Genesis 48

Genesis 48

Genesis 48:1 It happened after this, Joseph was told, “Notice, your father is ill.” So, he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Genesis 48:2 And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel made himself strong and sat up in bed.

Genesis 48:3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,

Genesis 48:4 and said to me, ‘See, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your seed after you to permanently possess.’

Genesis 48:5 And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.

Genesis 48:6 And the children that you fathered after them will be yours. They will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.

Genesis 48:7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

Genesis 48:8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and he said, “Who are these?”

Genesis 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.”

Genesis 48:10 The eyes of Israel had grown dim with age, so that he could not see well. So, Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.

Genesis 48:11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and see, God has let me see your seed also.”

Genesis 48:12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground.

Genesis 48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand and stood them near him.

Genesis 48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (because Manasseh was the firstborn).

Genesis 48:15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,

Genesis 48:16 the agent who has redeemed me from all evil, bless these boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a huge number in the midst of the land.”

Genesis 48:17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it upset him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.

Genesis 48:18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not like this, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.”

Genesis 48:19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be numerous. But his younger brother will become more numerous than him, and his seed will become a number of nations.”

Genesis 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “Because of you Israel will pronounce blessings, and this is what he said, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and as Manasseh.'” In this way he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

Genesis 48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Notice, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers.

Genesis 48:22 Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I personally took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”

Genesis 48 quotes:

“When you bless another person, you are proclaiming in faith what he or she shall become! The words you are speaking are not just empty sounds falling off of the tip of your tongue. By the power of a faith-filled spoken blessing you can speak life into another person’s future. And when that person is in the coming generation, you also break the chains to your past.”

Früh, Aaron. The Forgotten Blessing: Ancient Words That Heal Generational Wounds. Chosen Books, 2006. p. 116.

“Joseph was displeased when his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head. He grasped his fathers hand and attempted to correct the switch. Jacob’s blessing, however, was given under the direction of the Spirit of God. Though nature’s eyes were dim, faith’s vision was sharp. Jacob refused Joseph’s correction and said, “I know it, my son, | know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations’ (Genesis 48:19).”

McQuay, Earl P. Joseph: Seeing God in the Worst of Times. Acćent Books, 1989. p. 119.

“God is a relentless promise keeper. Keep this in mind the next time you come across a promise in the Bible.”

Rhodes, Ron. 40 Days through Genesis. Harvest House, 2015. p. 272.

Genesis 48 links:

fighting the temptations of fatherhood
passing on a spiritual legacy
THE MEN WHO COULD SEE THE FUTURE – jeffersonvann


Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, January 29, 2021
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, January 30, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, January 29, 2019

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

Genesis 47

Genesis 47

Genesis 47:1 So Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they have, have come from the land of Canaan. Notice, they are now in the land of Goshen.”

Genesis 47:2 And from among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your slaves are shepherds, as our fathers were.”

Genesis 47:4 They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to stay as guests in the land, because there is no pasture elsewhere for your slaves’ flocks, because the famine is heavy in the land of Canaan. And now, please let your slaves locate in the land of Goshen.”

Genesis 47:5 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, and this is what he said “Your father and your brothers have come to you.

Genesis 47:6 The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any competent men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”

Genesis 47:7 Then Joseph brought Jacob his father and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:8 And Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?”

Genesis 47:9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years I have wandered are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their travel.”

Genesis 47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh then went away from the presence of Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:11 Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

Genesis 47:12 And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s family with food, according to the number of their dependents.

Genesis 47:13 There was no food in all the land, because the famine was very brutal, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away because of the famine.

Genesis 47:14 And Joseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.

Genesis 47:15 And when the money was all finished[1] in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Because our money is gone.”

Genesis 47:16 And Joseph answered, “Give your living things, and I will give you food in exchange for your living things, if your money is gone.”

Genesis 47:17 So they brought their living things to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys. He supplied them with food in exchange for all their living things that year.

Genesis 47:18 And when that year was finished, they came to him the following year and said to him, “We will not conceal[2] from my lord that our money is all finished. The herds of living things are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our land.

Genesis 47:19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. And give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be barren.”

Genesis 47:20 So Joseph purchased all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, because all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was strong on them. The land became Pharaoh’s.

Genesis 47:21 As for the people, he made slaves of them from one end of Egypt to the other.

Genesis 47:22 Only the land of the priests he did not purchase, because the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; so, they did not sell their land.

Genesis 47:23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Notice, I have this day purchased you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you will replant the land.

Genesis 47:24 And at the harvests you will give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your families, and as food for your little ones.”

Genesis 47:25 And they said, “You have saved our lives;

 “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be slaves to Pharaoh.”

Genesis 47:26 That was when Joseph made it a decree concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s.

Genesis 47:27 So Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land called Goshen. And they gained property in it and were fruitful and multiplied greatly.

Genesis 47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So, the days of Jacob, the years he lived, were 147 years.

Genesis 47:29 And when the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show covenant faithfulness and firmness with me. Do not bury me in Egypt,

Genesis 47:30 but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial plot.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.”

Genesis 47:31 And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.


[1] תָּמַם = be finished. Genesis 47:15, 18.

[2] כָּחַד = to conceal, make to disappear.

Genesis 47 quotes:

“If we are right in thinking that the Pharaohs of this time were from the occupying Hyksos tribe, theirs would have been a precarious power-base. We have already suggested that a Hyksos Pharaoh would have been more likely than an indigenous Egyptian monarch to promote Joseph, a former slave, to the position of Prime Minister. But this kind of ‘foreign’ dynasty would have been very susceptible to overthrow by a coup d état (as ultimately happened).”

Searle, David C. Joseph : “His Arms Were Made Strong.” Banner of Truth Trust, 2012. p. 154.

“Though a foreigner and a recipient of Pharaoh’s assistance, Jacob stood before the great ruler with dignity. In the consciousness that he was the representative of the Almighty, “Jacob blessed Pharaoh” (Genesis 47:10). Knowing that he held a sublime position in God’s program, he spoke the holy blessing upon Pharaoh.”

McQuay, Earl P. Joseph : Seeing God in the Worst of Times. Acc´ent Books, 1989. p. 101.

“Since the words of Scripture are never incidental, it is of some interest to note that Genesis 47:13-26 contains a rather detailed record of Joseph’s plan for the government of Egypt during one of the worst “depressions” in world history. It is a testimony to the amount of surplus that was available during the prosperous years, as well as the adjustment that was necessary to accommodate the time of famine. That model is a textbook case for governmental management—even as Joseph managed the sale of goods that ultimately transferred the wealth of several countries to the nation of Egypt.”

Morris, Henry M. The Book of Beginnings : A Practical Guide to Understand and Teach Genesis. Institute for Creation Research, 2012. p. 227.

Genesis 47 links:

“To be gathered to his people”
a lasting spiritual legacy
ACST 2 The Promise
Excursus- “To Be Gathered”
Joseph- humility and integrity
Joseph- the legacy of Israel
kachad
Life is…
saving Egypt for Pharaoh
What is Life – Life is…
who we belong to


Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, January 29, 2021
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, January 30, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, January 29, 2019

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

Genesis 46

Genesis 46

Genesis 46:1 So Israel started out with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and there slaughtered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

Genesis 46:2 And God spoke to Israel in visions at night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he responded, “Notice me.”

Genesis 46:3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, because there I will set you up as a large nation.

Genesis 46:4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand will close your eyes.”

Genesis 46:5 Then Jacob left from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

Genesis 46:6 They also took their cattle and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his seed with him,

Genesis 46:7 his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters. He brought all his seed with him into Egypt.

Genesis 46:8 Here are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn,

Genesis 46:9 and the sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

Genesis 46:10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.

Genesis 46:11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Genesis 46:12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

Genesis 46:13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron.

Genesis 46:14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

Genesis 46:15 These are the sons of Leah, whom she gave birth to for Jacob in Paddan-Aram, together with his daughter Dinah; all the throats of his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.

Genesis 46:16 The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

Genesis 46:17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel.

Genesis 46:18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she gave birth to Jacob – sixteen throats.

Genesis 46:19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife were Joseph and Benjamin.

Genesis 46:20 And Manasseh and Ephraim were given birth to for Joseph in the land of Egypt, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, gave birth to for him.

Genesis 46:21 And the sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

Genesis 46:22 These are the sons of Rachel, who for Jacob were given birth to – fourteen throats in all.

Genesis 46:23 The sons of Dan were Hushim.

Genesis 46:24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

Genesis 46:25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to Rachel his daughter, and these she gave birth to for Jacob- seven throats in all.

Genesis 46:26 All the throats coming from Jacob who came into Egypt, who came from his own body, not counting Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all.

Genesis 46:27 And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the throats of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.

Genesis 46:28 He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.

Genesis 46:29 Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck again.

Genesis 46:30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”

Genesis 46:31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s family, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s family, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.

Genesis 46:32 And the men are shepherds, because they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that their possessions.’

Genesis 46:33 When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’

Genesis 46:34 you will say, ‘Your slaves have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may live in the land of Goshen, because every shepherd is repulsive to the Egyptians.”

Genesis 46 quotes:

“But here is another principle. There will be no liberty to look forward to the new and different until we accept God’s own good news as valid and then act upon it. The good news was that Joseph was alive. Jacob had to believe that and act on it. At first this good news was traumatic. His heart fainted, but eventually Jacob accepted the good news. “…It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die” (Genesis 45:28).”

Kendall, R. T. God Meant It for Good. MorningStar Publications, 1988. p. 185.

“In this last in the series of special revelations that marked his pilgrim life, Jacob was reassured that the land of Canaan would be given to him and his descendants. Though Jacob now was leaving Canaan with all his family, God confirmed His promise and revealed to Jacob His plan for ultimately bringing his seed back to the promised land. God’s promise included the following elements: peace, “Fear not to go down into Egypt”; purpose, “for | will there make of thee a great nation”; presence, “| will go down with thee into Egypt”; power, “and | will also surely bring thee up again’; and protection, “And Joseph shall put his hands upon thine eyes” (Genesis 46:3,4). The promise that Joseph would close Jacob’s eyes was a prophecy that Jacob’s last rites would be performed by his own illustrious son.”

McQuay, Earl P. Joseph: Seeing God in the Worst of Times. Acćent Books, 1989. p. 99.

“After a long lifetime of blunders and shortcomings, attempts to change that never really succeeded, after over one hundred years we find frail old Jacob a truly transformed man. Although it took almost a whole lifetime, God was willing patiently to wait to fashion Jacob into the kind of person he ought to be. And if the Lord did that for Jacob, is he not willing and able to do it for you and me?”

Searle, David C. Joseph: “His Arms Were Made Strong.” Banner of Truth Trust, 2012. p. 121.

Genesis 46 links:

a joyous call
Attention, witnesses!
demonstrating his faithfulness
Joseph- grace and integrity
Spring up, Oh Well


Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, January 28, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, January 28, 2021

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

Genesis 45

Genesis 45

Genesis 45:1 Then Joseph could no longer restrain himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Send everyone away from me.” So, no one remained with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

Genesis 45:2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the residents of Pharaoh’s household heard it.

Genesis 45:3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, because they were troubled by his presence.

Genesis 45:4 So Joseph told his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

Genesis 45:5 Now do not be troubled or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, because God sent me before you to preserve life.

Genesis 45:6 Because the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

Genesis 45:7 So God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the land, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

Genesis 45:8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 45:9 Go up to my father quickly and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay.

Genesis 45:10 You will dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.

Genesis 45:11 There I will provide for you, because there are yet five years of famine to come, or else you and your household, and all that you have, will be reduced to poverty.’

Genesis 45:12 And notice that your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

Genesis 45:13 You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Quickly bring my father down here.”

Genesis 45:14 Then he embraced his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

Genesis 45:15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.

Genesis 45:16 Then the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” and it delighted Pharaoh and his slaves.

Genesis 45:17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: load your donkeys and go back to the land of Canaan,

Genesis 45:18 and bring your father and your families, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat from the fat of the land.’

Genesis 45:19 And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Genesis 45:20 Have no concern for your goods there, because the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'”

Genesis 45:21 The sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, as Pharaoh commanded, and gave them provisions for the journey.

Genesis 45:22 To each and all of them he gave sets of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothing.

Genesis 45:23 To his father he sent these: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provisions for his father on the journey.

Genesis 45:24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they left, he said to them, “Do not be agitated on the way.”

Genesis 45:25 And they left Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.

Genesis 45:26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart went numb, because he did not believe them.

Genesis 45:27 But when they told him all the words that Joseph said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the breath of their father Jacob revived.

Genesis 45:28 And Israel said, “This is too much; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Genesis 45 quotes:

“What was the first thing Joseph did9 After Judah finished his speech, Joseph cried, “…Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him…” (Genesis 45:1). When Joseph made himself known unto his brethren, it was secret. Why did Joseph do that? He did not want the Egyptians to know what his ten brothers had done to him. It was going to be a secret buried for ever and ever.”

Kendall, R. T. God Meant It for Good. MorningStar Publications, 1988. p. 153.

“God would save the family from extinction by the famine because He would one day fulfil the promise given to Abraham to make them into a great nation through whom He would accomplish his purpose in the world. That purpose is nothing less than the reconciliation of the world. “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). And we, through our own reconciliation are now instruments in furthering that work through our preaching and witness. For God “has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Williams, Peter. From Eden to Egypt: Exploring the Genesis Themes. DayOne, 2001. p. 39.

“The ending of this story brings tears to my eyes when I realize how much Joseph endured, how much he trusted, how long he waited, and how much God blessed him. He had been a slave boy on an auction block with no appreciable value, but now he said to the brothers who had sent him there, “Tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen” (Genesis 45:13).”

Isaacs, Bill. Embracing Destiny: Lessons from the Life of Joseph. Pathway Press, 2001. p. 171.

Genesis 45 links:

introducing the breath of God
Joseph- sent on a mission
seeing the mission
this is too much


Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, January 28, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, January 28, 2021

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

BE BRAVE

BE BRAVE

Esther 4:12-17 NET.

The stories in the Old Testament serve as lessons for us. They show the actions and behaviors that are expected of God’s people or reveal the opposite—the things believers should avoid. We need to pay close attention when reading because some Old Testament characters change their roles halfway through. They might start rebellious and then repent, or begin righteous and make a wrong turn or a terrible mistake. Therefore, reading these Old Testament narratives is not always easy.

We need to read the stories in the order we received them because that provides us with context. Context helps us understand what the characters are doing and why they are doing it. For example, today’s text is set during exile. This is the period when the Israelites are no longer in the land of Israel. They have been condemned by God for their lack of faithfulness and punished by exile. Exile is when people are taken from their land and brought to a new land by their conqueror.

Esther recounts the story of the Jews in Persia. The king had dismissed his queen, and he chose a new queen who happened to be Jewish. The villain of the story is an Agagite named Haman, who was violently anti-Semitic long before Hitler. Haman schemes to use the king’s power to eliminate the Jews.

Another key character in Esther is Mordecai, the cousin and guardian of Esther. Mordecai discovers a plot to destroy the Jews and appeals to Esther to intervene. When she learns of the plot, she wants to help save her people, but there is a problem. The protocol for appealing to the king is that he must first summon you. But Esther had not been called into the King’s presence in a month. Anyone who dares to enter the King’s presence without an invitation risks being executed. Esther understood the situation and chose to bravely enter the King’s presence to plead for her people’s lives.

If we look a little further back, we can see that another layer is at play in the story of Esther. There is a broader background as well as a more immediate one. In Esther, the sovereign God is protecting the people of Israel, from whom the Messiah will eventually come. That is another aspect we should recognize in these Old Testament stories. All of them reveal something about our Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prepares the way for Christ’s first coming.

The book of Esther highlights one aspect of faith. It is a quality of biblical faith that isn’t often emphasized when we discuss what it means to have faith. In the New Testament book of Revelation, we find a list of all the people who will be excluded from eternal life and will be destroyed in the lake of fire. It states this: “But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

I find it interesting that the first item on the list of those who will be destroyed in hell is cowards. Of all the things that the Bible describes as bad or evil, why put cowardice first?

I think there is a very good reason for this. Remember that the New Testament also tells us that our adversary, the devil, is prowling around looking for someone to devour. It does not ask us to hide from him. It does not tell us to run from him. It does not ask us to aim our rifles at him while he is far away and shoot him. It says that we are to resist him. Resistance requires contact. We must put ourselves in harm’s way and trust that God will accomplish his will. There’s no guarantee that we will always win.

There is no bravery without an obstacle.

We learned from Queen Esther not to let obstacles prevent us from standing up against enemies’ attacks. The obstacle Esther faced was that she had to enter the King’s presence to appeal to him on behalf of her people, but doing so could have cost her life.

Other biblical characters face the same challenge. Doing what is right could very likely cost them their lives. Daniel faced the lions in the den, his three companions faced the fire in the furnace, David faced Goliath, and Paul went to his death in Rome because he knew God wanted him to share the gospel with the emperor. One of the signs of faith in the Bible is that the people of God bravely set their sights on doing God’s will even when doing so is dangerous.

Another lesson we learned from Esther is that God is at work in every conflict, but we still must be brave.

I used to enjoy playing certain computer games where you faced dangerous challenges. I especially liked playing those games in what we called God Mode. If you set your settings to God Mode, then the bullets wouldn’t hurt you. The game remained challenging, but you had all the time you needed, and you could make all the mistakes possible without dying. Some people think that Christian life is like playing a game in God Mode. They believe they can face any challenge and don’t need to worry because their faith will protect them from losing. But that’s not what the Christian life is about. Esther is an example to follow, not because she was immune to danger, but because she wasn’t. She truly risked her life to do what was right. The world is full of cowards who aren’t willing to do the same.

God says that if we acknowledge Him before people, He will acknowledge us in the presence of His angels. But cowards hide behind their ignorance. They proclaim themselves as agnostics because they don’t want to offend anyone by claiming that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords. They think they are saving themselves through their cowardice. But the fact is that refusing to bow the knee to Christ is like what Haman did. He built gallows, intending to hang Mordecai on them. However, he ended up being hanged from the very gallows he built.

The book we are reading today is called Esther because Esther showed faith to stand up and be counted to save her people. Esther had faith, and that faith was brave. But this is not just a story of one person’s faith. Before Esther went into the King’s presence, she told Mordecai to gather all the Israelites praying and fasting for her.

Not every Christian will face the kind of challenges she did, but we should all be ready to support those who do.

The New Testament encourages us all to pray and fast, but not solely for our preservation. Note these specific times when the apostle Paul asked others to pray for him.

  • He asked the Roman Christians to pray that he might be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea (Romans 15:31).
  • He asked the Ephesian Christians to stay alert and persevere in prayer for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).
  • He also asked them to pray that he would stay bold in proclaiming the gospel even though he was in chains (Ephesians 6:20).
  • He asked the Colossian Christians to pray that God would give him and his team an opportunity to speak the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3).
  • He asked the Thessalonians to pray that as he and his team traveled to other places, the word of the Lord would spread quickly and be honored just as it was with them (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

Biblical faith is courageous faith. One reason we can be brave is that we know an army of prayer warriors is backing us up.

Communion Meditation

John 10:18

“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I received this command from my father.”

We have discussed bravery as an aspect of faith. Esther demonstrated this bravery when she risked her life to save her people. She feared death, so she called for prayer and fasting on her behalf. Her bravery wasn’t the absence of fear; it was the courage to do what was right despite her fears.

Jesus is our example of that kind of courageous faith. He didn’t want to die, but he was brave enough to submit to God’s will and die in our place.

Today’s communion text tells us that God commanded both Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. The father told the son to do it, and Jesus bravely did it. His one active obedience demonstrated both his compassion for us and his obedience to his father.