Check out all the previous Esther readings here.
Esther Reading Plan | Week 5 | Day 1
Prayer
As you come to spend time with Jesus, calm your mind and body until you feel fully present. Ask God to open your eyes and ears to what He wants to say to you today.
Bible Reading: Esther 3:1-4
Read these verses three times slowly.
After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
Reflection & Questions
The courage of Mordecai here is without question. When everyone else was kneeling, he stood. When everyone was hailing Haman’s name, Modecai was silent. As a Jew, Mordecai knew God’s command. To give allegiance, or god-like treatment, to anyone but God, was wrong. But he didn’t just know that, he acted on it. He didn’t bow even when “all the royal officials” were doing so.
In our culture, we might not physically bow down to people anymore, but we are certainly told what we are expected to do and what we are expected to believe. It takes courage to stand up and say “it is against my beliefs.” It takes courage to swim upstream against the crowd. Furthermore it takes a tremendous amount of wisdom to do this with grace and truth. To be a counter-cultural follower of God takes knowing the Scripture well and walking closely with the Spirit.
- Have you had to stand up for your beliefs? Perhaps with your family or fellow employees? How did that work out?
- Is there a situation you can anticipate having to stand up for your beliefs? How can you prepare for that?
Prayer
Pray in response to today’s reading.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
Prepare to Meet with Jesus
Go to your quiet place. When there are no devices around that will distract you, take a deep breath. Blow it out slowly. Do that again. And do it one last time. Ask God for His help to read and understand.
Bible Reading: Esther 3:1-2
Read these verses three times slowly.
After those events, King Xerxes honored Haman. Haman was the son of Hammedatha. He was from the family line of Agag. The king gave Haman a higher position than he had before. He gave him a seat of honor. It was higher than the positions any of the other nobles had. All the royal officials at the palace gate got down on their knees. They gave honor to Haman. That’s because the king had commanded them to do it. But Mordecai refused to get down on his knees. He wouldn’t give Haman any honor at all.
Reflection & Questions
Have you ever had an enemy? I sure hope you haven’t. But there may have been someone who bullied you. Or someone who was always tattling on you that was hard to love. Today we read about someone who turns out to be an enemy of Mordecai. In fact, not just Mordecai, but all the Jewish people.
The Bible introduces Haman to us as being from the family line of Agag. It is important to know that for hundreds of years, the Agagites (line of Agag) were enemies of the Jewish people. Haman was honored by the king with a promotion. Remember, the king was the boss of everyone.
Mordecai saved the king’s life when he overheard and reported the plot against Xerxes. But Mordecai had not been given a promotion or any other honor for what he had done. It must have been hard for him to see Haman, a long-time enemy of the Jews, honored by the king. He did not believe that he should bow down to Haman.
- Would you bow down to someone if it was required because of their position? Why or why not? What if that person was your enemy?
- What if that person got the part or position you thought you should have?
- It is important that we only worship God. Does that mean we cannot honor anyone else?
Pray
If you don’t have enemies. Thank God for that. If you have had enemies, ask God to help you love them. Ask Him to work in their lives. Ask God to help you love all people.
Check out more Bible Reading Plans here.
Questions?
Ed Applegate
