Good morning or whatever time of day you may have found yourself reading our weekly letter, ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength, or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me.’
This week I have had this prompting in my spirit, that the world is on THE VERGE OF A TURN OF EVENTS. In 1st Chronicles 19:1, we can find a story of misunderstood benevolence.
“After David had conquered his enemies and united Israel into one nation, Nahash (king of the Ammonites) died, and his son ascended to the throne. 2 So David sent messengers into Ammonite territory to console Hanun (son of Nahash) about his father’s death. David chose to do this because his father had been merciful to him.” This is a tough one, but we need to remember that David’s grandmother was Ruth from Moab, and that David was red headed like those from Edom. The scripture is vague on this matter, so this may have been an act of politico in that day. This is a “maybe” portion of the scripture, for we do not know for sure where and when Nahash had been merciful to David. This act of mercy is spoken of and even though it is not made clear to us, we can certainly it is the beginning of a turn of events that followed. 3 “But the Ammonite chiefs doubted David’s sincerity.
(Is David really honoring your father by sending you, his sympathies? Surely these messengers are here to spy on your affairs and overthrow your government!)” 4 So Hanun humiliated David’s servants: shaved them, cut their garment hems up to their hips, and sent them away. 5 When David heard what had happened, he sent a message to his humiliated servants:
There is always a story behind the story in the scriptures and this is one of humiliation in the form of ancient hazing.
This is a shameful turn of events. In the ancient world, normally eunuchs are clean-shaven, so this is a deep insult to David and his people.
It was the same as them openly emasculating his peace corp. When this happened, David Sent a Message to his men who carried David’s condolences to Hanun, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return to Jerusalem. “Does this remind you of the humiliation of Samson, Remember Delilah found out the secret of his strength, but the Philistines did not think about what would happen when his hair began to grow again. YOU WILL RECALL IT BOUGHT ABOUT A MAJOR TURN OF EVENTS.
6 When Hanun and the Ammonites realized they had made themselves abhorrent to David, they paid a fortune to hire mercenaries from Mesopotamia, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. 7 They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah and his people (who camped at Medeba). Then the Ammonites gathered together from their cities for the battle.
8 When David heard about Ammon’s preparations, he sent Joab and all of his mighty army. Joab who was a field general, and upon realizing he was outnumbered called on his brother Abishai and they knew what to do to overcome the enemy and that was to fight together. “ONE PUTS A THOUSAND TO FLIGHT AND TWO TEN THOUSAND.”
IT WAS THE TURNING POINT IN THE BATTLE!!!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES IN THE BIBLE IN REGARD TO A TURNING POINT WAS THE STORY
OF HAMAN IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER.
I want you to remember that Haman who hated God’s people built a platform to hang Esther’s uncle Mordecai on, but God knows just the right moment for a TURNING POINT, and this is a TURNING POINT IF THERE EVER WAS ONE.
You can read this like lines in a play and the play-right was God Himself. King Ahasuerus: Now, my queen, what is your request? I promise that half of my kingdom is not too much to ask! Do not be afraid to ask for whatever you want.
Queen Esther: 7 I do want something. My request is: 8 If I have found favor before you, and if you truly desire to grant my request, would you and Haman join me again tomorrow for another banquet I will prepare? Then I will answer your question.
9 Haman left dinner in high spirits, almost gleeful, but his joy was short lived. As he walked through the king’s gate, he passed by Mordecai. It angered Haman to see the Jew unwilling to stand and, worse still, seemingly unafraid. 10 But he resisted showing his anger right then and there. Instead, he went home and spent time with friends and Zeresh, his wife. 11 Haman spent the evening bragging to them and having lots of sons in his family. He even boasted about his
relationship with the king, talking to his guests about his promotion above all of his fellow nobles and the officials of the king.
Haman: 12 And that is not all! Queen Esther invited me today to dine with her and the king. Just the three of us! And guess what? She is invited me again tomorrow. What do you think about that? 13 But I must be honest; seeing that Jew, Mordecai, as I pass through the gate makes it difficult to celebrate any of my good fortune.
14 Then his wife Zeresh and all of his friends came up with an idea. Zeresh and His Friends: You should make a wood pole 75 feet high! Tomorrow morning, have the king sentence Mordecai to be executed on it. Then you’ll be able to have a good time at the banquet with the king.
(The Persians have a particularly grisly way of humiliating and killing those they hate. A tree is cut down and sharpened to a point at one end. In some cases, the condemned are killed, and their lifeless bodies are impaled on it. Others are hung on the pole as a mode of torture and execution. It is erected in some public place as an example for others, and the 75-foot pole described here is high enough to be seen over most buildings and small trees. Soon birds and insects begin eating away at the dead or dying. Political enemies, criminals, and dissidents often end their lives this way. The threat of public death and humiliation has kept many from disobeying the law, but not Mordecai.)
“Haman thought the idea was brilliant. So, he had the pole made.” The other foot is about to fall in this providential turn of events. This story is too good in that God has No Equal for He has No Adversary. Therefore, you can read the Turning Point for yourself. Esther Chapter 7: “King Ahasuerus and Haman came to dine with Queen Esther; 2 and while they were drinking wine, the king posed his question once again.”
King Ahasuerus: “What is your request, Queen Esther? I’m willing to give you anything you want. Just make your request. Even if it’s half the kingdom you desire, I will make it happen!”
Queen Esther: 3 “If you favor me, my king, and if it pleases you, spare my life. That’s all I’m asking for—that my people and I be spared. That is my wish. 4 There are some, my king, who wish to rid your kingdom of us. For my people and I have been sold, marked for destruction and massacre. Now if the plan were simply to sell our men and women into slavery, I would have kept my mouth closed because that would not have been important enough to disturb you, my king.
Esther’s plea to Ahasuerus echoes the words of Moses to Pharaoh: “Let my people go.”
King Ahasuerus: 5 “Who has targeted your people? Where is this man who dares to do this?” Queen Esther (pointing to Haman): 6 “The man responsible for these actions is wicked Haman. He is vile, and an enemy to my people.”
‘In that moment, Haman’s joy turned to terror before the king and queen. 7 Angered, the king shoved away from the table, left his wine, and walked into the palace garden. But Haman, aware that King Ahasuerus had already sealed his fate, didn’t follow behind. Instead, he pleaded with Queen Esther to spare his life. 8 In desperation, he threw himself onto the couch where Queen Esther was sitting, just as King Ahasuerus walked back from the garden to the place where the
wine and the banquet had been set.” King Ahasuerus: “Haman, will you even violate my queen right here in the palace, where I can see you?
As soon as the king gave the order, the royal eunuchs covered Haman’s face. His fate had been sealed. 9 One of those eunuchs was Harbonah.”
Harbonah: “Look! Haman has prepared a 75-foot pole for execution in his own courtyard. He was hoping to use it to hang Mordecai, the man who spoke up and saved the king.” King Ahasuerus: Well, hang him on it!
10 “So they took Haman and killed him and displayed him on the pole he had made ready for Mordecai. And King Ahasuerus’ anger subsided.” Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury the votes are in, and I believe God is on the verge of showing
His hand. WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF A TURNING POINT I LOVE YOU, I BELIEVE IN YOU, I NEED YOU AND WE WANT YOU, WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THE EVENTS OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN HISTORY WE WILL ONCE AGAIN SEE THAT IT IS HIS STORY.
THIS WEEK MARKS 41 OF THE BEST YEARS IN OUR LIVES THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO
SERVE YOU ANOTHER YEAR,
YOUR LOVING PASTORS,
CLEDDIE AND GAYNELL