Recently, I’ve been reading through the book of Esther and a verse stuck in my mind.  It’s after Haman issues the decree that all Jews are to be completely destroyed on a single day.  The wording of the decree is intense and ruthless (3:13).  This only heightens the contrast that follows.  Esther 3:15b (NIV) reads, “… and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.  The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.”

Here we see the stark contrast between the powerful and the people.  The king and Haman relax and unwind, while the people wander aimlessly, perplexed and confused.  That’s what that Hebrew word for bewildered means.  It is used only three times in the Bible; Exodus 14:3, Esther 3:15, and Joel 1:18.  These three instances occur at powerful hinge points between overwhelming situations of certain destruction and death, and redemption and peace.

Looking at the other two passages will give us a better sense of this word, bewildered.  Exodus 14 relates the crossing of the Red Sea.  The Israelites followed God’s leading to a place that trapped them with the Red Sea on one side and the Egyptian army on the other.  God said in Exodus 14:3 (NIV), Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’  And indeed, the Israelites were confused as well as terrified as to why they were trapped to face certain death when they had been following the Lord’s leading.

Joel’s reference is different from the other two as it is a prophecy.  The land was laid waste by locusts and fire.  There was no water.  Conditions were so dire, even the cattle wandered aimlessly in confusion.

The Hebrew word bewildered carries with it the idea of being entangled.  In all three passages, people are trapped.  They can’t see a way out and are filled with anxiety.  They know where or how they want to be, but they can’t make it happen.  They are entangled where they are, confused, and completely perplexed on how to get out of the situation.  It reminds me of flies on a window.  They know they want outside and can even see the light, but they are stuck by something they can’t understand or fix.  They repeatedly fly into the window, bouncing off, as they aimlessly attempt to escape.

As I read these three passages and thought about the word bewildered, I realized that this summarizes the year 2020 for me.  So much has happened that has left me feeling like I am wandering aimlessly, confused and perplexed.  I feel trapped by circumstances and can’t see a way out.  The year 2020 has brought the virus, riots, an unusual election, changes for work and school, and multiple restrictions.  I know how I would like things to be, but I’m trapped where I am.

What can we learn from these passages that will help us navigate 2020 into the future?  They are rich with wisdom, so I have chosen one take-away from each.

Exodus

Don’t be afraid, but stand steady and let the Lord fight.

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.  The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.  Exodus 14:13 (NIV)

Esther

Esther and Mordecai worked together despite their separation.  They each had different roles and positions, yet they encouraged, supported, and challenged each other.  All this was accomplished in a culture that leaned towards intolerance and even hostility towards those who demonstrated faith in God (Esther 3:8-9).

Joel

All three contain some form of crying out to the Lord, fasting, and/or prayer, but Joel states it the most beautifully.  It’s the idea of seeking God wholeheartedly, correcting priorities, and removing ourselves from false control.

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”  Rend your heart and not your garments.  Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.  Joel 2:12-13 (NIV)

To Conclude

When you are brought to a place where there is no way out, no visible cause for hope, and you are confused and perplexed, wandering aimlessly, remember this:

Those are exactly the situations where God loves to act.

Glory to God!

*****

Scriptures to read this week:

Exodus 13:17-14:31

Challenge:  Read the book of Esther over the next week or two.  There’s only 10 chapters.  Try reading a chapter or two a day.