Tag: Persia

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

A Fairy Tale Ending

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From the pages of, For Such a Time as This, by Love God Greatly

Read: Esther 9:23-10:3/SOAP: 10:3

 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. He worked enthusiastically for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of all his descendants.

Esther 10:3

The Book of Esther is far from a fairy tale, but boy, does it read and end like one. Esther, a Jewish maiden, through a series of events that led to the previous queen being ousted, becomes Queen of Persia. She not only became the queen, but God used Esther, “for such a time as this,” to rescue her people from a murderous plot to annihilate them. I have thoroughly enjoyed retracing the details of this story, bit by bit, and have been blessed by the example of Esther’s faith and commitment to God in action. I hope you have too.

I pray you’ve enjoy our time with Esther and Mordecai and seeing the fingerprints of God’s sovereignty in and for the lives of His beloved people. If you have enjoyed it, I invite you to leave a comment. Today’s LGG Journal entry is a wonderful closure for this sessions journey – You won’t want to miss it.

The More We Know

Want to know even more about Esther? Check out this wonder summary by Gotquestions.org

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Waiting is Difficult

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Based on the Love God Greatly Study, From Broken to Restored

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Ezra 1:1-4, 7:1-10; 2 Peter 3:8-13 / SOAP: 2 Peter 3:9-10

 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:9-10

Part of the back story of our study is that God allowed Jerusalem to be taken captive by Babylon because of their idolatry and disobedience. During this time many people were killed, the temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem was laid to waist. It’s easy to consider this ancient history of God’s people not relevant to us today but it is – not just concerning the history of God’s people but concerning the promises and faithfulness of our God. Commentators for gotquestions.org describe it as something that Christians should be familiar with, saying:

The seventy-year period of the Babylonian captivity is an important part of Israel’s history, and Christians should be familiar with it. Like many other Old Testament events, this historical account demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His people, His judgment of sin, and the surety of His promises.

gotquestions.org

In their devotional on today’s passages the LGG team wrote the following:

The Babylonians captured Jerusalem and took the people into exile by transporting them to Babylon, where they remained for seventy years. -Nehemiah was living in Persia, not having returned to Jerusalem like many others. However, God used Nehemiah and his connections to the king of Persia to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and to turn the hearts of the people of Judah back to Him.

From Broken to Restored / week1day1

Are you waiting on something? Whether it is God’s promised return or a job, marriage, a house, a child or perhaps God’s healing hand on you or someone you know – waiting is difficult. Seventy years must have seemed like forever for the Israelites, and whatever your wait is may seem like forever – but we must remember, God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to His purpose Whether it is the redemption of His people or the strengthening of their faith – God is not waisting the time.

Father God, thank You that You do not waste time – instead You use it for good … Your good, Your glory, the good of Your people, and to accomplish Your good and holy purpose. Thank You for the hope that is ours while we wait on You God, for we see and know the truth of Your promises and the depth of Your faithfulness! In Him we pray

Going Further

What was the Babylonian captivity/exile?