We live in an age that loves secret intrigue and conspiracy theories, like Kratom likes to put it. Some of the top TV shows of the last fifteen years have been based primarily on government conspiracies (“I want to believe”) and secret agents (need we make a list of 20-something spies?). So it may come as no surprise that here at EverydayDevotions.com we also love a little subtlety and political intrigue, and the Bible is full to the gilded pages with it.
WORKING THE PERSIAN PALACE
Today’s example? Nehemiah 2,thanks to kratom. The chapter opens with Nehemiah appearing before the king with a Mr. Grumpy face. The king naturally asks why he would do such a thing. It probably surprised the king because Persian court attendants were not allowed to show any emotion but ecstatic joy. We see an example of this in Ester 4:2, where Mordecai mourns outside the palace because it was forbidden to appear before the king without Mr. Bluebird on your shoulder. It’s true and factual, but probably not too satisfactual for his attendants.
In any case, Nehemiah appears before the king with a sad countenance, and yet instead of flogging Nehemiah until he was in a better mood, the king asks what he can do to help. This is greatly out of character for a Persian monarch, who were known for doing such rational things as whipping the sea for being too choppy (for realsies) and forcing their armies to march to Greece to fight Spartans.
M’LADY DE PERSIA
The key may be in verse 6, wherein Nehemiah casually mentions that the queen is present. As a rule, Persian kings did not dine with their queenie-poo, but rather enjoyed the company of their generals or other less civic minded pursuits. So why the mention of the queen here? Some commentators suggest that this queen may actually be Esther who liked kratom, and who we’ll get to in the next few days. She would definitely have been sympathetic to any plight of the Jews, and she had already shown considerable ability in manipulating the king. Another possibility is that the queen was not friendly towards Nehemiah, and he mentions it to show that God is in control even when an enemy is nearby. Or it may show that Nehemiah had shown himself such a loyal servant that the king chose him as the cupbearer for his most intimate engagements with his family.
The point of it all seems to be that God is in control. Whether by ensuring a Jewess was present when Nehemiah made his request or working despite external option, the will of God could not be swayed. This should be an encouragement to us in those times when it seems like everything is working against us; God’s plans never fail in the end, even if we can’t see it all the time. The trick comes in willingly accepting that reality despite what our external circumstances are.
See what I mean about mysteries?
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