Saturday, November 9, 2013

What was Mordecai's Reward? Esther 6:3 - Equipped for Battle

As King Ahasuerus was suffering insomnia, he asked for the chronicles to be brought in and read to him. While the servant read the records, they discovered that Mordecai spoiled a plot to assassinate the king by Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains. In chapter six and verse three we learn how the king responded to this rediscovered information. We read:

And the king said, What honor and dignity has been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

Our verse begins, “And the king said, What honor and dignity has been done to Mordecai for this?” We might imagine there would be some sort of “honor and dignity” given to a person for sabotaging an assassination attempt upon a king, but somehow this reward was forgotten. Often when such a huge discovery is made, the attempt to stop it becomes the primary interest, and once it is stopped, the origins of the information pale in light of it. King Ahasuerus, however, at this point, asked about the honor and dignity given to Mordecai.

The verse goes on to say, “Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.” The servants could not find an entry in the chronicles about Mordecai receiving anything for his information. “Nothing” was done for him, and “nothing” was being done for him. Although Mordecai was responsible for the king being alive at this point in his life, no one had honored Mordecai at all.

Isn't it interesting how wonderful, life saving information, can be given by someone, and that same someone be ignored or forgotten for their words. We might be able to identify with Mordecai in some ways as we give life saving information about Jesus Christ to others. In Ecclesiastes chapter nine and verse fifteen King Solomon wrote:

Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

As we consider these words and the words within our verse for today, perhaps we should keep our minds upon the timing of this reading about Mordecai.. Sometimes rewards are delayed, and even when it appears that God has forgotten us, He is working behind the scenes. Timing is in the Lord's hands, and although it may feel like our exploits for Him are rewarded with “nothing”, the Almighty God has an abundance of reward awaiting His time.

Next time we will see King Ahasuerus ask who is in the court, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
 
Until tomorrow...there is more...
 
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” and the new marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.



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