In Session One of our study, Beth introduced two key players in the drama of Esther, aka Hadasseh, with the reminder that "first mentions" are important . . . they are about information to be remembered . . . information that colors the view of the unfolding story.
Some of the first mentions in our study passage, Esther 2:1-7, pertained to Mordecai - he was a Jew . . . he was an exile, and he found himself quite suddenly parenting his cousin – Hadasseh . . . a girl!
First mentions pertaining to Hadasseh (Hebrew for fragrance) – she was also Jewish . . . suddenly under the guardianship of her male cousin . . . and she was very lovely.
I don't know about you but I love how Beth brings history into her studies. We learned that :
- historically, the Jews who had been taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar and who eventually ended up living in Susa were not the poor Jews of the nation of Israel
- even though these Jews were living in exile – away from their home land - they were not stuck there . . . they remained in exile out of choice
- these Jews were not necessarily observant Jews . . . quite the contrary, they were in danger of becoming secularized in a land far from their own
- God was up to something!
- the Hebrew word for future (Jer. 29:11) has the same root as behind and future
- Hadasseh's past was tied in to her destiny and God had a purpose for all of it
- we cannot amputate our history from our destiny . . . it is part of who we will become and what God will redeem and use
- know that you ARE beautiful - it's not what you do
- let the beauty of the Lord on you be the beauty that sustains you (Psalm 90:17)
I am looking forward to seeing you all in a couple of weeks . . . Jan.
This is my first time ever to use a blog, which to those who know me, it must be a surprise for all the yakking I do.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan for your work to start and maintain this space.
I just wanted to comment on the direction Beth has so kindly pointed us to.
On page 42, she speaks of wells of godly insight from the Bible, - some how I have missed some of these, I guess this where when our Lord invites us to pray for wisdom, some of these other concepts could be parted unto me as well. I am not sure if I feel drawn in, or pointed out. Anyone else?
The comment on page 44 being indistinguishable from the world, - YIKES - hidden and assimilated - thankfully we can recapture our identity and identification as His children. Does Beth have to be so truthful?
I didn't know she was watching my life.
Thankfully God has given me a vision of my prayer life as a lighthouse (thanks Gaynor), and even though as I pray for my neighbourhood I don't know if I am being effective, but He just requires me to be faithful and He will reveal Himself. - My part of being the spiritual city set on the hill.(pg 44).
Maybe I won'd comment so much on Saturday ... who am I kidding? You have been warned.
Esther I am not, but then God called me to be me.
Diana . . . we missed you on Saturday! Thanks, I love doing this : )
ReplyDeleteWhat I have been struck with is the sexual "objectification" that was so much a part of the culture that Esther found herself in the middle of. . . and how similar it is to ours. As I work my way through this week's study I am hoping to gain some Biblical insight as to how to live "unassimilated" in this area in my here and now, today.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Diana . . . see you on Saturday : )
Well! What a week.
ReplyDeleteThose poor virgins... it has broken my heart to dwell on their situation. One minute they are in the 'before' part of the harem - waiting, expectant, excited,chance to have it all. Spending a year being 'pampered & prepared'. Then wham-bam-thank-you-mam it's all over & done with. And guess what you can never go back. You have been deflowered. You are not the same & everyone will know it. Now you go to a different part of the harem. You're a has-been, a used, good for nothing, tried-tested-and-found-wanting, finished and yet you're only 14? 15 years old?
Yet is it that dissimilar to today? Girls giving themselves at high school to their first love/crush? Deflowered in the name of sexual freedom.
At the risk of sharing too much, I recall being proud of being a virgin at high school, but somehow at university losing perspective. Being a virgin suddenly seemed like a noose around my neck.
But you know, God has given me verses of truth, redemption & freedom. He is so gracious, so merciful.
Check this out: Joel 2:25
"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten"
And even more... Joel 2:26
"the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed."
He then repeats it, in case to make double-sure we get it - Joel 2:27
"I am the LORD your God, & there is no other; never again will my people be shamed."
I will praise His name forever.
Gaynor