For Such A Time

 

"Queen Esther" by Hugues Merle

Next week begins the Jewish feast of Purim, which commemorates saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an evil official of the Persian Empire under king Ahasuerus who planned to exterminate all of Persia's Jewish subjects.

Thankfully, Haman’s plans were foiled by Queen Esther, favored wife of Ahasuerus, herself a Jewess whom God had placed in this position of influence “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). She was an orphan adopted by her uncle Mordecai, who realized that God had orchestrated her unlikely rise to royal status so that she could help save His people.

He had wisely advised her to conceal her Jewish identity until it was needed to fulfill God’s purpose for her life. But now that her people were threatened, she could appeal to the king’s love for her to deliver all of them, and even to defeat Haman in the process, who ended up hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esther 5-10).

It would not be the first time God had placed an outsider in the enemy’s camp to protect or deliver His chosen people. Joseph’s eleven brothers, consumed by jealousy, sold him into Egyptian slavery. But what they intended for evil, God used for good (Genesis 50:20).

Joseph’s eventual rise to most trusted advisor to Pharaoh, despite a tumultuous course of events including false imprisonment, ultimately allowed him to provide for his family during the severe famine, leading to a surprising reunion and preservation of his brothers, who gave rise to the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 37-50).

God spared the life of Moses, a baby condemned to die under Pharaoh’s cruel edict to kill all the Hebrew male infants born in Israel, while their older relatives were held captive for slave labor. God carefully arranged all the details so that Moses would be nursed by his own mother, discovered by Pharaoh’’s daughter as a basket carrying him floated by the river Nile shore where she was bathing, and raised as her own son (Exodus 2).

This position of great privilege in the Egyptian court, while Moses retained his loyalty to his fellow Hebrews, gave him a tremendous advantage years later.  In a moment of anger, Moses murdered an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave, and fled into the wilderness, where he spent years in exile. God spoke to him from a burning bush and announced His calling (Exodus 3). Moses would return to Egypt and deliver God’s people from captivity, ultimately leading them to safety as God parted the Red Sea for their escape, then reuniting the waters so that the Egyptians pursuing them would perish (Exodus 14).

Nehemiah, trusted cup-bearer to pagan king Artaxerxes, was in a unique position to lead the rebuilding of the wall fortifying Jerusalem. When he heard of the wall’s destruction, he convinced the king not only to give him time off to supervise the project, but also letters ensuring his safety while traveling and even construction supplies (Nehemiah 1-2).

Through God’s grace, He had lifted up Esther from the Babylonian captivity into a position of influence in the king’s palace, just as He later would elevate a humble young girl, the virgin Mary, to the honored position of being the mother of Jesus Christ, the promised Savior of the world.

God chose and exalted Mary despite her modest position in life because she was willing to obey Him and follow His perfect plan, considering herself to be the handmaiden, or servant, of the Lord (Luke 1:38; 46-53). This is in keeping with God’s ability to humble the mighty and wealthy while giving riches and power to the poor and helpless (1 Samuel 2:4-8), just as He did for Esther.

These Biblical examples, and many others, remind me that we as Christians, who have been saved by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), may also have been placed by God into our unique sphere of influence “for such a time as this.” Surely the signs of the times, with wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes in unusual places, false prophets, wickedness, all increasing in frequency and intensity like labor pains, point to us living in the End Times (Matthew 24), that period before Jesus returns to gather His children at the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-57).

Not all Christians are missionaries facing hardship in foreign lands, but all of us are pilgrims, passing through this world that is not our home, journeying toward the Promised Land of Heaven. En route, God allows all of us to undergo trials, for our ultimate good and His glory (Romans 8:28). He has equipped each of us with spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12), talents, and resources, and has placed us where we can grow (Jeremiah 17:7-8) to fulfill His unique purpose for us, which He knew since before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:10).

Jesus Christ Himself was the only One Who could ever fully complete the work God set out for Him to do (John 17:4). Sadly, each of us will fall short of perfect fulfillment of God’s designated mission for us, but the degree of our success will be based on our faith, obedience to God’s call, and character. If, by yielding to the Holy Spirit, we can emulate the integrity, compassion, dedication, perseverance, devotion and humility of Esther, Joseph, Moses, Nehemiah, and Mary, we are more likely to accomplish our Divine mission. 

In these End Times, may we recognize that we have been positioned in God's Kingdom "for such a time as this" and follow His perfect will, living with faith, integrity and purpose until He comes again!

© 2023 Laurie Collett

 

I

Beauty to Ashes; Beauty for Ashes

 

Beauty to Ashes; Beauty for Ashes

Photo by Naveen Nkadalaveni 2019

As we saw last week, inner beauty is a gift from God, bestowed on those who receive the holiness of His Son by trusting Him as their Lord and Savior. Only then will we see beauty as God sees it, and be beautiful in His sight!

When God’s chosen people and nation turn away from Him by forsaking His holiness to worship idols, whether other gods or earthly pursuits like power, lust, fame and fortune, God will remove their beauty. Their physical beauty will be consumed to ashes under the fire of His judgment (Isaiah 64:11; Lamentations 1:6, 2:1,15; Ezekiel 7:20; 16:12-15, 25; 28:6-7).

God created Lucifer, the angel of light, to be the most beautiful and wise angel (Ezekiel 28:12-19), appointed to lead the angelic host in worshipping God. Through the sin of pride, wanting to set himself above God (Isaiah 14:12-15), Lucifer fell from heaven to earth, where he is now Satan, prince of the power of the air, also referred to allegorically as the king of Tyrus (Ezekiel 28: 6, 7, 12, 17) and the Assyrian (Ezekiel 31:8-11). 

Ezekiel 28:12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.… 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

The hatred of Satan for God and man now make him as ugly and evil as he once was beautiful and holy, yet he and his demons can still appear physically and spiritually beautiful to deceive us if we are not careful (1 Peter 5:8), transforming themselves into ministers of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-14).

However God defines human physical beauty, it is clear that just as He created and bestowed it, He can take it away. Earthly beauty passes quickly while we are still in our physical body, consumed like a fading flower (Isaiah 28:1,4), or a moth drawn to the flame (Psalm 39:11), for aging is part of the judgment we face under the curse of sin (Genesis 3:16-24). Such beauty is therefore vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised Proverbs 31:30).

Yet in the United States alone, billions of dollars each year are spent on cosmetics, plastic surgery, and other rejuvenating “beauty” treatments, not to mention on high fashion and jewelry. In 2015 the beauty industry generated $56 billion in this country, of which 24% was for hair care, 24% for skin care, and 15% for cosmetics. These soon reach the point of diminishing returns, as the ravages of aging continue while we are in our earthly body.

Whether or not our earthly companions consider us to be beautiful is of little importance compared with what God thinks of us. How can we be beautiful in God’s eyes? The apostle Peter warned women that our best adornment is not our hair style, jewelry, or clothing, but the “ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price (1 Peter 3: 4, 1-5).

When a nationwide beauty pageant was held to find a new bride for King Ahasuerus, Esther won his heart and the crown without any special beauty treatments or adornments, for her love of God and of His people must have given her a unique inner beauty that appealed not only to the King, but to all who knew her (Esther 2:1-17).  

We cannot achieve such beauty ourselves, for it is a gift from God. When Job questioned God’s treatment of him, God asked if Job could condemn God to make himself righteous, or if Job could give himself power, majesty, glory, or beauty (Job 40:6).

The answer, of course, is that Job could not, for all such attributes are from God Himself (James 1:17). Now that we are under the curse of sin, there is nothing in our own heart or good works that God considers righteous or beautiful (Romans 3:23). But once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the onlyWay (John 14:6) to Heaven, His perfect, beautiful holiness is credited to our account, for He robes us in His righteousness (Job 29:14; Isaiah 61:10).

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Only then can God see us as beautiful, for when He looks at us, He sees the perfect beauty of His Son. Then the beauty of the Lord our God is upon us (Psalm 90:17), for He finds pleasure in beautifying the meek with His salvation (Psalm 149:4). We have no power or beauty of our own, but once we are saved, the Holy Spirit lives within us (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30, giving us access to His perfect power, beauty and wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:16). The Lord of hosts is a crown of glory and of beauty for those who trust Him (Isaiah 28:5).

Through His plan of salvation, God exchanges our ashes, representing our sin, sorrow and death, for His beauty (Isaiah 61:1-3), meaning the righteousness of Christ (Romans 3:22), the joy of our Lord (Habakkuk 3:18), and eternal life (John 3:16).

Isaiah 61: 1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

When we are saved, God transforms us from His enemies (Romans 5:8-10) and children of the devil (John 8:44) to God’s friends, His children, joint heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:14-17), His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), fellow workers with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9), and the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7-9).

In these new roles we radiate His beauty to others as we spread His Word, for beautiful are the feet of those who spread His Gospel, or Good News! (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15). God allows us to be His ministers, reconciling other sinners to Himself by telling them about His Son (2 Corinthians 5:18). 

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

How are we saved? By God’s grace, through our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), which elevates us to heavenly places in Him (Ephesians 1:3). When Moses in faith drew near to God on Mount Sinai, his face shone with God’s glory and was visible to all the people (Exodus 34:29-35).

Once Sarah finally trusted God completely to bring her the child He had promised (Genesis 18:10-15), she too must have reflected God’s beauty despite her old age, for King Abimelech wanted her to be in his harem, until God warned him in a dream to restore her to her husband Abraham (Genesis 20:1-14).

Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can all shine with inner beauty that is pleasing not only to God, but to others. In Psalm 110:3, King David described the people of God as having “the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.”

If we lack that inner beauty, we may fool others who admire our exterior appearance, but we can’t fool God, for He knows our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus criticized the religious leaders of His day for being hypocrites who rejected Him. They appeared holy and beautiful outwardly, while being full of corruption and decay within, like a beautifully decorated burial vault containing rotting bones and flesh. Interestingly, this verse (Matthew 23:27) is the only instance of the word “beauty” or “beautiful” in the four Gospels.

Even though we can’t always see the beauty of God’s design for our lives, He sees it all, from beginning to end, and He has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We see the tapestry of our life from the reverse side, where the knots and threads crossing over each other seem to make a tangled mess, but from His viewpoint, the placement of each strand is woven into an intricate, harmonious masterpiece.

When He takes us to Heaven, we will see not only the beauty of our own life tapestry viewed from the right side, but His perfect beauty mirrored in everyone and everything around us, defying description and human imagination (Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9). The holy city, containing mansions for each of us (John 14:2), will have foundations and walls of precious jewels, gates of pearl, and streets of gold, and it will be lit by the brilliance of Jesus Christ Himself, the fairest of all (Revelation 21:10-23).

Even our vile, corruptible, aging body will be transformed instantly into a glorious body like that of Christ Himself, never to age, die, sin, sorrow or experience pain or sickness (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-57; Revelation 21:4).

May we allow God to exchange our ashes for His beauty! May we realize that beauty is in the eye of God, see beauty as He sees it, and be beautiful in His sight!

© 2019 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Water and Oil: Healing of Body and Spirit

 

Photo by Kui Doraku

Throughout Biblical history, and continuing to modern times, oil  heals and restores both body and spirit. Water and oil used together may have curative properties for our physical and spiritual well-being.

When we have a cold, for example, the healing powers of Mama’s chicken soup are legendary! Not only is the warm liquid a soothing source of fluids, but the oil in chicken fat is thought to loosen chest congestion. Aromatic oils released from oregano and other herbs in the soup also clear stuffiness and have antibacterial properties. And Mom’s special recipe, passed down through generations, prepared lovingly with hours of simmering on a hot stove, symbolizes her tender care that restores our tired, discouraged spirit when we’re feeling sick.

In the Bible, oil represents a rich source of physical and spiritual healing. The Good Samaritan dressed the wounds of the assault victim with oil as well as with wine (Luke 10:34), and Jesus’ disciples used anointing oils to heal the sick (Mark 6:13). James instructs those who are ill to be anointed with oil applied by the church elders (James 5:14).

When God judged the Israelites by sending the plague, Moses instructed Aaron to burn incense as an atonement for the people, and the plague was stayed, or contained (Numbers 16:46-48). Burning incense releases the aromatic, antibacterial oils into the air, which stopped transmission of the plague. Even today, aromatherapy with frankincense, cinnamon, and hyssop is used to prevent disease spread and bolster immunity, as well as to relieve various symptoms.

Moving beyond disease prevention and treatment, oil in Scripture also symbolizes health and an optimal state of well-being. Queen Esther and other women of the Bible anointed themselves with perfumed oils to purify themselves from their menses and to be pleasing to their husbands (Esther 2:12). The Song of Solomon describes the Beloved not only as a well of living waters, but also as a garden of exotic spices (Song of Solomon 4 :6-16).. Frankincense, cinnamon and other spices were often blended into ointment and were highly valued in Bible times to allure and heighten the senses (Proverbs 7:17; Revelation 18:13).

Men used oil on their head as part of their grooming and as a sign of good health, joy and blessing (Psalm 104:15; Isaiah 61:3) Yet during mourning, men would not anoint themselves with oil, to express their sad and downcast state (2 Samuel 14:2).  Even today, men as well as women use scented oils to make themselves more attractive.

The word of God to Jerusalem through His prophet Ezekiel was that He had washed away her bloody sins with water and anointed her with oil as His chosen nation (Ezekiel 16:9). For all who place their faith in His death, burial and resurrection as the only Way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6), He does the same – washing away our sins with His shed blood (Revelation 1:5), and anointing us with the Holy Spirit!

David praised the Good Shepherd not only for leading him beside still waters, but also for anointing his head with oil (Psalm 23). Praise God that He leads us to the still waters of peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), and to the joy of His anointing as children of the King and joint heirs with Christ! (Romans 8:14-17)

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

 

Winning Favor through Character: Esther 2, verses 1-11

As we saw in Esther Chapter 1, keeping up appearances at all costs can have unintended and even disastrous consequences. How much better for those who don’t have to worry about what others think, because their integrity and excellent character bestowed by God’s grace naturally turn strangers and acquaintances into friends and allies! Such was the case with Esther, who was blessed by God not only with these virtues but also with being in the right place and at the right time to accomplish His perfect will (Esther 2).

King Ahasuerus, ruler of the Persian Empire, may have truly loved Queen Vashti and felt sorry that his own foolishness resulted in him having to banish her from the kingdom and from the marriage just to save face. But once this plan had been inexorably set into motion, a replacement had to be found. In contrast to conventional wisdom, shown for example by King Solomon (1 Kings 3:1), choosing a new queen would not be based on political alliances, diplomacy, or even the graces and experience that would suit a ruler’s wife, but solely on her physical beauty and appeal to the king. Thus began a kingdom-wide beauty pageant, with Ahasuerus the only judge (Esther 2:1-4).

But God can use even the self-gratifying motives of a pagan king to accomplish His perfect will. From before the beginning of time (Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 1:4) He had chosen Esther, an orphaned Jewess under Babylonian captivity, to win the heart of Ahasuerus, and with it influence that would ultimately save God’s chosen people from destruction.

Although God’s Name does not appear anywhere in the book of Esther, we can see His hand at work on every page. When the beautiful maiden Esther lost her parents, she was adopted by Mordecai, a relative who loved and raised her as his own daughter. Praise the Lord that He Himself provides for those who are orphaned or abandoned by their parents! (Psalm 27:10)

Being under Babylonian captivity must have given both Esther and Mordecai a strong heart for their people and a deep desire for their deliverance. God orchestrated their roles in His plan by placing Mordecai on the palace grounds, where he was well positioned to learn of what was going on there, and by moving Esther into the king’s house, under the custody of Hegai, keeper of the virgins who would be brought before the king (Esther 2:5-8; Jeremiah 24:5).

Although Esther was very beautiful, Hegai was likely a eunuch and therefore unaffected by her physical attractiveness. Nonetheless, her noble character, warmth and integrity must have won him over, for he was especially kind to her, giving her seven handmaids, expediting Esther’s required physical purification, and giving them the best rooms and position in the king’s house (Esther 2:9).

Through God’s grace, He had lifted up Esther from the Babylonian captivity into a position of influence in the king’s palace, just as He later would elevate a humble young girl, the virgin Mary, to the honored position of being the mother of Jesus Christ, the promised Savior of the world. Only He could be the perfect, sinless sacrifice to die on the cross in full payment for our sins, to be buried, and to rise again on the third day so that all who trust Him will have eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 3:16)..

God chose and exalted Mary despite her modest position in life because she was willing to obey Him and follow His perfect plan, considering herself to be the handmaiden, or servant, of the Lord (Luke 1:38; 46-53). This is in keeping with God’s ability to humble the mighty and wealthy while giving riches and power to the poor and helpless (1 Samuel 2:4-8), just as He did for Esther.

Once Esther found herself in favor in the palace, she could easily have turned her back on Mordecai. Instead, she obeyed him, and in so doing followed God’s law to honor your parents (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; Proverbs 1:8-9; Matthew 15:4; 19:19; Ephesians 6:2). Mordecai had advised her not to reveal her Jewish heritage (Esther 2:10), which could be regarded as a slight to God’s chosen people. Rather, Mordecai in his God-given wisdom knew that this was not yet the right time to disclose her Hebrew identity, for God appoints the times and seasons for everything, for reasons unknown to man (Ecclesiastes 3:1-10).

Esther’s obedience to her adopted father, and by extension, to God Himself, and respect for their wisdom speak to her integrity and noble character (Proverbs 19:8). Her love for Mordecai was reciprocated, as he looked after her from afar, walking before the court of the women’s house every day to inquire about how Esther was doing and her future in the palace environment (Esther 2: 11).

As we contemplate the book of Esther, may we be reminded not to trust in worldly values of wealth, power or social standing, but to trust only in God (Psalm 56:4). With Him, all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26). If we follow His Word and His will, He will direct our paths to His chosen destination (Proverbs 3:1-6), and He will mold us into His own image (Philippians 3:10). Then, like our Lord Jesus Christ, we can grow in favor with God and with our fellow man (Luke 2:52).

© 2019 Laurie Collett