esther: “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Mordecai’s words reflected his faith that God would honor His eternal covenant with Abraham and David.

Chapter 1 Summary:

In Chapter 1, the Book of Esther opens by introducing the reader to King Ahasuerus of Persia and his queen, Vashti. Ahasuerus threw a 6-month celebration in Persia to celebrate the greatness of his kingdom. Towards the end of the feast, the king ordered Vashti to present herself before his friends so they could admire her beauty. Vashti refused! Ahasuerus was so angry that he stripped her of her royal title and banished her from his presence forever. This sets up the storyline of the book, and in Esther 2, we’ll see the King searching for a new queen.

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Ahasuerus (1:1) - Ahasuerus is the Hebrew name for the Persian king commonly identified as Xerxes I (ruled 486–465 BC) in the Book of Esther, known for marrying Esther and sparing the Jews from Haman's plot. He is portrayed as a powerful yet temperamental ruler who reigned over a vast empire.

One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Provinces (1:1) - The kingdom comprised twenty regions (3:12; 8:9; 9:3) which were further divided into provinces ruled over by governors (3:12).

India to Ethiopia (1:1) - Ethiopia, not Asia Minor, is mentioned as representing the western edge of the kingdom to avoid any remembrance of the king's previous defeat by the Greeks c. 481-479 B.C. This description also avoided any confusion with the Ahasuerus of Daniel 9:1.

Shushan the Palace (1:2) - The Hebrew rendering of the Greek Susa, the winter residence, was one of four capital cities of the Persians; the other three included Babylon, Ecbatana (Ezra 6:2), and Persepolis.  The Palace refers to the fortified palace complex built above the city for protection.

The Third Year (1:3) - This would be 483 B.C. This probably included the planning phase for Ahasuerus's later campaign against Greece in which the king suffered a humiliating defeat (c. 481-479 B.C.).

Persia and Media (1:3) - Cyrus the Persian inherited Media and, thus, the name Media became just as prominent as Persia (c. 550 B.C.)

Queen Vashti (1:9) - Greek literature records her name as Amestris.  She gave birth (c. 483 B.C.) to Ahasuerus's third son, Artaxerxes, who later succeeded his father Ahasuerus on the throne (Ezra 7:1).

Vashti Refused (1:12) - Her reason is not recorded, although suggestions have included that (1) her appearance would have involved lewd behavior before drunken men, or (2) that she was still pregnant with Artaxerxes.

The Seven Princes (1:14) - These highest-ranking officials (cf. Ezra 7:14) were perhaps equivalent to the magi of Daniel 1:20.

That it be Not Altered (1:19) - The irrevocable nature of Persian law (cf. Daniel 6:8, 12, 15) played an important role in how the rest of Esther concluded (cf. 8:8).

Letters (1:22) - The efficient Persian communication network (a rapid relay by horses) played an important role in speedily publishing kingdom edicts (cf. 3:12-14; 8:9, 10, 14; 9:20, 30).

Prophecy Update: Look Up! - Part 9

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Look Up!"

Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

We are people of habits, and we do not like changes, or upheavals in our lives. We like to have “all our ducks up in a row” way in advance. We write dates and times on our calendars to minimize surprises, and to not be late for appointments. It puts us on a schedule that simply makes it easier to get through each day, week, and month. We like seeing what is in store for us.

But our personal schedules do not necessarily match God’s. His schedule will take precedence over ours every time. His prophetic time table is the same. It is with good reason that He does not share His schedule with us; He instead tells us to remain flexible, so that we are doing His will rather than our own.

If it is about His coming Kingdom, we willingly bow to His plans, because His plans include us! He has given us warnings ahead of time: 

“And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.” - John 14:29 

The Apostle Paul echoes this thought in Romans 15:4 – 

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scripture might have hope.” 

These verses are the two witnesses we need to understand God’s prophetic truths: Jesus, and the Holy Spirit through Paul’s Epistle. We do not know when, but we are assured of a coming event.

Matthew 24 tells us of spiritual warfare manifested on earth as "wars and rumors of war." Jesus’ words are quoted, and comfort us that the end is not yet. One would think we would be prepared, but the whole of mankind is rarely prepared for God’s timing.

Ezekiel 38 & 39 speaks of Russia initiating a war against Israel. And with Iran falling apart today, we know that it will not be Iran that initiates such an invasion any time soon. It will have to occur at some point in the future, and with Russia leading the charge against Israel, because that’s what God has said.

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” - Luke 21:28

Bobservations Column: Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Jeremiah 49:34-39 - Look Up! - Part 8

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

When people talk about Iran in Bible prophecy, they are not engaging in speculation or modern politics dressed up as theology. Scripture itself repeatedly references this region under its ancient names—Persia and Elam—and places it squarely within God’s prophetic timeline.

Iran has been in the biblical record from the beginning of Israel’s exile to the birth of the Church, and it has not disappeared from prophecy concerning the last days.

In the Old Testament, Iran appears first as Elam, a region east of Babylon, west of Persia proper, and south of Media. The prophet Jeremiah pronounced judgment on Elam, foretelling both its destruction and its eventual restoration:

“I will break the bow of Elam… Yet it shall come to pass in the latter days: I will bring back the captives of Elam.” (Jeremiah 49:35, 39)

Iran’s involvement in the end times will be as one of the nations involved in the battle of Gog and Magog, which probably occurs during the first half of the tribulation. Ezekiel 38:5 specifically mentions Persia as an ally of Magog/Russia. Other nations included in this coalition will be Sudan, Turkey, Libya, and others. This vast army will come against Israel, who at that time will be “a peaceful and unsuspecting people” (Ezekiel 38:11).

The outcome of this end-times invasion is predicted: God supernaturally intervenes, and Gog’s coalition is utterly destroyed. “On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals” (Ezekiel 39:4–5). Iran, allied with Russia, will think their invasion of Israel is a sure victory, but God has different plans. In protecting Jerusalem, God will send a strong message to the world: “I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel” (Ezekiel 39:7).

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Elam (49:34) - Modern day Iran. This prophecy against Elam, an ancient kingdom located in what is now modern-day southwestern Iran.

The Bow (49:35) - The passage speaks of God breaking "the bow of Elam," scattering them to the four winds, and setting His throne there.  The "bow" signifies the destruction of its military strength, pride, and power. Elam was known for elite archers and the composite bow, which symbolized their supreme military might.

Scatter Them to the Four Winds (49:36) - Global dispersion. Iranians are scattered to the "four winds" among all nations, suggesting significant diaspora or displacement.

Set My Throne in Elam (49:38) - God declares judgment against the nation of Elam (modern-day Iran). He will establish divine sovereignty over the region, breaking their military power ("the bow of Elam"), and destroying their leadership.  

The King and the Princes (49:38) - The rulers and leaders of the nation will be destroyed.

I Will Bring Back (49:39) - promising future restoration to the ancient nation of Elam (modern-day Iran) after a period of intense destruction and scattering by divine judgment. This promise occurs in the "latter days," offering hope after judgment.

 

Prophecy Update: The Rapture of Noah - Part 8

Bobservations Column
Titled - "The Rapture of Noah"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

In 2 Peter 3: 3, 4, we read of scoffers that mock the Lord’s promise to come again after His ascension to Heaven. They shall appear in the last days, full of themselves and their wisdom. “Where is the promise of His coming?”

The scoffers grew impatient, noting that everything continues as in the days of their forefathers, and as it has been since the days of Creation.

Since the Apostles heard of the second coming of Christ, as spoken by the Angels to them in Acts 1: 10, 11, it had been many years. They had taught the people that Jesus would return the same way they saw Him depart. He left in clouds, so we understand He would return the same way.

Jesus’ Second Coming is described in detail in Revelation 19. Jesus comes back with the “armies” of Heaven (Revelation 19:14). Not just the host of Angels, but armies, in the plural! The phrasing is a strong indicator that the Church is counted among those armies. The rest is logistics. Study 1 Thessalonians 4: 14-17 where we read of our gathering together to Him, with those who have died in faith. Their graves will open. Continue reading through 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11. Believers are taken off the Earth, literally snatched away to Christ in the air.

Just as Noah and his family were invited into the Ark, The Apostle John is told by a voice from heaven to “come up hither,” in Revelation 4:1, joining the source of that voice that sounds like a trumpet from on high. Revelation 1: 10, 11 describes the same voice, as a trumpet, saying “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.” The voice came from behind the Apostle John, the Apostle who Jesus loved. From verse 10 through verse 18 of that first chapter of Revelation, Jesus gives John instructions of what John was to do, and He reveals himself to John, while He was in His glorified, heavenly body. This vision is very similar to what Daniel saw in his chapter 10, and what John saw a second time in Revelation 2: 18, and He identifies Himself as the Son of God.

As with the Flood of Noah, the Rapture of the Church raises Believers up, above the destruction occurring on the Earth below, keeping us from destruction, and the wrath of God. God sealed Noah in. The Holy Spirit seals the Church.

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Genesis 6:5-15; 7:1-12 - "The Rapture of Noah" - Part 8

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

"As in the days of Noah" is a biblical phrase from Matthew 24:37-39 and Luke 17:26-27, where Jesus compares the time before his return to the pre-flood era. It describes a society marked by extreme corruption, violence, and utter disregard for God, with people living in normalcy—eating, drinking, and marrying—unaware of impending judgment.

Jesus used this comparison to warn that his second coming will be sudden and unexpected, catching a worldly, distracted society off guard. The parallel suggests a future, rapid judgment, similar to the suddenness of the flood, emphasizing the need for spiritual readiness.

Noah's Ark is frequently interpreted as a "type" or shadow of the Rapture, symbolizing believers' protection from divine judgment while the world faces destruction. Parallels drawn from Matthew 24 suggest that, like Noah's sudden removal into safety, the Rapture will occur unexpectedly, leaving the wicked behind.

God is characterized in Scripture as a perfectly righteous and impartial judge who evaluates individuals based on their actions, hearts, and hidden motives rather than outward appearance. His judgment is equitable for all, rendering to each person according to their deeds—rewarding righteousness and punishing evil

Those safe from eternal judgment are individuals who have genuinely placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. They are considered "born again," adopted into God's family, and possess eternal security. These believers are not condemned (John 3:18) and have passed from death to life.

The biblical account of Noah and the Flood serves as a direct parallel to the end times, warning that those who do not believe or prepare will be caught off guard by sudden, divine judgment. Jesus referenced this, stating that just as people in Noah's day were consumed with daily life and ignored warnings until the flood came, so will it be at the return of the Son of Man.

Looking at the great principles that govern human society, those principles which produce straining social problems, such as war, crime, poverty, unequal distribution of food, improper use of leisure, and urban blight. These all arise when men who are made in the image of God, but have lost the likeness of God, seek to fulfill the original command of God to master the earth and fill it, but without the Spirit of God within. As is so evident in our day, man succeeds only in darkening the skies, ravishing the ground, poisoning the water, setting men against each other in violence and cruelty, and in spreading death, fear, and hatred throughout the earth. But all this is done in the midst of increasing comfort and luxury and the technical brilliance that builds impressive cities and produces astonishing gadgets of incredible complexity and power. The seeds of all this are found in the first five chapters in Genesis, as we have been seeing.

Now no house built upon such a shaky foundation can long stand, therefore the record of history has been the collapse of one civilization after another.

Sunday Morning Audio Message: 

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

His Heart Was Only Evil Continually (6:5) - This is one of the strongest and clearest statements about man's sinful nature.  Sin begins in the thought-life (see James 1:13-15).  The people of Noah's day were exceedingly wicked, from the inside out (cf. Jeremiah 17:9, 10; Matthew 12:34, 35; 15:18, 19; Marke 7:21; Luke 6:45).

Grieved (6:6) - Sin sorrowed God who is holy and without blemish (Ephesians 4:30).  Compare with Exodus 32:14; 1 Samuel 15:11; Jeremiah 26:3. 

I Will Destroy (6:7) - God promised total destruction when His patience ran out (Ecclesiastes 8:11). 

Noah Found Grace (6:8) - Lest one believe that Noah was spared because of his good works alone (cf. Hebrews 11:7), God makes it clear that Noah was a man who believed in God as Creator, Sovereign, and the only Savior from sin.  He found grace for himself, because he humbled himself and sought it (cf. 4:26), he was also obedient to God (v. 22; 7:5; James 4:6-10).

A Just Man...Perfect...Walked (6:9) - Compare with Ezekiel 14:14, 20; 2 Peter 2:5.  The word order is one of increasing spiritual quality before God:  "just" is to live by God's righteous standards; "perfect" sets him apart by a comparison with those of his day; and that he "walked with God" puts him in a class with Enoch (5:24).

Corrupt...Filled With Violence (6:11) - Compare with verses 3 and 5.  The seed of Satan, the fallen rejectors of God, deceitful and destructive, had dominated the world.

I Will Destroy Them with the Earth (6:13) - Destroy did not mean annihilation, but rather referred to the Flood judgment, both of the earth and its inhabitants.

Ark (6:14) - This was a hollow chest, a box designed to float on water (Exodus 2:3).

Gopher Wood (6:14) - Probably Cedar or Cypress trees, both are in view, abundant in the mountains of Armenia.

This is the Fashion (6:15) - While the ark was not designed for beauty or speed, these dimensions provided extraordinary stability in the tumultuous floodwaters. A cubit was about eighteen inches long, making the ark 450 feet long. 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.  A gigantic box of that size would be very stable in the water, impossible to capsize.  The volume of space in the ark was 1.4 million cubic feet, equal to the capacity of 522 standard railroad box cars, which could carry 125,000 sheep.

Righteous (7:1) - Just, lawful, righteous.  Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.  It's important to understand that we are made righteous in the sight of God; that is, that we are accepted as righteous and treated as righteous by God on account of what the Lord Jesus has done. He was made sin; we are made righteousness.

Seven . . . Seven (7:2,3) -The extra six pairs of clean animals and birds would be used for sacrifice (8:20) and food (9:3).

To Keep Seed Alive (7:3) - To keep the species alive. God could use them to replenish the earth.

Seven Days (7:4) - Still in God's mercy allowed another week for sinners to repent, but they didn't.

Rain...Forty Days and Forty Nights (7:4) - A worldwide rain for this length of time is impossible in post-Flood, atmospheric conditions, but not then.  The canopy that covered the whole earth, a thermal water blanket encircling the earth, was to be condensed and dumped all over the globe (v.10).

Month...Day (7:11) - The calendar system of Noah's day is unknown, although it appears that one month equaled thirty days.  If calculated by the Jewish calendar of Moses' day, it would be about May.  this period of God's grace was ended (cf. v. 4; 6:3, 8).

All the Fountains of the Great Deep Were Broken Up (7:11) - The subterranean waters sprang up from inside the earth to form the seas and rivers (1:10; 2:10-14), which were not produced by rainfall (since there was none), but by deep fountains in the earth.  Such a catastrophe would also easily explain why so many of the earth's mountain ranges give evidence of having once been under the sea.

The Windows of Heaven (7:11) - The celestial waters in the canopy encircling the globe were dumped on the earth and joined with the terrestrial and the subterranean waters (cf. 1:7).  This ended the water canopy surrounding the earth and unleashed the water in the earth; together, these phenomena began the new system of hydrology that has since characterized the earth (see Job 26:8; Ecclesiastes 1:7; Isaiah 55:10; Amos 9:6).  The sequence in this verse, indicating that the earth's crust breaks up first, then the heaven drop their water, is interesting because the volcanic explosions that would have occurred when the earth fractured would have sent magma and dust into the atmosphere, along with gigantic sprays of water, gas, and air - all penetrating the canopy and triggering a downpour.