King Ahasuerus, king of Persia, had two guards named Bigthan and Teresh. They kept watch at the door of his palace. When the king went in and out, these two men guarded him carefully and watched to see that no enemy approached to do the king harm. The king trusted these two men and was sure they would keep careful guard over him and his property.
However, while Bigthan and Teresh seemed to be dependable guards, for some reason they hated the king. They even plotted together how they might kill King Ahasuerus and not be found out.
A man named Mordecai was at the palace at the same time. He was a Jew who had been taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon along with many other captives many years before. Mordecai found out about the plot to murder King Ahasuerus and got word to Esther the queen. Esther told the king of his danger.
The king ordered an investigation to be made, and Mordecai’s report was found to be true. The two guards, Bigthan and Teresh, were hanged on a tree. Mordecai’s having saved the king’s life was written down in the book of events that was kept for the king.
The king’s life was saved because Mordecai, his servant, heard of the plot of the two palace guards and warned him in time. But what if Mordecai had kept quiet and let the king find out for himself? It would probably have been too late.
What if King Ahasuerus had said, “What does that Jewish captive know about what’s going on around here?” It would probably have been the greatest mistake of his life to have ignored Mordecai’s report.
Boys and girls, and grown-ups too, has some friend or servant of the Lord faithfully told you that you are in danger of being lost forever if you go on without accepting Christ as your Saviour? Have you ignored the warning or put off the matter of your soul’s salvation until some other time? It may be the greatest mistake of your life. How sad it will be if it is written down in God’s book that you refused the offer of salvation or put it off until it was too late.
“All have sinned” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), but God in mercy waits to forgive all who come to Him through the work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross. “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:2424Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:24). But time is running out. The day of grace may end at any moment, and there is judgment ahead for all who are left in their sins.
ML-10/30/1994