Sunday Morning

Welcome to my journey through the Bible 2 Books at a time has been my Goal for 2020. With an explanation of the book and some bible journaling. Today a strong Women of God in Esther and a Great Servant of God : Job/

Book of Esther :

The theme of the book of Esther is God’s protection of Israel. Although God is actually not mentioned in the book, He clearly saves His people from the scheme of Haman. Throughout history, the Jewish people have been treated unjustly, and the story of Esther tells of one of those occurrences.

Esther, the beautiful Jewish wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), and her cousin Mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of Jews throughout the empire. The massacre had been plotted by the king’s chief minister, Haman, and the date decided by casting lots (purim).

The wise Mordecai encourages Esther to bravely risk her life by pleading the case of the Jews before King Xerxes, saying, “…if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

Mordecai is certain that relief will come to the Jews, sooner or later. But the fate of Esther and her family depends on the free decision she has to make. And it may be, he says, that God has raised Esther up in these circumstance to be the means by which he brings relief to the Jewish people. Yet, even God’s plans, to some degree, hang upon the “if” of personal decisions.

In May look for my Women of the Bible special post … Lisa

Book of Job:

Job is an investigation of the problem of divine justice. … The book begins with the frame narrative, giving the reader an omniscient “God’s eye perspective” which introduces Job as a man of exemplary faith and piety, “blameless and upright”, who “fears God” and “shuns evil”.

The book of Job serves many purposes. It is designed to: broaden our understanding of the subject of suffering, teaching us to know that even the righteous still may have to suffer; thus showing that good and bad happen to saints and sinners.

Job had long understood that we are born into this world with nothing, and that when we die, we leave this world equally empty-handed. He was naked when his mother brought him into the world, through much pain and travail, and at his departing he would similarly be naked – for from dust we are made and to dust we shall all return.