Open Heaven 11 August
MEMORISE: For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Acts 1:20
BIBLE READING: Esther 1:10-19 (KJV)
10 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, 11 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. 12 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.
13 Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, 14 those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom): 15 “What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?”
16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the queen’s behavior will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king’s officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath. 19 If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not [c]be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
Read yesterday’s Open Heaven Devotional here
One truth that everyone should embrace is that God always has substitutes. More often than not, the substitutes are always better than the recipients of the original mandate.
“If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.” “Esther 1:19”
The above Scriptural passage was the genesis of the replacement of Queen Vashti in our Bible reading of today.When a person feels too big to obey Gods instruction, he or she is not fit for the Lords use. Pride, stubbornness and rebellion are kinsmen in the family of the works of the flesh, with witchcraft as their first cousin (1 Samuel 15:22-23 , Galatians 5:19-21 There are a lot of lessons we can learn from the story of King Ahasuerus and Queen Vashti.
One, Vashti should have known that she could only remain queen as long as she continued to please the king. Two, the portions of Scripture that declare the man as the head of the family are still valid to date. Three, the queen was supposed to be with the king on the throne as at the time he needed her.
A lesson to learn from King Ahasuerus on the other hand, is that advise on domestic or household matters should not be sought from official quarters, for example, colleagues. It was not proper for him to turn the incident of the queens refusal to an official matter by seeking the opinion of his ministers on how he could manage his domestic affairs. He got more than he bargained for: the recommendation of his service chiefs made him lose a beautiful queen.
Beloved, the ultimate lesson in todays reading is that God can replace anyone who allows pride to rule him or her. We should know that God can replace anyone who refuses to do His will, just as He replaced King Saul with David (1 Samuel 13:13-14 ). May we never be replaced, in Jesus name.
Beloved, the ultimate lesson in todays reading is that God can replace anyone who allows pride to rule him or her. We should know that God can replace anyone who refuses to do His will, just as He replaced King Saul with David (1 Samuel 13:13-14 ). May we never be replaced, in Jesus name.
ACTION POINT: Father, please help me to stop anything that could eventually make You replace me, in Jesus name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joel 1:1-20 , Joel 2:1-32 , Joel 3:1-21
Thank you for studying today’s Open Heaven – Beware of Replacements! – written by Pastor Enoch A.
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Open Heaven 11 August 2021
