A conspiracy had begun in
the kingdom of King Ahasuerus. Bigthan and Teresh were wrathfully
planning to assassinate the king. Without them knowing, Mordecai
heard of their plan and revealed it to Queen Esther his younger
cousin. In chapter two and verse twenty-three we discover the results
of that unveiling where we read:
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
verse begins, “And when inquisition was made of the matter, it
was found out;” There is an old saying that applies to this
situation, “Trust, but verify”. We may imagine that Esther
immediately took the word of her cousin Mordecai and told the king or
his main chamberlains about the plan. It was shortly thereafter that
the questions and investigations began to take place. Once an
inquisition occurred, those who were investigating found the
accusations to be true. We can only imagine the emotional reaction to
this discovery.
Our
verse continues, “therefore they were both hanged on a tree:”
Treason was unacceptable, and judgment against it was quick. As
soon as the verification of the plot was accomplished, Bigthan and
Teresh were hung on a tree. There was no appeals court, death row, or
second chance. They were both immediately executed. What is
interesting, and it plays into a later part of our story, is the next
phrase, “and it was written in the book of the chronicles before
the king.” Evidently when people were executed there was a
recording of the incident and why it came to be. This book of
“chronicles” or times became the manuscript of judgments within
the kingdom.
We are
told in the book of Revelation that there are books being kept with
all the records of every action of mankind. Have we ever stopped to
wonder what all those books have within them? Would there be pending
judgment for us should any certain plot or sin against the King of
Kings be revealed? It is quite one thing to look at the lives of
Bigthan and Teresh and believe they deserved their judgment and quite
another to examine our own lives. For we who have received Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Savior, each plot, each misgiving, each
treasonous act and sin have been forgiven, forgotten and blotted out
of God's Holy Books, however for those who have not received Jesus as
their Lord and Savior, they will only have the recordings as their
defense. Doesn't it seem so much wiser to go in advance to the one
who holds judgment against any conspiracy within His hand? May we bow
to receive mercy and grace from Him well before the tree of
retribution is established for our eternity.
Next time we will begin a new chapter
and be introduced to yet another character, Haman, who has an
important role in this story, 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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