Am I living under God’s New Edict, or His Old?
Week 2 DAY 1
Today
We will:
- LOOK at Esther Chapter 8:8-14, a small bite at a time.
- LEARN ‘how‘ to incorporate GODcha’s tools along the way.
- LISTEN to God speak to us as we focus on GODcha’s LEARN/LIVE question –
And Continue With an Attitude of Prayer
O LORD, You are the center of our being. In You we live and move. Forgive our indifference, our sin this week, our wandering. We come today to see You in a fresh new way, and to see ourselves. May we have ears to hear what You are saying to us in Your Word of Truth. Oh give us the understanding we need in order to live in obedience to You. May we know the fullness of blessing and bring You honor in Your Son’s name. Thank you.
If you get STUCK at any point in your discovery, stop, and pray!
GOD, your Creator, loves you and desires to reveal much to you.
Context
Context Tutorial >
In Esther Chapter 8:8-14
We left off comparing Mordecai’s new edict with Haman’s edict. Seeing Mordecai’s new edict gave the Jews one day to destroy, kill and annihilate anyone who showed up on their doorstep to murder them and, or their family.
Let’s unfold these verses again.
Today: A New Decree
LOOK 
At Verses 8-14
Always Begin By READING
READ Esther 8:8-14 and ask the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.
Remember:
Reflect on the events that demonstrate God’s hidden hand.
Now let’s take all that we are seeing and learning about these 2 edicts and compare them to God’s new edict which He refers to as the New Covenant that replaced His old edict, the Old Covenant.
As you do, you will want to check out:
Word Meanings
Cross References (aka CR) on These Key Points.
Note: Remember to check the context of these passages.
THINK and REASON
1. What do you learn about the Old?
a. What is the Old?
Exo 34:27-28
b. What was the purpose of the Old?
Gal 3:24; Rom 3:20
c. What did the Old not do?
Deut 29:4
Gal 3:11
d. What was the sentence under the Old?
Rom 6:23
2. What do you learn about the New?
a. How does the New take care of sin and the sentence of death?
1Co 5:7
Rom 8:3
Luk 22:20
b. Why is the New better?
Heb 7:22, 8:6
c. What are the promises? What does the New do that the Old could not do?
Eze 36:26-27
Jer 31:31-33
d. What happens to the Old, the Law, under the New?
Rom 8:9-10, 4
e. What is the result of being under the New?
Rom 8:5
Rom 8:6
Rom 6:23
LISTEN To the Spirit
As the Jews in Esther’s day would much rather be under the new edict that would give them a chance to live, wouldn’t I rather be under God’s New and better edict that gives me a chance to live?
Respond, LIVE It Out!
Remember, this is the most important part of our journey. It’s an open-ended conversation that continues throughout the day!
What Did You LEARN
Check Out GODcha’s #4 LEARN Question(s).
#4. As we see Mordecai’s Edict superseded Haman’s old edict, what do you learn from the Cross References about God’s New edict superseding His Old edict?
Sum It Up!
We compared Mordecai and Haman’s edicts with God’s 2 Edicts.
We Discover:
God replaced His Old Edict with a New.
The Old Covenant
– Is the Ten Commandments, the Law, Exo 34:27-28.
– The LORD did not give a heart to know, eyes to see, or ears to hear, Deut 29:4.
– The Law was a tutor to lead one to Christ, Gal 3:24.
– The Law was to make one conscious of sin, Rom 3:20.
– The Law was never meant to justify, to save anyone, Gal 3:11.
– The sentence was death because it did not take care of sin, Rom 6:23.
Jesus Inaugurated the New Covenant
– Because the sentence was death, Christ, the Passover Lamb, died on the Cross in His enemies’ place bringing them life, 1Co 5:7.
– Jesus condemned sin in the flesh by coming in the likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for sin, Rom 8:3.
– The cup poured out for us was His blood, the cup of the New Covenant, Luk 22:20.
– The New is a better covenant, with better promises, Heb 7:22, 8:6.
– God gives New Hearts. Our hearts of stone are removed, replaced with new hearts, hearts of flesh.
– God puts the Holy Spirit within.
– That New Heart and New Spirit cause us to walk in obedience to the LORD’s statutes and ordinances. We no longer ‘have’ to obey, but we now ‘want‘ to obey, Eze 36:26-27.
– God put the law (the old) within. It is no longer on the outside, but it is on the inside, on our hearts, Jer 31:31-33.
– God dwells in us, Christ is now in us, the Spirit dwells in us, and the requirement of the Law is fulfilled in us, Rom 8:9-10, 4.
– Thus, we walk according to the Spirit, Rom 8:5
– Our minds are set on the Spirit and the result is life and peace, Rom 8:6.
– It is a free gift of God, the result is no longer death but eternal life in Christ Jesus, Rom 6:23.
Aren’t you amazed at what all God has shown us?
What might the Spirit be saying to you?
LISTEN
Check Out GODcha’s #4 LIVE Question(s)
#4. As the Jews in Esther’s day would much rather be under the new edict that would give them a chance to live, wouldn’t I rather be under God’s New and better edict that gives me a chance to live?
a. Am I living under God’s Old, or New edict?
b. Do I have a new heart with the Law and the Holy Spirit within me?
c. Am I living with the hope of eternal life?
Don’t Forget
Respond to God, LIVE It Out!
Don’t you love hearing God speak to you from His Word? He has been longing to show us all these incredible Truths and have a conversation with you and me.
Maybe journal your conversations with God. You will be so glad you did.
Stop and Take a Breath!
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord,” (Col 3:16).
Meditate and chew on how this reversal applies to us as we compare it to the reversal of God’s 2 Edicts.
Talk to God about how you are to live in the light of this Truth.
Save Your Discovery
In Your Notes
Today:
Did you have questions?
Put them in your Notes.
Ask God to answer them.
He will!
Record your discovery in your Notes and in your hardbound Bibles.
Let’s Close in Prayer
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, Thank you for our lives, for our breath, for Your Holy Word to us today! Thank you that Your Word is a sure Word. Oh, Father God, we thank you for this wonderful picture You are giving us in this drama. As death would come to many in Persia, today death will come to many who will not turn to You. Oh, Father as a new decree was written to save the Jews, we thank you for Your New Edict that You wrote that can never be revoked as it replaces the Old, saving any and all from their enemies of sin and death if they would but repent and believe in You Lord Jesus! I pray all on this journey have indeed made that most important decision Father and experienced the greatest reversal that could ever take place in their lives. Oh, we do so love You Father God, and ask these things in Your precious Son’s name, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Your doing great!
Next: LOOK @ Esther Chapter 8:11-14 a bit closer.
Need the GODcha Bible Guide? Go to www.Godcha.org and subscribe.