DRAWING NEAR
January 20
Rejoicing in Assurance
"You were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is
given as a pledge of our inheritance" (Eph. 1:13-14).
The Holy Spirit is God's first installment on your eternal
inheritance.
The Holy Spirit's ministry in your life is multifaceted and profound.
Among other things He brings salvation, conviction, guidance, and
strength. He indwells and equips you for spiritual service and gives
assurance of your salvation. He is your Helper and Advocate. He is
the Spirit of promise, who seals you until the day when your
redemption is fully realized (Eph. 4:30).
Sealing speaks of security, authenticity, ownership, and authority.
Ancient kings, princes, and nobles placed their official seal on
documents or other items to guarantee their inviolability. To break
the seal was to incur the wrath of the sovereign whom it represented
(cf. Dan. 6:17; Matt. 27:62-66).
A seal on a letter authenticated it as from the hand of the one whose
seal it bore. Legal documents such as property deeds and wills were
often finalized with an official seal. Those who possessed the sealed
decree of a king had the king's delegated authority to act on that
decree.
Each of those aspects of sealing is a picture of the Spirit's
ministry. He is God's guarantee that your salvation is inviolable and
that you are an authentic member of His kingdom and family. You are
His possession--having been purchased with His Son's precious blood
(1 Cor. 6:20). You are His ambassador with delegated authority to
proclaim His message to a lost world (2 Cor. 5:20).
The Spirit is the pledge of your eternal inheritance (Eph. 1:14). The
Greek word translated "pledge" in that verse (arrab[ma]on) was used
of down payment or earnest money given to secure a purchase. Rejoice
in the assurance that God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2), has given you
His Spirit as a guarantee that He will keep His promises.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Praise God for the security of your eternal inheritance.
Praise the Spirit for His many ministries in your life. Be
sensitive to His leading today so that your ministry to others will
be powerful and consistent with His will.
For Further Study:
Read Esther chapters 3, 8.
What role did the king's signet ring play in the decree of Haman
(chapter 3)?
The decree of Ahasuerus and Mordecai (chapter 8)?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV)
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for
the day of redemption.
Daniel 6:17
Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the
king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his
lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Matt. 27:62-66
62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,
63 saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that
deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'
64 "Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third
day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to
the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will
be worse than the first."
65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as
secure as you know how."
66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and
setting the guard.
1 Corinthians 6:20
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body
and in your spirit, which are God's.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were
pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled
to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him.
Titus 1:2
in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before
time began
Esther 3
1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of
Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all
the princes who were with him.
2 And all the king's servants who were within the king's gate bowed
and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning
him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.
3 Then the king's servants who were within the king's gate said to
Mordecai, "Why do you transgress the king's command?"
4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not
listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai's
words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman
was filled with wrath.
6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told
him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all
the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus; the
people of Mordecai.
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth
year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before
Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the
twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people
scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your
kingdom; their laws are different from all other people's, and they
do not keep the king's laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king
to let them remain.
9 "If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be
destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the
hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king's
treasuries."
10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to
Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
11 And the king said to Haman, "The money and the people are given
to you, to do with them as seems good to you."
12 Then the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the
first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman
commanded; to the king's satraps, to the governors who were over each
province, to the officials of all people, to every province according
to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of
King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king's signet
ring.
13 And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king's
provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both
young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and
to plunder their possessions.
14 A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province,
being published for all people, that they should be ready for that
day.
15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king's command; and the
decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman
sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
Esther 8
1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman,
the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther
had told how he was related to her.
2 So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from
Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over
the house of Haman.
3 Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and
implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite,
and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews.
4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther
arose and stood before the king,
5 and said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in
his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in
his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman,
the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the
Jews who are in all the king's provinces.
6 "For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people?
Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?"
7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew,
"Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged
him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews.
8 "You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please,
in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet ring; for
whatever is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's
signet ring no one can revoke."
9 So the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third
month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it
was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews,
the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from
India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to
every province in its own script, to every people in their own
language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the
king's signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding
on royal horses bred from swift steeds.
11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every
city to gather together and protect their lives; to destroy, kill,
and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would
assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their
possessions,
12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every
province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be
ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and
pressed on by the king's command. And the decree was issued in
Shushan the citadel.
15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal
apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment
of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was
glad.
16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.
17 And in every province and city, wherever the king's command and
decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday.
Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the
Jews fell upon them.
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase@wowway.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425
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There is a living God. He has spoken in His word. He means just what he says, and will do all that He has promised. - Hudson Taylor
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