Lam, Eccl, Esther

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

*July 24, 2009
<http://www.2rbetter.org/>*



   *T4501R - LAMENTATIONS, ECCLESIASTES, ESTHER - OVERVIEW*

*'THE REALITY OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE'*


 *1. LAM 1:12 (1-5) LAMENTATIONS: FOR DESTRUCTION AND HUMILIATION OF
JERUSALEM. “Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Behold, and see if
there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is brought upon me, By which
Jehovah has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.” *The Holocaust is
this written all over again. But like Nebuchadnezzar, Hitler went too far,
and both were themselves judged! How faithful You are, Father! *Hallowed be
your :name.*


 *2. ECCL 1:12-13 (1-2) QUEST BY PERSONAL EXPERIMENT. “I the Preacher was
king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to
search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore
travail that God has given to the sons of men to be exercised in.” *Yes, and
we too are driven to do it! And until we find wisdom and rest and peace in
Jesus, Father, we remain restless, dissatisfied and frustrated! *Your
:kingdom come.*


 *3. 3:11 (3-5) QUEST BY GENERAL OBSERVATION. “He has made everything
beautiful in its time: also he has set eternity in their heart, yet so that
man cannot find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to
the end.” *Father, it is *Your* image and likeness in which You have made
us. That gives us understanding of Your creation and Kingdom. We rest in You
and trust You concerning these things.* Your :will be done, As in heaven, so
on earth.*


 *4. 7:29 (6-8) QUEST BY PRACTICAL MORALITY. “Behold, this only have I
found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.”
*You started us out right Father, but through Adam we have now a bent or
trend to do our own thing. But You provided redemption and reconciliation in
Messiah. We need intercessors to walk Your way. *Our :daily :bread Give us
this day.*


 *5. 12:13-14 (9-12) QUEST REVIEWED AND CONCLUDED. “This is the end of the
matter; all has been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is
the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with
every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” *These are
some of the wisest words written in Your book, Father. Thank God they are
included. Grant us grace to heed them. *And forgive us our :debts, As we
also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. ESTHER 3:6 (1-5) CRISIS ANTICIPATED. “But he thought scorn to lay hands
on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai;
wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the
whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.” *Father, we see
Your Providential hand at work. Every detail is seen and planned aforetime
by You, the Master Chess-player. You move, and the enemy is powerless to
respond. *And bring us not into temptation.*


 *7. 9:25 (6-10) CRISIS OVERRULED. “But when the matter came before the
king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised
against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons
should be hanged on the gallows.” *Here is poetic justice! Here You watch
from heaven Father, and mastermind justice for Your people and throughout
the earth! You are Sovereign! *But deliver us from the evil one.*



 *NOTE**: Megillot: (Hebrew - scrolls) The name given the five books - Song
of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, included in the
Hebrew Bible among the Hagiographa, and read in the Synagogue on Passover,
Pentecost, the Ninth of Ab, Tabernacles and Purim, respectively. *This note
is somewhat technical, and appears in “An Encyclopedia of Religion”, edited
by Vergilius Ferm, Published by the Philosophical Library of New York, 1945.



 Note especially the Book of Lamentations as it falls on the 9th of Av, this
year of 2009 on July 30th. Many tragedies happened to Israel on this date.
Hitler planned the Holocaust; and both temples, that of Solomon
approximately 1000 BC, and Herod's Temple, 70 AD, were destroyed on this
date. Psalm 122 says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem - they shall *prosper
* that love you!” We as Gentile believers have the privilege of praying for
Israel according to Romans chapter 11.


 Solomon wrote 3 books of the Bible: Song of Songs he wrote as a young man,
while he followed the advice of his father David, and was Beloved of God.
Later he married 700 wives and had 300 concubines, who led him away into
idolatry by forsaking God. Can a human being find peace apart from God? *NO!
* This is the 3rd book he wrote, and ought to be carefully looked at by all
human beings, young and old, but especially young! But in his mid years he
wrote his second book, the Book of Proverbs, for his son (really his sons
and daughters!) This is a treasure book, and should be read by *all* ages.
We never grow too old to benefit from these wise sayings. Too bad that the
humanists and liberals of our day have forsaken these wise counsels!


 The book of Esther is one of the encouraging books for Israel in all time,
but can be applied to any people and nation who love God. May our United
States not forsake the wisdom and guidance of our Founding Fathers and their
Constitution in these last days. How Satan would love to have our leaders
forsake the wisdom herein contained! Pray that the fear of God will come
into the hearts of our leaders, from President on down. May He grant dreams
and visions of the night to them, as we read in the book of Job, 33:13-18.
Such are designed to *change* the course of leaders. God did this for
Pharaoh under Joseph, and Nebuchadnezzar under Daniel.


 The above 5 books may be small - but they are treasures indeed! Blessed the
individual who reads and profits by obedience through the wonderful lessons
in each one of them. - J.A.W.



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