Truth Magazine

By Sewell Hall

If the time and energy expanded by the apostle Paul in his first century journeys were expended today using modem transportation, the result would be an incredible criss-crossing of the earth’s surface. Those journeys were not made “holding meetings” for existing churches; they were made establishing churches.

“From Jerusalem,” he writes, “and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man’s foundation; but as it is written, ‘They who had no news of Him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand. . . (Rom. 15:19-21).

Surely no one of us would wish to compare zeal with Paul. Hear him again: “Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as if insane) I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure” (2 Cor. 11:23-27).

How can we account for such zeal? We do not have to seek an answer. He himself has provided it for us in 2 Corinthians 4:13. “But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke,’ we also believed, therefore also we speak.” In this same chapter we learn some of the things which he believed which drove him to speak so untiringly.

Paul Believed in God

He believed in God as Creator (v. 6). His reference to “God who commanded light to shine out of darkness” implies acceptance of the entire creation account. In addition, he believed that the Creator God has revealed Himself to man. In the previous chapter he spoke of God’s revelation to Moses and noted that when Moses beheld God’s glory, his face shone uncontrollably. In this chapter, Paul tells of God shining in his heart “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.” Paul found the radiation from this encounter equally uncontrollable. He wrote in I Corinthians 9:16, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”

Paul Believed in Jesus Christ

He believed in Jesus Christ as the image of God (v. 4). The knowledge of the glory of God which so compelled him to preach was perceived “in the face of Jesus Christ” (v. 6).

Paul believed in Jesus Christ as Lord (v. 5). This obligated him to unconditional obedience to every expression of Christ’s will, including His words to Paul on the road to Damascus: “For this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you” (Acts 26:16, 17).

This conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord dominated Paul’s preaching. All of us tend to talk most of those things which loom largest in our hearts. In too many of us, Self assumes that magnitude. Even in our preaching we boast of our achievements; we labor to impress our audiences with our knowledge, our fluency or our piety; we drop names and use illustrations designed to impress them with our importance; we seek by our preaching to gain a personal following. With Paul it was different. His faith provided him with a view of the magnificence of Jesus so awesome that it completely eclipsed the proud self-image of which he had boasted as a Pharisee (see Phil. 3:3-15). Consequently, he writes: “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (v. 5, ASV).

As our growing faith magnifies the image of Jesus in our hearts, it will in the same proportion diminish our sense of self-importance and our desire to occupy the limelight as we preach. As we come to have the faith of Paul, we will be of Paul’s faith, we can say with him, “We are afflicted in willing with Paul to “carry about in the body the dying of every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifest in our persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not body” (v. 10). destroyed” (vv. 8-9).

Paul Believed In the Gospel

Paul believed in the facts of the gospel; he makes reference in this chapter, both to the death and resurrection of Jesus (vv. 10, 14). Furthermore, he believed in the absolute sufficiency of the gospel to accomplish God’s purpose among men. Consequently, his full energies were expended in preaching “Christ Jesus as Lord.” He denounced all efforts to manipulate men by craftiness or deceitful handling of God’s word and disdained cheap appeals to emotion or intellectual pride. He chose, rather, to commend himself to every man’s conscience through manifestation of the truth (v. 2).

In Paul’s day, as in our own, faith in the power of the gospel was severely tested by the fact that so many seemed completely insensible to its appeal. Paul was unmoved by this fact. He realized that the fault was not in the seed but in the soil. Those who rejected the gospel did so, not because it was defective as a light, but because they had allowed Satan to blind their eyes “that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (v. 4). Such men are perishing (v. 3) and until they open their eyes, they cannot be saved regardless of what schemes men may invent or what skills they may employ.

Such faith in the gospel gives courage despite one’s awareness of his own limitations. God intentionally placed this treasure in “earthen vessels that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves” (v. 7).

Such faith also sustains us in preaching the gospel despite discouragements. When our faith grows to the level of Paul’s faith, we can say with him, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed” (vv. 8-9).

Paul Believed In the Priority of the Inner Man

The weakening of Paul’s body and the afflictions to which it -was subjected were of little concern to him. His inner man was being renewed day by day – that was what counted (v. 16). If this was his concern for himself, is it any wonder that his greatest concern for his fellowmen was for their souls. Men of little faith may be moved to great sacrifices by an awareness of physical suffering in their fellowmen. Atheists may give liberally of energy, talent, and money, even sacrificing their own security to relieve starvation or diseases of the body. But it takes great faith in the existence and immortality of the unseen soul to be willing to make such sacrifices to take the bread of life and the balm of the Great Physician to those who are lost.

Which concerns us most: that a great city is destroyed by an earthquake or that the same city is lost in sin without a single voice to call them to repentance? About which would we be most anxious: about a child lost in the woods without food or about a child growing up in a wicked world without the knowledge of God? For which would we be most willing to see the church borrow money: to support a gospel preacher in some needy field or to repair the air conditioner in our meeting house? These questions provide a logical measure of our faith.

Paul believed In Eternal Rewards

Paul sometime received support as he preached the gospel (Phil. 4:15-17) but Paul did not preach for money (2 Cor. 12:14). Financially, his preaching venture was a disaster. From what must have been a wealthy position of a judge of Israel he descended to the point of having to Idget along with humble means” and even of “suffering need” (Phil. 4:12). Yet, having put his hand to the plow, he never looked back. The rewards he sought were not those that can be seen with the physical eye but those that are perceived by faith. The “eternal weight of glory” of which his faith assured him, made his afflictions seem momentary and light by comparison (vv. 17-18).

It is inconceivable that Paul would ever have “quit preaching” because the brethren were not paying him enough, because the house they provided was not adequate, or because he felt financially insecure as he came closer to the age of retirement. On occasions he made tents so he could preach; never did he “quit preaching” so he could make tents. Had he done so, could he possibly have written as he faced a Roman executioner: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7)?

For too long we have limited our discussion of the “obedience of faith” to the act of baptism. Doubtless, this is the point at which faith saves us from past sins; but a faith that grows and is perfected as it should be will produce in us an evangelistic zeal. When the “same spirit of faith” which was in Paul exists in us, we can say with him: “We also believe, therefore also we speak” (2 Cor. 4:13).

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 17, pp. 533-534
September 1, 1983

By Weldon E. Warnock

A gardener asked a piece of fragrant clay in his garden, “How come you have such sweet aroma?” Answered the clay, “Because they placed me near a rose.”

Constant association with the Rose of Sharon transformed John from a quick-tempered youth to a man of gentleness. His ambitions decreased. His intolerance subsided. Under the training of Jesus, the fiery youth became a warm-hearted man.(1)

John’s Early Life

During the personal ministry of Jesus, John is pictured as a selfish, over-ambitious, hotheaded, intolerant sort of person. His early character is depicted in Luke 9:46-56. We observe three things:

1. His selfish ambition. Verse 46 states, “Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be the greatest.” Although the account describes the apostles in general, such attitude toward greatness was especially true of John and his brother James. Later, James and John ask Jesus, “Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory” (Mk. 10:37).

Matthew records (20:20-24) that James and John even involve their mother in their conspiracy to occupy the top positions in the coming kingdom. They envisioned (erroneously, of course) an earthly kingdom with positions of authority and they selfishly sought the number one places. They did not think of their qualifications or sharing with others, but just their own self-interests. This spirit still abides with us today in the church of our Lord.

2. His intolerance. John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us” (9:49; Mk. 9:38-40). John evidently thought that no others than the chosen twelve should be so honored in having the power to cast out devils. John’s jealousy shows through, as his priority, he thought, was being challenged.

This man was not unknown to Jesus as Jesus must have endowed him at sometime with the power to cast out demons, just as He later empowered the seventy disciples to cast out devils (Lk. 10: 17). All of the disciples of Jesus, including Jesus Himself, were out preaching the kingdom was at hand and working miracles to confirm their proclamations.

3. His quick temper. When the Samaritans would not provide accommodations for Jesus when he was passing through Samaria from Galilee to Jerusalem, James and John reacted, “Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did” (9:54). Jesus, rebuking them, said, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (vv. 55-56).

John’s hair-trigger temper exploded. He wanted to show who is “boss.” He had not yet learned that trading insult for insult will do no good. They had already forgotten Jesus’ words, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). John had to learn that, to be a carrier of the gospel of Christ, he had to have a different spirit. How well he learned this lesson.

John’s Transformation

The Gospels paint John as angry, ambitious and intolerant, while John’s epistles picture him as the epitome of love. John had been transformed by the loving Christ and changed from the son of thunder (Mk. 3:17) to the apostle of love.

The metamorphosis of John was slow. The volcanic, eruptive drives did not change over night into the tender, warm-hearted personality. It took time for him to cultivate the nature of Jesus. He had to do a lot of looking at the Perfect One. As Paul said, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18).

“John’s change of disposition is an encouragement to us. Ornery, selfish, whining youths need not grow up into ornery, selfish, whining adults. Through, the laws. of spiritual growth, green bitter fruit can ripen into something luscious and lovely.”(2)

James Iverach says succinctly of John, “So that vehemence of disposition was held in check, and, while still in existence, was under control, and allowed to have vent only on occasions when it was permissible, and even necessary. So in his writings, and in the reflections of the Gospel, we note the vehemence displayed, but now directed only against those who refused to believe in, and to acknowledge Jesus . . . . But love itself has its side of vehemence, and the intensity of love toward a person or a cause may be measured by the intensity of aversion and of hatred toward their contradictories.”(3)

Love does not mean, therefore, timidity, compromise and softness, but a temperament that is under the control of Christ, always manifesting His spirit toward God the Father on the one hand and Satan and his evil forces on the other.

John’s Display of Love

There are three areas wherein we see John’s love displayed or shown. They are:

1. His love for God and the Lord Jesus Christ. After Jesus’ betrayal, it was John who followed Jesus into the courtyard (Jn. 18:15-16) and entered into the courtroom of the high priest’s palace, while Peter was denying that he was a disciple of Jesus.

The only apostle that is spoken of as being present at the crucifixion of Jesus is John. Jesus looked down at him and said, “Behold thy mother,” and “from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (Jn. 19:27). After Jesus’ resurrection, John was the first apostle to the empty tomb, outrunning Peter (Jn. 20:4).

Later, after the church was established, when John and Peter were threatened by the Jewish officials to not speak or teach in the name of Jesus, both retorted, “Whether it be right. to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).

When many of the Samaritans were converted to Christ, it was John and Peter who went down to Samaria to impart the Holy Spirit unto them (Acts 8:14-25), preaching the gospel about Jesus and His love in Samaria and many villages on their return to Jerusalem. The people he once sought to destroy, he is now seeking to save.

John served the Lord faithfully until he left this world for that eternal home, compelled and constrained by love for his Master. Out of the depth of his heart the aged apostle could say, “We loved him, because he first love us” (1 Jn. 4:19).

2. His love for brethren. Over and over in his first epistle, John writes about love of the brethren. He states, (a) The message they had heard from the beginning was to love one another (3:11). (b) Love of the brethren was an assurance of having passed from death to life (3:14). (c) Love was to be shown by action and not just by word of mouth (3:18; cf. Jas. 1:26-27). (e) We are to love each other because God is love and God first loved us (4:7, 8, 11). (f) Love for our brethren shows that God dwells in us (4:12, 16). (g) Love will give us boldness in the day of judgment (4:17). He affectionately calls his brethren “little children” and “beloved.”

Those to whom John wrote, especially in his first letter, were troubled with the evil influence of the Gnostic philosophy. Among other evils, the Gnostics had contempt and hatred for their brethren because they considered them unlearned, common and inferior. The “intellects” were those who had embraced Gnostic beliefs and thought of themselves as more knowledgeable and more sophisticated than those who held to the incarnation of Jesus. How wrong they were!

In this connection William Barclay gleans from John’s first epistle the following comments: “The original of Christianity is that we should love one another (3:11). Belief in Christ and love of man must go hand in hand (3:23). Anyone who does not love is spiritually dead and who hates his brother is in effect a murderer (3:14-15). The man who hates his brother, whatever claims he may make, is still in darkness. (2:9-11). The man who claims to love and who at the same time hates his brother is a liar (4:20). To the Gnostics contempt for and hatred of the common man were part and parcel of religion; to John they were the complete negation of Christianity.”(4)

3. His love for the truth. I like what Leslie B. Flynn said about John: “Though John epitomized love, it was love with backbone. True love can be tough, warding off all that would injure the object of its affection. Just as a loving father would -protect his toddling youngster against a vicious dog, so John warned against popular false teaching aimed right at the vitals of his “little children.”

“He did not hesitate to call those whose walk contradicted their talk liars (1 John 1:6; 2:4). He forbade believers to welcome into their homes, or endorse in any way, those who held false views of Christ (2 John 10). He exposed Diotrophes for his dictatorial assumptions and malicious words (3 John 9- 10). John didn’t lose his tendency to thunder, but his denunciation was restrained with humility and charity.”(5)

Indeed, John loved the truth! He rejoiced greatly to hear of the elect lady’s children walking in truth (2 Jn. 4). He was elated that Gaius was walking in truth and that he had no greater joy than to hear that his children walked in truth (3 John 3-4). John hated darkness but loved the light of God’s word.

John affirmed that the love of God is perfected by keeping God’s word, and through the word, we know God (1 Jn. 2:3-5). He knew that no lie (false doctrine) is of the truth (1 Jn. 2:21), and those who abide not in truth hath not God (2 Jn. 9). To John, love meant to walk after the commandments of God (2 Jn. 6).

In the eyes of this great man, things were black and white, good and evil. There were few shades of gray in his perspective. Everyone was either for or against the Lord; either a child of the devil or a child of God; either a child of light or a child of darkness. He never vacillated on truth or made excuses for false teachers, or courted their favor. How the church needs more men like this today.

Conclusion

Yes, John was a man of love. But this was only developed after months of pounding, hammering and shaping on the anvils of God, and months of molding by the patient Savior and Friend of man. John is finally shaped into a character of love, departing this world after a century of having served God with all his heart, soul and mind.

John’s change began taking place when he met the Messiah. It will come for us when we open our hearts and let Jesus come in.

Endnotes

1. Leslie B. Flynn, The Twelve, p. 62.

2. Ibid., p. 63

3. John Iverach, I.S.B.E., Vol. 3, p. 1708

4. Williarn Barclay, Many Witnesses, One Lord, p. 82.

5. Leslie B. Flynn, op. cit., p. 66.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 17, pp. 531-532
September 1, 1983

By Betty Warnock

“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). No doubt these words of commendation to Mary were thrilling to her heart, but they probably brought a sting of remorse to Martha’s ears.

This declaration by Jesus came at the close of a conversation that occurred as he visited his dear friends, Mary and Martha who shared their home with their brother, Lazarus, at Bethany. We know that Jesus was a frequent visitor and counted these three among his closest friends.

In this article we will notice how Jesus taught a lesson on choosing priorities as he visited with these two sisters.

Contrast of Sisters

As the events of the visit unfold, we see the sisters contrasted in these ways. First of all, we see Mary at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:39). This posture which she assumes shows a respect for her Lord and her teacher. We see in her an intense desire and hunger for spiritual words and she certainly knew that this teacher presented before her a feast, a blessed opportunity that she could not ignore. At this time, she seemed oblivious to other activities around her and concentrated on the words that Jesus was speaking.

However, we see Martha, who certainly loved the Lord also, “cumbered” or burdened with the preparations that she felt a good hostess should make. There were two banquets being offered in Bethany that day. Mary was enjoying the Bread of Life (John 6:51) which would never be taken from her and Martha was preparing a physical banquet, thereby missing the spiritual feast.

Martha speaks almost as a rebuke and entreats the Lord to have Mary come and help her. But Jesus chides, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things” (Luke 10:41). He does not rebuke her for being a good hostess and for being hospitable, but for the fact that she had allowed these cares to overshadow the opportunities to enrich her own spiritual life. In other words she had gotten her priorities confused.

Where Are Our Priorities?

It is so easy in today’s society to let our priorities get out of order and to let the “good part” to which Jesus referred, become obscured. It is difficult not to allow the cares of the world become the weeds that choke out the beautiful flowers in our garden of life.

Sometimes there seems to be so many cares (everyday household tasks, care of our families, etc.), that there is but a little time left for nourishing our souls on the word of God. It is so important that women not only supply the physical needs of their families (if they are married) but also nourish the spiritual needs of ourselves and those for whom we care. Single women who are seeking and molding careers need to remember their Lord and not become so intent on becoming successful that they forget spiritual responsibilities.

We see women today who have little time for prayer, for Bible study, much less for teaching a class, for taking a meal to a family, for washing the dishes or clothes for a sick mother, for attending gospel meetings, for preparing a meal for the visiting preacher, or for a needed visit to the nursing home.

Has Materialism Possessed Us?

Many are so caught up in materialism that they concentrate all their efforts on furnishing an expensive and elaborate house with the latest “House Beautiful” designs that they have little concern and time for God’s house, the church. Others are forever seeking designer clothes with the proper labels and they spend so much on clothes and jewelry for the outward man while failing to adorn the inward man. We need to take to heart I Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. kingdom first in everything we do (Matt. 6:19-34).

We have so much and are so spoiled with all the luxuries and conveniences, that we really do not appreciate what we have, nor what it means to sacrifice. Often we hear preacher’s wives complain because their husbands are away holding meetings and preaching the gospel. Shame! Wives of pioneer preachers tended the farms, reared the children and sacrificed much because they believed that preaching the gospel was the most important work in the world. They chose the “good part.”

In many of today’s congregations it is almost impossible to have a ladies’ Bible class during the week because so many of the woman work outside the home. Sometimes it is proper, yea, even necessary for a woman to work outside the home, but it is sad when such is not necessary and husbands are neglected, little children are left with babysitters when they need their mothers and the house is left in disarray. All of this is done for the luxuries and excesses of life.

By our materialistic attitude and example we teach our children that money, property, tangible things, regardless of what we say to the contrary, make the world go around. Francis D. Breisch wrote, “You name it and we have it -split-level houses, automobiles, televisions, washers, dryers, dishwashers, boats, motorcycles, etc., etc., etc. Hordes of children grow up in three and four-bedroom homes, with 2V2 baths, three telephones, two televisions (at least one a color set), two or three cars, and a confidence that they will not only graduate from high school but go on to college and even get an advanced degree.

Ahead of them lie executive positions in the everexpanding economy, more money than their parents had, bigger homes, more cars, and so on ad nauseum” (Facing Today’s Problems, p. 125). Yes, materialism is causing many to lose sight of the “good part, which shall not be taken away.”

Pressures All Around Us

Women today who are Christians, whether we be single, wives, mothers, young, middleage, or elderly, can make application in our lives as we read the short story of Jesus’ visit to the home of Mary and Martha.

It seems that now, more than at any other time, we are pressured from all sides to mold our lives, not according to the word of God, but according to the Madison Avenue “Bible.” We fall prey to the propaganda of the ERA, we become afflicted with the disease of materialism and we become the target of constant bombardment of the fashion world. We are urged to never look older than twenty-five and often we are proded to wear that which is unbecoming, immodest and unpleasing to God, if we want to be in style. “Calvin Klein” and “Izod” logos become our symbols of prestige. May we not be intimidated, but have the courage and faith to do that which is right, putting Christ and His kingdom first in everything we do (Matt. 6:19-34).

Some Worthy Observations

Albert Barnes wrote in summary of this narrative the following: “(1) That the cares of this life are dangerous, even when they seem to be most lawful and commendable. Nothing of a worldly nature could have been more proper than to provide for the Lord Jesus and supply His wants. Yet even for this, because it too much engrossed her mind, the Lord Jesus gently reproved Martha. (2) It is of more importance to attend to the instructions of the Lord Jesus than to be engaged in the affairs of the world. The one will abide for ever; the other will be but for a little time. (3) There are times when it is proper to suspend worldly employments, and to attend to the affairs of the soul. (4) If attention to religion be omitted at the proper time, it will always be omitted. (5) Piety is the chief thing needed. Other things will perish. We shall soon die. All that we can gain we must leave. But the soul will live. There is a judgment-seat; there is a heaven; there is a hell; and all that is needful to prepare us to die, and to make us happy for ever, is to be a friend of Jesus, and to listen to His teaching. (6) Piety is the chief ornament in a female. It sweetens every other virtue; adorns every other grace; gives new loveliness to the tenderness, mildness, and grace of the female character. Nothing is more lovely than a female sitting at the feet of the meek and lowly Jesus, like Mary; nothing more unlovely than entire absorption in the affairs of the world, like Martha” (Barnes on the New Testament, Luke-John, pp. 71-72). These things deserve our utmost consideration.

In conclusion, as we strive to make heaven our home, be sure that we choose the one thing that is needful, the word of God, and set our affections on things above and not on things on the earth (Col. 3:2).

May the Lord help us to be more like Mary.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 17, pp. 529-530
September 1, 1983

By Verna McKee

During the seventy year period of Babylonian captivity, under the rule of King Ahasuerus (commonly thought to be King Xerxes), the Lord has seen fit to leave us a bit of history to give us courage in times of distress. On the seventh day of a heathen orgy, Ahasuerus so forgot himself as to send for his queen Vashti to make an appearance before the king’s drunken guests. Vashti refused to come and angered the king. The princes who witnessed the refusal, fearing lest her example would be followed by their women, recommended that Vashti be put away and another queen found to take her place.

A Humble Virgin

The king sent his officers to all the provinces of the kingdom to gather fair young virgins. They were brought to Shushan the palace and placed in the care of Hegai the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women, and given all the rites of purification. Living near the palace was a Jew named Mordecai who had in his care the daughter of his uncle. Her name in the Persian language was Esther. This girl entered no beauty contests. She never pushed herself forward to seek the crown of Vashti. She was found, however, and taken with the other young virgins to Sushan. They were all given special privileges and allowed all they demanded – but Esther only asked for what Hegai thought she should have. In this way she won, not only his favor, but that of all who looked upon her.

An Obedient Daughter

Although Esther was an orphan, she was reared by Mordecai as a daughter and honored him as a father. When she was one of those chosen, Mordecai told her not to show her people and kindred; she told no one that she was a Jewess. Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women to know of the fate of Esther. As each virgin spent the night with the king after her twelve month purification, she was sent on to the second house of the women to be a part of the harem only called to the king by name if he ever wanted her again. After Esther’s night of testing, King Ahasuerus loved her above all women, set the royal crown upon her head in place of Vashti, and made a royal feast to praise her before all the kingdom. Yet Esther obeyed Mordecai and did as he charged; she didn’t tell who her people were.

A Faithful Wife

In Mordecai’s sitting in the king’s gate, he learned of treachery against the king by two of his chamberlains. When Esther was told of this by Mordecai, she gave the information to the proper authorities who had the matter proved and the guilty men hanged. Esther had Mordecai’s name given credit for saving the life of her husband and the record was made in the book of the chronicles of the king.

A man called Haman had been given a high rank in the kingdom by Ahasuerus. He became a bitter enemy to Mordecai. Mordecai was a Jew and he refused to bow and reverence Haman as he passed as the other king’s servants did. In Haman’s pride he determined to wipe out all of Mordecai’s nationality. By misrepresenting the Jews and offering to pay ten thousand talents of silver for the carrying out of the decree, Haman influenced the king to sign and mark with his ring a seal, dooming all Jews to death.

A Brave Queen

When word of Haman’s decree went throughout Shushan, there was fear, tears, fasting and wailing in sackcloth and ashes among the Jews, including Mordecai. Esther tried to encourage Mordecai but he knew too well the end for the Jews unless something could be done. He sent Esther a copy of the decree by the king’s chamberlain appointed to wait on Esther, and charged her to go to the king to plead for her people. The law of the kingdom decreed death to any who,went before him without invitation if the king’s scepter was not held out, that he might live. Mordecai’s message to Esther is one of the most quoted Old Testament passages as he warned her that being Queen would not save her if all Jews were killed. “For if thou altogether hold thy peace at this time, then there shall relief arise to the Jews from another’s 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 sent word to Mordecai that she would go in to the king even if she perished for it but she wanted all the Jews in Shushan to join with her and her maidens in three days of fasting to precede her effort.

A Clever Hostess

After her favorable reception by the king and his offering her any request even to the half of his kingdom, all that Esther requested was that the king and Haman be her guests that night at a banquet she would prepare. Her request at the first banquet was that they join her at a second banquet the next day. Haman was so elated that he rushed home to tell his family how honored he had been. Even this was spoiled by passing Mordecai who still refused to give him honor. At that, even knowing Mordecai would perish with the other Jews was not enough; he erected a gallows on which to hang this enemy to his pride and pleasure with himself.

That very night, unable to sleep, the king called for the book of the records of the chronicles of the king to be read to him. For the first time, the king learned of Mordecai’s part in saving his life. The next day Ahasuerus turned to Haman for advice about the best way to honor a man the king delighted to honor. With the’exalted opinion Haman had of himself, he could think of no one else to whom the king would refer. He outlined what he would want: putting on the king’s royal apparel, wearing the king’s crown, riding the king’s horse, led by one of the king’s most noble princes through the street of the city proclaiming, “Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delights to honor.” Immediately the king told Haman to make the arrangements and to honor Mordecai in this way for saving his life. Haman obeyed but went home mourning.

At the second banquet Esther had for the king and Haman, she asked for her life and the life of her people. The king was so angry when he learned that his trusted Haman had endangered his beloved Esther and her people that he went in wrath to the palace garden. In Hamqn’s fear at the evil determined against him by the king, his nerve broke and he pled with the queen for his life. Just as the king returned to the banquet hall, Haman fell upon the bed where Esther was. When the king thought Haman was trying to force the queen, Haman’s doom was sealed. When told of the gallows Haman had prepared for Mordecai, the king had Haman hanged there.

An Honored Jewess

King Ahasuerus gave to Esther all that Haman owned. He told Esther and Mordecai the Jew~to write a device and seal it with his ring for the relief of Esther’s people. According to the law, Haman’s writing to destroy the Jews could not be reversed because it was sealed with the king’s ring. However, word was sent throughout the land, wherever Haman’s laws had gone, giving the Jews the right to gather together in every city, to stand for their life, to destroy, the slay, and to cause, to perish all who would work to destroy them and the Jews were to take spoil of all who would try to make them prey.

Mordecai was given honor and dressed as a prince to sit in Shushan the palace and his fame went throughout the land. The Jews overcame Haman’s followers, not only in far places but in Shushan itself and Haman’s ten sons were hanged upon the gallows.

Esther the queen and Mordecai the Jew proclaimed a new feast to commemorate the rest that they had from their enemies. Each year the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar were to be celebrated with gladness and feasting and sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor.

These days were to be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, every city. These are called the days of Purim and given so that the Jews would never forget the deliverance obtained for them by Mordecai the Jew and his niece, Queen Esther, wife of Ahasuerus.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 17, pp. 528-529
September 1, 1983