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Worldly Ways

Words of Faith Final

Worldly Ways
Words of Faith 6-25-2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2008, 2021
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Esther 8  
     [7] King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows. [8] Now write another decree in the King's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the King's signet ring‑‑for no document written in the King's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."
    [9] At once the royal secretaries were summoned‑‑on the twenty‑third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. [10] Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the King's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the King.
    [11] The King's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies. [12] The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. [13] A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
    [14] The couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the King's command. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.
    [15] Mordecai left the King's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. [16] For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. [17] In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the King went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

        Things were looking up for the Jewish people throughout Persia. The King granted the request of Esther‑‑ "Let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman."   But very quickly, things changed.  Apparently, Mordecai had more in mind than just a simple dismissal of the previous decree.
         The King allowed a decree to be written by Mordecai‑‑ "in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you" and sealed with the King's signet ring.  The original decree could not be rescinded.  But another decree could overrule it.  But given the opportunity, Mordecai did much more than just overrule the first decree.  
         The new edict written by Mordecai granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves, but ALSO the right to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children.  And even more, the right to plunder the property of their enemies.  
       The right to annihilate anyone who "might" attack is a pretty broad discretion of power.  After all that the Jews had been through, we can understand the importance of declaring a right to defend themselves.  But was there also the groundwork for vengeance being laid?  
         Here is a question.  Was this decree the right or ethical thing to do‑‑ to use the King's signet ring and make a decree that the King actually did not authorize?  Some would say that this was a proper use of delegated authority and that God's providence placed Mordecai into a place to make such a decision.  
         Others would argue that this extension of power was exactly the same sort of trickery that Haman used to set up the decree to kill the Jews. Is this an example of being as "wise as a serpent"?  Shrewdly hedging the future in case there was ever a future threat?
          Jesus told us to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves. Jesus also told us to be IN the world but not OF the world.  When we begin to use the world's way,‑‑ do we open ourselves to the influence of the world?  
 
         Lord, teach me to trust in You.  I long for the sort of battle done with jars and horns‑‑ marching in ways that the world cannot understand but cannot possibly ignore.  In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2008, 2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.