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AUGUST 1
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave
him a command for Mordecai: “All the king’s
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servants and the people of the king’s provinces
know that any man or woman who goes into 89:46 hide Yourself forever. By God’s seem-
the inner court to the king, who has not been ing refusal to answer prayer and restore the
called, he has but one law: put all to death, Davidic kingship, it seemed as though God
except the one to whom the king holds out the was hiding Himself.Of course,the discipline of
golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself disobedient kings had been foretold (v. 32).
have not been called to go in to the king these According to the prophets,God would eventu-
thirty days.” So they told Mordecai Esther’s ally restore Israel and the Davidic throne in an
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words. earthly kingdom (Hos. 3:4,5). Never in the Old
13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: Testament is there a sense that this Davidic
“Do not think in your heart that you will promise would be fulfilled by Christ with a
spiritual and heavenly reign.
escape in the king’s palace any more than all
the other Jews. For if you remain completely
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silent at this time, relief and deliverance will 50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your
arise for the Jews from another place, but you servants—
and your father’s house will perish. Yet who How I bear in my bosom the reproach of
knows whether you have come to the king- all the many peoples,
dom for such a time as this?” 51 With which Your enemies have
reproached, O LORD,
With which they have reproached the
footsteps of Your anointed.
4:14 relief and deliverance.Mordecai exhibit- 52 Blessed be the LORD forevermore!
ed a healthy faith in God’s sovereign power to Amen and Amen.
preserve His people.He may have remembered
the Lord’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:3; Proverbs 22:7–8
17:1–8). you…will perish. Mordecai indicated 7 The rich rules over the poor,
that Esther would not escape the sentence or And the borrower is servant to the
be overlooked because of her prominence lender.
(4:13). such a time as this. Mordecai indirectly
appealed to God’s providential timing. 8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,
And the rod of his anger will fail.
Romans 3:1–31
15 Then Esther told them to reply to
Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are What advantage then has the Jew, or what
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present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither 3 is the profit of circumcision? Much in
eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My every way! Chiefly because to them were com-
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maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go mitted the oracles of God. For what if some
to the king, which is against the law; and if I did not believe? Will their unbelief make the
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perish, I perish!” faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly
17 So Mordecai went his way and did accord- not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a
ing to all that Esther commanded him. liar. As it is written:
“That You may be justified in Your words,
Psalm 89:46–52
And may overcome when You are
How long, LORD? judged.”
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Will You hide Yourself forever? 5
Will Your wrath burn like fire? But if our unrighteousness demonstrates
Remember how short my time is;
47 the righteousness of God, what shall we say?
For what futility have You created all Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a
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the children of men? man.) Certainly not! For then how will God
What man can live and not see death? 7
48 judge the world?
Can he deliver his life from the power For if the truth of God has increased
of the grave? Selah through my lie to His glory, why am I also still
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judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us
Lord, where are Your former do evil that good may come”?—as we are slan-
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lovingkindnesses, derously reported and as some affirm that we
Which You swore to David in Your truth? say. Their condemnation is just.
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