Reason for Redemption

Esther 2:

19. And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

20. Esther had not yet shown her kindred nor her people: as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

21. In those days while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlain, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on king Ahasuerus.

22. And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

23. And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

The virgins were gathered together again. Mordecai, like a keen gardener eager to watch careful over his plants, has relocated to the gate of the king, to keep tap on the welfare of his daughter. From hindsight, I come to understand that this move is divine though it looks so one of those things and unpremeditated. The driving force is to see the goodness of Esther. Many foolish things I have done. Yet, they may be divine, they may be things meant to work out redemption and to save life. Of course, this action of Mordecai may be extremely eccentric to many- and perhaps, it is – but behind the scene is an unfolding divine move. That is why I wouldn’t complain when – as a school teacher who had worked so long in a village school and who was not expected to be transferred to such setting again after I’d been transferred to a city –  the corrupt officials of the Zonal Teaching Service would send me to such setting. I started as a village teacher. I wasn’t expected to be transferred to such setting. A female colleague tried to dissuade me. I told her I would go. In my heart, I guessed God had prepared a young soul or souls for me to bless. To many, I was one who didn’t know his rights or, if he knew, couldn’t fight for it.

I’m always awed by the behind the scene hands of God in history. For redemption and safety of life, God sent Mordecai to the gate of Ahasuerus, though the later may just think he’s carrying out a normal duty.

Bigthan and Teresh, the two chamberlains who keep the door – the palace guards- are sorely dissatisfied with the king and feels that Ahasuerus has no right to continue to exist. So they make their plan to eliminate him. the plot is as good as sailing through. But this fails because of the humble but extremely eccentric Mordecai who sits at the gate where the plan is being hatched. Mordecai is eccentric to bring himself to the place of unassigned gateman. He can’t jump the protocol to report the urgent matter to the king but hands the information over to his adopted daughter. Esther passes on the information to the king in the name of Mordecai. The king investigates and finds out the truth and so have Bigthan and Teresh hanged.

Plotting and counter-plotting is as old, even older, than the world. Satan started it all and the rebellion thickened and spread and affected the cosmic order and creation. Man and the earth were not spared the horror as it spread and sucked man in the vortex of its perdition.

The rebellion had so much to do with God summing up all things in heaven and earth – all of creation – in His Son, the Word, the part of the Godhead. “I will,” said a creature, “ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne… I will sit… I will ascend above the heights…. I will be like the most high” (Isaiah 14:13 -14). This attempt at taking over heaven, above God all precipitated war in heaven and spread to the earth. “And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven” (Revelations 12:13-14). This is the short story of the rupture of the journey of creation to the present. The law of the divine nature must take its course and creation has been subjected to vanity, groaning, as it were, in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And thereafter, after the nature of God has been reenacted in man as the sons or children of God, final redemption. ” The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay, and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21, NIV).

Bigthan and Teresh are the eyes and heart of the king as the keeper and palace guards. The dragon and his angels were part of the government of God over creation. But to them this simply fell short of their befitting status. God has decided to live in man and no creation, not even the most powerful angel in the presence of God is as this great and privileged; none can be compared with man indwelt by God! So, the raging war and the subsequent war of redemption was all about me. Awesome truth!

The matter has been finally settled in redemption effected by the Lord Jesus, through His Cross of Christ – the One who is my kinsman-redeemer. That the divine law might be satisfied, for only then I could come to sonship or be given birth to by God, He took on my nature and gave me His nature and took the brunt of divine law that mine nature attracted. God lives in me as of today by the wisdom of this redemption.

Now, the final redemption speeds home. I’m still here attacked, mauled and marred but the venom of sin has been removed; I’m free of sin nature. Oh, no I’m not speaking of sinless perfection. I fight each day to keep my sanity in the victory of the cross, but I’m fighting from the place of strength and victory. I can’t be caught in the whirlwind of rebellion; I can’t be tired of my Lord! The assaults are hard here; they are hurting here. The enticement to rebel grows everyday, but I will never go the way of the philosopher.

However, the body of Christ is yarning for intercession until the Lord fills the earth with His ascended gifts of men. Men and women who could preempt, by the Holy Spirit, every move of Satan against the kingdom of God and the unsuspecting inhabitants. There’s even a need for such Christ’s gifts who can avail for such mundane matters as choosing a career, who to marry, where to live and what one has been called to fulfil in the Body of Christ. They’re of great help to the Body even as Mordecai intercepted the counter plan to that of God in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

This is part of the redemption picture

Thank you Lord