Reading for Today:

• Esther 7:1 Chapter 7 1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. –8:17
• Psalms 90:7-17 7 For we are consumed in thine anger, And in thy wrath are we troubled. 8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, Our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: We bring our years to an end as a sigh. 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten, Or even by reason of strength fourscore years; Yet is their pride but labor and sorrow; For it is soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger, And thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee? 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O Jehovah; how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 14 Oh satisfy us in the morning with thy lovingkindness, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil. 16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, And thy glory upon their children. 17 And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
• Proverbs 22:10-11 10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease. 11 He that loveth pureness of heart, `For' the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.
• Romans 5:1-21 Chapter 5 1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; 4 and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: 5 and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. 6 For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath `of God' through him. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life; 11 and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12 Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:-- 13 for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the trespass, so also `is' the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many. 16 And not as through one that sinned, `so' is the gift: for the judgment `came' of one unto condemnation, but the free gift `came' of many trespasses unto justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, `even' Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one trespass `the judgment came' unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness `the free gift came' unto all men to justification of life. 19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous. 20 And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly: 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Notes:

Esther 8:1 the house of Haman. Property of a traitor by Persian custom returned to the king. In this case, he gave it to his queen, Esther, who put Mordecai over it (8:2). The outcome for Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and his wise men is unknown (5:14; 6:12,13).Haman’s 10 sons later died (9:7–10).

Esther 8:17 many…people…Jews. The population realized that the God of the Jews greatly exceeded anything that the pantheon of Persian deities could offer (Ex. 15:14–16; Ps. 105:38; Acts 5:11 11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things. ), especially in contrast to their recent defeat by the Greeks.

Psalms 90:12 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom. number our days. Evaluate the use of time in light of the brevity of life. heart of wisdom. Wisdom repudiates autonomy and focuses on the Lord’s sovereignty and revelation.

Psalms 90:17 17 And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. the beauty of the LORD. The Lord’s beauty implies His delight, approval, and favor. establish the work of our hands. By God’s mercy and grace, one’s life can have value, significance, and meaning (1 Cor. 15:58).

Romans 5:3 3 And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; tribulations. A word used for pressure, like that of a press squeezing the fluid from olives or grapes. Here they are not the normal pressures of living (8:35), but the inevitable troubles that come to followers of Christ because of their relationship with Him (Matt. 5:10–12; John 15:20 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. ; 2 Cor. 4:17; 1 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Pet. 4:19). Such difficulties produce rich spiritual benefits (vv. 3,4). perseverance. Sometimes translated “patience,” this word refers to endurance, the ability to remain under tremendous weight and pressure without succumbing (15:5; Col. 1:22, 23; 2 Thess. 1:4; Rev. 14:12).

Romans 5:4 4 and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: character. A better translation is “proven character.” The Greek word simply means “proof.” It was used of testing metals to determine their purity. Here the proof is Christian character ( James 1:12 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which `the Lord' promised to them that love him. ). Christians can glory in tribulations because of what those troubles produce.

Romans 5:5 5 and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. love of God…poured out. God’s love for us (v. 8) has been lavishly poured out to the point of overflowing within our hearts. Paul moves from the objective aspects of our security in Christ to the internal, more subjective. God has implanted within our hearts evidence that we belong to Him in that we love the One who first loved us. Spirit who was given. A marvelous testimony to God’s love for us.

DAY 3: What are the results of being justified by faith?

Having proven that God justifies sinners on the basis of faith alone, Paul now counters the notion that, although believers receive salvation by faith, they will preserve it by good works (Rom. 5:1–11). He argues that they are bound eternally to Jesus Christ, preserved by His power and not by human effort (Is. 11:5; Ps. 36:5; Lam. 3:23; Eph. 1:18–20; 2 Tim. 2:13; Heb. 10:23). “Having been justified by faith” (v. 1).The Greek construction—and its English translation—underscores that justification is a one-time legal declaration with continuing results, not an ongoing process. “We have peace with God.” Not a subjective, internal sense of calm and serenity, but an external, objective reality. God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of man’s sinful rebellion against Him and His laws (v. 10; 1:18; 8:7; Ex. 22:24; Deut. 32:21, 22; Ps. 7:11; John 3:36 36 He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. ; Eph. 5:6). But the first great result of justification is that the sinner’s war with God is ended forever (Col. 1:21, 22). Scripture refers to the end of this conflict as a person’s being reconciled to God (vv. 10, 11; 2 Cor. 5:18–20).

“Through whom also we have access by faith” (v. 2). Used only twice elsewhere in the New Testament (Eph. 2:18; 3:12), this word always refers to the believer’s access to God through Jesus Christ. What was unthinkable to the Old Testament Jew is now available to all who come (Jer. 32:38, 40; Heb. 4:16; 10:19–22; Matt. 27:51). “Grace in which we stand.” This refers to the permanent, secure position believers enjoy in God’s grace (v. 10; 8:31–34; John 6:37 37 All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ; Phil. 1:6; 2 Tim. 1:12; Jude 24). “And rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Unlike the English word “hope,” the New Testament word contains no uncertainty. It speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized. The believer’s ultimate destiny is to share in the very glory of God (8:29, 30; John 17:22 22 And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we `are' one; ; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 John 3:1 Chapter 3 1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and `such' we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. , 2), and that hope will be realized because Christ Himself secures it (1 Tim. 1:1). Without the clear and certain promises of the Word of God, the believer would have no basis for hope (15:4; Ps. 119:81, 114; Eph. 2:12; Jer. 14:8).

From The MacArthur Daily Bible Copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Bibles, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc, Nashville, TN 37214, www.thomasnelson.com.

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