Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Day 260 ~ 2010

Originally posted in a forum in 2010 - this post may contain links which are no longer valid, if you find a non-working link, please let me know and I will attempt to find a replacement or make a correction as necessary.

Day 260

Greeks defeat Persia at Salamis - 480 B.C.

Esther becomes Queen of Persia - New queen sought for Ahasuerus - Esther 2:1-4

Esther brought to Shushan - Esther 2:5-11

Queens considered - Esther 2:12-14

Esther made queen - Esther 2:15-17

Feast at Shushan in honor of Esther - Esther 2:18-20

Mordecai saves the king's life - Esther 2:21-23

Birth of Nehemiah - 475 B.C.

Haman plots against the Jews - 474 B.C.

His conspiracy against Mordecai - Esther 3:1-6

Lots cast - Esther 3:7

Gains kings support by guile - Esther 3:8-11

Letters order Jews destruction - Esther 3:12-15

Mordecai appeals to Esther - Esther 4:1-17

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ahasuerus - H325 - Of Persian origin; Achashverosh (that is, Ahasuerus or Artaxerxes, but in this case Xerxes), the title (rather than name) of a Persian king. Ahasuerus, prince; head; chief

Mordecai - H4782 - Of foreign derivation; Mordecai, an Israelite. Mordecai, contrition; bitter; bruising

Esther - H635 - Of Persian derivation; Ester, the Jewish heroine. Esther, secret; hidden

Hegai - keeper of the women - (keeper = guard) Probably of Persian origin; Hege or Hegai, a eunuch of Xerxes. Hegai, or Hege, meditation; word; groaning; separation

What is a chamberlain? H5631 - From an unused root meaning to castrate; a eunuch; by implication valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus a minister of state: - chamberlain, eunuch, officer. Compare H7249.

Ever consider the pornographic nature of the kings and/or rulers which kept multiple women? How God ordered the nation of Israel to NOT multiply to themselves wives and/or concubines? The degradation of women by being only an object? How scripture is quite explicit about not even looking at a woman with lust, for then adultery has been committed? (Matthew 5:28)

Mordecai saves the kings life when he turns in two chamberlains - Bigthan and Teresh - yet not rewarded. Father storing up reward for obedience...until the time is within HIS plan. I had missed in previous years, that Esther was the person that Mordecai spoke to about the issue and she took the issue to the king.

Interestingly each time I look up the name for a chamberlain, it is always specific to mention that they are eunuchs. There is something significant to that...that one's job title would be indicative of a portion of self dying to desire. I can not quite grasp the magnitude of it...just a general sense of have we died to self? Does someone stating, calling and/or knowing we are a "Christian" indicate that we are in the King's service? Wholly surrendered to HIS will? Desiring to please HIM in every area? Lovingly looking out for those HE places within our care and/or path?

Haman - H2001 - Of foreign derivation; Haman, a Persian vizier. Haman, noise; tumult

Vizier? Dictionary.com to the rescue. Noun - a high official in certain Muslim countries, esp in the former Ottoman Empire. Viziers served in various capacities, such as that of provincial governor or chief minister to the sultan.

I was browsing the commentaries to see about the casting of lots - which is astrology or divination and was a common practice. However, the item which caught my attention was the reference to the length of time Esther had been married to the king - 4 years and a couple of months. The dating used in the Reese Chronological gives the date of Esther becoming queen as 479 B.C. and Haman's plot as 474 B.C.

In Esther 4, Mordecai is distressed, her maids and chamberlains (notice hers) knew what was going on...plural too...with an 's'. Multiple people knew...and people talk...so they would have had to have either known or figured out that Esther was a Jewess. She then sends the kings chamberlain (not hers) to speak with Mordecai (why not hers?). The king had appointed this chamberlain to attend to her.

Hatach - H2047 - Probably of foreign origin; Hathak, a Persian eunuch. Hatach, he that strikes

Esther and Mordecai's communication comes down to this - Esther is not safe just because she is in the kings palace, she resolves to approach the king, but requests that all the Jews in Shushan fast for 3 days while she and her maidens do the same. The multiplicity of people involved in knowing that Esther is a Jewess, that she is related to Mordecai and that neither the king nor Haman are made aware of this fact is astounding.

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