November 24-26, Esther 4-10 & II John

'The elder to the chosen lady
and her children,
whom I love in truth;
and not only I
but also all who know the truth,"
II John 1:1

We only have a short jaunt this week before we relax for Thanksgiving!!! Oh how I love Thanksgiving!!!!!!!! This week we finish up our time with Queen Esther. What an inspiration. She was not just another pretty face, that's for sure!

On Wednesday, we read the letter John writes. (Please make a special note that we are reading II John and NOT III John.) Why are Esther and II John linked together? Because in both books, we see that God not only loves women, He uses them in special ways. The account of Esther shows that God used a woman to begin the reinstatement of the people to the land of Israel following their 70 years of captivity. John's letter shows that women in the early days of the church also had their place in God's plan.

We don't know the name of the woman John is writing too; the only thing we do know is that she was "chosen" for the position she filled. Just as Esther had been chosen for her part in history, and just as Deborah was fulfilling God's plan, this woman had been selected for God's purposes. We also know that she had a sister who was also chosen.

Some would try to tell us that these are not really women, but the term is used for the local church. I guess if you didn't believe God would uses women in a headship capacity, you'd have to find some way to negate that John was writing to a woman. But if he is referring to the church as the chosen lady, than who are her children? We, the chosen, make up the church. It makes no sense that John would write to the church as the "chosen lady" and then write to all her children. Using their reasoning, if John is addressing the church, that would incorporate all believers and there would be no children! Clearly John, the elder statesman, is addressing a woman who is overseeing people who are younger in the faith.

John's letter to this woman is in character with who John was. Obviously, John had much respect for women. Jesus, Himself, felt He could entrust Mary into his care. Would He have done so if He felt John had a prejudice against women? Perhaps it was the time spent with Mary, the mother of Jesus that brought John even greater respect for God's use of woman. Although that is speculation, I have to believe that there is much truth to it. Mary, like Esther, was used to change history and turn the tide of her times. Also, like Esther, she had been selected for that specific moment in time. What must it have been like for John to hear, first-hand, from the woman who had been chosen by God? I'm sure he was the first to hear some of the details of her call; details that she had pondered and treasured in her heart for years. Knowing that God's heart was open to women, John opened his heart also. When you don't try to explain the heart of this precious letter away, the words become very tender and loving. John knew how to speak to women!

1. He started by recognizing her call.

"The elder to the chosen lady..."

2. He encouraged her in the work she has done.

"I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth..."

3. He addressed her with respect and not as lording over her.

"And now I ask you, lady..."

4. He acknowledged her walk.

"And this is the love, that we walk according to His commandment..."

John is not the only one who acknowledged a woman as the leader of a church. What are the names of the others mentioned in the New Testament? Also, what was the name of the woman who was an apostle?

Thank God for the work of the cross! The disciples knew that Christ's finished work would open new doors for women. Peter declared it when he said, "And it shall be in the last days," God says, "that I shall pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even upon my bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit." The word used for “prophesy” is also used for declaring a message, or to preach.

When God called me into ministry in the early '70's, I struggled with the prejudice against women in teaching and preaching roles of the church. I wish I could say that in the last almost 40 years, things have completely changed. Although it is not as prevalent as it was back then, in many circles, that prejudice still remains. But what I have learned is, there are many male leaders in this world who have the heart of John. They have seen God's Spirit poured out on women and embraced the Spirit of Christ on their lives. Thank God for their accepting hearts and the blessing they are to those of us of the female gender who appreciate their love and encouragement. Blessings on your head!!!

November 17-21, Ezekiel 41-48, Esther 1

And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes will live. And there will be very many fish, for the waters go there, and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Ezekiel 47:9

Last week we finished our time with Nehemiah. We saw the Temple completed and the wall around Jerusalem restored. We moved on to sit with the Ephesians and hear the letter read that Paul wrote. He reminded them that the Temple being built in the New Covenant period was not a building made with earthly stones and mortar, but was being erected out of lives that were being built upon the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being the Cornerstone. This week we meet up with Ezekiel again. With the help of the Spirit, we are given a glimpse into the Temple that will be built to house the Messiah during His thousand year reign.

Perhaps some of you will find the vision Ezekiel shared to be a bit confusing. Although it sounds a bit like the words found in Revelation 21, there are some discrepancies that become difficult to understand if we try to fit them together as one. Here are a few questions we need to ask ourselves.

1. If this is a description of the Temple that Christ will reign in for eternity, why is there such detail given to its structure? Revelation tells us that there is no Temple; that the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its Temple.
   
2. Why is the Eastern Gate closed and opened for the coming and going of the Messiah when it tells us in Revelation 21 that the gates are never closed?
3. Why are sacrifices being given?
4. Why is the land divided in the prescribed portions when we are told in Revelation 21 that the city is 1,500 miles square (actually cubed) and the boundaries given won't even exist?

I could list many more questions, but I will leave them for your to ask. So why is there such variance between these two passages? Are they really in conflict with each other? The answer is "NO, they are not in conflict." Ezekiel's vision is the revelation of the Millennial Reign, the 1,000 year reign spoken of in Revelation 20. It is during this 1,000 year earthly kingdom that the Jews will see the total fulfillment of all that was promised them under the Old Covenant. Messiah will truly sit on the throne of David in Zion. The Jews will celebrate with understanding their sacrifices, and know that each one pointed to the Christ whose name is Jesus. Just as we are supposed to eat Passover with the understanding of what Christ did, they will offer their gifts with grateful hearts. It is not that they will believe their righteousness comes through their sacrifices, but will know they represent the One who fulfilled them.

I have heard it preached all my life that there is a short window of time during the seven year tribulation when the Jews will be grafted back in. Paul speaks about their restoration in Romans 11. He tells us that this period will be of such glory, that it will supersede the riches they afforded to mankind when they were cut off. It is my personal belief that this promise is fulfilled, not in a short period within the time of "Jacob's troubles," but in the glorious time of the earthly reign of Christ. Ezekiel is writing to Jews who have been taken captive; exiled from their land because of disobedience. His words restored their hope! All God said to them throughout time will come to pass! We know that these promises were not fulfilled in Christ's first coming, but you can be sure they will happen!!!

RULING WOMEN
On Friday, we have the privilege of being introduced to a Queen. The book of Esther tells us about the beginning of the end of the Jews captivity in the land of Babylon. Don't you find it intriguing that the dethroning of one queen and the establishing of another, becomes the catalysis of the restoration of the Jews? It was women who turned the hearts of kings that got them into the mess they were in, and it would be a godly women God would use to influence their freedom. Solomon was swayed by his foreign wives. Ahab was captivated by Jezebel. We have already seen that those kings who aligned themselves with Ahab and his descendants, brought the demise of the nation. Now we see a woman have such influence on the king that she changes the course of history.

I leave you with a riddle. ("riddle" - a word puzzle that takes thought and ingenuity to solve) I hope you will take time to meditate on it. Personally, I thought it was pretty cool!!! I don't know how I missed it every other time I read through Esther. Here's two questions.

1. What tribe was Esther from?
2. What significance does that have?

Happy meditating!

November 10-14, Nehemiah 12-13, Ephesians 1-6, Ezekiel 40

I pray that the eyes of your heart
may be enlightened ...
Ephesians 1:18

As we come to the end of our time with Nehemiah, we have the opportunity to once again hear from our old friend Paul. Thank God for the days Paul spent in prison! Really! I really do mean it with my whole heart!!! Thank God for the days Paul spent in prison. Paul was a busy man. When he was on his missionary journeys, he hardly ever had a moment to himself. If he wasn't out somewhere in the cities debating the truths of God's Word with the Jewish leaders, you could find him in the city squares confronting the pagans concerning their false gods. And when he was away from the unbelieving population, he was meeting with the church to strengthen them in their faith. About the only place Paul really found time to write was when he was in prison. Have you ever considered that that might be one of the main reasons God confined Paul to prison so often? Sure Paul could have, and often did, say many of the same things to them in person. But without his prison stays, there would be very few written letters for us to glean from today.

While Paul was being held prisoner in Rome, he was compelled to write to the believers in Ephesus. This letter makes its way into the text of many messages. Often have a tendency to focus on chapter four which teaches us about the five equipping gifts God has given to the church. Or we spend time on chapters five and six that deal with family relationship. But as we absorb the many facets of teaching Paul addresses in this power packed letter, we also get a glimpse into Paul's everyday life in prison. It's actually scattered throughout the letter. Let me highlight some of the bullet points.

Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may b filled up to all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

Ephesians 6:19-20 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

From the very beginning of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, to the very end, there is one theme that continues to enfold all others: Pray! Pray!! Pray!!! Obviously, Paul spent much of his day, and probably many of his nights, passing his time in the presence of God, praying for the saints and the spread of the gospel.

Paul not only tells the Ephesians what issues to pray about, he gives them insight into his personal prayers. I would encourage you to slow up when you come to these special messages and make a list of what prayers and petitions were closest to his heart. If we want to see the world we live in change, and to see the gospel have an effect on the people with whom we come into contact, we would do well to learn how to pray. Paul's words in this powerful letter can give us some guidelines to a more affective prayer life. If we truly believe that this Bible is the inspired word of God, then let's embrace its message with excitement.

Once we have gleaned its message, hopefully we will take (MAKE) more time to do it, rather than just study it. I have a tendency to send up those quick prayers throughout the day, but Paul was a man who knew how to get absorbed in prayer. I know this has been a pleasant reminder to me that prayer is not a fast-food counter where we rush up and give our quick orders, expecting it to be filled quickly. There is a vast difference between sitting in a McDonald's drive-thru, and sitting at a king's banquet table. I trust we will take the message of prayer from this letter and let it revitalize us. I know I, for one, am hearing God's gentle rebuke. I have a feeling I'm not alone!

November 3-7, Nehemiah 1-11

And all the people gathered as one man at the square
which was in front of the Water Gate, and the asked Ezra the scribe
to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel.

And he read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. (Nehemiah 8: 1 & 3)

Ever ridden on a donkey? I've been on a horse and a camel, but never a donkey. This week we begin our journey with a midnight donkey ride around the walls of Jerusalem. Our guide is none other than Nehemiah.

Nehemiah's name was not just a tag, it was a description of His life; "The Comfort of Jehovah." The word "comfort" contains two meanings. As we read Nehemiah's account, we quickly see that both definitions can be seen in the events. The Hebrew word itself means to "breathe deeply," as when one would sigh, which results in a change of heart and mind.

When I was a child (and through my teen years), I will never forget the times my dad was displeased with my actions. Once he had expressed his thought (in one fashion or another) there was often a long silence. Finally my dad would take a deep breath and once he did, I knew it was over; my punishment or reprimand was complete. This is the kind of breath that is described in Nehemiah's name. God had spoken in the days of Jeremiah that he would be seventy years before His punishment of Israel's sins would be complete. In the day of Nehemiah, God truly took a deep breath, His anger had been expressed and He was ready to move on to a new chapter with His people.

The second meaning of the name speaks of "comfort." It expresses compassion for the difficulty one has faced and the desire to bring comfort. Nehemiah's life was also an expression of this facet of God's Fatherly heart. Often when a parent has punished a child, there is a heart of compassion that wells up. Although they were the one to have inflicted the pain, they are also the one who will give the hug that says, "I still love you." God did not just feel sorry for His children whom He had disciplined; He comforted them!

What was the heart of Nehemiah's great sadness? Unlike the time of Ezra when the emphasis was on the rebuilding of the Temple, Nehemiah was concerned about the fallen walls and broken down gates of the city. Although the Temple had been restored, the protection of the city was still non-existent; it still lay vulnerable to enemy attacks.

I trust that we as believers are seeing the correlation. There are so many believers today that have submitted themselves to God's reign in their heart, and yet the walls that keep us from the attacks of the enemy, and the watchtowers that give the wisdom to know when we need to shut the gates are completely torn down. As a result, believers are overcome by the very things they know they shouldn't do. There is no barrier to keep them from the attacks of the enemy.

Did you notice where this part of the restoration of Jerusalem's walls began? It began with Nehemiah confessing the sins of the sons of Israel. He embraced the their sin as his own, confessing his sins and the sins of his father's house. Nehemiah could have been content to be the closest servant to the king, the one who tasted his wine and assured his safety, but his desire for the safety of God's dwelling place took first place in his heart.

There is so much we can learn from this righteous man. When the king asked him "What would you request?" Nehemiah didn't hand him his wish list. It says, "So I prayed to the God of heaven." Nehemiah knew he needed God's wisdom and direction to effect change to the magnitude of the problem he faced. Man's authority, not even the king's would make the difference if God was not in it.

Once Nehemiah arrived on the scene, he took a quiet survey of all that needed to be done, no matter how discouraging it was!!! Some of the places he visited on that informative night were impossible to cross. But Nehemiah was determined that God's ability to bring success was greater than the ruin that stood in his way.

In spite of opposition, separation, and exhaustion, the walls began to be built. A sword in one hand and a hammer in the other, and with man doing his part, the walls began to be put into place. Whether they were building or fighting, there was a constant awareness that they needed each other! Walls were connected to gates, gates were overseen by watchtowers. Gates were named for what they let in or let out. There are so many facets of truths we could look at if we decided to take our time to fully investigate the wall and gates!!!

One of my favorite portions in Nehemiah comes on Thursday as we stand in the city square by the Water Gate. The Water Gate was named after its location near the Gihon Spring. This was the spring where Hezekiah dug the tunnel so that the people would continue to have water when the city was under siege. It was also the gate that the water was brought into the Temple during the Feast of Booths (Succoth), also known as the Feast of the Drawing of Water. It was at this time of year that the wall was completed, and so the choice of the Water Gate for the reading of the Law held even more significance. The washing of water with the Word marked God's restoration of His people as they stood for hours with a hunger to hear what God required of them. Is it any wonder that Jesus said, "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." The children of Israel had been without water for 70 years. They were finally thirty enough to desire long drinks of God's water. A sip just wouldn't do!!!

We end our week with the leaders, priests and people signing an agreement to keep God's Word and His ways. It was an open display of commitment and accountability. May we, also, stand in the square, drink the water, and sign on the dotted line!