Archives for June 2026

OVERVIEW:

Job’s godly character and wealth; the dialogue between God and Satan; Satan permitted to afflict Job; the negative counsel of Job’s wife; Job’s three friends come to visit; the first speech of Eliphaz; Job’s response.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Job is one of the most incredible men in the entire Bible! In fact, he was of such impeccable character that God Himself used the sacrifice, service, and surrender of Job to get in Satan’s face in Job chapter 1. As God and Satan dialogue concerning him, Satan basically told God that the only reason Job did the things he did, and was the man he was, was because of all the good things God had done for him. In other words, Satan accused God of “buying” Job’s affection. Satan tells God, “You take all of your blessing away, and see how worthy Job thinks You are of his follow-ship and service!”

God tells Satan to go ahead and do whatever he wanted to do to Job, without harming Job’s physical condition. And boy, did he! In one day, Job gets word that all of his oxen and donkeys had been killed, along with all of his servants who kept them; that fire had fallen from the sky and burned up all the sheep, along with those who tended them; and that all of his camels had been stolen, and his servants who kept them had been murdered. His entire fortune had been lost in only a few hours! But then to make the news of all of those dreadful things seem rather trivial and somewhat insignificant, he gets word that all of his sons and daughters had been at the eldest brother’s house for a family gathering when a tornado hit the house, killing every last one of them!

What would your response to God be if all of these things had befallen you? Would God still be God to you? Would you still consider Him good? Would He be worthy of your follow-ship? Would you, or could you praise Him?

Note also, a few practical things it will be important for us to glean from these chapters:

Concerning Satan: Satan is extremely powerful, but not all-powerful. Though he “goes to and fro in the earth…walking up and down in it,” the book of Job lets us know he is actually on God’s leash! He can only go as far as God permits him. That lets us know that everything that takes place in our lives is either APPOINTED by God, or ALLOWED of God. Take heart! 

Concerning Suffering: Suffering is not a matter of misfortune or bad luck, nor is it always chastisement from God for some wrong that we have refused to remove out of our lives. Sometimes we suffer for doing what is right. God’s own testimony of Job was that he “was perfect and upright and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (1:1, 8) 

Concerning People: As well-meaning as people can sometimes be, they can also be used by Satan, as in the case of Job’s “friends”, to criticize, accuse, and condemn, thinking they have everything all figured out, when they don’t really know all of the facts, and are functioning off of human reasoning, temporal values, and half-truths.

Some of the things in the book of Job that are not as easily seen as some of those practical gleanings just listed, have been laid out in one of the most incredible commentaries I have ever read. The commentary is entitled: Job: Adventures in the Land of Uz! and was written by Pastor Jeff Adams. (It can be obtained through realitylivingpublishing.com)

Jeff writes,

“In Job, God gives us an incredible illustration of believers in tribulation. If ever anyone qualified for enduring tribulation it was Job! Remember that the next major event on God’s prophetic calendar is a seven-year period we often call the “Tribulation” which will fall upon this earth. Some of the prophecies in the book of Revelation are incredible and probe the limits of our imagination. To help us understand, God has given us the story of a man named Job. More than a simple story about his trials, Job is a wonderful picture of the coming time of Tribulation, and helps us to better understand the future.

“As you approach Job’s book, consider the picture that is drawn. The parallels between what happened to Job and the prophecies of the coming time of Tribulation are too many to be mere coincidence…  

“The story of Job takes place in the land of Uz, exactly where the faithful remnant of Jews will be hidden during the Tribulation. Uz always has a connection with Edom in the Bible, and the famous “Petra” (from the Greek word for “rock”) is in Edom, the refuge God has prepared for His people… 

“Job sits in his misery for seven days, while his friends look on speechless. In the coming Tribulation, the Jews will suffer at the hands of the antichrist for a seven-year period. The world will be powerless to help, and most will genuinely believe that they are only getting what they deserve. Don’t think that World War II did away with anti-Semitism.

“Actually, the “Great Tribulation” is the last half of the seven years, though we often apply the word “Tribulation” to the entire period. The first three and a half years are a time of false peace, when the antichrist comes into power through a brilliant series of treaties that brings peace to the Middle East, and structures a disarmament. (Daniel 8:11-14, 25, 9:27; Isaiah 28:18)

“At midpoint of this seven-year period the antichrist breaks his treaty with Israel, and in the reconstructed Jewish temple, declares himself to be God. This is the abomination spoken of by Daniel. (Daniel 9:27; 8:13-14; 11:31; Matthew 24:15) These last three and a half years are of world war and great destruction. The book of Revelation counts it as a period of 42 months. (Revelation 11:2) Chapter divisions in the Bible were not added until several hundred years ago, and most people may not believe that God had anything to do with it.  But it is interesting to notice that Job has 42 chapters…  

“Very few people can boast that the devil himself has personally persecuted them, but Job could. He was the direct target of Satan. This is also a figure of what will happen to Israel in the time of Tribulation. Israel will be attacked by the very devil…

“At the end of the book of Job, Job’s captivity is turned, and he receives double all that he lost. In similar way, the captivity of Israel will be turned around after the purging of the Tribulation, and will be restored to the position of blessing.”

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the dialogue between God and Satan — Job 1:6–12 (Through it we can understand the meaning of Christ’s statement to Peter, that Satan desired to “sift [him] as wheat”. — Luke 22:31) 


OVERVIEW:

King Ahasuerus issues another decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves and destroy their enemies; the Jews defeat and destroy their enemies; the feast of Purim is instituted to commemorate this victory; Mordecai’s prosperity and promotion.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

To this point in our overview of the book of Esther, our emphasis has primarily been on the storyline, or the “historical” application. What an intriguing story it is! It is literally packed full of all the things that typically hold our interest as humans when reading a story: a villain, a hero, hatred, love, danger, and romance. While all of these things have been recorded in Esther’s book with precise historical accuracy, it is important to note that in the “doctrinal” or “prophetic” application, this story is actually an incredible picture of the unfolding daily “drama” of the Christian life as “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” (Galatians 5:17)

From the perspective of the “doctrinal/prophetic” application (i.e. what a verse, passage, chapter, or book of the Bible is actually “teaching” us through the “real-life” illustrations in pictures and types):

• King Ahasuerus is a picture of the human soul, and particularly our will. (Where DECISIONS are made, POLICIES are determined, and DECREES are put into motion.)
• Vashti is a picture of the fallen human spirit, representing our “old” or “fallen” nature.
• Esther is a picture of the human spirit, revived by the Holy Spirit, representing our “new” nature.
• Mordecai is a picture of the Holy Spirit.
• Haman is a picture of the flesh.  

With these pictures in mind, understand that it is a monumental thing when Ahasuerus gives his ring to Haman in chapter 3:10, for whoever has possession of the king’s ring has the “power” or, is “in control”. Chapter 3 becomes, then, a perfect picture of the flesh (Haman) in control, “lusting against the Spirit (Mordecai)”, and chapter 4 becomes a perfect picture of the “Spirit (Mordecai) lusting against the flesh (Haman)”.

Note also in chapter 4, that when the flesh (Haman) is in control, the Spirit (Mordecai) is “grieved”. What an incredibly graphic and horribly sad glimpse of what actually takes place in “the midst of our city” (or, on the inside of us) when the flesh is “wearing the ring” or, is “in control” of our lives. We “grieve” the Holy Spirit of God within us! (Ephesians 4:30) Oh, what a difference it would make if we could only see and hear what Esther 4:1 describes through the picture of Mordecai, as the Holy Spirit in us is wearing “sackcloth and ashes” and weeping with a “loud and bitter cry”. God help us!

Notice also in today’s reading in Chapter 8, that because of the law of the Medes and Persians (8:8), the king could not cancel the decree that had been written to put the Jews to death. The only way to prevent the execution demanded by the old law was to institute and implement a new law. It is a perfect picture of what Paul revealed to us in Romans chapter 8. The law of sin and death (the Old Testament) is binding and in effect. “The wages of sin” is most certainly “death”. (Romans 6:23a) There is no reversing that. The only remedy is the institution and implementation of the new law provided in and through our Lord Jesus Christ that supersedes the old law, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”. (Romans 8:2) Hallelujah!

In light of these incredible pictures, Esther 8:8 also becomes a beautiful verse that pictures for us the New Testament teaching of the “eternal security of the believer.” As pictured in the law of the Medes and Persians, once something had received the “sealing” of the king, no man had the ability to reverse it, not even the king himself! In the New Testament, Ephesians 1:12–14 and 4:30 teach us that the moment we called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting Him alone for our salvation, He “sealed” us with His own Spirit! Ephesians 1:14 even calls this “sealing” the “earnest” (or “down payment” and literally, “engagement ring!”), guaranteeing our complete redemption, and the inheritance of eternal life. May we not only rejoice, but rest in the fact that when the King of creation and salvation seals us with His Holy Spirit, we are secure in Him for all of eternity! (Also see Daniel 6:17.)

Esther 8:10–14 is a beautiful picture of the urgency of taking the life and death message of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Observe how the scribes hurriedly wrote the message and the official ambassadors quickly took the “good news” to the four corners of the kingdom. Likewise, we have become the King’s “ambassadors” commissioned to take the message of “good news” to the four corners of the globe while we still have time! Note also, that when the Jews received the message of “good news”, namely, that the OLD law ensuring DEATH had been superseded by a NEW law ensuring LIFE, it not only provided deliverance, but incredible rejoicing! 

In chapter 9, note that the Jews avenged themselves of their enemies, trusting God to destroy them all; all 75,810 of them! (75,000 in 9:16; 500 in 9:6; 300 in 9:15; and the 10 sons of Haman in 9:13.) Note also in chapter 9, while comprehending the actual history of what actually was happening in Esther’s day, at least six powerful New Testament principles concerning the Christian life that apply directly to believers in our day:

Principle #1: What I do to ensure victory TODAY, is the same thing I must do to ensure victory TOMORROW.  (9:12–13)

The middle of verse 13 says, “…do tomorrow also according to this day’s decree…” The victory in the Christian life is simply a matter of reckoning our death to self and Christ’s life within us on a daily basis. (Romans 6:11; 2^nd Corinthians 4:10–11; 1^st Corinthians 15:31)

Principle #2: Even though my flesh is already dead, I must take it out daily and nail it to the cross. (9:13–14)

The end of verse 13 says, “…and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.”  Notice that the ten sons of Haman were already dead, but they still took them out and hanged them the next day. (See Romans 6:11–15)

Principle #3: In order to attain and sustain victory in my spiritual walk, my motives must be free of self-interests. (9:10b, 15b,16b)

Verse 10 says, “…but on the spoil laid they not their hand.” Verse 15 says, “…but on the prey they laid not their hand.” Verse 16 says, “…but they laid not their hands on the prey.”

See 1^st Corinthians 6:19–20.

Principle #4: As I walk in the victory of the fullness and power of the Spirit, God’s love will be shed abroad through me causing me to fulfill the “one another” commands of scripture toward my brothers and sisters and causing me to express compassion for the poor. (9:22)

See Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” See Romans 5:5, “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” See the New Testament “one another” commands. (John 13:34; Romans 12:5, 10, 16; 13:8; 14:13, 19; 15:5, 7, 14; 16:16; 1^st Corinthians 4:6; 6:7; 11:33; 12:25; 16:20; Galatians 5:13, 15, 26; Ephesians 4:2, 25, 32; 5:21; Colossians 3:9, 13, 16; 1^st Thessalonians 3:12; 4:18; 5:11; 1^st Timothy 5:21; Hebrews 13:13; 10:24-25; James 4:11; 5:9, 16; 1^st Peter 1:22; 3:8; 4:9-10; 5:5, 14; 1^st John 1:7; 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11)

See Galatians 2:10, “…remember the poor.”

Principle #5: There is a memorial feast that I am to celebrate in remembrance of the day God turned my inevitable destruction into deliverance and salvation. (9:17–32)

See 1^st Corinthians 11:23–26.

Principle #6: I must constantly remember that God’s Spirit (Mordecai) will not override my will (King Ahasuerus), and only through yielding my will to Him will I ever experience the spiritual wealth and peace of the Spirit in the kingdom I call my life. (10:1–3)

See Romans 6:13–22.        

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through MORDECAI — Esther 10:3. He became “next unto the king” after delivering God’s people from sure destruction. Jesus “sat down on the right hand of God” after delivering us all from sure destruction. (Hebrews 10:12–14)