Ruthu na EstaRuth and Esther — Sehemu ya 7Unit 7

Baba wa Mbinguni, asante kwa siku ya leo. Tunaomba uje katikati yetu sasa, utufundishe yale unayotaka tujue, utujaze Roho wako Mtakatifu, na ulete ndani yetu mabadiliko unayotaka kuyaona, ili tufanywe zaidi na zaidi kuwa mfano wako. Tunaomba mambo haya katika jina la Mwanao na kwa utukufu wake. Amina.Heavenly Father, thank You for today. We pray that You would come into our presence now, teach us what You would have us know, fill us with Your Holy Spirit, and effect the changes in us that You want to see, so that we are made more and more into Your image. We pray these things in Your Son's name and for His glory. Amen.

Bado tuko katika sehemu ya mteremko wa kitabu cha Esta; mhalifu wetu anaingia katika sehemu hii, kwa hiyo ni wakati wa kuvutia. Wiki iliyopita tulikuwa na ule muda mfupi wa ajabu wa “Esta anakuwa malkia na kila kitu ni shwari duniani,” na leo tunaingia katika Esta 2:21 hadi 4:3.We're still in the downhill stretch of Esther; our villain comes into this section, so it's an interesting time. Last week we had the brief, wonderful “Esther becomes queen and all is right with the world” moment, and today we dive in with Esther 2:21 through 4:3.

Mambo TunayoyaonaObservations

Kwa wazi Mordekai alihesabiwa kuwa mzee wa heshima, kwa sababu aliketi langoni pa mfalme — alikuwa katika aina fulani ya cheo cha kimahakama au cha kiofisi, ambacho yaelekea alipewa mara Esta alipokuwa malkia. Marcy alitabasamu moyoni jinsi Hamani anavyofanikiwa na jinsi yote yatakavyoporomoka; inaweza kukatisha tamaa kuwaona waovu wakifanikiwa, lakini hapa hilo halitadumu. Marcy pia alieleza kwamba katika sura ya tatu Mordekai anakataa kumwinamia Hamani, lakini maandishi hayasemi kwa nini — na kumbukeni, Mungu hatajwi popote katika kitabu hiki, jambo linalotuambia kwamba yaelekea kiliandikwa na mtu asiye Myahudi (au angalau mtu aliyewaonea Wayahudi huruma). Tutaangalia sababu kadhaa zinazowezekana za kukataa kwake leo, kwa sababu kukataa huko ndiko kunakoanzisha mambo yote.Mordecai was clearly considered an elder, because he sat at the king's gate — he is in some sort of judicial or official position, most likely given to him once Esther became queen. Marcy smiled to herself at how Haman prospers and how it's all going to come crashing down; it can be discouraging to watch evil people prosper, but here it won't last. Marcy also noted that in chapter three Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman, but the text doesn't say why — and remember, God is not mentioned anywhere in this book, which tells us a non-Jew (or at least a Jewish sympathizer) most likely wrote it. We'll look at several possible reasons for his refusal today, because that refusal starts the whole thing.

Mordekai na Esta waliletwa ngomeni Shushani wakati wa utumwa wa Babeli — hivyo ndivyo walivyofika huko hapo mwanzo, kabla uzuri wa Esta haujaingia katika hadithi hata kidogo. Uajemi ulipoitwaa Babeli, wao walikuwa huko. Kwa kweli, kwa ujumla inadhaniwa kwamba Mordekai alikuwa mtu wa utajiri, au hata wa ukoo wa kifalme, kwa sababu alikuja pamoja na kundi la kwanza, pamoja na Yekonia, mfalme wa Yuda wakati huo. Kwa hiyo inawezekana sana kwamba alifika akiwa na utajiri mwingi.Mordecai and Esther were brought into the citadel of Susa during the Babylonian captivity — that's how they got there in the first place, before Esther's beauty ever entered the story. When Persia took over Babylon, they were there. In fact, it's generally assumed that Mordecai was a person of wealth, or even royalty, because he came in with the first group, with Jehoiachin, the king of Judah at the time. So it's very possible he arrived with a great deal of wealth.

Basi Mordekai ameketi langoni akiwa na cheo cha kiofisi — jambo linalotukumbusha kitabu cha Ruthu, ambapo Boazi anakwenda kwenye lango la mji kukusanya mashahidi kumi kwa ajili ya shauri la mkombozi wa jamaa. Akiwa huko, Mordekai anajua juu ya njama ya matowashi wawili wa mfalme waliolinda mlango, ya kumuua mfalme. Hilo linaaminika kabisa: Xerxes ni mfalme mwendawazimu kiasi, mwenye hasira za ghafla — hukujua utakutana na nini siku fulani. Katika historia ya nje ya Biblia, hatimaye Xerxes anauawa na waziri wake mkuu, ambaye kisha anamweka mwanawe Artashasta kwenye kiti cha enzi — miaka michache tu baada ya tukio hili. Hatujui lolote kuhusu matowashi hao wawili isipokuwa majina yao, lakini majina yao yameandikwa kwa ajili ya vizazi vijavyo.So Mordecai is sitting at the gate in an official position — which carries over from the Book of Ruth, where Boaz goes to the town gate to gather ten witnesses for the kinsman-redeemer matter. While there, Mordecai learns of a plot by two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the door to assassinate the king. That's highly believable: Xerxes is something of a mad, volatile king — you never knew what you'd get on a given day. In external history, Xerxes is eventually assassinated by his prime minister, who then puts his son Artaxerxes on the throne — only a couple of years after this. We know nothing of the two eunuchs beyond their names, but their names are recorded for posterity.

Jambo muhimu, Mordekai anamwarifu Esta juu ya njama hiyo, naye anamjulisha mfalme kwa niaba ya Mordekai — hilo ni kubwa sana, kwa sababu litakuwa na nafasi baadaye. Linaandikwa katika kumbukumbu za mfalme (shajara yake), lakini hakuna kinachofanyika wakati huo kumheshimu Mordekai, jambo ambalo ni dharau kubwa, kwa kuwa ndiye aliyeyaokoa maisha ya mfalme. Watu wale wawili wanatundikwa juu ya mti — na neno “mti wa kunyongea” ni neno la adabu hapa; si kitanzi, bali kutundikwa juu ya mti uliochongoka, mwili ukiachwa mjini kama onyo. Hii ilikuwa adhabu ya kawaida ya kifo ya Kiajemi.Importantly, Mordecai reports the plot to Esther, who informs the king on Mordecai's behalf — that's huge, because it comes into play later. It gets recorded in the king's chronicles (his diary), but nothing is done at that time to honor Mordecai, which is a significant slight, since he just saved the king's life. The two men are hung on the gallows — and “gallows” is a polite word here; it's not a noose, but impalement on a spike, the body left in the city as a deterrent. A common Persian execution.

Kisha Xerxes anamheshimu Hamani, mhalifu wetu, anayeingia katika hadithi akiwa Mwagagi. Baadhi ya wafafanuzi wanasema “Mwagagi” inamaanisha alitoka katika jimbo moja la Umedi lililoitwa Agagi; mimi naegemea upande wa wale wengine, wanaolihusisha na chuki ya zamani na ya kudumu kati ya Wayahudi na Waamaleki, ambao Agagi aliwaongoza. Iwe kitabu hiki ni historia iliyosimuliwa kwa mtindo wa hadithi au ni historia halisi, mwandishi kwa wazi anataka kusisitiza chuki dhidi ya Wayahudi kati ya Hamani na Mordekai, na kumfananisha Hamani na mmoja wa maadui wakuu wa Wayahudi kungeeleweka mara moja na Wayahudi wa enzi hiyo. Pia tunajua kwamba kitabu hiki kimeandikwa kwa sehemu kubwa ili kuanzisha Sikukuu ya Purimu, kwa hiyo ina maana kuwaweka kama maadui wa kufa na kupona.Then Xerxes honors Haman, our villain, who comes into the story as an Agagite. Some commentators say “Agagite” means he came from a province in Media called Agag; I lean toward the others, who connect it to the old, standing hatred between the Jews and the Amalekites, whom Agag headed. Whether this book is historical fiction or non-fiction, the writer clearly wants to emphasize the anti-Semitism between Haman and Mordecai, and likening Haman to one of the Jews' major enemies would be instantly understood by Jews of that era. We also know the book is written largely to establish the Feast of Purim, so it makes sense to set them up as mortal enemies.

Basi kwa nini Mordekai anakataa kuinama? Kuna uwezekano kadhaa: kwanza, uadui wa kale kati ya Waamaleki na Wayahudi; pili, kwamba hangemwinamia mtu yeyote isipokuwa Mungu — ingawa tumewaona Wayahudi wakiinama na hata kusujudu mbele ya watu mahali pengine katika Agano la Kale (ndugu mbele ya Yusufu, Bathsheba na Nathani mbele ya Sulemani), kwa hiyo swali ni kama Hamani alikuwa anadai aina fulani ya kutambuliwa kama mungu, na kama ndivyo kukataa kwa Mordekai kungeeleweka; tatu, dharau tu kwa kiburi cha Hamani — lakini kama ingekuwa hilo tu, kwa nini Mordekai atoe sababu ya kuwa Myahudi? Nne, kwamba chuki ya Hamani dhidi ya Wayahudi tayari ilijulikana vizuri kwa Mordekai, jambo linalowezekana sana. Ted alitoa mtazamo mwingine: maskini huwa hawaoneani wivu — maskini ambaye jirani yake hana chakula humletea chakula — ilhali matajiri wanaweza kuoneana kinyongo (Tina: “kushindana na majirani”). Kwa majimbo 127 na mchanganyiko wa watu wa kila namna, si kila mtu atapatana. Kusema kweli, hatujui; yote yangekuwa makisio tu. Lakini kukataa huko ndiko kunakoanzisha mambo.So why does Mordecai refuse to bow? Several possibilities: first, the ancient animosity between the Amalekites and the Jews; second, that he wouldn't bow to anyone but God — though we've seen Jews bow and even prostrate themselves before people elsewhere in the Old Testament (the brothers before Joseph, Bathsheba and Nathan before Solomon), so the question is whether Haman was demanding some kind of divine recognition, in which case Mordecai's refusal would make sense; third, simple disdain for Haman's arrogance — but if it were only that, why would Mordecai give being Jewish as the reason? Fourth, that Haman's anti-Semitism was already well known to Mordecai, which is very likely. Ted offered another angle: poor people tend not to envy one another — a poor person whose neighbor lacks food brings food over — whereas the wealthy can resent one another (Tina: “keeping up with the Joneses”). With 127 provinces and a melting pot of peoples, not everyone is going to get along. Honestly, we don't know; it would all be supposition. But the refusal is what sets things in motion.

Mara Hamani anapoarifiwa kwamba Mordekai hamwinamii, anakasirika mno — na hataki tu kumwadhibu Mordekai; anataka kulipiza kwa Wayahudi wote. Hiyo ni chuki kubwa mno dhidi ya Wayahudi, inayoipa nguvu nadharia ya maadui wa kale. Kisha inakuja kupiga “Puri.” Kupiga Puri kulifanyika mwanzoni mwa kila mwaka — kama kurusha kete, au kwa usahihi zaidi aina ya uaguzi kwa mifupa (scapulimancy), kurusha mifupa ili kutambua yajayo. Wanaendelea kupiga Puri ili kuamua lini wawaangamize Wayahudi; inafanyika katika mwezi wa kwanza wa mwaka wa kumi na mbili wa utawala wa Xerxes, na tarehe inayoangukia ni miezi kumi na moja baadaye. Hiyo ni tahadhari ya kutosha — nami ningesema ni maongozi ya Mungu: mengi yanaweza kutokea katika mwaka mzima.Once it's brought to Haman's attention that Mordecai won't bow, he becomes furious — and he doesn't just want to punish Mordecai; he wants to take it out on all the Jews. That's enormous anti-Semitism, which lends credence to the ancient-enemies theory. Then comes the casting of “Pur.” Casting Pur was done at the beginning of every year — like throwing dice, or more accurately a kind of bone-divination (scapulimancy), throwing bones to discern the future. They keep casting Pur to decide when to annihilate the Jews; it happens in the first month of the twelfth year of Xerxes' reign, and the date that falls is eleven months later. That's fair warning — and I'd say it's God's providence: lots can happen in a full year.

Mithali 16:33 inalieleza vizuri: “Kura hutupwa mapajani; lakini hukumu zake zote ni za BWANA.” Hivyo ndivyo hasa kinachotokea katika kupiga Puri. Hata wapagani kama Hamani wanadhani wanaitumainia miungu yao, ilhali Mungu anasema waziwazi kabisa, “Hapana, hiyo ni kazi yangu.” Tuliona vivyo hivyo katika Matendo, walipopiga kura ili kumpata wa kuchukua nafasi ya Yuda Iskariote, wakitarajia Mungu afanye uamuzi. Inashangaza kwamba hapa Hamani anadhani anapiga kura kwa miungu yake, na ni Mungu wa Wayahudi anayefanya uamuzi. (Tulipofanya kazi Kuba, wale waliofuata Santería walifanya jambo linalofanana sana kwa mifupa ya kuku — aina ileile ya uaguzi kwa mifupa.)Proverbs 16:33 captures it: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” That's exactly what's happening with the casting of Pur. Even pagans like Haman think they're trusting their own gods, when God says very clearly, “No, that's my job.” We saw the same in Acts, when they cast lots to replace Judas Iscariot, expecting God to make the decision. It's striking that here Haman thinks he's casting lots to his gods, and it's the God of the Jews who makes the decision. (When we worked in Cuba, those practicing Santería did something very similar with chicken bones — the same kind of scapulimancy.)

Basi Hamani anakwenda kwa mfalme kuomba ruhusa. Angalia anachokiacha: hataji kamwe kwamba ni Wayahudi — kwa hiyo kwa mtazamo wa mfalme, yaelekea anadhani hawa ni waasi, si taifa zima. Kumbukeni kwamba wafalme wa Uajemi waliotangulia waliwapenda sana Wayahudi — “rudini, jengeni hekalu lenu, nasi tutagharimia.” Hamani anasema nusu ukweli: anasema wanashika sheria zao wenyewe (kweli) na hawazitii sheria za mfalme (uongo — walikuwa watu wanaotii sheria), jambo linalosikika kama tishio. Na anatoa hongo — talanta 10,000 za fedha, takriban ratili 750,000, karibu wakia milioni 12 za fedha. (Dola ya Uajemi ilitumia fedha kama kipimo chake cha thamani ya pesa.) Kwa wazi anatarajia kuwapora Wayahudi huku akiwaua, kwa sababu hata akiwa tajiri kiasi hicho, yaelekea hana kiasi hicho cha pesa — na Wayahudi wengi walikuwa wameingia Uajemi wakiwa matajiri, wakiwa na miaka kumi na miwili chini ya Xerxes peke yake ya kufanikiwa, kiasi kwamba wengi hawakutaka kurudi Yerusalemu kulijenga upya hekalu.So Haman goes to the king to plead for permission. Notice what he leaves out: he never mentions that it's the Jews — so from the king's point of view, he's probably thinking these are insurrectionists, not an entire people. Keep in mind the previous Persian kings were quite fond of the Jews — “go back, build your temple, and we'll pay for it.” Haman tells a half-truth: he says they practice their own laws (true) and don't obey the king's laws (false — they were law-abiding), which sounds like a threat. And he offers a bribe — 10,000 talents of silver, about 750,000 pounds, some 12 million ounces of silver. (The Persian Empire used silver as its monetary standard.) Clearly he expects to loot the Jews as he kills them, because even as wealthy as he is, he probably doesn't have that kind of money — and many Jews had come into Persia wealthy, with twelve years under Xerxes alone to prosper, so much so that many didn't want to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

Mfalme, kwa wazi akiwa katika mojawapo ya hali zake za msisimko uliopita kiasi, anaidhinisha amri hiyo na hata anamwambia Hamani abaki na pesa zake — kiasi cha kushangaza kukipuuza hivyo. Katika mstari wa 10: “Ndipo mfalme akaivua pete yake ya muhuri kidoleni mwake, akampa Hamani, mwana wa Hamedatha, Mwagagi, adui wa Wayahudi.” Hiyo ni mara ya kwanza kati ya nyingi ambapo Hamani anaitwa adui wa Wayahudi — ni muhimu; iwe ni kwa ukoo wa Kiamaleki au kwa ubaguzi wake binafsi, kweli alikuwa mtu mwenye chuki dhidi ya Wayahudi. Amri inatolewa siku ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi wa kwanza: Wayahudi wote wanapaswa kuangamizwa kwa siku moja, siku ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi wa kumi na mbili.The king, clearly in one of his more manic moods, signs off on the decree and even tells Haman to keep the money — a surprising amount to wave off. In verse 10: “The king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.” That's the first of many times Haman is called the enemy of the Jews — significant; whether from Amalekite descent or personal prejudice, he was truly an anti-Semite. The decree goes out on the thirteenth day of the first month: all the Jews are to be annihilated in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.

Je, kuwapa taarifa ya mwaka mmoja hakuonekani kuwa upumbavu — je, wasingeweza tu kukimbia? Lakini fikiria ukubwa wa Dola ya Uajemi. Wasingekimbilia Uyunani (Xerxes alikuwa amepigana na Uyunani; wangeuawa mpakani). Rumi wakati huo ilikuwa katika hatua yake ya Jamhuri, na huenda hata hawakuijua. Madola mengine pekee yalikuwa nasaba ya Zhou huko China na Amerika ya Kati ya kale (Mesoamerika). Kwa hiyo kitaalamu wangeweza kukimbia, lakini wangekwenda wapi? Nasi tutaona kwamba yote haya yanafikia kilele ndani ya miezi miwili hata hivyo. Kwa njia, tarehe zote mbili, ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi wa kwanza na ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi wa kumi na mbili, zilikuwa za kutisha — kumi na tatu ilihesabiwa kuwa ishara mbaya katika Uajemi, kama vile sisi tunavyoruka ghorofa ya kumi na tatu.Doesn't giving them a year's notice seem foolish — couldn't they just flee? But consider the size of the Persian Empire. They wouldn't flee to Greece (Xerxes had warred with Greece; they'd be killed at the border). Rome at that time was in its Republic stage, and they may not even have known of it. The only other empires were the Zhou dynasty in China and Mesoamerica. So technically they could flee, but where would they go? And we'll see this all comes to a head within two months anyway. Incidentally, both the thirteenth of the first month and the thirteenth of the twelfth were ominous — thirteen was considered a bad omen in Persia, much as we skip the thirteenth floor.

Basi Hamani na mfalme wanaketi kunywa kwa heshima ya mpango wao, ingawa mfalme bado hajui kwamba ni Wayahudi. Wakati huohuo, watu wa mji wanafadhaika — tafsiri zinatofautiana (wamechanganyikiwa, wamefadhaika, wameshangaa) — wako katika taharuki, wakijiuliza ni nini hasa kinachoendelea. Mwitikio wa Mordekai: anayararua mavazi yake, anavaa gunia, anaketi katika majivu, na analia kwa sauti kuu. Lazima alijisikiaje? Ameumia hadi ndani kabisa — kana kwamba yote ni juu yake: “Kama nisingekuwa na uadui huu dhidi ya Hamani na ningefanya nilivyoambiwa, nisingesababisha haya.” Anatambua kwamba huenda Wayahudi wakaangamizwa kwa sababu ya jambo alilolifanya au asilolifanya.So Haman and the king sit down to drink a toast over their plan, even though the king doesn't yet know it's the Jews. Meanwhile, the people of the city are bewildered — the translations vary (perplexed, agitated, bewildered) — they're in a tizzy, wondering what in the world is going on. Mordecai's reaction: he tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, sits in ashes, and wails. How must he feel? Gutted — as though it's all on him: “If I had not had this animosity toward Haman and done what I was told, I wouldn't have caused this.” He recognizes the Jews may be annihilated because of something he did or didn't do.

Kumbukeni kwamba chini ya wafalme wa Uajemi waliotangulia Wayahudi walikuwa wamefurahia ufanisi mkubwa na walikuwa wametiwa moyo kumwabudu Mungu wao kwa kulijenga upya hekalu — kwa hiyo jambo hili lingekuja kama mshtuko mkubwa kabisa, hasa kwa wale waliokuwa Yerusalemu: “Subiri kidogo, tunalijenga upya hekalu kwa sababu mfalme wako aliyetangulia alisema tunaweza.” Sasa wanalengwa kwa sababu tu ya jinsi walivyo. Kwa nini hawakukimbia? Labda, kama Wayahudi wengi mwanzoni mwa Unazi, walidhani utajiri wao ungewalinda, au kwamba hakika jambo hili haliwezi kuwa kweli. Ted alitoa mfano unaofanana: katika Vita vya Pili vya Dunia ni wasomi na mafundi ndio waliokuwa wakiondoka Ujerumani, ilhali Wayahudi matajiri walibaki kwa sababu walijiona wamelindwa — hawakujisikia kutishiwa. Ilinijia nilipokuwa nikishughulikia jambo hili kwamba huenda Wayahudi wa Shushani walidhani tu kwamba kwa namna fulani wangelindwa — au, baya zaidi, kwamba hii ilikuwa hukumu ya Mungu juu yao. Kwa vyovyote vile, bado wako huko, nao wanaomboleza. (Amri inatolewa siku ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi wa kwanza; amri ya kupinga itakuja siku ya ishirini na tatu ya mwezi wa tatu — kwa hiyo hofu hiyo ni ya muda mfupi kwa kulinganisha, ingawa kwa wakati huu wote bado wanajaribu kujua la kufanya.)Keep in mind that under the previous Persian kings the Jews had enjoyed great prosperity and been encouraged to worship their God by rebuilding the temple — so this would have come as a complete shock, especially to those in Jerusalem: “Wait a minute, we're rebuilding the temple because your previous king said we could.” Now they have a target on their backs simply for who they are. Why didn't they flee? Perhaps, like many Jews at the beginning of Nazism, they thought their wealth would protect them, or that surely this could not be true. Ted offered a parallel: in World War II it tended to be the intellectuals and the tradesmen who left Germany, while the wealthy Jews stayed because they felt protected — they didn't feel threatened. It occurred to me as I worked through this that the Jews in Susa may simply have assumed they'd somehow be protected — or, worse, that this was God's judgment upon them. Whatever the case, they're still there, and they're mourning. (The decree goes out on the thirteenth day of the first month; the counter-decree will come on the twenty-third day of the third month — so the dread is comparatively short-lived, though at this point they're all still trying to figure out what to do.)

Kama mtu mmoja alivyoongeza, wakati mwingine unakuwa umekufa ganzi tu — basi. Wengi wao wanaketi katika gunia na majivu wakiwa katika mshtuko kamili. Huzuni ya kila mtu hufuata njia tofauti: wengine husukumwa kuchukua hatua haraka, wengine sivyo.As someone added, sometimes you're just numb — and that's it. Many of them sit in sackcloth and ashes in complete shock. Everybody's grief takes a different path: some are moved to action quickly, others not.

TafsiriInterpretation

Hakuna kinachofanyika kumheshimu Mordekai kwa kuyaokoa maisha ya mfalme — jambo lisilo la kawaida kabisa. Je, tunaweza kudhani kwamba mkono wa Mungu uko juu ya jambo hili? Hicho ndicho ninachokipenda kuhusu maongozi ya Mungu: anaweza kutenda kupitia mambo ya kawaida kwa namna isiyoonekana kuwa muujiza. Kama Ted alivyosema, mara nyingi kile tunachokitafsiri kuwa kikwazo ni mojawapo ya zawadi kuu kabisa ambazo Mungu anaweza kutupa — kama angepata nafasi ya kudumu ya uhadhiri huko Marekani, asingekuwa hapa, na hapa ni bora zaidi kwa wazi. Vikwazo vinaweza kuonekana visivyoshindika, lakini mara nyingi ni mpango wa Mungu wa kukuweka mahali hasa unapohitaji kuwa.Nothing is done to honor Mordecai for saving the king's life — highly unusual. Can we assume God's hand is on this? That's what I love about God's providence: He can work through the ordinary in a way that doesn't appear to be a miracle. As Ted put it, so often what we interpret as a setback is one of the greatest gifts God can give us — if he had gotten a tenure-track position stateside, he wouldn't be here, and this is clearly much better. Setbacks can look insurmountable, yet often they're God's plan putting you right where you need to be.

Kumbukeni, Wayahudi ni watu wateule wa Mungu — ni kwa faida yetu kutogombana nao, na kwa kweli ni kwa faida yetu kukaa katika amani na watu wote (Warumi 12:18). Hilo ni jambo muhimu kukumbuka tunapoishi katika nchi au dola iliyo mchanganyiko wa makabila. Kristo hakuonyesha upendeleo, hasa msalabani, aliposema, “Baba, uwasamehe, kwa kuwa hawajui watendalo.” Tungefanya vyema kumwiga. Maandiko haya yanaonyesha wazi kwamba kumdharau mtu — kwa sababu yoyote ile — huleta maangamizi: dharau ya Mordekai kwa Hamani na dharau ya Hamani kwa Wayahudi vinaweza kukua na kuwa jambo kubwa zaidi, hata vita. Tumeliona likitokea mara nyingi; ni sehemu ya jinsi Vita vya Kwanza vya Dunia vilivyoanza. Ndiyo sababu Yesu anatukumbusha kuwaombea adui zetu. Imani yetu inapaswa kuishiwa kuelekea nje na kuelekea juu, si kuelekea ndani, tukifikiria maslahi yetu wenyewe; tunapowatanguliza wengine kuliko sisi wenyewe, ndipo tunapofanana zaidi na Kristo. Kama Hamani au Mordekai wangeenenda hivyo, jambo hili lisingetokea.Remember, the Jews are God's chosen people — it's in our best interest not to feud with them, and in fact it's in our best interest to be at peace with all men (Romans 12:18). That's an important point to remember when we live in a country or empire that is a melting pot of ethnicities. Christ showed no favoritism, especially on the cross, when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We would do well to emulate that. This text clearly shows that disdain for someone — for whatever reason — leads to ruin: Mordecai's disdain for Haman and Haman's disdain for the Jews can burgeon into something larger, even into war. We've seen it happen many times; it's part of how World War I began. This is why Jesus reminds us to pray for our enemies. Our faith is to be lived outward and upward, not inward, thinking of our own best interests; when we put others above ourselves, we are most like Christ. Had Haman or Mordecai behaved that way, this wouldn't have happened.

Hata pale inapoonekana kama mchezo wa bahati — kama katika kupiga Puri — Mungu bado yuko katika udhibiti, akitimiza maongozi yake ya kimungu. Tafsiri nyingine: maamuzi ya haraka bila kufikiri, maamuzi yanayofanywa kwa hasira, maamuzi yanayofanywa bila kutafuta ukweli na kuelewa kikamilifu hali ilivyo, kamwe si maamuzi yetu bora. Mordekai, Hamani, na mfalme wote wana hatia ya maamuzi ya namna hiyo — mfalme hata hakuuliza watu hao ni akina nani. Kama Ted alivyosema, tunapaswa kutenda kwa upendo, na upendo huchukua muda; hivyo ndivyo tunavyopaswa kujenga maamuzi yetu. Daima ni bora kutosherehekea mpaka ushindi uwe hakika — na kiburi hutangulia anguko (Mithali 16). Mwisho, tunapopokea habari mbaya, tendo letu la kwanza linapaswa kuwa nini? Kusubiri — nami ningeongeza, kusubiri kwa maombi, kusubiri kwa bidii, kwa sababu Mungu atatimiza mipango yake; daima anafanya hivyo.Even when it seems like a game of chance — as in casting Pur — God is still in control, working out His divine providence. Another interpretation: rash decisions, decisions made in anger, decisions made without seeking the truth and fully understanding the situation, are never our best. Mordecai, Haman, and the king are all guilty of such decisions — the king never even asked who the people were. As Ted said, we're supposed to act in love, and love takes time; that's how we should base our decisions. It's always best not to celebrate until the victory is certain — and pride goes before the fall (Proverbs 16). Finally, when we receive bad news, what should our first action be? Wait — and I'd add, prayerfully wait, in active waiting, because God will work out His plans; He always does.

MatumiziApplication

Sisi wanadamu — hata mataifa — huwa tunajitambulisha kwa kumtumia “mwingine” aliye adui. Ted alitaja kitabu cha Edward Said, Orientalism: nchi za Magharibi zimekuwa na tabia ya kuzidharau tamaduni nyingine ambazo hapo zamani ziliziita “za Mashariki” (yaani chochote kisichokuwa cha Magharibi), tukijitambulisha kwa kile ambacho sisi si — na kujijenga kwa kuwashusha wengine. Daima inaonekana lazima kuwe na mtu tunayepigana naye: Republican dhidi ya Democrat, Wakristo dhidi ya Waislamu, Marekani dhidi ya Urusi, vijana “maarufu” dhidi ya wale wanaoonekana washamba wa vitabu, wanaoshikilia sheria dhidi ya wanaoegemea neema. Tuna tofauti halisi, lakini hilo halitufanyi kuwa maadui wa kiapo — sote tumeumbwa kwa sura ya Mungu. Haijalishi unaamini nini au unaishije, Mungu anataka mtu yeyote asipotee, bali wote wafikie uzima wa milele kupitia Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu, naye anatuita tuwaombee adui zetu.We as humans — even nations — tend to define ourselves by a hostile “other.” Ted pointed to Edward Said's book Orientalism: the West has tended to look down on other cultures it once called “Oriental” (meaning anything that wasn't Western), defining ourselves by what we are not — and building ourselves up by putting others down. There always seems to need to be someone we are fighting against: Republicans versus Democrats, Christians versus Muslims, the U.S. versus Russia, the cool kids versus the nerds, the legalists versus the grace-oriented. We have real differences, but that doesn't make us sworn enemies — we are all made in the image of God. No matter what you believe or how you live, God desires that none should perish, but that all come to eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord, and He calls us to pray for our enemies.

Kama tulivyokuwa tukisisitiza tena na tena katika darasa la Matendo — iwe ni Petro au Paulo akiitangaza injili kwa Mataifa — waliamini na Roho Mtakatifu akawashukia; haikuwa kwamba kwanza walipaswa kujirekebisha na kuweka kila kitu sawa kikamilifu. Wokovu ulikuja, kisha Roho Mtakatifu akaleta usadikisho. Si sisi tunaofanya hukumu, nasi tunalisahau hilo. Anatuomba tuwapende wanaotuudhi — Kristo msalabani, akiomba, “Baba, uwasamehe, kwa kuwa hawajui watendalo.” Tungefanya vyema kukumbuka jambo hili na kuenenda kwa unyenyekevu katika nguvu ya Roho Mtakatifu, badala ya kuendeshwa na maumivu, uchungu, hasira, au hisia za kusalitiwa. Niwaombee adui zangu; niwaombee wanaonitakia mabaya; niwaombee wanaoamini tofauti na mimi; niwaombee wale wanaotenda tu kwa hisia za papo hapo. Mara nyingi ni rahisi zaidi kusema kuliko kutenda.As we've been hitting again and again in the Acts class — whether it's Peter or Paul proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles — they believed and the Holy Spirit came upon them; it wasn't that they first had to straighten up their act and get everything perfectly in line. Salvation came, and then the Holy Spirit brought the conviction. We don't make the judgment, and we forget that. He asks us to love those who persecute us — Christ on the cross, pleading, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We would do well to remember this and walk humbly in the power of the Holy Spirit, rather than being fueled by hurt, bitterness, anger, or feelings of betrayal. Pray for my enemies; pray for those who wish me harm; pray for those who believe differently than I do; pray for those who are simply reacting from their gut. Often it's far easier said than done.

Kwa ufupi: ninapokuwa na shaka, ninapoogopa, ninapotafuta ufahamu, ninapojisikia nimevunjika moyo au nimekanyagwa, ninapojisikia maumivu na usaliti, ninapojisikia dhaifu au si wa maana — ninahitaji kupiga magoti katika maombi, kwa sababu hapo ndipo ukweli unapoingia, kupitia Maandiko na kupitia maombi. Hapo ndipo ninapokutana na upendo wa Mungu usiopimika; hapo ndipo ninapopata nguvu na ufahamu; na hapo ndipo ninapoweza kuwa na uhakika kwamba ninatembea katika njia ambayo Mungu wangu ameiweka mbele yangu, badala ya kutembea katika njia yangu mwenyewe. Kama Ted alivyosema, kama unatembea katika njia ya chuki, hutembei pamoja na Bwana wako.In short: when I doubt, when I'm afraid, when I seek understanding, when I feel downcast or trodden upon, when I feel hurt and betrayal, when I feel weak or insignificant — I need to be on my knees in prayer, because that is where truth comes in, through Scripture and through prayer. That is where I encounter the immeasurable love of God; that is where I gain strength and understanding; and that is where I can rest assured that I am walking the path my God has set before me, instead of walking my own. As Ted said, if you're walking a path of hatred, you're not walking with your Lord.

Maombi ya KufungaClosing Prayer

Baba wa Mbinguni, asante kwa kuwa pamoja nasi katika wakati huu wa kuchunguza neno lako; tunakushukuru jinsi unavyotufundisha daima na kutusaidia kukua ndani yako. Tusiizimishe kamwe kazi ya Roho Mtakatifu ndani yetu. Tunaomba sasa, tunapoondoka, tukuheshimu na kukutukuza katika yote tunayoyafanya na kuyasema. Ni katika jina la Mwanao tunaomba. Amina.Heavenly Father, thank You for being with us in this time to delve into Your word; we thank You for how You are always teaching us and helping us to grow in You. May we never quench the Holy Spirit's work within us. We pray now, as we go forth, that we would honor and glorify You in all that we do and say. It's in Your Son's name that we pray. Amen.