Month: April 2026

One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from? ” the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless-a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urned me to harm him without cause.”

Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he as to save his life, but take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

“All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.” So Satan left the Lord and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.

Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

While he was speaking, a other messenger arrived with the news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up you sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said,

“I cam naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and theLord as taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”

In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. (vv. 13-22, NLT)

One day the members of the heavenly count cam to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked.

Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

Then the Lord asked him, “Have you. noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless-a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have alway put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look who rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

“All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence. (vv. 6-12, NLT)

There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless-a. man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.

Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended- sometimes after several days- Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each one of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice. (vv. 1-5, NLT)

King Xerxes imposed a tribute through his empire, even to distant coastlines. His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of History of the Kings of Media and Persia. Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants. (NLT)

Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to the Jews near and far, through out al the provinces of King Xerxes, calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days. He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This could commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy. ( vv. 20-22, NLT)

Haman…the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the dated determined by casting lots (the lots were called (purim). But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plan to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. That is why this celebration is caused Purim because it its ancient word for casting lots.

So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, the Jews through out the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. The declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year. (vv. 23-27, NLT)

On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related. The king took off his signet ring-which he had taken back from Haman- and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property. (vv. 1-2, NLT)

Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew. “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pile because he tried to destroy the Jews. Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.” (vv. 7-8, NLT)

The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite and defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. (vv. 11, NLT)

So the King and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet. On the second occasion, while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Tell me what you want, Queen Esther. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared. For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain silent, for what would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king?”

“Who would do such a thing?” King Xerxes demanded. “Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?”

Esther replied, “This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy.” Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen. Then the king jumped to his feet in rage and went out into the palace garden.

Haman, however, stayed behind to plead for his life with Queen Esther, for he knew that the king had intended to kill him. In despair he fell on the couch were Queen Esther was relining, just as the king was returning from the palace garden.

The king exclaimed, “Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?” And as soon as the king spoke, his attendants covered Haman’s face, signaling his doom. (vv. 1-8, NLT)