Bible Reading Plan

Month: November 2021

  • Ecclesiastes 2

    Ecclesiastes 2

    Read Ecclesiastes 2

    Pleasures Are Meaningless

    2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

    4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

    10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
        I refused my heart no pleasure.
    My heart took delight in all my labor,
        and this was the reward for all my toil.
    11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
        and what I had toiled to achieve,
    everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
        nothing was gained under the sun.

    Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

    12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
        and also madness and folly.
    What more can the king’s successor do
        than what has already been done?
    13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
        just as light is better than darkness.
    14 The wise have eyes in their heads,
        while the fool walks in the darkness;
    but I came to realize
        that the same fate overtakes them both.

    15 Then I said to myself,

    “The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
        What then do I gain by being wise?”
    I said to myself,
        “This too is meaningless.”
    16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;
        the days have already come when both have been forgotten.
    Like the fool, the wise too must die!

    Toil Is Meaningless

    17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

    24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

    Go Deeper

    Solomon isn’t looking to pull any punches. Throughout the first section of this chapter, Solomon is presenting us with his résumé. He gives us a run down of who he is, what he has built, and what all he has accomplished during his time on earth.  Despite his many efforts, he comes up unsatisfied. 

    We often think or pray to God for that one more thing to be satisfied. We think, “God if only you gave me _______, I would be happy” or,“God please let _________happen and then everything would be okay.” Solomon got every wish he could possibly imagine and ended up emptier than ever before. In verse 10 he goes so far as to say he denied himself nothing his eyes desired and refused his heart no pleasure. Imagine all the desires you have over the course of a day being fulfilled. Every want. Every dream. Nothing is out of your reach. This is Solomon’s life every day! Yet he finds that this didn’t actually solve anything. It just left him feeling more empty than before. You can really feel Solomon’s despair  when he considers that no matter how you live your life, all will die and be forgotten.

    It is no wonder then that Solomon hated his life and everything he worked for. Work provided him no hope either. All it brought him was stress and no actual rest or quality of life. Even what he did accomplish while working he must give to those who follow him (who will eventually ruin it). But in verse 24 we see a brief glimpse of hope from the hand of God. Solomon encourages his readers to enjoy what God provides in our lives, enjoy the work laid out for us, and to please God.

    Good news! This chapter does a great job of tearing up false hopes and idols we have in our lives, but we know the answer that Solomon lacks. We know that because Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, we are right before God, therefore we can spend eternity in heaven with Him. Our lives on earth have eternal ramifications for ourselves and others. We shouldn’t live our lives as if nothing matters but instead attempt to glorify God in everything we do (1 Cor. 10:31). 

    Questions

    1. Take time to list some of the things that you spend time/money/effort doing that have no eternal value (meaningless).
    2. Because of Jesus’ payment for our sins, we have the hope of heaven after death. How does that change what you spend your time on every day or how you feel about what you spend your time on every day?
    3. What mundane things can you do to the glory of God?

    Watch This

    Tom Brady is sort of a modern-day Solomon. He has won seven Super Bowls, is married to a successful model, and has an estimated net worth of $250 million. Watch this clip from a 60 Minutes interview in 2005 (after his third Super Bowl win) as he wrestles with the fact all his success has left him coming up empty. 

    Harris Creek Sermon

    Here is the second sermon of Harris Creek’s Ecclesiastes series “The Search for Meaning: The Search Continues”.

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  • Ecclesiastes 1

    Ecclesiastes 1

    Getting Started

    Welcome to the Bible Reading Plan! We are so glad you are joining us for this journey through Ecclesiastes over the next couple of weeks. Each day, you will read one chapter of the Bible followed by a short devotional, answer a few questions, and if you want, record any observations or insights using the interactive comments section. We believe God will use this resource to grow our knowledge and affection for Him. We know God’s Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). Sign up with a friend, your Life Group, or your family, and let’s dig in!

    Make sure to download our Harris Creek App and turn on push notifications, or visit us at biblereadingplan.org and sign up to receive the BRP in your inbox. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram (@harriscreek) for some fun, creative ways to interact with the readings. 

    Let’s Go, Church!

    Ecclesiastes Preview

    Ecclesiastes, one of the poetical books in Scripture, is a much different read than its other poetical counterparts. Written by Solomon, who 1 Kings 10:23 tells us was the wisest and richest of all the earthly kings, this book is part autobiographical and part poetry. Drawing on his own experiences, Solomon used these writings to get to the heart of the question, “What is the point of all of this?” The result is an emotion-filled, weighty book that we get to unpack over the next couple of weeks.

    Unlike some books of the Bible where not much is known about the author, we know quite a bit about Solomon’s backstory up to this point. He was the second son of King David (yes, that King David) and Bathsheba. He ascended to the throne and expanded Israel’s kingdom. As king, Solomon experienced everything the world had to offer. That isn’t a hyperbolic statement, either. He had more money than he knew how to spend, more wisdom than anyone around him, all the power that comes with being king, and 700 wives and 300 concubines at his disposal (1 Kings 11:3). Solomon’s life was great…right? Unfortunately, no. But there is much we can learn from this cautionary tale. 

    As we read through Ecclesiastes, you will likely feel several different emotions depending on which chapter you just read. You may feel like what Solomon is saying is really relatable—like someone just put words to how you are feeling. On the other hand, you may feel the heaviness of everything he’s saying on a really deep level. We are afforded the privilege of reading Ecclesiastes through two different lenses: one through the lens of Solomon’s initial readers and one through the lens of the Gospel. As we read it through the lens of the Gospel, we’re able to find hope in even the darkest chapters of this book because there is more to life than the here and now. We have eternity in mind. 

    As we read, remember to keep a journal handy. Grab a highlighter. Underline verses that resonate with you. Circle words that stand out. Be an active reader as we go! Each day, ask God to speak to you through these ancient words as we journey through these twelve chapters.

    Read Ecclesiastes 1

    Everything Is Meaningless

    1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

    2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
        says the Teacher.
    “Utterly meaningless!
        Everything is meaningless.”

    3 What do people gain from all their labors
        at which they toil under the sun?
    4 Generations come and generations go,
        but the earth remains forever.
    5 The sun rises and the sun sets,
        and hurries back to where it rises.
    6 The wind blows to the south
        and turns to the north;
    round and round it goes,
        ever returning on its course.
    7 All streams flow into the sea,
        yet the sea is never full.
    To the place the streams come from,
        there they return again.
    8 All things are wearisome,
        more than one can say.
    The eye never has enough of seeing,
        nor the ear its fill of hearing.
    9 What has been will be again,
        what has been done will be done again;
        there is nothing new under the sun.
    10 Is there anything of which one can say,
        “Look! This is something new”?
    It was here already, long ago;
        it was here before our time.
    11 No one remembers the former generations,
        and even those yet to come
    will not be remembered
        by those who follow them.

    Wisdom Is Meaningless

    12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

    15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;
        what is lacking cannot be counted.

    16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

    18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
        the more knowledge, the more grief.

    Go Deeper

    The book of Ecclesiastes begins with an introduction to “the Teacher” (also known as “the Preacher”), King Solomon. Solomon, the son of King David, was both the wisest and wealthiest man to ever live. A lot of us would take that trade, no questions asked, wouldn’t we? But we see in the first few verses that all of the money and all of the wisdom in the world isn’t enough to satisfy Solomon. He finds himself coming up empty in this life, dissatisfied because everything around him lacks meaning. How’s that for inspirational?

    Early on, we’re introduced to the phrase “under the sun,” which is used 28 different times throughout this book. Every time we see that phrase, Solomon is referencing the world—the here and now. In this first chapter, Solomon gives us a high level overview of how the rest of the book will unfold. Everything we see under the sun? It’s all temporal. The daily grind that you find yourself in? Everybody feels that way. And that name you’re trying to build for yourself? It will be forgotten. 

    When you read these words on the page, it all sounds sort of hopeless. But the crazy thing is this: Solomon was right. He had been there, done that, and still found himself wandering through life feeling discontented emptiness. However, we have the ability to view this through a different lens. When Solomon writes these words, all he can think about is his present life. His eyes aren’t set on eternity. Little did Solomon know, over 900 years later, out of the same family lineage that he himself came from, Jesus Christ would come to make the hope of eternal life a reality. 

    When we read this chapter (and the rest of this book) through the lens of eternity, everything looks differently. If what we see under the sun today is all there is, then of course we’ll feel hopeless and like life is meaningless. But if Solomon is misguided and there’s reason for hope, then everything does matter because how we live on earth carries over into eternity. All of a sudden, that daily grind presents us with opportunities to share Jesus with our co-workers or classmates. Worries about making our names memorable fade because we’re focused on making Jesus’ name memorable instead. Life lived through the lens of eternity, focused on glorifying God and showing others who he is, is meaningful. Our entire perspective shifts when we view life through the right lens.

    Questions

    1. What emotions do you feel as you read this first chapter? What surprises or stands out to you?
    2. Have you experienced what Solomon is describing here? How have you experienced life “under the sun”?
    3. What needs to change in your life today to give you the right perspective over the next 11 chapters?

    Watch This

    Check out this overview of Ecclesiastes from The Bible Project. 

     

    Harris Creek Sermon

    Here is the first sermon of Harris Creek’s Ecclesiastes series “The Search for Meaning: The Search Begins.”

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  • Esther 10

    Esther 10

    Read Esther 10

    The Greatness of Mordecai

    10 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.

    Go Deeper

    At first glance, Esther 10 might seem a bit unnecessary. What can we actually learn about God from three verses at the end of a book in which God is never mentioned? We can learn quite a bit, actually. 

    In the first two verses, we find it harder to see anything to apply to our lives, but this is why Scripture is amazing. In verses 1 and 2, we read about King Xerxes, saying he “imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores.” This seems insignificant to us today, but here we see the scope of the power of King Xerxes. He holds the power to enforce a tax all the way to the edges of an empire that pushed the borders of modern-day Greece and India! The author, in verse 2, essentially tells the ancient readers to fact-check him in the records of Xerxes’ rule. 

    Once the power of Xerxes had been firmly established in the reader’s mind, the author moves to point out that Mordecai, the Jewish man, was second in power only to Xerxes himself over this massive empire. Not only was he second in command, but he “worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.” Mordecai was given this power by God and he used it for the benefit of the people of God. Does this sound familiar to you? 

    Way back in Genesis 41, we read of a guy named Joseph. Joseph, too, was Jewish, and he was named second-in-command to Pharaoh, King of Egypt, at a time when Egypt was as powerful as anyone in the world. The point of drawing this parallel is this: God protects and provides for His people. Both Joseph and Mordecai went through tremendous trial before ascending to their positions, and both were used by God in positions of power to provide for His people (Joseph feeding them in the famine) and protect His people (Mordecai halting and reversing the edict to kill the Jews). 

    A final point from this section, as small as it is, is a reminder of the power of Scripture. Paul said it best in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

    “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

    Questions

    1. What stood out to you most in these verses? Was it the power of Xerxes? The position of Mordecai? Or something else? 
    2. Upon further reflection on your answer to question 1, what can we learn about God? 
    3. Has this study changed the way you view the “insignificant details” in Scripture? How will this change how you read the Bible? 

    Keep Digging

    Here is a link to an interactive map of the ancient world. If you’d like a visual of the size of the Persian Empire under King Xerxes, check out the map between 486-465 BC.

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  • Esther 9

    Esther 9

    Read Esther 9

    9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. 2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. 4 Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.

    5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

    11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”

    13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.”

    14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

    16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

    18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

    19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.

    Purim Established

    20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

    23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

    29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

    Go Deeper

    Esther 9 is the culmination of the plot against the Jewish people that Haman began in chapter 3, except it has a little bit of a different ending than Haman had in mind. On the day King Xerxes originally decreed for the Persians to overpower the Jewish people, the Jewish people completely destroyed the Persians. The day that would’ve meant certain death for God’s chosen people became the day of their salvation. Today, we read an important lesson: anything opposing God must be completely destroyed. Anytime we read such graphic texts that detail the death and destruction of so many people, we need to pause and pay attention. It can provoke many questions—and that’s good! The more we understand what’s going on, the more clearly we see God. So what does happen?

    First, notice the Jewish population did not seek to kill anyone; they defended themselves from those who attacked them first (Esther 8:11). No one had to take up their sword against God’s people, but those who did marked themselves as His enemies. Any Jewish people who fought were defending themselves from God’s enemies.

    Secondly, while Esther’s plea to impale Haman’s sons seems harsh, with a greater understanding of the story, we see that she actually shows faithfulness. Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites, and the Amalekites were the Israelites’ greatest enemies. Twice God promised to wipe them out completely (Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 25:17-19), and in 1 Samuel 15 God gave Saul the command to destroy them entirely. However, Saul disobeyed and allowed the Amalekite king to live; as a result, some of his sons escaped. Now, 600 years later, we see Esther follow through on God’s command to destroy the evil enemies of His people. While God’s righteous judgement might still be hard for us to comprehend, we can choose to trust that God has a better understanding of the story than we do. If He promised the Amalekites would be destroyed, then He was going to see it through to completion, and this time, it is through a faithful girl named Esther. 

    A third thing to note is that the Israelites didn’t take any plunder in these battles. Once again, the Israelites were trying to right a past wrong. In 1 Samuel 15, when Saul let some of the Amalekites live, he and his men took plunder from them, even after God forbade it. The Jewish people in today’s story, like Esther, knew their history and refused to make the same mistakes their ancestors did. They knew God asks for complete obedience, and so they fully devoted themselves to following Him, no matter the task.

    Esther and the Israelites showed their allegiance and faithfulness to Yaweh by destroying those who proved themselves to be enemies of God. While we have the same call, it looks a bit different for us today. God does not ask us to take a sword to any person, but He does call us to be ruthless in taking out the sin that seeks to take us out. 1 Peter 5:8 says that we have an enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour us. We have an enemy, we are in a battle, and we must actively put to death any of the schemes, lies, and temptations to sin that actively seek to put us to death. We must fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)!

    Questions

    1. What does it mean to be an enemy of God? Did you know that’s what you were once labeled? Read Romans 5:10 and praise God for His forgiveness.
    2. Is there any area of your life in which you are not being obedient to God? Is He calling you to do something that you haven’t done? If so, confess and choose to be faithful today.
    3. Do you have any “pet” sins that you keep around and let stay by your side? How can you take one step towards ruthlessly destroying that sin in your life today?

    Listen Here

    Listen to this brief reflection from the author of today’s BRP entry.

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  • Esther 8

    Esther 8

    Read Esther 8

    The King’s Edict in Behalf of the Jews

    8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.

    3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.

    5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”

    7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. 8 Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”

    9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.

    11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

    14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.

    The Triumph of the Jews

    15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

    Go Deeper

    Esther has another courageous request to bring before the king. She has no idea what the outcome will be, but she faithfully steps forward a second time. In verse 3, we see she pleads, falls at the king’s feet, weeps, and begs for mercy on behalf of her people. King Xerxes miraculously extends favor again. He gives Esther and Mordecai complete permission to issue a new decree that would overturn Haman’s evil plot. Once written, it was rushed throughout the land of Susa to empower the Jews to defend themselves. The Jews immediately celebrate because it is obvious God is rescuing His people.

    God’s will was to preserve His people from destruction. He orchestrated the right people in the right places at the right time. Esther and Mordecai did not know what the outcome would be, but they stepped forward faithfully and acted courageously to save His people from death. They were elevated to positions of influence so God could use them.

    The Lord is working the same way today. His will is going to be done. However, it is not always clear how He is working. Is He working when people we love are threatened? How is He working when we feel alone? What is His plan in the middle of a challenging season? No matter what it looks like at the time, we know God is working. Even when it all looks wrong, we know God is working. God still longs to save the people of this world from death. That is why He sent Jesus. Like Xerxes’ new decree that overturned Haman’s evil plot, Jesus is our “new decree” that overturns Satan’s evil plot. Satan doesn’t win in the end.

    God’s people should emulate the courageous faith and passion we see in Esther. We should seek to save the lives of those around us. Romans 6:13 says, “Offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” We each could be the right person in the right place at the right time God uses to bring forth life to someone in darkness. What if God is preparing us for this time? Believers in Jesus should be praying for the exact outcome we see in Esther 8:17—that many people would come to faith in Jesus because they see how He has miraculously rescued us. Let it be so!

    Questions

    1. What did you learn about God from this chapter?
    2. Who was the right person (or people), in the right place, at the right time who shared the Gospel with you? Thank God for them right now. How can you be that in someone else’s life?
    3. What circumstance in your life requires you to step forward with courageous faith like Esther? Remember, God is already at work in ways you can’t see.

    By the Way

    Consider what we have to learn from the life of Haman. He had achieved all earthly success. In the end it was all for nothing. Solomon, who had also reached the pinnacle of earthly success (even more so than Haman) says this in  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14: 

    “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil”.

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  • Esther 7

    Esther 7

    Read Esther 7

    Haman Impaled

    7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, 2 and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

    3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”

    5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

    6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

    Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

    8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.

    The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”

    As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

    The king said, “Impale him on it!” 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.

    Go Deeper

    Up until this point, Esther has been the Bible equivalent of a soap opera or high-suspense movie drama. To understand the importance of this piece of the story, we need to review what has happened so far. Our main character, Esther, hid her Jewish identity to become the wife of the King of Persia. Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, saved the King from an assassination plot, which the King forgot about until chapter 6. Haman convinced the King to write a decree for all the Jews to be executed. In chapter 6, Haman went to the King to attempt to have Mordecai hanged, but the King instead had Haman honor Mordecai by bringing him around the city on a horse. 

    If you go back and quickly skim over chapter 5, try to notice the similarities and differences between the two chapters. These parts of the stories are very similar (and this is intentional). In chapter 5, Esther had a banquet where she asked the King and Haman to return the next day. That night, Haman had a wooden beam put up with the intent of having Mordecai executed on it. In today’s reading, Esther threw another banquet and exposed Haman’s plot. In a dramatic twist, the King had Haman killed on the wooden beam that had been put up for Mordecai’s execution.

    So while this story full of murder and plot twists is interesting, what does it have to do with God and with us? This was a scary time for God’s people in this story. They were in exile from their homeland, living in the capital of Persia, and facing almost certain execution. It seemed like the odds were stacked against God and His people. But this provided an opportunity for God’s power to be displayed all the more.

    At this point in the story, the problem of the Jews being murdered had not been solved, but God had already begun turning the tables. When things seem at their darkest and most hopeless, God takes the victories of our enemies and turns them into His victories. We can trust what Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” The rest of this book, and the rest of our lives, will show this to be true. 

    Questions

    1. What has been your favorite part of the book of Esther so far?
    2. Which character from this story so far do you relate to the most and why? Characters: Ether, Mordedai, Haman, and the King.
    3. What can we learn about God from today’s reading?

    By the Way

    Haman being impaled by the same pole he had built to execute Mordecai is an example of Psalm 9:15-16 coming to fruition:

       15 The nations have  fallen into the pit they have dug;

        their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

        16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;

        the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

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  • Rest Day 1

    Rest Day 1

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence. Each Rest Day, we will also introduce a memory verse for the week. Meditate on this week’s verse and begin to memorize it.

    Memory Verse

    15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

    Esther 4:15-16

    Memorization Tip

    Use technology to your advantage. There are many Scripture Memory Apps available on the app store, such as The Bible Memory App, Bible Memory, Fighter Verses, Remember Me, Verses, Scripture Typer, and more! Some use games, memorization tools and methods, employ different translations, and help you track your progress. Simply download the app, load the verses you want to memorize, and get to work!

    Worship with Us

    Join us at 9a, 11a, or 7p in person or online at harriscreek.org/live. We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

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  • Esther 6

    Esther 6

    Read Esther 6

    Mordecai Honored

    That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

    3 “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.

    “Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.

    4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.

    5 His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”

    “Bring him in,” the king ordered.

    6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”

    Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” 7 So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”

    10 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”

    11 So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

    12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.

    His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.

    Go Deeper

    Today’s chapter gives us glimpses of God working behind the scenes to bring deliverance to the Jews. Despite the grand scheme Haman hatched to kill Mordecai and his people, God used the king’s sleepless night to accomplish His purposes. Apparently, daily events were recorded in a book. The king ordered the book read aloud, and “They found the written report of how Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus” (v. 2). The official records marked this event happening five years previously, but Mordecai had never been rewarded, and worse yet, he and his people were about to be wiped out.

    The plan of Haman begins to unravel from here on a grand scale. Just when Haman is about to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he prepared, the king rewards Mordecai’s loyalty. “So Haman took the garment and the horse. He clothed Mordecai and paraded him through the city square, crying out before him–this is what is done for the man the king wants to honor” (v. 11). Mordecai, who had been driven by overwhelming grief to put on sackcloth and ashes and bitterly wail in the middle of the city, is now given honor and special recognition.

    And God is not finished yet! Mordecai’s period of mourning is about to be over. Isaiah 61:3 proclaims, “To provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they shall be called righteous trees planted by the Lord, to glorify Him.” Hallelujah! Let this be a beacon of hope for us. Through every hard and sanctifying moment, our God is at work. In the waiting, the suffering, the surreal experiences we walk through, we are seen, known and loved by our Savior who gave His life for us.

    Questions

    1. Haman’s life was riddled with pride and selfish ambition. Where have these destructive forces crept into your life? Confess this to your Life Group. 
    2. Mordecai modeled faithfulness despite his circumstances. Who do you know that is living out their faith intentionally, despite the odds? Make a point to tell them this week and encourage them on their journey.
    3. Write down/journal 3 things that remind you of God’s sovereignty in your life. Turn them into a prayer of thanksgiving to Him.

    Dig Deeper

    Check out this article that explores what the Bible says about false accusations.

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  • Esther 5

    Esther 5

    Read Esther 5

    Esther’s Request to the King

    On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

    3 Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”

    4 “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

    5 “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

    So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

    7 Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

    Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai

    9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

    Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12 “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”

    14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.

    Go Deeper

    Have you ever seen the cartoon of the man leaning on a shovel praying for God to make a hole in the ground? Or how about the drowning man who is offered a buoy, but declines, explaining that he is waiting on God to save him? Thankfully Esther knew that trusting in God sometimes means you also have to take action. Esther was understandably afraid for her life as she moved out in faith. So how did she do it? She made a prayerful plan, she was prepared, she was peaceful, and she was patient.  

    Esther took time to think and plan before giving very specific instructions to Mordecai. She knew that prayer and fasting among her people and his people would put them in complete dependence on God for what happened next. 

    When the time came, Esther prepared for battle. Her uniform and battleground didn’t look like one of a typical warrior, but rather consisted of royal robes and logistical placement in the inner courts where the king would see her and invite her into his presence. Her entrance and battle cry weren’t ones of rage and fury. Instead, she waited to be called upon and approached in peace, waiting for the king’s scepter to be extended to her in the demonstrative sparing of her life. She even touched the end of the scepter in a show of respect. Keep in mind, she knew that her life was at risk; she told Mordecai in verse 4 “And if I perish, I perish.” 

    Commentaries are split on whether Esther was too fearful to ask for what she wanted right away or whether she was waiting for the exact right moment, but either way she was patient in asking the king for protection of the Jews. She prepared not one, but two banquets for the king and Haman, and even when pressed by the king to tell him what she wanted from him—she waited. She trusted and she waited on God’s timing. 

     We will see in the upcoming chapters how her plan, her preparedness, her peaceful approach, and her patience served her and God’s people well. How often do we approach difficult situations this way? We too often end up at one end of the spectrum or the other—we get ahead of ourselves and take action too quickly, only to realize we also got ahead of God. Or we are left leaning on the shovel waiting on God to do something, without recognizing that He already brought rain, made the soil wet, and put the shovel in our hands in order to dig the necessary hole. We can serve God faithfully if we remember to approach these situations as Esther did—with a prayerful plan and a purpose.

    Questions

    1. Which way do you tend to struggle—do you get ahead of God or do you fail to take action?
    2. In what situations might you need to take action and how can you prayerfully prepare? 
    3. If you identify some action you need to take, be sure to include your community as Esther did with Mordecai to make sure you are confident that you are acting in God’s timing and prompting.

    Did You Know?

    The NIV commentary gives a possible explanation why God’s name does not directly appear in the book of Esther. The people of the Middle East had many gods and those names were mentioned in official documents. However, the Jews were unique in that they served only one God, so a story about the Jews was naturally a story about God. For that reason, we see only indirect references and examples of divine incidents throughout the book of Esther.

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  • Esther 4

    Esther 4

    Read Esther 4

    Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

    When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

    4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

    6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

    9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

    12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

    15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

    17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

    Go Deeper

    Throughout the book of Esther, there are reminders of God’s providential care for His people (without a mention of His name). It is suggested that this is a literary technique to draw the reader to look for God in each event. At this point in the story, Mordecai is mourning publicly the dangerous plight of the Jews due to Haman’s edict to slaughter all of them. Esther’s awareness of this dreadful plan through her servants results in Mordecai’s direction for her to plead with the king on behalf of her people. Esther explains that this is a really big ask of her, placing her in a life-threatening position. Mordecai counters with a remarkable statement, pointing her and us to God’s sovereign care of His people. He recognizes that the Jews’ deliverance will arise, even if Esther is silent, from somewhere, but her position as queen could be for such a time as this. Esther’s response calls for all Jews to join her in a three day fast. She then boldly commits to approach the king, imploring him to save her and her people. In v. 16, Esther reveals a brave resolve and trust in God’s providential care. 

    During this fluid account, one can observe reminders of God’s providence, accomplishing His purposes in the lives of Esther and Mordecai. God faithfully brings about His plan through the lives of imperfect people. Esther’s story is a powerful reminder, and a great encouragement, that God can and does use even those who do not acknowledge His power to accomplish His plan.

    In a world that ignores or blatantly rebels against God, a reminder of God’s providence offers Christ followers comfort, peace, hope and courage. The challenge is to remember who God is, recall His great faithfulness, and act in trust as we face situations that God has placed us in for such a time as this. Like Esther, Jesus placed Himself in a life-threatening situation willingly and boldly. Unlike Esther, He humbled Himself by dying on the cross, and, as Timothy Keller suggests, His words are not “if I perish, but when I perish.” Jesus’ surrender to God’s plan accomplished God’s purpose – to redeem and restore His people.  

    Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, confidently trusting in His ability to accomplish every purpose He designs. 

    Questions

    1. How would viewing your current life situation through the lens of “it is for a time such as this” influence your actions?
    2. When have you experienced God’s providential care? (Stop and give thanks to Him) Who may be encouraged to hear that? 
    3. Where do you need to replace fear with courage and trust, taking bold steps to identify with Christ and share the gospel?

    Dig Deeper

    We learn a lot about Esther’s faith in Esther 4:16 when she says, “If I perish, I perish.” Want to read more about the significance behind that statement? Check out this article from GotQuestions.org.

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