facts diRtinctive of the Church of God. Nor is it altogether to be assigned to the realm of chance. The fact was that, slutded though their race was now, dimmed t.hough their glorious history, the people of Mordecai were the separate people of God, an~ t':1~t Haman h~d noticed and scrutinised their essential peculiarities. These pecuhar1ties, false as 1s the gloss he puts upon them, he has in some degree correctly caught. These a.re the shadows of answering realities in the economy of the Church, the kingdom of God. They remind us of- . l. THE F0?1:HOLD THE KI_NGDOM OF GOD BAS IN T,HE WORLD. For whatever may be its e:rnct position at any given hour of the worlds clock-I. Its genius is towards t1,/Jiqu.ity . . "~here is a cer:tsin people . . . . in all t~e provinc_es of thy kingdom." 2. Its genms 1s towards being" scattered abroad,"" dispersed," mtermingled "among the people." Once for a short time, and for the special need of preparatory educa- tion, it is true that God's elect people were locally as well as morally separate from others, _i. e. when the)'. sojo1:1med in_ the wildem~ss. But this w~s only a phase, and a transient one, of their nat10nal existence. Agam, for a longer time, and with fonder prospect, they dwelt in comparative seclusion in their own land. But this also was quite as transient a phase of their national life, taking into consideration the settle- ment there. What a business it was I And the true place of the people of God is not merely to find a settlement and found a colony everywhere, but to mix among men, and to seek health of every sort in work and fidelity, rather than in retirement and the infolding of self. And this actual contact with all the varieties of human character, position, life, is in order to two ends: .first, for the proof and the growth of indindual goodness ; secondly, for the gradual leavening with a little leaven of the whole lump. 3. It.s genius is towards working its way among men, day and night, and growing into their affection and confidence, rather than summoning them to capitulate either to fear or to admiration. II. THE OUTSIDE APPEAL WRICH THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD EVER CLAIM AND ETIR BOLD IN RESERVE. Their special laws are, and are to be, " diverse from all people " who are not of themselves. And when these clash with any other, they are not to "keep the king's laws," but to keep their own distinguishing and esoteric laws (Acts iv. 19 ; v. 29). To know well, to do well, these "diverse laws" is the sus- tained aspiration of the Church of God. There is such a thing as unity in variety, and there is, and is to be, on the part of the Church of God, the close union of all its own members, by one common fellowship, by obedience to one common code of laws, by acknowledgment of one standard Bible authority, amid all their intermixture, in every conceivable relationship, with all the rest of the world and "the kingdoms of the world." The genuine, hearty, living obedience of a thousand, of a hundred persons to "lawe diverse from all people" is an enormously strong link of connection among themselves, and an enormously significant testimony to the outside world of ftomething special at work. If we as Christian people rose to this conception, to the eager veneration of it, to the hearty practice of it, what a witness ours would be I Meantime Haman's allegation against the" certain people scattered abroad"- that while their own !awe were "diver~e frol:!1 all jeople," they di~ "not keep the king's laws "-was untrue. Mordecai had mdee withheld obedience to the law which "the king had commanded" (ver. 2), that "all the king's servants in the king's gate should bow and reverence Haman," and his non-obedience was no doubt covered, by his fealty to the "diverse lawe;" but this was by no means enough to cover a charge against all the Jews, or even against Mordecai in hie general conduct and life. The kingdom of God then does glory to follow the lead and command of "laws diverse from all people," to claim the ultimate appeal as lying always to these; e.nd in any conceivable case of option to decide in one moment for obedience to God rather than to men. III. THE FORESEEN DESTINY OF THE CHURCH OIi' GoD. Haman's apprehension was perhaps not very genuine, and any way was premature, but his instinct in the real matter at issue was only too unerring and correct. The Church of God-" that certain people scattered abroad among the people," with their diverse_ lows, an~ their firat heed given to them,--beyond a doubt luu its eye on all other kingdoms, 1s not what those other kingdoms would now think "for their profit," is destined to absorb them, gives evidence of that destiny as a very intenti<m in those same manifestations OR, III, 7-15.] THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 79
of its genius, am! in its appeal to the unseen, and in itFl first obedience thereto. Oh for the time when the chorus shall indeed open, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.''-B.
Ver. 7.-Consulti1!1!, omens. "They cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day." "Pur ' is an old Persian word said to signify "part" or "lot." Haman resorted to the practice of casting a lot to find out what he believed would be a lucky day for his design. He had a blind faith in the unseen, and in the over- ruling of supernatural powers. He inquired of his idols, and acted according to received superstitions. His object was an evil one, but he supposed that his god would be on his side. I. WE MUST LEARN TO SUBMIT TO THE OVERRULING OF PROVIDENCE. Haman was consistent with his superstition. We are ofttimes inconsistent in our acts. We profess to believe that God will overrule all for the best, and then we become doubtful and fretful because things turn not out as we expected. II. WE MUST IMITATE THE PERSISTENT WAITING OF HAMAN. He must have found it wearying work to inquire so frequently, casting lots for one day after another, and having no favourable reply. The lot was cast for all the days of eleven months ere he had a period fixed which promised to be fortunate for him. He that believeth shall not make baste. III. WE SHOULD SEEK NOT LUCKY PERIODS, BUT FITTING OPPORTUNITIES OF SERVICE. There are many foolish ideas as to periods, as those among sailors about Friday, and sailing on that day. IV. THAT WHICH APPEARS MOST PROMISING FOR THE PLOTTER MAY BE THE WORST, The delay had given Mordecai and Esther time to act. God's hand may have been in this. "The lot was cast into the lap, but the whole disposal was of the Lord" (Prov. xvi. 33). Haman was misled by his inquiries, but God's people saved by Haman's delay through his superstition. Providence never misleads men ; it leads to the best issues.-H.