Mordecai's refusal to bow to Haman has nothing to do with
the Law. The Jews did not believe that
bowing before kings and rulers was a violation of the first and second
commandments, it was a matter of respecting the office, not worshipping either
the man or the office. It had to do with
the fact that Haman was an Amalekite, (described here as an Agagite - see Agag)
the enemies of the Jews from the earliest days of the nation in the wilderness.
He wouldn't bow because Haman was an
enemy of the Jews, as he proves to be.
We are told that they cast Pur or lots in Haman's presence day after day
as a way of determining the right timing to move against the Jews. The festival associated with the book of
Esther is the plural, Purim, certainly an odd choice for a name. The king, in his weakness, ignorance and
jealousy, determines that these people Haman describes as separatists, must
die. There is something eerily familiar
about the decision to wipe out the Jews isn't there?
Jesus takes for granted that His followers will give to the
needy, pray and fast. He gives
instructions based on "when" you do these things, not "if"
you do these things. In all these, we
are encouraged to do them to the Lord, in secret, not to make a show of our
righteousness. These are all righteous
acts in that they are commanded by God for His people. The obedience to a command is no more than
that and if such things are an act of obedience, then are they to be trumpeted
before the world? It has nothing to do
with avoiding persecution by hiding your faith, this is a word against prideful
action.
James says that we must be doers of the word and not hearers
only. Christianity is an active thing,
active obedience to both the commands of Jesus and to the prompting and
guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus
invited the disciples to come and follow, do life together, not simply learn
information and memorize facts and doctrine.
Life was the application of learning.
Judaism was and is a way of life, not simply a way of thinking. The reason for the 613 laws and the
interpretation of the Law was that people might know how to live as God's
people. Esther had to act on behalf of
her people, to be willing to risk rather than simply pray for deliverance. When we make Christianity an intellectual and
private thing we have walked away from Jesus.
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