Daily Bible Devotionals

“Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: ‘Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be vindicated? Should your empty talk make men hold their peace? And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?’” Job 11:1-3 (NKJV)

In today’s chapter, another of Job’s “friends” offers his counsel in the form of a rebuke.  It seems he feels like a little “tough love” is in order. Now, there is nothing wrong with tough love. There are times when sin must be directly confronted. And things get more complicated when we have to confront sin in our friends’ lives.  

Let’s remember that one of the most “friendly” and compassionate things we can do is to lead a friend back to repentance. We should always be gracious and compassionate when intervening in such issues, especially with friends. Still, we must be willing to risk friendships (possibly losing those friends forever) to lead people back to the right relationship with the Lord. Ultimately, it is for their benefit. Godly rebuke is a blessing to those who will accept correction.

But what about the scenario where a “counselor” has departed from God’s Word? This is an all-too-common experience. It is doubly worse when such “counselors” claim to speak from the Bible! Here, we can learn from Job’s friends. Once a person distances himself from a correct understanding of God’s Word, he also distances himself from the attributes of a believer who has a right standing with the Lord, namely, compassion, grace, mercy, gentleness, and empathy.

But notice how cold and hateful Tzofar the Na’amati is! They don’t say, “Job, help me understand why you feel this way.” This “friend” launches straight into accusation and condemnation. You see, a departure from God’s Word leads to bad theology. Bad theology leads to wrong assumptions, and wrong assumptions lead to false counsel and ham-fisted delivery.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7 (HCSB)  

I generally do not receive rebuke with immediate contriteness & humility. I don’t know anyone who does. It is because sin is foolish, and it takes a moment for God’s Spirit to override our foolishness and convict us of our actions and attitudes. But, once we accept God’s Word on the matter, we turn from that sin. Rightness has been restored.

Things get complicated when we have experienced a history of “wrong rebuke,” where people have misused the Bible and given us false counsel. We tend to throw up our defenses even when a true believer with proper knowledge of Scripture corrects us. That is why we must seek the Bible ourselves: to know God’s Word and live according to it. At times, we will even be called to discern the difference between Godly Biblical counsel and those who misinterpret or misuse Scripture.

“The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh where it set up the tent of meeting there; the land had been subdued by them.  Seven tribes among the Israelites were left who had not divided up their inheritance.  So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you delay going to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers gave you?’”  Joshua 18:1-3 (HCSB)

Let’s pause for a moment and consider all that has happened to Israel in such a short amount of time.  Under Moses’ leadership, they defeated major kingdoms east of the Jordan.  Moses passed away, and Joshua led Israel across the Jordan, where they defeated all the major kingdoms inside Canaan.  Then, Israel began to spread out across the land as individual tribes.

After all the Lord had done in their midst, seven tribes had still not taken possession of their allotted land.  Joshua decided to call a meeting of all Israel at Shiloh, a land where the enemy had been completely driven out.  The Tent of Meeting was set up there.  It was the perfect setting in which to encourage the remaining seven tribes.  It communicated: 1) God destroyed the inhabitants of this land when we took courage and fought so that He will do the same for you.  2) The direction you receive today is from God, Himself, straight from His tent of meeting.

Joshua’s message was, in effect, “God has led you this far; why would He not enable you to finish well?”

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

It is almost the same scenario we find in the New Testament book of The Revelation, chapters 2-3.  There are seven churches, all of which started well, yet everyone lacks something that keeps them from receiving the fullness of their blessing.  Seven tribes and seven churches, each having experienced the Lord’s deliverance, struggled with the urge to “settle” for less.

This is a message we can all identify with.  Today, let’s remember all that the Lord has done for us.  Now, in contrast, consider where you’ve “settled” for less than God desires for you.  Your “enemies” seek to deceive you by leading you to believe they are too strong to overcome or so weak that they are hardly worth your time and effort to drive out.  Nevertheless, the Lord has commanded us to completely destroy them!

In the words of Joshua, “How long will you delay in going out to take possession of all the Lord has promised?

“Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as humans see? Are Your days like the days of mortals? Are Your years like human years, that You have to seek my guilt and search-out my sin? You know that I won’t be condemned, yet no one can rescue me from Your power. Your own hands shaped me, they made me; so why do You turn to destroy me? Please remember that You made me, like clay; will You return me to dust?” Job 10:4-9 (CJB)

God knows how it feels to have “eyes of flesh” and to “see as humans see.” Not only did He create humanity, but He also chose to redeem the World as a human.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning. All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing made had being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.” John 1:1-4 (CJB)

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NKJV)

Jesus, the “God-man,” came into this World as a man - fully God, yet fully man - to seek and save the sinner.

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time, the Messiah died on behalf of ungodly people. Now it is a rare event when someone gives up his life even for the sake of somebody righteous, although possibly, for a truly good person one might have the courage to die. But God demonstrated His own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:6-8 (CJB)

So, exactly, who is a “sinner”?  Everyone is a sinner.

“…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God…” Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

“As it is written, there is no one righteous, no, not one,” Romans 3:10 (NKJV)

As the man, Jesus, God can truly empathize with our human condition. But more importantly, Jesus came to save us. His salvation is not some uncertain Heavenly event set aside for the dead.  Salvation is sudden, and it is certain. Alongside the promise of Heaven, Jesus came to give us abundant life here on earth. The knowledge of His reconciliation gives us the peace to endure all manners of hardship. This kind of peace seems foolish to those who consider themselves wise in this World!  

“Therefore, since we have now come to be considered righteous by means of His bloody sacrificial death, how much more will we be delivered by His life, now that we are reconciled! And not only will we be delivered in the future, but we are boasting about God right now, because He has acted through our Lord Jesus the Messiah through whom we have already received reconciliation.” Romans 5:9-11 (CJB)

“For He is not merely human like me; there is no answer that I could give Him if we were to come together in court. There is no arbitrator between us who could lay his hand on us both. If He would remove His rod from me and not let His terrors frighten me, then I would speak without fear of Him; for when I’m alone, I’m not afraid.” Job 9:32-35 (CJB)

Job understood that it was impossible to take God to court. He understood that he could never bring forth a case against God’s character because God is flawless and perfect in all His ways. Still, Job could not understand why he was undergoing such hardship. One of Job’s frustrations was focused on the great gulf that separated God from man. If only God were a man! Perhaps mankind could relate to Him. If only He could relate to mankind! Perhaps He would be gracious and merciful towards us. Enter Jesus: God, made flesh, fully God and fully man.  

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning. All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing made had being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.” John 1:1-4 (CJB)

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NKJV)

Now that we see how God can relate to us on a human level let’s look at Job’s next frustration: Who could arbitrate between God and man? Arbitration is a legal process used in lieu of taking a case to court. In arbitration, a third party (the Arbitrator) negotiates a settlement between the two “at odds” parties, whereby justice is served. In mankind’s case, God has done nothing wrong! Therefore, arbitration is out of the question. So, how can imperfect man commune with perfect God? Enter Jesus: our advocate.

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2 (NKJV)

With Jesus as our advocate, we have no need for arbitration. Messiah Jesus settled our “sin debt” to God by personally fulfilling our “righteousness obligation” on the cross. Now, turning from our sin and accepting Jesus’ offer of atonement does not stop the efforts of the Accuser (Satan) to persuade God to judge us to the full extent of the Torah. But, at the same time the Accuser is ranting against us, our Advocate (Jesus) simply raises his nail-scarred hands and says something to the effect of, “Their debt is paid in full. The Torah’s requirements have been fulfilled through Me. They are blameless and righteous in Your sight, Father!”

“Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:  ‘How long will you speak these things, and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?  Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?  If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and prosper your rightful dwelling place. Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.” Job 8:1-7 (NKJV)

Several years ago, I received a phone call from a friend who was considering placing his mom in an asylum. “Her dementia has become too much to handle,” he explained. His mom’s symptoms were textbook dementia and borderline Alzheimer’s. For instance, she would wear two or three outfits on top of each other, insist they had doctor appointments in the middle of the night, and call the police because she was convinced family members were trying to kill her. In her mid-70s, she displayed the behavior of women in their late 80’s. There was only one problem. She did not have dementia. She had a urinary tract infection. Thank the Lord that one doctor suggested an antibiotic because she was back to normal within a few days.

When the diagnosis is wrong, the treatment and expectations for healing are wrong, and sometimes with devastating consequences! This was the case with Job’s friends. Each was convinced God was judging Job for some secret sin, to the point where they became indignant whenever Job defended his character. Never mind Job’s testimony about himself; let’s consider Job from God’s testimony.

“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?’” Job 1:8 (NKJV)

Have you ever been wrongly judged? I have. Between the years 2008-2010, there was a massive financial downturn. One-in-four homes in Southern California were in danger of foreclosure. I know because I lost my home in that downturn. So, there I was, a minister of the gospel who had left Middle America to follow God’s call to Southern California. I firmly believe that God provides whenever He guides, so it was a major blow to my faith paradigm when we lost our home, so I had a serious decision to make. Was I going to curse God and die, as Job’s wife recommended, or was I going to hold on to God’s Word that EVERYTHING works together for the good (Romans 8:28)?  My wife and I chose to hold on. Other people chose to judge us.

If you are ever in foreclosure, you can’t qualify for another mortgage for three more years. Three years later, a pastor offered me a job outside of California. Had we saved our CA home with its pre-collapse mortgage, we may not have been able to heed God’s new call in another state. Sometimes He provides long-term by not providing short-term. Hard times may be unrelated to our personal righteousness and more related to His plan!

“Human life on earth is like serving in the army; yes, we drudge through our days like a hired worker, like a slave longing for shade, like a worker thinking only of his wages.” Job 7:1-2 (CJB)

It has been said that the “American Dream” is to work hard and become your own boss. When I was in high school, I met one of the most successful Americans. I was living in Arkansas and working at Wal-Mart’s store #125 when a voice came over our loudspeaker, “Hello, everyone! I am Sam Walton, owner of Wal-Mart, and I would like to meet you.” It was the first time I ever shook a billionaire’s hand. I must have washed my hands too soon after that handshake because the billions didn’t transfer to me!

Several years later, I heard a news report that Sam Walton had died. And how much of those billions did he take with him?  $0. Here is my point, and perhaps Job’s as well: Even if we become the boss of the world, we still must submit to the Lord. We work for God.

Yes, I know it grates at our independent spirits! We don’t want to work for anyone or take orders from any authority. But that doesn’t change the fact that we are bondservants at the beck-and-call of our master. It pleases God when we recognize our place in His Kingdom and willingly offer ourselves to His service. Consider Jesus’ conversation with a Roman centurion.  

“‘Lord,’ he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, ‘Shall I come and heal him?’ The centurion replied, ‘Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, ‘Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.’” Matthew 8:6-10 (NIV)

Job understood his place and the calling of all mankind to serve God. He compared it to the life of an army soldier. Well-disciplined soldiers do not question orders from their superiors, even when they seem absurd. Job did not like his condition one bit, but he had hope in God’s character. When what he believed to be true about God did not seem consistent with his immediate circumstances, Job held on to the Lord in faith.

What a perfect message for our present-day World!

But here’s the better news: We serve a Master Who (through the atoning work of His Son, Jesus) esteems us “slaves” (who have been purchased by Jesus’ shed blood) as ‘sons and daughters,’ making us co-inheritors with Messiah Jesus.

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Job 6. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.” Job 5:17-19 (NKJV)

When my older children were still very young, my wife and I determined that we would keep our kids as close to church as possible. We toted the kids to every program the church offered. When the kids got a bit older, we decided to enroll them in Christian schools. This was all because we were trying to protect our children from worldliness and its influence within the public school system.  

For the most part, our plan worked, but as time progressed, we began noticing that not all “Christian” families have the same rules and standards as us. We soon came to understand that it was not enough to protect our children from worldliness by shielding them from the World. We also must shield our kids from worldly Christians. That is, Christians whose worldview is based more on their knowledge of the World than their knowledge and faithful belief in the Bible.

This scenario is precisely what Job is facing in today’s passage. His “friends” have a form of godliness but a wrong understanding of God. When people depart from God’s Word, the Bible, they immediately lose track of the spiritual “true North” and cannot be trusted as a moral compass. That means their counsel may contain “religious-sounding” terms, be filled with sincerity, and be passionately presented…but it will probably not be consistent with God’s standard. When filtered through the lens of Scripture, what may appear to be common spiritual “horse sense” may actually be good, old-fashioned heresy!

Listen to how sincere Elifaz’s “tough love” encouragement sounds: How happy the person whom God corrects! Don’t despise Shaddai’s discipline.  

The problem was that the Lord was doing a whole other thing in Job’s life. Job was not undergoing the Lord’s rebuke. Job’s friend had misdiagnosed Job’s condition in a self-righteous rush to judgment, fueled by his Biblical ignorance. The source of Eilphaz’s spiritual pride was his lack of understanding of God, and this lack of understanding came from heeding the ungodly counsel of Satan himself.  (Job 4:12-21)

Once a person departs from God’s Word yet seeks to follow Him through some other means, not only is that person deceived, but any counsel they give has potentially eternal adverse effects on the lives of others. Notice how Elifaz prophesies, drawing wrong predictions of Job’s future based on an incorrect understanding of the Lord. This condition is rampant within the Church-at-large because so few professing believers read the Bible. We should discern all teaching and advice, just as the Bereans did.  

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11 (NIV)

“For a word was stealthily brought to me, my ear caught only a whisper of it.  In passing thoughts flashing through visions at night, when sleep lies heavy on people, a shiver of horror came over me; it made all my bones tremble. Then a spirit passed in front of my face; the hair on my flesh stood on end.  It stood still, but I couldn’t make out its appearance; yet the form stayed there before my eyes. Then I heard a subdued voice, ‘Can a human be seen by God as righteous? Can a mortal be pure before his maker? God doesn’t trust His own servants, He finds fault even with His angels; much more those living in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust.’” Job 4:12-19 (CJB)

Today’s passage is the first of a series of counsel/rebukes by Job’s friends. When I read the counsel of Job’s friends, I ask the age-old question: With friends like these, who needs enemies?  

This first “counsel” comes from a fellow named Elifaz the Teimani (Hebrew).  Elifaz, in Hebrew, means “my god shines purely as gold.”  Perhaps it is eluding that Job’s friend was an idolater. One thing is sure: Elifaz reveals the source of his counsel: Satan.

In the same way the “snake” slithered up to Eve and struck up that infamous conversation in the Garden of Eden, Satan whispers in Elifaz’s ear in the night.  Interestingly, nothing Satan says is blatantly false. One of Satan’s grand schemes is to present the truth in a negative light. You see, better than getting people to reject God’s Word completely is to convince them to follow God’s Word incompletely! Both tactics keep people from a saving relationship with the Lord through His Son, Jesus. It also keeps followers of Jesus from being effective witnesses and counselors to the lost and hurting.

That is why we read God’s Word every day, asking Him to personally reveal the truth of His Word so we can know it rightly. Then, we ask Him to give us someone to share it with. Why?  Because Satan has many “Job’s friends” planted throughout this world and even in the Church. If it were not so, why would Paul have written these words?

“In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:12-17 (HCSB)

We search God’s Word daily, so we can weigh both the world’s counsel and so-called “Christian” counsel that may deny critical aspects of the Word. Also, we can give Godly counsel to those who perceive their suffering as “for no reason.”

“Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, who long for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than hidden treasures; who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in? For my sighing comes before I eat, and my groanings pour out like water. For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” Job 3:20-26 (NKJV)

Have you ever wished you were never born? Have you ever cried out that the Lord would take you out of this world, that there is no reason to be alive, and that light and air are even wasted on you? That is a miserable way to feel, but you are alone. I have felt that way. Job felt that way. God knew you would feel that way, and He has written this account to help give insight into the redemptive “why” regarding the suffering of the righteous. Consider Paul’s words.

“For if we live, we live in relation to the Lord; and if we die, we die in relation to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord – indeed, it was for this very reason that Messiah died and came back to life, so that He might be Lord of both the living and the dead.” Romans 14:8-9 (CJB)

The reason we exist (in this world and the next) is to glorify the Lord. Our culture has somehow convinced many of us that God exists to serve mankind. This mindset has even taken root in the Church-at-large. That is exactly the opposite of the truth. Even Heaven is not the “eternal recess” many believe it will be. We belong to the Lord, and our lives (even in eternity) are to be lived unto Him for His purposes, chosen by His great wisdom. It is our obligation to trust that even if our circumstances do not resemble blessing, He is ultimately working all things together for good. (Romans 8:28) Again, consider the words of Paul, no stranger to suffering for following the Lord.

“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advance of the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is in the cause of Christ. Most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the message fearlessly.” Philippians 1:12-14 (HCSB)

“My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ—which is far better— but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.” Philippians 1:20-2 (HCSB)

Paul could be encouraged because he knew what Job didn’t: the end of Job’s suffering! We see the end of Paul’s and, perhaps, most importantly, the eternal end of Jesus’.

“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.’ So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!’ And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.’” Job 2:3-6 (NKJV)

Many followers of Jesus have a superstitious wariness concerning the book of Job.  It is as if once they read the book, God will have a similar conversation with Satan about them! I know I feared reading the book of Job for many years. My fear was mostly centered on my misconception that God exists solely to make me happy and give me a life of worldly abundance. I did not want to face the truth that God’s great plan and purpose for my life may include my suffering for His gospel!

These first two chapters of Job are some of the most dreaded chapters in the Bible and pretty much single-handedly dismantle the “prosperity” gospel.

Something that profoundly leaped out of today’s chapter was Satan’s argument against Job that a man will give up everything he has to save his life. What was so interesting is that Satan’s argument was exactly the opposite of what Jesus did. Jesus, the Creator of all that is (John 1), left His position of power, honor, and glory to offer up His life for us.

“The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (HCSB)

Furthermore, Satan argued that if he were allowed to curse Job’s flesh, Job would curse God to his face. Again, this is precisely the opposite of Jesus’ response, even at the pinnacle of His suffering.

“And Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.’  Saying this, He breathed His last.” Luke 23:46 (HCSB)

Whereas Job’s life was spared, Jesus’ life was not. That meant that His sacrificial atonement was complete! And we know that it pleased God to see Jesus honor Him all the way through His suffering, as evidenced by the Father’s testimony upon Jesus’ resurrection.

“Now to which of the angels has God ever said: Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool?” Hebrews 1:13 (NIV)

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” Job 1:1 (NKJV)

I believe the two most dreaded verses in the Bible are “Turn away from Me, I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23) and “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant...?’” (Job 1:8a)  Personally, the notion that God & Satan may be talking about ME at this very moment terrifies me! I would rather live a peaceful life, having received salvation. I would be content to simply read my Bible, share the gospel, love my family, earn an honest wage, and maybe vacation at the beach for a week every year. I would be good with that!  But my “American Dream” scenario is not found anywhere in Scripture. The reality is that the “accuser,” Satan, is always trying to convince God to condemn us.  And how does Satan know that he has a case against mankind?  Because he is the one who enticed us to sin in the first place!

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

We should not be surprised at the notion that our lack of righteousness is being discussed in Heaven, nor should we be afraid. Just as we have an accuser, we also have an advocate (attorney).

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2 (KJV)

So, Satan’s ongoing argument about the sin of God’s people (and his demand that God rebuke & cast us away) presents us with a dilemma for which we have no human solution. After all, Satan is correct in his assertion that we deserve judgment. Enter Messiah Jesus. Not only is Jesus our advocate (argues on our behalf), but He is also our “propitiation”. That is, Jesus has paid the fullness of our sin penalty, in its entirety, forever!

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” Revelation 12:10 (NKJV)

Job’s name in Hebrew translates as “Hated/Persecuted.” While Job was hated and persecuted by Satan (and later also by his so-called friends), he was loved and sheltered by God. That is encouraging for us!  We should take courage that while Satan and the world may hate us as believers, God loves us!  (John 3:16)

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” John 15:18 (NKJV)

“And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea. Now all the acts of his power and his might, and the account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.”  Esther 10:1-3 (NKJV)

Today’s chapter, the last in the Book of Esther, is one verse away from being the shortest chapter in the entire Bible.  One might be inclined to wonder how such a short chapter could warrant much attention.  To me, Esther, chapter 10 is like the very end of a TV program.

Near the end of a television drama or sitcom, after the murder has been solved, the marriage has been restored, or the problem has been resolved, there is often a brief commercial break followed by a short segment that brings closure to the show.  If we apply this analogy to the Book of Esther, we observe the central problem of the story being resolved by 9:19.  We then watch the commercial break in 9:20-32 – an infomercial about Purim holiday celebrations.  Finally, we discover the last three verses of the book (today’s chapter), wrapping up the whole story and leaving us with both a sense of completion and a realization that life goes on as before in the Medo-Persian empire.

The Book of Esther could comfortably end with Esther’s command in 9:32, which establishes Purim as a legal holiday for the Jews.  Yet the book is not a simply passionate commercial for a holiday; it is concerned with a much larger issue – the “hidden” work of God on behalf of His people despite their spiritual condition.  Nothing can keep God from accomplishing His purposes, not even the sin of His people!  Therefore, just because God is using you to accomplish His purposes (or just because you are living a seemingly “blessed” life while pursuing a sinful one) does not necessarily mean you are in God’s favor.  It may simply mean that God is working in spite of you!

Thus, to highlight that larger issue, the author adds three seemingly innocuous verses that zero in on a tax, a book, and a person.  In actuality, these three verses are anything but innocuous.  They invite us to re-evaluate the details of the book in light of the broad thematic scope of the book.  If we see them as only a historical postscript, we miss the author’s closing comments that give the final definition to all that he has previously placed before our eyes.

So, how do we bring closure to this chapter AND this email?  How about we answer a question you may have had at the beginning of this email: What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?  It also happens to be appropriate to end this chapter.

“Praise the Lord, all nations! Glorify Him, all peoples! For His faithful love to us is great; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.” Psalm 117:1-2 (HCSB)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Esther 9. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“The city of Susa shouted and rejoiced, and the Jews celebrated with gladness, joy and honor.  In every province and every city, wherever the king’s command and his law reached, rejoicing and jubilation took place among the Jews.  There was a celebration and a holiday.  And many of the ethnic groups of the land professed themselves to be Jews, because fear of the Jews had overcome them.” Esther 8:15b-17 (HCSB)

Break out the Manischewitz!  The city of Susa was in the middle of a party that rivaled the one that opened the Book of Esther.  To this very day, the Jewish holiday of Purim is a festive occasion and one of the happiest events on the Jewish calendar.  As one Jewish comedian put it, “Purim is like the Jewish Halloween” because everyone dons costumes rattles noisemakers, and sends presents & food to one another.  It is amazing what happens when God’s people esteem His Word over their own self-preservation instincts.  Talk about transformations!  Esther did more than change her attitude; she became tenacious toward what she was formerly timid.  She became a “wolverine,” as it were.

Wolverines are built with powerful legs that propel them mile after mile in search of food.  They possess tremendous strength and determination.  Once they set their mind on their target, they press on despite all odds, seemingly never giving up until they achieve their goal.  This describes Queen Esther.  Once she made up her mind to secure the deliverance of her people, Esther tenaciously pressed forward until she achieved that end.  Even after victory over Haman was secured, Esther forged ahead to ensure that her enemies were thoroughly defeated and that her own people established a permanent means to remember their amazing victory.

But we must remember that the Jews were simply a small people group within a vast kingdom that spanned from India to Ethiopia.  So, what was the reaction of the other peoples within Achashverosh’s kingdom?  There was sheer fear and dread of the Jewish people…to the point where people declared themselves Jewish, simply to escape potential harm.

Years ago, I pondered (as many of you may have) the source of anti-Semitism.  Why have so many people groups hated the Jewish people; why have so many world leaders sought to destroy them?  In short, Satan hates the Jewish people.  Historically, Satan tried to kill off the Messianic line of David because redemption for the World would come through Messiah, Jesus.  But as God’s affection for the Jewish people endures (Romans 11), enraged envy and jealousy still wells up within the evil one, Satan.  Haman was undoubtedly a representative of the antichrist, as were Hitler, Stalin, and a host of others.

But how could anti-Semitism infect the Church?  Where were the seeds of anti-Semitism?  Today’s chapter ends with the reaction of the Medo-Persians toward the Jewish people: Fear and dread.  Now, picture several generations later when Roman heralds ride throughout the Empire, announcing that Constantine has decreed that every pagan Roman citizen is now a Christian and must worship the Jewish Messiah…

“Then Queen Esther answered and said, ‘If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.’ So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, ‘Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?’ And Esther said, ‘The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!’” Esther 7:3-6a (NKJV)

Several years ago, my band Big Tent Revival performed at a Christian music day at Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando, Florida, called “Rock The Universe!”  After our performance, a park employee confided to my drummer and me that he could smuggle us into an (as-of-then) unopened section of the park, where we could preview their new roller coaster, “The Hulk.”

The Hulk is an “acceleration coaster,” different from the traditional roller coaster because its power is generated magnetically instead of the traditional “gravity” coaster.  Put simply, instead of creeping up a hill and then accelerating as the cars roll over the peak, acceleration coasters literally shoot the cars up the hill.  Acceleration coasters are very common these days, but we had no idea what to expect back then!  The ride started off like usual, creeping upward, but halfway up the incline, a noise went off, and the coaster shot off like so many Floridian space shuttle launches!

Delving into chapter 7 of the Book of Esther is much like buckling into an acceleration coaster.  There is a sense of anticipation at first, followed by the explosive acceleration of Esther’s accusation.  This leads to a momentary pause as the king leaves the room.  Immediately after that, the terror returns as Haman “attacks” the queen, and the king catches Haman in the act.

Once more, a few short sentences and a lull in the action occur, during which the king’s servant mentions the gallows that Haman has built.  The action quickly resumes when the king commands that Haman be hanged, and Haman is executed.  The chapter then comes to an abrupt halt, and everyone except Haman seemingly breathes a sigh of relief.  The ride is over.

All of that to say, we are reminded again in today’s chapter that there are two things that confound a fool: How slow God is to act and how quickly He shows up!  Haman was a fool, making him the perfect pawn for Satan’s plan to annihilate God’s people.  And he truly believed he would succeed, as did Hitler, Balaam & Balak, several Roman emperors, the Catholic Inquisitors, Stalin, Nero, Nebuchadnezzar, and a host of others.  Then, God showed up.

“That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, ‘What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?’”  Esther 6:1-3 (NKJV)

UCLA basketball coaching legend, John Wooden, had an endearing impact on his players.  Even after his players left to pursue their respective careers, they considered him as much a father as a coach.  One of the unorthodox things that Wooden would do to establish trust was to teach each recruit how to put on their socks and tie their shoes properly.  A simple thing, but it built that sort of father/son relationship and sent the message: “It doesn’t matter what you think you know; I am going to teach you how to play the game from the ground up.”  There is nothing quite like lacing up gym shoes in anticipation of an upcoming sporting event.

Forgive me for trying to make the tying of shoes into a spiritual experience!  But the whole process of tying shoes is a good analogy for the Book of Esther because lacing shoes takes mental effort that subconsciously anticipates the struggle that is about to take place in the sporting world.  The threads of Esther’s story are interwoven, much like gym shoes – the laces that (at the beginning) seem to work at cross purposes to each other are finally revealed to be drawn up together.  The author of the Book of Esther is weaving the laces of the story together in such a nonchalant way that we are almost surprised when things begin to cinch tightly together.

When seemingly unrelated or opposing agendas suddenly cinch together to accomplish God’s will, that’s called “Providence.”  It means that God is working from an elevated perspective, viewing the big picture in ways that are impossible for us to perceive.  Here on earth, at the pedestrian level, we can only see from a very limited perspective.  That means we must trust that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present and that His character never changes.

In today’s passage, we feel the laces cinch together in a way that nobody could have predicted.  We can only read today’s chapter and praise the Lord for doing something only He could accomplish.  He awoke the king in the middle of the night and gave him a strong desire to read the records of the daily journal, where the king discovered Mordecai was never honored or appreciated for his heroic and patriotic act.

Do the circumstances of your life seem loose, contradictory, and randomly unrelated?  God causes all things to work together, to literally cinch up like shoelaces, for the good of everybody who loves Him and is called, according to His purpose.  (Romans 8:28)

“On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the in the inner courtyard of the king’s palace, opposite the king’s hall.  The king was sitting on his royal throne in the king’s hall, across from the entrance to the hall.  When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, she won his favor; so the king extended the gold scepter in his hand towards Esther.  Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.  ‘What is it you want, Queen Esther?’ the king asked her.  ‘Whatever your request, up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.’” Esther 5:1-3 (CJB)

History records that on January 10, 49 B.C., Julius Caesar, who by the Senate of Rome had been declared an enemy of the Roman state, took a step that forever changed the course of history – he crossed the Rubicon.  By leaving his home province and crossing that shallow river with his army, Caesar, in effect, had declared war on the Roman Empire.  Alea jacta est – “The die is cast.”

Caesar risked his all and succeeded as, perhaps, no one else could.  Would the same be true for Esther now that she had taken that one small step across the threshold to the king’s royal hall?  We might anticipate big drama and suspense here, but the author tells the story almost as if it was an everyday event, with no special emphasis.

Interestingly, the author chooses not to build tension surrounding Esther’s approach to the king but immediately reveals that the king graciously welcomed Esther into his presence.  Thus, Esther is not painted as a heroine of super-human proportions but merely as someone who has a task to do and does it calmly & efficiently.  There is a lesson for followers of Jesus here.  We should not seek to be heroes or to be recognized as anything other than obedient to the Lord.  If we will live our lives in simple, diligent devotion, there is no end to the amazing things the Lord will accomplish through us.  Where, then, is heroism?  Is it not God who works through us; doesn’t the glory completely go to Him for the deeds of even the most pious among us?

The events of chapter 5 take place “on the third day,” that is, the day the fast that Esther instituted was to end.  What a difference three days make in her willingness to risk her life and luxury for the betterment of others!  It begs the question: What is fasting?  More than simply not eating, fasting is the intentional denial of fleshly desire.  When we fast, we are making our flesh submit to our will.  When we combine prayer with fasting, we make our flesh submit to our will as we submit to the Lord’s will.

Now, we see where Esther’s boldness comes from!  She has put herself under God’s direction and made her flesh be under hers.  Are you struggling with a difficult decision?  Do you feel as if your flesh continues to lead you down paths your spirit does not want to travel?  Try seeking the Lord daily through His Word and prayer and deny your flesh the control it wants.  There can be only one “Alpha” in control of your life.  And He should be the “Alpha & Omega!”

“Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: ‘All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.’ So they told Mordecai Esther’s words. And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: ‘Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’” Esther 4:10-14 (NKJV)

Have you ever started to tell somebody about a problem you’re having, only to have that person interrupt you by saying, “You think you’ve got problems; you should hear what I have to put up with!” Then the person goes on to explain in detail some minor issues they are facing.  If so, you can relate to Mordekhai’s situation in today’s passage.

Mordekhai relays to Esther that his problem is a life-threatening one, not only for himself but also for the entire Jewish population in Medo-Persia, and that Esther has the responsibility to do something about it.  Esther immediately reacts by saying, in effect, “You think you’ve got problems….” Interestingly, she does not express any concern for Mordekhai’s or her fellow Jews’ plight; instead, she worries because she might personally have to risk incurring the wrath of government authority and that such an act would put her own life in jeopardy.  To top it off, she mentions that her marriage has not been going well lately…30 days since she had last been in the king’s presence.  Oy vey!  Perhaps, the beauty treatments and luxurious lifestyle were starting to go to Esther’s head.

In this verbal exchange, relationships are being determined.  Would Esther perceive the conversation to be between queen & subject or uncle & niece?  In the greater sense, the whole debate was a commentary on the existential condition of the Jewish community in exile.  Had the Jews assimilated and simply considered themselves “Medo-Persians,” or did they still hold on to the prophecy of Jeremiah that they would someday be given the opportunity to return to the Promised Land?  Esther personified that existential condition.  Assimilation is still a significant issue for the Jewish Community, and the question of “what does it mean to be Jewish” is the main issue.  

It is also a major question for the Christian community.  Just as the Jewish exiles were commanded to be “among but not of” a foreign people, all believers are to live with the hope of Heaven, not seeking our identities in this World.  Like Esther, we must all choose to love the Lord and stand with His people, no matter the personal cost.

“Haman was furious when he saw that Mordekhai was not kneeling and bowing down to him. However, on learning what people Mordekhai belonged to, it seemed like a waste to lay hands on Mordekhai alone. Rather he decided to destroy all of Mordekhai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole of Achashverosh’s kingdom.” Esther 3:5-6  (CJB)

We live in difficult times, and our nation has an unclear financial future.  As anyone who has ever had money in the stock market knows, there are no sure bets on Wall Street!  Israel was about to learn this lesson the hard way.

Life for the Jews in exile could not have been much better.  One of their own was queen (although most would not have been aware of that because of the secret pact in chapter 2:1, 20).  Furthermore, one of their own had just rescued the King and was sure to be rewarded for that heroic act.  There is an old saying: Rising tide lifts all boats.  What that means (in the context of chapter 2) is that when a couple of Jews are favored in the King’s eyes, it should raise the profile and prospects of the Jewish community as a whole.  Humanly speaking, they were as secure as any exiled people could be.  All of that, however, would quickly change.  The Jewish “stock” on the “Susa Board of Exchange,” which in chapter 2 reaches all-time heights, plummets in chapter 3 to all-time lows.

Chapter 3 begins easily enough – a promotion of one individual and a seemingly insignificant act of defiance on the part of another.  However, the chapter ends with the shocking revelation of an entire nation of people being placed under a death sentence.  It is a death sentence that has been repeated throughout the generations and tragically will be repeated again.

“In the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of Achashverosh, they began throwing Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman every day and every month until the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.  Then Haman said to Achashverosh, ‘There is a particular people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom.  Their laws are different from those of every other people; moreover, they don’t observe the King’s laws.  It doesn’t befit the King to tolerate them.  If it please the King, have a decree written for their destruction; and I will hand over 330 tons of silver to officials in charge of the King’s affairs to deposit in the royal treasury.”  Esther 3:7-9 (CJB)

The entire Jewish people are made to pay for a crime committed by one of their own.  Ironically, the same individual, who in chapter 2 is instrumental in bringing about the meteoric rise in Jewish stock, now becomes the reason for its dramatic drop.

Looking at the big picture, it is clear that Satan is positioning His people while God is positioning His.  That’s not to say that good & evil exist in some balance.  God has no equal, evil or otherwise.  It simply reminds us to expect Satan always to attempt to foil the Lord’s plans.

But fear not!  Greater is He who is in us!!  1 John 4:4

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Esther 2. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man’s pleasure. Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.” Esther 1:8-12 (NKJV)

King Ahasuerus knew how to throw a kegger! 180 days of partying were not enough, so he decided to top it off with a 7-day banquet featuring an open bar. On the last day of this soiree, the king decided to show off his “trophy queen.” Problem: She don’ wanna come. Headlines read “Queen Cools, King Ablaze.”  

It sounds like the plot for a great movie based on a true story. How will it end? You’ll have to keep reading. Is it relevant to our generation? Absolutely!

We don’t catch a glimpse of the Lord’s involvement until chapter 2, but that is precisely where the lesson is for us today. Even when we cannot see God, He is ever-present, accomplishing His purposes according to His will.

Some people believe that a person must be righteous in order to be used by God. That is not true, especially in today’s passage! God is not hindered by anyone or anything. Now, if you want to please God in His use of you, then you had better be pursuing His honor; but God can use you either way. In today’s chapter, God is using the worldliest of people in the midst of an utterly decadent scenario so He can position His servants where they can exert maximum influence for His kingdom. Drunken kings and obstinate queens are merely tools in God’s hand.

Perhaps God seems distant or even absent from your life. Maybe you wonder if He knows your name or cares about your personal well-being. When people feel God is absent or fail to perceive His power & authority, they tend to either lose hope or arrogantly taunt Him. Neither reaction is justified. God is ever-present, and He is almighty. In short, He is Lord, whether we believe it or not.

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

The generation of Jewish people who went into Babylonian exile could very well have felt abandoned and forsaken by God. While He may have been silent, God was still at work. The Lord was orchestrating events to provide for His people’s deliverance. Feeling forsaken? Hold firm to the truth of God’s Word; cling to His promises. He is with us, He cares, and He has the power and the plan to deliver us! Wait on the Lord.

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“In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, ‘What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.’” Nehemiah 13:15-18 (NKJV)

When I was a kid growing up in Arkansas, the city I lived in had a “blue law” that prohibited retail businesses from opening on Sundays. Apart from a few restaurants, everything in town was closed for business. The city’s managers, along with the voting public, felt it was best for our community to rest on the Lord’s Day. Truth be known, the majority of our city council were deacons in their local churches. While they could not enforce whether people went to church, they could make it nearly impossible for anyone to do anything else!

I remember when that law was amended to allow businesses to open in the afternoon on Sundays, and I recall when the law was repealed altogether. At the time, I was not a follower of Jesus, so I rejoiced when I finally had the opportunity to skip church and go shopping. If you were to ask Nehemiah, he would say it was blasphemy!

A friend of mine recently challenged me by asking how well I felt I was following the 4th commandment: “Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy,” as the Lord commanded us to observe it. I thought about it and realized I was not doing a good job setting aside a day of complete rest to read God’s Word and reflect on Him.  

You don’t hear a lot of pastors teaching on this subject of setting the ENTIRE day aside, primarily for two reasons: 1) It is hard enough to get people to worship at a church for an HOUR every week, and 2) The people being preached-to are the ones who are already setting-aside time to attend church! But the idea about the Sabbath is not simply to attend a weekly congregational meeting; the Sabbath is about committing a whole day to do nothing but seek & worship the Lord.  

When was the last time you committed a whole day to simply worshipping the Lord, forsaking all other opportunities? For most of us, sadly, the answer would be never.  

I challenge you to try it and see how the Lord refreshes your soul. As the Lord says concerning our tithe, “Test me on this…” (Malachi 3:10b). Test the Lord by devoting yourselves to His prescribed day (and His prescribed way) of rest.

“Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 12:27-29 (NKJV)

As I mentioned earlier, many scholars see the gates around Jerusalem as representative of the different ways that people enter into the Lord’s presence. If there were an issue that stood between you and God, there was a gate you could enter through, which corresponded to your particular issue. The names of the gates were symbolic. You could leave your burden at that gate, so to speak, and enter, unhindered, to meet with the Lord. To facilitate your entrance into Jerusalem, gatekeepers and musicians were stationed.

“After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and Levites were appointed.” Nehemiah 7:1 (CJB)

There is an old saying: music calms the savage beast. That idea is definitely true when it comes to worship music. The reason for music within the context of a worship service is to prepare the hearts of worshippers to receive the message of God’s Word. If we must lay down our “loads” before we enter Jerusalem, music softens the heart and sweetens the experience; music, therefore, is the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.

Traditionally, Jerusalem was to be open 24-7. That is 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. The symbolism was that the Lord was accessible at all times. Therefore, gatekeepers and musicians conducted their duties in shifts so there would continually be praise before the Lord.  

“Those who were musicians, heads of the Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.” 1 Chronicles 9:33 (NIV)

Can you imagine a church today, with the surrounding neighborhoods completely inhabited by its worship team and their families? The sole reason for their close proximity was that they continually led music - a never-ending jam session.

I like the relationship between gatekeepers and musicians. There is a kind of balance between the FREEDOM of music and the ACCOUNTABILITY of gatekeeping. Too much liberty with no accountability leads to anarchy. Too much accountability without freedom to worship just seems kind of fascist. I thank the Lord for that balance of holiness and grace, which allows us to fear the Lord as we boldly approach His throne.