Esther (#4)

If you have not read the three posts before this, please do! They’re very interesting. This one is super duper wonderful though, just so you know.

The Book of Esther, Chapter 4

    When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes (During this time and for many, many years after this, people would tear their clothing and run through the streets as a sign of great mourning. It may sound like a big pity party or pout session going down, but in reality, it was very similar to someone thinking suicidal thoughts and entering deep, real depression in today’s world.), put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out in the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth.

    In each and every province where the king’s command and decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with much fasting (People do this today, but it usually is not referred to as fasting. The people were starving themselves because the knowledge of being attacked and killed soon was given to them, causing this sorrow.), weeping, and wailing. Many lay on sackcloth (rough cloth of camel’s hair, goat hair, hemp, cotton, or flax) and ashes. When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came to tell her, the queen writhed in great anguish. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, that he might remove his sackcloth from himself. But he did not accept them.

    Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and she ordered him to go to Mordecai to find out what this was for and why this was. So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their murder, so that he would show Esther and tell her and then order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people’s lives.

    So Hathach came back and relayed Mordecai’s words to Esther. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: “All of the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the inner court where the king is without being summoned is to be put to death. This is unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for thirty days.”

    Mordecai’s reply to Esther was this: “Do not think that you, being in the king’s palace, can escape this any more than the other Jews can. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance with arise for the Jews from another place and you and your family will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

    Esther responded to Mordecai. “Go; assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will do the same, and thus I will go to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him. 

Esther (#3)

    Read the two posts before this if you haven't yet, please. When you see a "*" before a word, that means that there is an explanation for it too long to be placed directly there at the bottom of the post. 

The Book of Esther, Chapter 3 

    After these events, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman (the son of Hammedatha- the Agagite) and advanced him. He established his authority over all the princes who were with the king. All of the servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage.

    Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?”

    Now they continued to speak daily to him about the matter, and he would not listen to them. They then told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them he was a Jew.

    When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed nor paid homage to him, he was filled with intense rage. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (the people of Mordecai) who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

    In the twelfth year of King Ahsuerus, in the first month (Nisan), *Pur was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month for entire year, until the month Adar. Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain group of people scattered and dispersed throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the men who carry out the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.”

    Then the king took his signet ring (a ring with letters, usually one’s initials, or a design carved into it) from his hand and gave it to Haman, then enemy of the Jews. The king said to him, “The silver is yours and the people’s, to do with them as you please.”

    Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps (the governors of provinces) and the princes of each people. It was written to each of the providences according to its own script and each people group according to their own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with his signet ring.

    Letters were sent by couriers (messengers who transport goods/documents) to all of the king’s provinces to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day (the thirteenth day of the month of Adar), and to seize their possessions as plunder (goods taken from people by force, typically in times of war or civil disorder).

    A copy of this edict was issued as law in every province, to all the people so they should be ready for this day. The couriers went out, impelled by the king’s command, while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.

            *Pur was explained to me by my pastor, and instead of trying to take his words and explain from them, I’m going to let you read what he had to say! One would have to know the culture at the time that these events occurred to understand what it really means. “‘Pur’ refers to a Persian custom of consulting a qualified astrologer who was properly trained in a ritual of chance for the purpose of obtaining guidance from the gods. They were rolling the dice so to speak. Haman would ‘roll the dice’ and when the indication was right, he would seek the king on the authorization of the dice landing right. The king was more likely to receive his request favorably in the light of the official astrological report that the Pur fell in favor of Haman. As you see the king was induced to look favorably and without dispute on Haman’s request. What amazing persistence! He had the Pur cast every day from the first month until the twelfth month until he finally got what he wanted.”

I would really like to hear what you think about all of this!

Esther (#2)

Alrighty! Continuation time. If you haven't read the first of this "series," please do. It's just before this post (in case you didn't realize.)... 

The Book of Esther, Chapter 2 

    After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. The king’s attendants who served him said, “Let beautiful, young virgins be sought for the king. Let him appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful, young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai (the king’s eunuch), who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them.

    “Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” This matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

    Now at the citadel in Susa there was a Jew by the name of Mordecai, the son of Jair. He had been exiled from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah, king of Judah (whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had exiled.). Mordecai was bringing up Hadassah (that is Esther), his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. The young woman was beautiful of form and face (“Form” is referring to her figure.), and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

    When the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choir maids from the king’s palace, and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem.

    Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known. Everyday Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared (to perform in a specified way in a particular situation or over a particular period of time).

    Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasureus (after the end of her twelve months under regulations for the women [regulation was six months with oil of myrrh- see http://www.dermaxime.com/myrrh.htm - and six months with spices and cosmetics]), she would go in to the king’s palace with anything that she desired to take with her from the harem. In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz (the king’s eunuch who was also in charge of the concubines [the mistresses]). She would not again go in to the king unless he delighted in her and she was, therefore, summoned by name.

    When the turn of Esther came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

    So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, to his royal palace in the tenth month (the month of Tebeth) during the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found favor and kindness with him (more than all the other virgins). She found so much kindness and favor with him that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great banquet- Esther’s banquet-, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to his bounty.

    Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate when the virgins were gathered together the second time. Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her, as she had also done when he raised her. While Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh (two of the king’s officials that guarded the door) became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. But the plot became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. Once the plot was investigated and found to be true, the two men were both hanged on a gallows (tree); and it was then recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence. 

Her Name Is Esther. It's a Good Story.

So, I'm reading Esther and I'm currently out of poems. That isn't exactly the case, but whatever. I have many writings I could share with y'all, but the pieces I have not already shared I do not want to share. I could write more, and I will get on that, but I want some really good inspiration first. My plan is to type out one chapter of the book of Esther every few days so you can read with me! I'm kind of ahead because I started reading a few days ago... I'm typing this from my NASB Bible, but some of the punctuation is changed and some of the name-listing is removed for better understanding and reading-flow. Please enjoy the Word of God!

The Book of Esther, Chapter 1

    Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned frmo India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel (a fortress, typically on high ground, protecting or dominating a city [not my definition, by the way. That's a Google-thanking.]) in Susa (located 150 miles from the Tigris River in Iran), in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia (in Southwestern Iran) and Media (Northwestern Iran), the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days. 

    When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace. There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry (a stone typically of a purple-red color; comes from the Greek word meaning, "purple."), marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's bounty. The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. 

    Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs (castrated men employed as harem attendants/officials serving in certain Asian courts) who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him. The king then spoke to the wise men who understood the times, for it was custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice and were close to him- the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place of the kingdom. 

    "According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?" 

    In the presence of the king and the princes, Prince Memucan said, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought into his presence, but she did not come.' This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger.

    "If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media- so that it cannot be repealed-, that Vashti  may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. When the king's edict which he will make is heard throughout his entire kingdom, great as it is, all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small." 

    This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. So he sent letters to all of his provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, so that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people. 

Can You Help Me?

This is another poem written when I felt very little and saw very little hope. But let it be known, Christ can help me and has helped me and does help me and will continue to help me. It doesn't matter if I've not been able to see people in my life as a help at a point. When people hurt, they often focus on two things: the pain and themselves. We need to focus on Him, even when it aches. We just continue to show our need for God, with our selfishness and all. 

    Can you help me? I'm pleading, I'm pleading. Or am I really needing 

                                                                                time? 

    I answer your questions while you dissect my face. Is it helping? Is it 

                                                                              helping? 

    I don't want to cry, I don't want to shake. But your questions only end in this, don't you see? 

    Is it over, is it over? Or will it ever be over? 

    Are you doing this for me, or are you doing this for yourself? 

    You tell me you're trained, but how is 

                        they're 

one trained to do something like this? 

    These questions, these questions... My pencil breaks through, rips through, crashes through this paper. 

                                                                                                                                 across 

    Is it helping, is it helping? I'm pleading, I'm 

    leaving. 

Heya, Hubby. (I'm Not Ever Going to Call My Husband That...)

  My husband thinks about what he wants me to be like. I want to be everything he dreams of or will dream of one day. I like to think about him, but I like to think about knowing him even more. The following are dreams. . .

I want a man who can build things with his hands.

I want a man who can look past my failures and see the most beautiful woman he has ever known. 

I want a man who I can respect.

I want a man who will lovingly tell me where and how I’m failing and I want a man who will help me where and when I fail.

I want a man who can laugh at himself more than others, but I do want him to be able to laugh at others without worrying about offending somebody.

I want a man who will admit that he is scared, but I want a man who isn’t scared often. I want him to be the bravest person I have ever met, and I want him to be the most God-fearing man I have ever spoken with. I want him to recognize courage.

I want a man who writes. I care not if he is talented, but I want him to write because he wants to write. I want him to write about his thoughts and his observations and his surroundings and his passions, but I want him to voice his insecurities rather than write them, or learn to one day.

I want a man who does not care what other people think, but I do want a man who is caring.

I want a man my dad will respect greatly.

I want a man who is always learning. I want a man who will encourage me to learn, as well, and I want a man who will constantly teach me.

I want a man who wants adventure, and I want a man who will take me to adventure or who will make adventure out of everything.

I want a man who thinks more than he speaks.

I want a man who knows commitment.

I want a man who weighs more than 170 lbs., please.

I want a man who does not bring those around him down with negativity, but I want a man who does not run from the truth, even if it feels or seems negative.

I want a gentleman, I want a wise man, I want a kind man, I want an honest man, and I want a romantic man.

I want a man who is calming.

I want a man who thinks pregnant women are the most adorable things he’s ever seen.

I want a man who makes me laugh, even if he isn’t funny.

I want a man who finds new ways to tell me and show me that I am beautiful the more time I spend with him.

I want a man who loves children. 

I want a man who is very encouraging. 

I want a man who isn’t scared to lead.

I want a man who my family will absolutely adore.

I want a man who is hard-working.

I want a man who loves to dance. 

For You

     Your magnificent beauty sweeps me off my feet. Keep shining, keep showing Your glory. It amazes me. You sustain me. I no longer must worry, no longer fear. You hold me, You change me, You make me beautiful. You are strength, You are comfort. You bring me overwhelming joy, and I must thank You. You hold my head up, facing Your skies. 
     Painter, hand-maker, my sweet Creator. Powerful, different, the dearest Author. Father, Your glory is no secret. Listener, keeper of my heart.