One of the most powerful biblical pictures of Jesus Christ is as our Shepherd. Here in Psalm 23, we see Him as the Good Shepherd who cares for the sheep.
It has been said that sin takes us where we do not want to go and that is a true statement. Sin is wrong because it rebels against the will of God; it is dangerous because of where it takes us.
Prayer is one of the most needful and least exercised benefits that we have as believers. It is no wonder individuals, homes, and churches are not experiencing the power of God. We are not even asking for it.
Though it seemed at one time that all hope was gone for the Jews, God brings deliverance in the end. But when God delivers, it is not just a partial deliverance. He gives an absolute, miraculous deliverance from Haman and from the decree to destroy the Jews. We can learn much about the mighty power and the supreme goodness of God from this lesson.
In this lesson, the providence of God is clearly seen. The king receives Esther and comes to her banquets. The king cannot sleep and this results in him be reminded of the favor done to him by Mordecai. Haman unwittingly gives the honor to Mordecai that he wanted for himself. We can see that God is in the process of giving a great victory to Mordecai and to the Jewish people.
