We have been introduced to a
new character in our story named “Mordecai”. He was a Jew from
the linage of Benjamin and plays an intriguing role throughout this
book. In chapter two and verse six, we learn that Mordecai's life was
not filled with ease. We read:
Who had been carried
away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away
with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon
had carried away.
This
verse begins with a daunting phrase, “Who had been carried away
from Jerusalem with the captivity...” When Jerusalem was taken
captive, Mordecai was among them. We might imagine the horror of
being taken unwillingly from our homeland to a place we had never
seen before, and should we dare place ourselves in Mordecai's, we
might gain some insight into this man's behavior forthcoming. Because
there were three deportations of the Hebrews from their homeland:
597 BC, 587 BC, and 582 BC, respectively, we know that Mordecai's was
in the first group because we read “which had been carried away
with Jeconiah king of Judah,” who was captured in 597 BC.
We learn
more as this verse continues, “whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon had carried away.” God told the children of Israel they
would endure seventy years of captivity because they failed to keep
the sabbath years for four hundred and ninety years. Mordecai was
part of the group who were captured, placed into another country, and
taken from their homeland. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was the
agent who filled the prophecy of God. Israel was now captive, and the
will of God was being implemented.
It is
good for us to pause and meditate upon what happened to Mordecai at
this point in the story. When we give time to really imagine the
difficulty and challenge that Mordecai endured as he was captured, we
may understand more about what he does in the rest of this story. As
we think about these very difficult times for Mordecai and the length
of them, perhaps we will come to greater understanding about our own.
Let us keep in mind that God has a plan, and even through the current
situation may be more troublesome than what we ever thought possible,
God is able to use it for His Divine purposes.
Next time we are finally introduced to
Esther, 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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