Text: Esther 4:1-17When Mordecai learns about the evil plot, he made a public display of grief,verse 1, including loud wailing in public, right at the King’s gate. All over the Persian Empire the people of Judah were doing the same. Mordecai ordered Esther to beg the King for mercy. Esther is afraid to do that,[…]
Text: Esther 3:1-15Here we meet a man named Haman, an Agagite, perhaps descended from the Amalekites, an ancient enemy of Israel. Haman was promoted to the highest position by King Ahasuerus, and people were commanded to bow before him. But Mordecai refused to bow, probably for religious reasons, and Haman became furious. As a result,[…]
Text: Esther 2:1-23The process for preparing and choosing a new queen requires a year of beauty treatments. Then each lady would spend a night with the King. If he wanted her again, she would be called by name. This is a degrading practice–virgins being treated like play things to satisfy the lusts of the King,[…]
Text: Esther 1:1-22After the King of Persia had secured his authority, he then displayed his great wealth for six months! After the boasting, he gave an enormous week-long banquet for his people. During that party, the King commanded Queen Vashti to stand before everyone so that he could display her beauty. The Queen was offended,[…]
Jesus presents himself as a good godly leader, an example to be followed by all leaders. The one who does not follow his example is a thief and robber. Many of the leaders in Israel had become thieves and robbers as it is stated in Ezekiel 34:1-6, Jeremiah 12: 10, 23:1-4, 50:6, Zechariah 11:16-17, Isaiah[…]
The ACP Team continues to thank God for His faithfulness for the Cathedral Building project through the tough year and lock-down season. Phase 3 works are ongoing and hence the site remains under restricted access. This year 2020 has been optimized through Transition Works in small lots, despite the continuing effect of the Covid-19 pandemic[…]
Text: Nehemiah 13:1-31The chapter begins by people responding to the Scriptural demand thatforeigners are not included in the nation. That means foreigners who do notbelieve are not to be included. Also, the Temple was purged of foreign occupants. The Temple is only for things pertaining to the worship of Yahweh and for His people. Nehemiah[…]
Text: Nehemiah 12:1-47A wall seems like a strange thing to dedicate, but one must consider theprotective importance of a wall during that period of history. Also, dedicating the wall to Yahweh acknowledges two things: (1) unless Yahweh watches over the city, the wall is useless (Ps.127:1); and, (2) everything is from God, and dedication acknowledges[…]
Text: Nehemiah 11:1-36The city of Jerusalem was Israel’s capital city. It was also the centre of national worship. But it was sparsely populated. So, a plan is made to repopulate the city. One out of every ten persons/families was chosen, by lot, to reside in Jerusalem. Those who were willing to stay in Jerusalem were[…]
Text: Nehemiah 10:1-39When the people had worshipped (acknowledging God, confessing sin, repenting), a document was written that obligated the people to live according to the Law of God, to live as the people of God (vv.28-29). There were many obligations directly related to the Temple service that were important for worship. This was a document[…]