This was Haman’s response to the king when he asked how to honor one of his subjects. Haman outlined the highest royal recognition possible because he thought the king intended to honor him.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURISITIES (THE ULTIMATE HONOR)
Usually a ring with a seal carefully crafted upon it that an important or rich person used to authenticate a document. It was used much like a signature on a document today. The ring of kings would carry the highest authority in a land and empowered subordinates to act for the king. Examples of such rings in the Bible are: Pharaoh’s ring given to Joseph (Gen 41:42); Ahasuerus’s ring given to Haman and then to Mordecai after Haman was hanged (Esther 3:10,12; 8:2); King Darius’s sealing the den of lions after Daniel was thrown into it (Dan 6:17).
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (SIGNET)
Mordecai is a Jewish hero who helped save his race from a holocaust throughout the vast Persian Empire, which stretched from India to Egypt.
Continue reading A LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT MORDECAI
The book of is curious. It’s the only book in the Bible that never overtly mentions God. It contains no references to the Mosaic law or to sacrifices. You don’t see priests making offerings here, or saints singing psalms, or prophets pointing the people back to God’s promise. Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (ESTHER: THE QUEEN OF PERSIA)
True, Esther doesn’t mention the name of God, yet underlying the story are veiled references to God. Cousin Mordecai encourages Esther to go before King Xerxes saying. “Who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). He was implying that God might use Esther to deliver the Jews. Esther then asks Mordecai to gather the Jews and fast; she herself fasted for three days (Esther 4:3) showing her petition to God for assistance.
Continue reading THE BOOK OF ESTHER DOESN’T MENTION GOD, SO WHY IS IT INCLUDED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?
Gift, Giving- The act of bestowing a favor or an item on another person without expecting anything in return. The purpose of a gift may be to honor (2 Sam 8:2; Dan 2:48), celebrate (Rev 11:10), or simply to bestow favor or help (Esth 9:22). God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Matt 7:11; James 1:5, 17), including eternal life (Rom 6:23), salvation (Eph 2:8), the necessities of life (Matt 6:11), ability to work (Ecc 3:13; 5:19; Deut 8:18), the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 5:32), spiritual abilities (1 Cor 12:4), and above all His indescribable gift (2 Cor 9:15), His Son (John 3:16). Continue reading DEFINITIONS OF (GIFT, GIVING, HOMOSEXUALITY, KISH)
While we almost always think first of marriage when the subject of rings comes up, the Bible records no instances where a ring is used as a symbol of marriage or wedding vows. But surprisingly, the first time a ring is mentioned in Scripture involves an interesting account of surrogate courtship. When Abraham’s servant Eliezer arrive in Haran on a mission to find a wife for young Isaac, he met a young woman at the city well whose name was Rebekah (Gen. 24:1-67). Discovering that Rebekah’s parents were relations of