Esther's Royal Garments*

We just finished observing the feast known as Purim that comes from the Book of Esther. Purim celebrates a great victory over an enemy whose intention was to destroy all of the Jews living in Persia. The enemy's name was Haman, who developed a bitter hatred for a Jew named Mordecai because Mordecai had failed to pay him the honor that Haman felt was his due. Haman drew lots, or pur, to determine the date of the Jews' destruction, when he would go to the king, and enact his plan for revenge against Mordecai (Est. 3:7). These lots, or pur, is where the name of the feast Purim comes from. So, in order to destroy Mordecai, Haman persuaded the king to give an order that would mean the destruction of all of the Jews, even paying money to those who would carry out his order (Est. 3:5-6, 8-9). We will see how this enemy was defeated, and how God's people were delivered from a death sentence. The account starts with the replacement of a queen. The king of Persia had required that his wife, Vashti, who was very beautiful, come and make an appearance before his party guests, who all had been drinking for seven days. Vashti refused, and the king was advised to set aside Vashti, and obtain a more biddable wife, lest all the wives in the kingdom rise up against their husbands as Vashti had done! (Est. 1:5-19). The search for the most beautiful maidens in the kingdom began. Mordecai, a Jew, had raised his niece, Esther, as his own daughter after her parents had died. Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai to hide her Jewish heritage. As the most beautiful women were gathered to the palace, Esther was included. She found favor with the chamberlain who was "the keeper of the women" for the king, and he treated her with kindness (v. 4-9). Esther found favor with all who dealt with her there because she was agreeable and obedient to what the chamberlain told her to do. She was brought before the king, who loved her above all women. Esther found "grace and favor" in his sight, and she was made queen instead of Vashti (Est. 2:15-18). Esther still did not reveal herself as being one of the Jewish people "as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him." (v. 20). (note: Although the name of God does not directly appear in the story of Esther, His name appears in acrostic form. When Mordecai heard of the order that Haman had persuaded the king to enact that would mean the destruction of the Jewish people, he immediately sat before the king's gate in sackcloth and ashes, crying with a loud voice. All of the Jews did so also (Est. 4:1-3). Mordecai was repenting before God for the deliverance of His people. Esther became alarmed by Mordecai's behavior, for it would surely offend the king, and sent servants to inquire why her uncle was doing such a thing. He passed the information about the king's edict to Esther, and charged her "that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people (v. 5-8). Esther sent her servants to answer Mordecai that she had not been called for by the king for thirty days, and she could be killed if she went to him without his invitation. Mordecai sent this response: "Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (v. 13-14). Mordecai felt confident in the LORD's deliverance, because he had fasted and prayed for it. Shouldn't we also understand the importance of fasting, repentance and prayer, as commanded by God in 2 Chron. 7:14? Esther answered Mordecai that he should tell all the Jews to fast with her for three days and nights, and then she would go to the king without his invitation. She said, "...and if I persiah, I perish." (v. 15-17). "Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on (her) royal (apparel), and stood in the inner court of the king's house.: and the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house...And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen...she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre." (Est. 5:1-2). Regarding the phrase "her royal apparel" in the above verse, the words "her" and "apparel" were added to the original Hebrew to help in translation. However, the Hebrew says that Esther "put on her royal", with all of the kingdom authority that that Hebrew word for "royal" (malkut/malak - kingdom, reign, royal, sovereign power, dominion/ascend to the throne) carries. Esther again obtained favor from the king, granting her whatever she asked (v. 3-4). To add to Haman's further anger and humiliation, Mordecai received an honor from the king that Haman felt should come to him. For saving the king's life, Mordecai was given the king's own royal apparel to wear, the king's personal horse to ride, and the royal crown set upon his head (Est. 6:6-12). Eventually, Haman's plot against the Jews, and therefore against Esther herself, was exposed by Esther before the king at a banquet. The grace and favor of God towards Esther and the Jews appeared several times in the story of Esther, and worked for the deliverance of the Jews. The Torah and the Prophets reflect the grace of God, as I have mentioned in previous messages. The apostle Peter described the same royal apparel of Esther in regards to the believers in Christ: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood...a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Pet. 2:5, 9-10). This royal people who believe in Christ as the chief cornerstone, are obedient to Him, and to His Word (v. 7-8). We saw this same obedience of a royal Esther to Mordecai's aleph-tav commandments to her (see above). Grace and mercy flowed as a result. Peter also wrote to the royal believers: "...abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (v. 11-12). Peter wrote that the lusts of the flesh war against your soul. There is a war going on, as the war of Haman against the people of God foretold. Scripture says that the devil has come down having great wrath against the people of God. Jesus said that the days before His return will be like the days of Noah. We must be prepared to enter the Ark provided by God, clothed in our royal apparel. Peter also wrote that we were to have the grace and peace of God multiplied to us, the righteousness of God (not our own), as well as all things that pertain to life and godliness, these exceeding great and precious promises, through the knowledge of God and Jesus. We attain this knowledge through His Word. In this same knowledge is our escape from "the corruption that is in the world through lust...give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:1-11). An entrance is made for us, in the same way that an entrance was given to Esther by the king's grace and favor, and the royal sceptre was extended to her. Our royal apparel was described by the apostle Paul: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places...Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance and supplication for all saints." (Eph. 6:10-18). Our enemies, like Haman who sought to destroy all life, are spiritual powers, and our armor and royal apparel is spiritual, including truth, the righteousness of God through Christ, the ministry of the Gospel to all, our faith which is the faith of the Son of God, our salvation, a gift to us by grace, and the Word of God, which establishes all of the above. Not forgetting, the prayers, supplications, including repentance, for all of the saints, just as the Jews of Persia interceded before God, and received His miraculous deliverance. We need our royal apparel today more than ever as we see the wickedness of Haman increasing around us. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 3/12/23 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook. You can also get a free ebook titled "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary" at www.TheShroudofTurin.org/freebook.

Purim in the Laodicean Era*

The Bible describes Jesus' instructions to seven churches in the Book of Revelation. While these churches refer to actual physical churches of the day, the Bible is not one dimentional. I believe that these churches also can represent problems in the church today, and they can represent ages of the church. If we consider them as ages of church history for our purposes, then I believe we are in the Laaodicean Age or Era. These are Jesus' words to Laodicea: "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and incresed with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." (Rev. 4:14-18) The Laodicean church was very prosperous and very worldly, according to this description, as the church is today. They had become complacent, comfortable and apathetic regarding the faith, as are many believers today. Though they were wealthy in worldly things, the only wealth that matters is the gold that we become as we go through fiery trials that come for His Name's sake. Peter also wrote the about the fiery trials to come that are an advantage to us spiritully (1 Pet. 4:12-16). Laodicea was famous for the producing of eye salve, and the Lord tells them and us that we need to anoint our blind eyes to see the truth of the faith of Christ. Though this church had beautiful garments that money could buy, the only garments that will matter, the only ones that can cover nakedness and shame, are the pure, clean, white linen garments of righteousness, like those mentioned for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19). Jesus continued His message to the Laodicean church: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (v. 19-22). Jesus urged this church to repent. Peter wrote that judgment begins in the house of God, beginning with us (1 Pet. 4:17). In fact, Jesus promises the Laodicean church that their state after repentance, will be greater than their state before repentance, which is a truth for the church today also. The Laodicean church will be considered "overcomers" if they will repent, and they will sup with Jesus, and they will sit with Him in His throne, which is also His Father's throne. Christ's chastenings are to bring us to repentance, and repentance brings us to the place of communion and enthronement with Him, and with the Father. The Word, the scriptures, that we read is Jesus. He is the written Word, and He is the spoken Word of God. His testimony is the Spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10), so He is the prophetic Word that we read in the scriptures, and the true prophetic Word that still rings out today. The events of the Book of Revelation are a fulfilment of past prophecies given to the prophets: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." (Rev. 10:7). The prophet Amos wrote of the same thing: "Surely the LORD God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the LORD God hath spoken, who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:7-8). The mystery of God written of in the verse from Revelation is the same as God's secret revealed to His prophets written of by Amos. The prophets have also written that there will be attempts by the nations, even by the figure that we call the antichrist, to destroy the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem, the nation of Israel, and God's people of praise (Judah), which includes the true Church, the Ekklesia (Zech. 12, Dan. 11). A Laodicean church in today's era cannot, and will not, survive the prophesied days of trials, challenges, persecution and tribulation ahead. Jesus is calling today's Laodicean church era to repent, as He called the Laodicean church of long ago to repentance. This Laodicean church era of today also has another prophetic picture with which to be guided into the repentance that Jesus urges. The Book of Esther, and the Feast of Purim, are a prophetic message to the Bride of Christ. Esther, who was secretly a Jew, was chosen from among the most beautiful women of Persia to become the new bride of the king. There was a prince of the land, Haman, who served the king, who planned to destroy all of the Jews in the land, because he hated and envied the Jew, Mordecai, who had great favor with the king. Mordecai was also Esther's uncle, and had raised her since childhood. Mordecai met with Esther and urged her to go before the king on behalf of the Jewish people to foil the wicked plot of Haman. Esther hesitated to do so, because she could not approach the king without being summoned, and the king had not summoned her for the past thirty days. If she approahced the king without his invitation, the punishment was death. Mordecai told Esther, "Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall...delivernce arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:13-14). Esther agreed to go before the king if all of the Jews would fast three days and nights, and she would do the same. Then she would enter into the king's presence "which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish." (v. 16). The people and Esther fasted for three days. Afterward, when she entered into the king's presence, she obtained favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden sceptor which was in his hand (Est. 5:2). Esther was able to expose the wicked plot of Haman, and her own identity as a Jew, and the king ordered Haman's destruction. Is today's Laodicean church prepared at this time to enter into the King's presence to prevent the destruction of God's people? Is the church today consecrated and sanctified, or caught up in worldly riches and possessions? Esther risked all as queen to save herself and God's people after they all had consecrated themselves with a fast. This is the message to the Laodicean church era of today. Put aside luke-warmness. Buy the gold which is tried by fire. Acquire the clean, white linen garments of righteousness from the King of Righteousness. Anoint your eyes with the healing balm that will open your blind eyes. As the Bride of Christ, be prepared at any moment to enter into the King's presence for the purpose for which we have been brought into the Kingdom "for such a time as this". The challenge for the church in this week of Purim: fast and pray for the people of praise (Judah) and for Jerusalem (the Jews), In this time of pandemic, strange weather, and a struggling economy, seek the LORD while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 2/28/21 message to the church. Contact: Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com or PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. Look for us on Facebook, Twitter, and at endtimesschool.com where you can order the new book, "NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling".

Purim, Persia, and the Third Day*

Esther Comes Before the King

 

We are entering the season of Purim, a rabbinical feast of Israel. Purim revolves around a miraculous event from the Book of Esther. Esther also has a prophetic significance to the Church in these last days. The spiritual principalities and wickedness of the End Times that are revealed in Revelation, also have a striking similarity to the story of Esther and Purim:

"...the accuser of the brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice ye heavens and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child....And the dragon was wroth (violent anger, enraged; root- to stretch one's self out in order to touch or grasp something, to covet, to give one's self up to the love of money)with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."   Rev. 12:10-13, 17

The devil, the dragon is enraged against the people of God in these verses from Revelation, and his actions and persecutions stem from that rage. It is the same with the enemy in the Book of Esther, Haman. The dragon from Revelation spews water like a flood from his mouth to wipe out the woman who gave birth to the man child (Rev. 12:15). The letters of Haman's name in pictographical Hebrew refer to the revealing of a massive flood of chaos against the son/Son, the heir to the throne, the descendants.

This enemy, Haman, driven by rage and resentment against one man, Mordecai, who refused to bow down and pay Haman homage and worship, enlarged his rage to encompass the destruction of all of the Jews in Persia (now Iran). Mordecai explained that he could not worship a man because as a Jew, he could only worship God (Esther 3:1-6). Haman, like the devil in Revelation, accused Mordecai and the Jewish people before the king, and the king allowed Haman to issue a decree for the destruction of the Jews, and to take the spoil of them, setting a specific date for it that had been selected by casting lots (Pur) (v. 8-11). As the news of this decree spread, the Jews across the whole land fasted, cried and repented before God. How was this plot of destruction to be overcome? It was accomplished by the grace and favor of God upon one young Jewish woman, the bride of the great king of Persia, Ahasuerus, whose name was Esther. Mordecai even told Esther that it is possible that she was born for just this purpose.

After telling the Jewish people to fast and pray for three days, Esther risked her life to approach the king out of proper order. Approaching the king without being summoned first was punishable by death. However, when the king saw Esther in all her royal robes, she obtained favor in his sight, and he extended his scepter to her so that she might approach him safely (Esther 5:1-2). Esther requested the king's and Haman's presence at a banquet of wine that she would prepare. At the second banquet, Esther exposed Haman to the king, and Haman and his household were destroyed. The king ultimately overrode Haman's decree calling for the destruction of the Jews. He issued a decree in his own name, sealed with his own seal. Written in this way, it became a decree that no man could reverse (Est. 8:7-10).
The Bride of Christ is also purposed and called to a banquet, royally arrayed in righteousness, to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb:
"Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints..."Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."  Rev. 19:7-9
Esther used the principle of "the third day" in her preparation for her entrance to the king, and her confrontation with Haman and his evil plan. The prophet Hosea connected "the third day" with the Messiah, His and our resurrection, and His twice coming:
"Come and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight...and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."   Hos. 6:1-3
The Apostle Peter clarified this principle for us regarding the return of Christ, as well as its importance in the events of the End Times for the Church:
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."   2 Peter 3:8
Two thousand years, or two days, have already passed since the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and we are entering into the third millennial, or third day. Persia, or Iran, which played such an important role in the Book of Esther, is once again emerging into the world spotlight as a sponsor of terrorism and its agents in various parts of the world. The declared aim of those terrorists, today's Hamans, like the enraged dragon of Revelation, is to push Israel into the sea, and to make war with those who support Israel, and believe the Messiah of Israel.
Events and timing indicates that the marriage supper of the Lamb grows near, but is the Bride preparing, as Esther did, to make the difference in these End Times, to prepare for the banquet of wine?  Let this season of Purim become a call to the Church to prepare herself in fasting, repentance, and prayer, to don her royal robes, to enter before and petition the King, and to enter into the banquet with Him.

*The above is based upon the 3/24/19 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson.

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 

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Connecting The Dots...

 

It is evident from the events occurring around us that we are nearing a spiritual reckoning. The times we are in are desperate, society is crumbling, and yet the Church is playing church. It is time for God's people to wake up, understand what scripture is saying about the times in which we live, and to rise up to role to which Jesus has called us: salt, light, and witnesses to the truth. As we look into scripture, we can begin to "connect the dots", and obtain an understanding of events, and our purpose in them.

This week, Purim was celebrated. The story of Purim is in the Book of Esther, which is also a prophetic book. The enemy of the Jews, Haman, had determined the day of the Jews' destruction by the casting of lots, called pur. The king had agreed to Haman's plan, and the decree of destruction had been set for the 13th day of twelfth month, Adar ("glorious, fire"). However, something miraculous happened on that day instead:

"Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them)...And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai (Esther's kinsman) fell upon them...when Esther came before the king, he commanded... that (Haman's) wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head... "  Est. 9:1-3, 25 (excerpt)

What caused this miraculous turn around in events? Esther, who had not been called into the king's presence for a month, requested that all of the Jews fast and pray for three days, as she and her attendants would do also, in order to receive the king's favor for her approach to him (Est. 4:11-16). This prayer and fasting had indeed brought Esther favor with the king, and she was eventually able to expose the wickedness of Haman's plot. The appointed day of destruction for the Jews by their enemy, became their day of victorious deliverance by the LORD, instead. The condition of much of the church is the same as Esther's. We have been distracted and busy with other things, and we have not appeared before our heavenly King lately. With our backs turned toward Him, He has not seen our faces, and we have not sought His. Perhaps, like Esther, we incorrectly assume that this day will not touch us, so we sit and remain silent. Yet the decreed day of destruction approaches, and seeking the LORD with repentance and intercession is the only hope against that day. We need to remember that the origins of this day are found in the wicked plots against God's people.

The prophet Joel presents a similar vision of the decreed day when the LORD compels the nations, who have plotted the Jews' destruction, to gather in the Valley of Decision:

"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."  Joel 3:14

The nations are brought to the valley, because like Haman in the Book of Esther, "their wickedness is great" (v. 13). The timing of this appointment in the valley comes when Judah and Jerusalem has been brought back from captivity. These nations had scattered Israel among the nations and "parted My land" (v. 1-2). We are living in the time when Israel has been restored to the land, and the nations are once again desiring to partition the land of covenant promise, for their own political advantage. As the LORD details their wickedness, He says, "And they have cast lots for My people" (v. 3), as was Haman's method. Also as happened in the Book of Esther, God promises these wicked nations who plot against His people: "...swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head" (v. 4, 7).

Again, we can connect the dots between Esther and Joel, and the approaching of the terrible day of the LORD, as we look at what Joel instructed God's people to do. The LORD says to His people:

"...now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning: and rent your heart...and turn unto the LORD your God...

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly...Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare Thy people, O LORD..."  Joel 2:12-17 (excerpt)

As His people are obedient to His word, the LORD promises a great restoration in their fields and pastures, and an even greater outpouring of His Spirit upon all of His people, even as signs in the heavens and the earth announce the coming of the great and the terrible day of the LORD (Joel 2:21-31), when God returns the evil of the nations that sought His people's destruction.

Though the outpouring of the Spirit of God is promised in Joel, there are those today who mock the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent into believers' lives. Some of the mockers are in the world, and some are even in the church. This is dangerous because it is not possible receive the promise of deliverance, while mocking its agent. Joel continues:

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in Mt. Zion, and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."   Joel 2:32

It is a remnant who will hear and choose to accept the call of the LORD by His Spirit. As Jesus told us, "Narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Mt. 7:14).

The prophet Amos warns us that "playing church" will not suffice as the day of the LORD approaches. He says that this day should instill fear in our hearts, because it is a terrifying thing. The LORD warned that He would not accept offerings and worship to Him from His people, while they also served other gods and idols (Amos 5:18-26). Those others gods are still being served today, even within the church. Amos mentions the gods Moloch, who demanded the sacrifice of the first born child through fire, and Chiun, in the form of pillars erected to the god Saturn, which was considered to be an evil demon to be appeased. We also have accepted the murder of our children, and made it law. We have sought appeasement with ungodliness, accepting, in the name of political correctness, and out of intimidation by society, those things that the LORD has called wickedness, abomination, and those things that He hates. Similarly, Pharaoh was willing to tolerate the plague of frogs for another night in order to resist God (Ex. 8:9-10). People asked Jesus to leave their town after He commanded a legion of demons, which had plagued a man, into their pigs. The crazed pigs then ran off a cliff. The people resented losing their pigs (Mt. 8:28-34). We want to be able to keep our spiritual frogs and pigs, while we claim to continue to serve God, but God will not accept this.

The LORD says in Amos 5:27, that those of His people who connect themselves to these other gods, while claiming to worship Him, will be cause to go into captivity (remove, depart) beyond (distance, remoteness) Damascus ("silent is the sackcloth weaver"). In other words, they will be captive in a spiritual condition where repentance will not be sought by them, so it will be unavailable to them. They will be beyond, and removed from, an attitude of repentance.

All signs indicate that we are nearing the day of the LORD, when God will turn the destructive wickedness of the enemies of God's people against themselves. We, His people, are expected to be able to read these signs, and act accordingly-not be complicit in their wickedness. As we connect the dots regarding the approaching of the day of the LORD, we can see the prophetic pattern of the assignment given to the people of God. We are called to fasting, and repentance. We are called to seek our King's face and presence. We are called to leave the world's idols behind, and to worship the LORD only, in Spirit and in truth.

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:

Jesus, I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, and also fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.

 

God bless you.

 

 

 



Purim- Now is the Appointed Time

Esther exposes Haman before the King

 

Because of her great beauty, Esther was chosen to become the new queen of King Ahasuerus. He was the king of Persia and Media. His kingdom stretched from India to Ethiopia (Esther 1:1). Esther entered the palace, and lived a pampered, luxurious life. Esther, whose real name was Hadassah, hid her Jewish identity by posing as a Gentile on the advice of her uncle, Mordecai.
 

Persian "pur" or lot

One of the king's most honored counsellors, Haman, an ambitious and evil man, had persuaded the king to sign a command that all of the Jews in the kingdom should be destroyed, and the spoil taken into the king's treasury. Haman cast lots (dice) called pur, to determine the date when the Jews were to be destroyed (Est. 3:7). The root word pur, means to break, crush, bring to naught, to utterly take. The king even gave his ring of authority to Haman to accomplish this terrible deed (Est. 3:9-12). Although Haman cast lots to find the best date for the Jews' destruction, the lots were really forecasting the date of his own destruction, as we shall see.

Mordecai came to Esther, and asked her to intercede with the king to stop Haman's plans. She was reluctant and afraid, because anyone who approached the king, without being summoned by him first, was subject to death. Mordecai convinced her by saying:

"...who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"  Est. 4:14

Esther told Mordecai that he should have all of the Jews pray and fast before God for three days, and on the third day, Esther entered the king's inner court, where he was enthroned. 

The next problem for Esther was how she might expose Haman, the king's closest advisor, and change the king's mind. However, in order to expose Haman, she would have to expose herself, and reveal her own Jewish identity. The dangerous situation was a great risk for Esther, but the people of God had fasted and prayed. Haman was successfully exposed by Esther, and he was ordered to be killed by the king. Esther rose in great authority in her husband's kingdom:

"Then Esther the queen....wrote with all authority, to confirm....these days of Purim in their times appointed,...and the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book."   Est. 9:29-32
Not only was Esther's authority established in her husband's kingdom, but also the authority and favor of all of God's people:
"For Mordecai the Jew was next unto King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews,...seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed."  Est. 10:3
During this time of Purim, we are reminded that God's people, like Esther, are set in specific places, even king's palaces, for appointed times and purposes.
The prophet Daniel received revelations from the LORD regarding appointed times, and the vital role played by God's believing people. As it was with Esther, these appointed times are dangerous, and risky, but this is exactly when the people of God are called to impact these times with the power of the Kingdom of God. It is interesting to note that Daniel's king, Darius, was the son of Esther's husband, Ahasuerus.
The point of impact into the perilous times spoken of by Daniel, began with his fasting and repentance on behalf of himself, and all of God's people:
"And I set my face unto the Lord (Messiah: Ps. 110:1, Mt. 22:42-46)) God, to seek...and I prayed unto the LORD (YHWH, Jehovah) my God, and made my confession, and said,...We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments,...yet made we not our prayer before the LORD God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth....O Lord, hear; O Lord forgive; O Lord, hearken and do...for thy city, and thy people are called by thy name."  Dan. 9:3-5, 13, 19
Prayer and repentance should also be our beginning point in impacting our appointed times. Daniel's heartfelt prayer of repentance was answered immediately with the appearance of the angel, Gabriel, who explained and revealed to Daniel the awesome purpose God would fulfill through His people in the appointed time of the perilous last days. God wants His people to know and understand the appointed times, and the role we are to play in them.
As revealed by the angel to Daniel, the appointed time dealt with the last week of Jeremiah's seventy weeks of years. This is the time in which we are now living. According to Daniel, desolations and war, and "troublous times" will come to God's people, and to the city of God (Dan. 9:25-27).
However, in the midst of this time of intense spiritual and natural warfare against the saints, "the time came that the saints possessed (root- to lay up in store, to heap up, to be strong) the kingdom" (Dan. 7:22). Even though a "king" will arise speaking against the Most High, seeking even to change the appointed times, and wearing out the saints (v. 25), the saints of this time shall "take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end" (v. 26):
"And the kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. Hitherto is the end of the matter...but I kept the matter in my heart."  Dan. 7:27-28
During this appointed time of which Daniel prophesied, though wickedness seems to be prevailing, God's people will be a people of understanding, and will instruct many, and "the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits"  (Dan. 11:32, 33, 35).
The Book of Revelation also talks about an appointed time of great spiritual warfare that begins in the heavens, but soon impacts the earth. The enemy uses deception, persecution, and accusation against the brethren (Rev. 11:7-8, 12-13). However, this appointed time will also be the time of the overcoming of this evil enemy by the brethren in the power of Christ:
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ"...and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
                                                                                                Rev. 12:10-11
As we see the signs of the times around us during these days of Purim, we also know that we, the people of God, have been called for this appointed time of Daniel and Revelation. We, like Esther, have come into the kingdom for such a time as this. Let us begin our impact upon this appointed time as Daniel did, and as the Jews of Esther's Purim did, with fasting, and prayers of repentance on our own behalf, and on behalf of our nation, which is covered with iniquity and wickedness. Like Esther, we are Jews (Rom. 2:29) hidden amongst the Gentiles. We are the beautiful Bride of the King, called during this appointed time to accomplish, through the power of Christ, a great work of deliverance. AMEN.

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