Untitled Sermon (11)

God is faithful to save His people, even in the midst of their wandering and disobedience.

That’s never more evident in our text tonight.

Notice three things

The fortunes are reversed (9:1-19)

This is a wild, and poetic reversal of fortunes here.

Note that the king can’t go back on his edict, but he doesn’t have to. Instead he lets the Jews defend themselves. And when they do, the nobles, the rulers rally behind them.

Note that also the Jews don’t take the belongings of the people that they kill.

God is faithful to save His people

God may not act how, and when we want Him to, but we can be sure that He is always at work.

The people rejoice in God’s deliverance (20-32)

It’s always a good day to celebrate what God has done. It’s always a good day to celebrate God’s faithfulness. Let me ask you this - what have you prayed for, and I mean EARNESTLY prayed for. Okay. Now let me ask you this….what have you thanked God for. That’s. Kind of par for the course, isn’t it? That we pray, pray, pray, hope expectantly….and then…..

We kind of. Go on with our lives. And we sort of forget.

It’s why the people of Israel when they crossed over the Jordan set up 12 stones, as a memorial.

Don’t forget the good that God has done in your life.

Order is restored (10)

The persian kingdom existed on bribes and corruption. If you remember, when Haman wanted to kill the Jews, he ran the idea by the king and told him that he would pay for it!

Corruption like this can only happen in a culture that allows it. And when you see rampant corruption in any culture, it’s there because the people in that culture allow it, and even give approval to it. And if you don’t like where the country is, currently, then here’s the thing. You need to pray for it. Specifically, you need to pray that God raises up holy leaders who lead well. Leaders who lead from a Biblical perspective. Leaders who won’t embrace corruption and bribery. But we have to have that same energy when it comes to our own lives. We can’t pray for holiness, integrity, and honesty in our elected leaders when we live lives of secret sin, compromise, and worldliness.

Reform starts in the house of God, and goes out to the rest of the land.

Some points of application

God’s will will be done.

In destroying Haman, his children, and their supporters, the people of Israel were defeating the last of the Amalekites. In refusing to take the spoils they were completing the rest of the command that God had issued under Saul hundreds of years before.

Obedience now can alleviate heartache later.

Your life isn’t some random series of chance events

The holiday here is called Purim, or Dice. It’s a tongue in cheek way of the Jews recognizing that while the world thought their fate was decided by the roll dice, they knew that it was decided by God. Proverbs 16:33 says,

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord

The lot - the PURIM. Is cast into the lap.

See, the enemy is going to try and convince you that your life is just a random string of events. That’s its just kind of happening to you. But what I read in Scripture reminds me that life isn’t happening TO me, but that God has worked everything out FOR me, to bring about my good, and His glory.

That God has planned out all the events, alllll the details of my life. That GOD…..has seen all the days of my life.

He’s seen the days of crowns and the days of gallows.

He’s seen the worst of your life, and the best, the highs, the lows, and all points in between.

So let me ask you this. How do you see your life. Do you see it in light of the individual moments? Do you see it as random? Or do you see it the way God sees it? Do you see that every moment in your life, good, bad, seemingly indifferent, is filtered His hand?