Self-Seeking or God-Seeking - Day 211 Through the Bible

The Parkway Playhouse, North Carolina's oldest continuously operating summer theater, has performances this weekend and throughout the summer - near Mt. Celo Church

This Layperson's Lessons and Applications from Today's Readings

Wrath and Rage / Solipsism and Showboating - Esther 1 and 2 - The pagan King Ahasuerus/Xerxes has thrown a 6-month celebration during the 3rd year of his reign before the nobles and princes of his 127 provinces throughout Persia and Media - stretching from India to Ethiopia - "to show the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty." When this celebration ends, he gives a 7-day feast for all the people of Shushan, the citadel, in the opulent garden of the palace.  Queen Vashti is giving a feast for the women in the palace at the same time.  The king, "merry with wine", orders the eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, before him, "in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold."  She refuses; the king becomes "furious, his anger burns within him"; his counselors advise him to allow Vashti to no longer come before the king, to allow another to be chosen in her place, and that a proclamation be sent throughout the kingdom, "that each man should be master in his own house...lest the queen's behavior causes all women to despise their husbands in their eyes."  The king's temper subsides; he remembers Vashti. The most beautiful virgins of the provinces are chosen - including Esther, the orphaned child cousin of the Jew, Mordecai, who has brought her up as his daughter.  Esther is favored by the head eunuch, given the best place in the house of the women, keeps her Jewish identity secret per Mordecai's instructions, and after 12 months of the required beauty treatments, she is sent in to the king for her one evening.  She finds favor with him above the other young virgins, is crowned queen, and another great feast and holiday is proclaimed. Meanwhile, Mordecai sits within the king's gate and overhears two eunuchs who have become "furious and seek to lay hands on King Ahasuerus".  Mordecai tells Esther of the plot, and she informs the king in the name of Mordecai.  An inquiry is made and confirmed, and the eunuchs are hung on the gallows.  This is written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

My Lessons and Applications - 1) conspicuous consumption and the dangerous personalities behind it, 2) self adulation of many who hold sway over others and the wrath and rage against those who refuse to kowtow to it.  "Reasons for Vashti's disobedience are not given in the Hebrew text though early Jewish interpreters explained that she was commanded to appear naked, wearing only her crown, or that she had some disfigurement." Geneva Study Bible - pg. 689  There are other historical claims that speak of the Villany of Vashti - especially toward the Jewish women, 3) a caution against drinking alcohol to excess and long-term consequences of what is done while under its influence, 4) importance of careful choice of counselors, which we have seen throughout our Biblical study, 5) the disregard for thrown-away lives (the worth of a soul) to serve the pleasure of one person, 6) the Sovereignty and Providence of God - Esther finding favor in the eyes of the head eunuch, of all those around her, of the king, of Mordecai overhearing the murder plot against the king - of all of this working for the good of God's people, to save a remnant from which the promised Messiah will come 7) the effects of obedience and disobedience and to whom we submit according to God's Word, 8) the danger of a person given to rage, wrath and fury - both with the king in this reading and with the eunuchs plotting his murder (Proverbs 22:24), 9) the importance of keeping a written record or journal of events - even in my life.  We will see how this plays into this saga at the end of the book of Esther.  Am I following God's Word in dating, in marriage, in friendships?  Do I recognize and stay away from the person who has anger and rage as a pattern of behavior?  Do I deal appropriately with these emotions in my own life?  Is my obedience and submission to another God-ordained or unhealthy? Is the counsel I am receiving based on God's Word?

Self-seeking vs God-seeking - Romans 2 -  SELF-SEEKERS: "Hardness...an impenitent heart...treasuring up for yourself wrath...judge others for the things you yourself practice... despise God's goodness, forbearance and long-suffering...self-seeking...obey unrighteousness...do not obey the truth...have the outward circumcision but no inward reality of faith...boast in the law but break the law...teach others but do not teach yourselves...who will receive the righteous judgment of God in the day of wrath and revelation...who are inexcusable"..."for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, as it is written."
GOD-SEEKERS: "those gaining eternal life by patient continuance in doing good...doers - not just hearers of the law...the law is written on their hearts, their "circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit - not in the letter...whose praise is not from men but from God..to them will be glory, honor and peace...to everyone who works what is good."

My Lessons and Applications - 1) an illustration in the OT of the two groups of people spoken of in Romans: one is a man (King Xerxes) who considered himself and expected others to consider him a god; the other, Mordecai - and Esther later, who are both humbled and then "lifted up" in this story as they seek to do good on behalf of the Jewish people.  Mordecai, through his role as a type of Kinsman-Redeemer for Esther, teaches her  - through obedience - how to be used by God to redeem His/their people from genocide by this narcissistic king who is so influenced by unwise / untruthful counselors.  While God is never mentioned in this book, His Sovereignty and Providence, behind the scenes, is always there, ever faithful to His covenant. 2) the change in a soul, in a life through the applied Word of God, through the leading of the Holy Spirit; the impact of the child of God on the world 3) the essence of moving beyond being a "professing" believer to being a "possessing" believer.  4) unbelievers and merely professing Christians are without excuse. Do I walk the talk? 5) The Espistle to the  Romans gives lie to the often taught doctrine that we can sin over and over, and God will always forgive us.  Often the fact of consequences to the sin - despite forgiveness - are never preached. There does come a point of no return, when God will "give us over" to the continued pattern of depravity and sin in our lives.  (Romans 1:18-32 - 2)  Does my life give honor and glory to God or blaspheme His name to unbelievers?

Finally, we must never forget that the gospel of Christ is holy.  His gospel never excuses sin; it pardons it, but only through the atonement.  Thus, if our life is to resemble the gospel, we are to shun anything and everything that would hinder our perfect conformity to Christ, not merely what we consider the worst vices.  Therefore, for Jesus' sake, for the sake of others, and for our own sake, we must strive day by day to bring our conduct into greater accordance with His gospel. 

Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening