A covenant is a solemn agreement. The most important covenants in the Bible are those in which God makes a covenant with man: the Abrahamic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, etc. Here is a covenant which man makes with God. The Israelites recognize the importance of God and covenant together to wholly follow Him.
This is one of the great revivals in the Bible. As usual, it is a revival of the word of God. When God’s people return to the word and obey its teachings, they experience great joy and are greatly blessed by the Lord.
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.
The first two chapters of Esther gave the background of the story of Esther. Chapter three reveals the true conflict of this Bible story. Haman is established as the chief of the princes of the Persian Empire. Then Haman, in his hatred of Mordecai, lashes out at the entire Jewish race within the realm of the great Persian Empire. They are to be completely destroyed.
As in the previous chapter, we see here a plain telling of events without any explanation of good or evil. However, these first two chapters are setting up the circumstances for a powerful story. As in chapter one, this lesson shows us the ways of the world.
Most of this chapter gives a list of the ills experienced by Job. After considering the afflictions laid on him in the first two chapters of the book, this does not seem to be any exaggeration. The amazing part of this chapter is found in verses 25-27 where Job bursts out in an outstanding proclamation of faith in the middle of his list of trials and afflictions. He suffered. But he never lost faith. What an example to us!
