Esther 3 - Mind Set vs. Mood

Bible study: The Book of Esther

This week we met Haman... Horrible Haman who's filled with hatred.

Chapter 2 closes with Mordecai saving the king's life and the king forgetting to reward him, and chapter 3 starts off with Haman being promoted instead. What a blow that must have been to Esther and Mordecai. But even with that event, we don't see Mordecai bad mouthing Haman.

While everyone else is bowing in homage to Haman, Mordecai alone refuses to bow. This wasn't just a whim. This was a well thought out thing he did. And it wasn't just a one time event. This went on day after day—enough that others in the king's gate questioned him about it. Since he's the only one standing, it's safe to guess that he didn't try to persuade others to his thinking. He simply did what he felt he had to. “Mordecai's made-up mind was stronger than his mood.” He was operating off his mind-set, not his mood, and because of it he stood strong even though he was alone.

What a good lesson for us! When we operate off our mood, we do not live consistently, but when our mind is set and we live according to that, we can stand strong.

When Haman was told about Mordecai he was “filled with rage.” Now Haman was a cunning man and rather than just go after Mordecai, he devised a plan for all the Jews. Persians were very superstitious people, so he cast lots for the “lucky day” to annihilate the Jews, and the lot fell to a date eleven months away.
Because Satan has a limited leash where believers are concerned, his most powerful tactics are psychological. Though he can't possess our minds, he profoundly and destructively influences our thoughts. ~Beth Moore
So, Hamam sidles up to King Xerxes, takes a truth and uses it to manipulate the king. To sweeten the deal, Haman bribes him, knowing the king's coffers had taken a hit when the Greeks defeated him twice. And just look at the king's response! He swallows Haman's lies whole—without even checking the validity of what he'd been told! But not just that, the king hands over his signet ring. He gave Haman a signed, blank check and said, “Whatever you want.”

And what did Haman want? To destroy, kill and annihilate the Jews.
Sounds like someone else we're all far too familiar with. What does Jesus say about Satan in John 10:10? That he wants to steal, kill, and destroy.

The edict was sent out and did you see when they received it? Passover! (Leviticus 23:4-5) So right after hearing the edict they were reminded of how God who they were and how God had delivered them. Hope against hope for them!
Sometimes God uses the winds of a new threat to blow the dust off a past miracle that has moved from our active file into the archives. ~Beth Moore

This week we do Week 4: If You Remain Silent.
If you have the audios or the videos of this study, listen to or watch Session 3: The Human Dilemma of Destiny. If you don't have them, you can download this week's audio here for $3.99 and the video here for $4.99. These are optional. If you do not have the audio or the video, you can find the Viewer Guide answers here. This week's viewer guide is on pages 80 & 81 in the workbook.

Since Esther 4 is the pivotal point in both Esther's life and in the book of Esther, we're spending two weeks on it.As you study this week, be on the look out for this week's scenario:
It's tough being a woman thrown a giant-sized weight.

God will often use something huge to pivot us, something that's critical to the path He wants us on. Many times we're stuck in a rut on our path and God uses crisis to get us pointed a different direction. If you look at the people God used in Biblical times, He often called them at THE worse time possible for them, and they felt it was an unreasonable request.

Not only that, but in this chapter Mordecai tells Esther to go to the king and tell him who she really is—a Jew. There needs to be transparency in our lives. If we aren't transparent with others, we loose our testimony. How can they know how God has worked in our lives, if we aren't willing to open up and tell people the truth about us?
The revelation of a person's destiny always demands a revelation of the person. Consider the wording “if you remain silent at this time.” The Hebrew word translated silent in this verse can also be translated concealed. ~Beth Moore.
This is a tough one for many of us. There are things we just want to put behind us and forget, but God wants to use them. After all, He put those very things in our lives for a purpose.
And who knows whether it may be for such a time as this?

3 comments:

  1. That's so good-operating off a Godly mind set instead of a mood. Mordecai and Esther are great examples. I need to remember this, too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooooh - I never KNEW the edict was sent down on Passover. Even more foreshadowing and God's presence than I thought!

    LOVE this book. And you're doing a great job presenting it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I didn't realize the edict was sent down on passover either--interesting!

    Being transparent or being my authentic self is a battle for me in specific areas. I pray God blesses me in this area. Knowing what others intended for harm He will use for good.

    Thank Patty, great job!! Lots to think about between now and next week!!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for stopping by! I love hearing from you.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin

  © Blogger template Simple n' Sweet by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009. Design expanded and personalized by PattyWysong.com 2011.

Back to TOP