Esther 1-3; Psalm 139; Revelation 1
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God’s providence is one of His most astounding qualities. To accomplish His purposes, He uses the seemingly free actions of various people. In this case, the salvation of the Jews in Persia became possible because Queen Vashti misbehaved, leading to Esther eventually taking her place.
Similarly, the plot against the king, uncovered by Mordecai, was recorded in the royal chronicles and later played a key role in Aman’s conspiracy against the Jews.
Despite the many years of apostasy by the majority of the Jewish people before the Babylonian captivity, some Jews remained faithful to God and refused to bow to anyone but Him. Mordecai was one of them.
Faithfulness to God and the refusal to adopt the ideology of the surrounding people have always been a source of persecution for God’s people from the world.
Psalm 139
A psalm about God’s omniscience and omnipresence. God’s constant presence with His children brings blessing and protection while reminding them of their accountability to Him. Understanding this, David concludes the psalm with a prayer:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23-24)
Revelation 1
The book of Revelation was written to comfort God’s people. Its primary purpose is to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the victor and His second coming is near:
“Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.” (Rev. 1:7).
This is guaranteed by God Himself, the Creator of the universe (Rev. 1:8).
The appearance of Jesus Christ to John on the island of Patmos emphasizes the majesty of the glorified God-Man, the Son of God. He is the judge of all, holding the keys to death and Hades because He “was dead and is alive always.” Despite His overwhelming glory, He reassures John, saying, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” This is the purpose of Jesus Christ. Holding the churches and their ministers in His hand, Jesus aims to build and protect them. This is why their purification, discussed in the following two chapters, is necessary.
God’s providence is one of His most astounding qualities. To accomplish His purposes, He uses the seemingly free actions of various people. In this case, the salvation of the Jews in Persia became possible because Queen Vashti misbehaved, leading to Esther eventually taking her place.
Similarly, the plot against the king, uncovered by Mordecai, was recorded in the royal chronicles and later played a key role in Aman’s conspiracy against the Jews.
Despite the many years of apostasy by the majority of the Jewish people before the Babylonian captivity, some Jews remained faithful to God and refused to bow to anyone but Him. Mordecai was one of them.
Faithfulness to God and the refusal to adopt the ideology of the surrounding people have always been a source of persecution for God’s people from the world.
Psalm 139
A psalm about God’s omniscience and omnipresence. God’s constant presence with His children brings blessing and protection while reminding them of their accountability to Him. Understanding this, David concludes the psalm with a prayer:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23-24)
Revelation 1
The book of Revelation was written to comfort God’s people. Its primary purpose is to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the victor and His second coming is near:
“Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.” (Rev. 1:7).
This is guaranteed by God Himself, the Creator of the universe (Rev. 1:8).
The appearance of Jesus Christ to John on the island of Patmos emphasizes the majesty of the glorified God-Man, the Son of God. He is the judge of all, holding the keys to death and Hades because He “was dead and is alive always.” Despite His overwhelming glory, He reassures John, saying, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” This is the purpose of Jesus Christ. Holding the churches and their ministers in His hand, Jesus aims to build and protect them. This is why their purification, discussed in the following two chapters, is necessary.
Posted in Reading Bible Together