To set the foundation for today’s post, I must extol The One-Year Bible (NKJV). I have been reading some version of the One-Year Bible since 1989. It is an amazing study and self-discipline tool. This unique presentation of the Holy Bible has helped me more in my Christian walk than any other tool. I highly recommend that every Christian own a copy of this book.
That said, today’s reading was the middle section of the Book of Esther. That book is in four sections. (There is not a formal dividing line. The sections are like “movements” in classical music. One can “feel” the changes as the story goes along.) In the middle section, Esther uses what I refer to as “verbal Kung Fu”. Some people use the term “verbal Judo”, but this goes beyond that. Judo is not a killing martial art. Esther used verbal Kung Fu.
The key quote from Esther is when she realizes that she was born “for such a time as this” — to save the people of Israel from total annihilation. An evil and prideful man named Haman has weasled his way into a position of great power under King Ahasuerus. In his puffed-up pride, Haman has tricked the king into issuing a decree that grants Haman his wish: to kill every Jew in the 127 provinces of the empire — which stretches from India to Ethiopia. (And, back then, the borders of Ethiopia were much larger than they are today.)
But, unknown to Haman, Queen Esther is a Jew. She was raised by her uncle, a man named Mordecai. And, he has kept her lineage a secret. As a result, Esther was chosen in a royal “beauty contest” to become the next queen, after the king had “fired” Queen Vashti for being disobedient. Esther won over hundreds of other young women. She is the “cream of the crop” — beautiful, smart, sexy, and now powerful.
The Book of Esther is one of the shortest books of the Holy Bible. It can be read in about 40 minutes. But, the book’s message is powerful and timeless. Esther puts everything at risk in a shrewd plan to put Haman in his place. The ultimate credit for this shrewd plan belongs to Yehowah (God), of course. Esther is only a willing instrument. And, Haman meets his match.
Without going into all the details (“you gotta read the book…”), Esther skillfully crushes Haman. Just as in judo, she uses Haman’s momentum against him. In this case, his momentum is the sin of pride. She puffs him up even more. (the “block” move) Then, she uses his own words against him. (the “lock” move) Then, she brings the king into laser-focused anger. (the “counter-attack” move) Then, she goes from Judo into full-blown verbal Kung Fu. (the “kill” move, in which she gets the king to use Haman’s own evil plot against him). God must have snickered while putting this plan in motion.
That is the “short version” of the Book of Esther. In the spiritual and emotional realms, it involves powerful combat. It is far more than a “good story”, although it is certainly that. Yehowah uses a most unlikely set of circumstances to save His people. And, He did it so skillfully that it can be likened to “Kung Fu fighting”.