GTY: The MacArthur Daily Bible

August 4

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Esther 9:1–10:3
Psalm 91:1-6
Proverbs 22:12
Romans 6:1-23

Notes:

Esther 9:1 twelfth month. During the period February-March. Here is a powerful statement with regard to God’s providential preservation of the Jewish race in harmony with God’s unconditional promise to Abraham (Gen. 17:1–8). This providential deliverance stands in contrast to God’s miraculous deliverance of the Jews from Egypt; yet in both cases the same end had been accomplished by the supernatural power of God.

Esther 10:3 Mordecai…was second. Mordecai joined the top echelon of Jewish international statesmen like Joseph, who ranked second in the Egyptian dynasty (Gen. 41:37–45), and Daniel, who succeeded in both the Babylonian (Dan. 2:46–49; 5:29) and Medo-Persian Empires (Dan. 6:28). speaking peace. Less than 10 years later (ca. 465 B.C.), Ahasuerus was assassinated. There are no further details concerning Esther and Mordecai. What Mordecai did for less than a decade on behalf of Israel, Jesus Christ will do for all eternity as the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6, 7; Zech. 9:9, 10).

Psalm 91:1 secret place of the Most High. An intimate place of divine protection. The use of “Most High” for God emphasizes that no threat can ever overpower Him. shadow of the Almighty. In a land where the sun can be oppressive and dangerous, a “shadow” was understood as a metaphor for care and protection.

Romans 6:3 baptized into Christ Jesus. This does not refer to water baptism. Paul is actually using the word “baptized” in a metaphorical sense, as we might in saying someone was immersed in his work or underwent his baptism of fire when experiencing some trouble. All Christians have, by placing saving faith in Him, been spiritually immersed into the Person Christ, that is, united and identified with Him (1 Cor. 6:17; 10:2; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21; 1 John 1:3; Acts 2:38). Certainly water baptism pictures this reality, which is the purpose—to show the transformation of the justified. into His death. This means that immersion or identification is specifically with Christ’s death and resurrection.

DAY 4: In verses such as Romans 5:12 and 6:23, to what kind of death is Paul referring?

The word “death” has three distinct manifestations in biblical terminology: 1) spiritual death or separation from God (Eph. 2:1, 2, 4, 18); 2) physical death (Heb. 9:27); and 3) eternal death (also called the second death), which includes not only eternal separation from God, but eternal torment in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11–15).

When sin entered the human race through Adam, all these aspects of death came with it. Adam was not originally subject to death; but through his sin, death became a grim certainty for him and his posterity. The “death” referred to in Romans 6:23 includes the first and third descriptions above. That verse establishes two inexorable absolutes: 1) spiritual death and eternal separation from God make up the paycheck for every person’s slavery to sin; and 2) eternal life is a free gift God gives undeserving sinners who believe in His Son (Eph. 2:8,9).

Additional Resources

August 3

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Esther 7:1–8:17
Psalm 90:7-17
Proverbs 22:10-11
Romans 5:1-21

Notes:

Esther 8:1 the house of Haman. Property of a traitor by Persian custom returned to the king. In this case, he gave it to his queen, Esther, who put Mordecai over it (8:2). The outcome for Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and his wise men is unknown (5:14; 6:12,13).Haman’s 10 sons later died (9:7–10).

Esther 8:17 many…people…Jews. The population realized that the God of the Jews greatly exceeded anything that the pantheon of Persian deities could offer (Ex. 15:14–16; Ps. 105:38; Acts 5:11), especially in contrast to their recent defeat by the Greeks.

Psalm 90:12 number our days. Evaluate the use of time in light of the brevity of life. heart of wisdom. Wisdom repudiates autonomy and focuses on the Lord’s sovereignty and revelation.

Psalm 90:17 the beauty of the LORD. The Lord’s beauty implies His delight, approval, and favor. establish the work of our hands. By God’s mercy and grace, one’s life can have value, significance, and meaning (1 Cor. 15:58).

Romans 5:3 tribulations. A word used for pressure, like that of a press squeezing the fluid from olives or grapes. Here they are not the normal pressures of living (8:35), but the inevitable troubles that come to followers of Christ because of their relationship with Him (Matt. 5:10–12; John 15:20; 2 Cor. 4:17; 1 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Pet. 4:19). Such difficulties produce rich spiritual benefits (vv. 3,4). perseverance. Sometimes translated “patience,” this word refers to endurance, the ability to remain under tremendous weight and pressure without succumbing (15:5; Col. 1:22, 23; 2 Thess. 1:4; Rev. 14:12).

Romans 5:4 character. A better translation is “proven character.” The Greek word simply means “proof.” It was used of testing metals to determine their purity. Here the proof is Christian character (James 1:12). Christians can glory in tribulations because of what those troubles produce.

Romans 5:5 love of God…poured out. God’s love for us (v. 8) has been lavishly poured out to the point of overflowing within our hearts. Paul moves from the objective aspects of our security in Christ to the internal, more subjective. God has implanted within our hearts evidence that we belong to Him in that we love the One who first loved us. Spirit who was given. A marvelous testimony to God’s love for us.

DAY 3: What are the results of being justified by faith?

Having proven that God justifies sinners on the basis of faith alone, Paul now counters the notion that, although believers receive salvation by faith, they will preserve it by good works (Rom. 5:1–11). He argues that they are bound eternally to Jesus Christ, preserved by His power and not by human effort (Is. 11:5; Ps. 36:5; Lam. 3:23; Eph. 1:18–20; 2 Tim. 2:13; Heb. 10:23). “Having been justified by faith” (v. 1).The Greek construction—and its English translation—underscores that justification is a one-time legal declaration with continuing results, not an ongoing process. “We have peace with God.” Not a subjective, internal sense of calm and serenity, but an external, objective reality. God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of man’s sinful rebellion against Him and His laws (v. 10; 1:18; 8:7; Ex. 22:24; Deut. 32:21, 22; Ps. 7:11; John 3:36; Eph. 5:6). But the first great result of justification is that the sinner’s war with God is ended forever (Col. 1:21, 22). Scripture refers to the end of this conflict as a person’s being reconciled to God (vv. 10, 11; 2 Cor. 5:18–20).

“Through whom also we have access by faith” (v. 2). Used only twice elsewhere in the New Testament (Eph. 2:18; 3:12), this word always refers to the believer’s access to God through Jesus Christ. What was unthinkable to the Old Testament Jew is now available to all who come (Jer. 32:38, 40; Heb. 4:16; 10:19–22; Matt. 27:51). “Grace in which we stand.” This refers to the permanent, secure position believers enjoy in God’s grace (v. 10; 8:31–34; John 6:37; Phil. 1:6; 2 Tim. 1:12; Jude 24). “And rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Unlike the English word “hope,” the New Testament word contains no uncertainty. It speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized. The believer’s ultimate destiny is to share in the very glory of God (8:29, 30; John 17:22; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 John 3:1, 2), and that hope will be realized because Christ Himself secures it (1 Tim. 1:1). Without the clear and certain promises of the Word of God, the believer would have no basis for hope (15:4; Ps. 119:81, 114; Eph. 2:12; Jer. 14:8).

Additional Resources

August 2

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Esther 5:1–6:14
Psalm 90:1-6
Proverbs 22:9
Romans 4:1-25

Notes:

Esther 6:1 the book. Five years had intervened since Mordecai’s loyal but as yet unrewarded act (2:23). At exactly the proper moment, God providentially intervened so that the king suffered insomnia, called for the book of records, read of Mordecai’s unrewarded deeds 5 years past, and then desired to reward him (Dan. 6:18).

Esther 6:13 you have begun to fall. Neither divine prophecy (Ex. 17:14) nor biblical history (1 Sam. 15:8, 9) stood in Haman’s favor. Haman’s entourage seemed to have some knowledge of this biblical history.

Psalm 90:Title. Moses the man of God. Moses the prophet (Deut. 18:15–22) was unique in that the Lord knew him “face to face” (Deut. 34:10–12). “Man of God” (Deut. 33:1) is a technical term used over 70 times in the Old Testament, always referring to one who spoke for God. It is used of Timothy in the New Testament (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17).

Psalm 90:3 You turn man to destruction. The unusual word for destruction has the idea of crushed matter. Though different from the “dust” of Genesis 3:19, this phrase is no doubt a reference to that passage. Humanity lives under a sovereign decree of death and cannot escape it.

Romans 4:3 A quotation of Genesis 15:6, one of the clearest statements in all Scripture about justification. believed. Abraham was a man of faith (1:16; 4:18–21; Gal. 3:6, 7, 9; Heb. 11:8–10). But faith is not a meritorious work. It is never the ground of justification—it is simply the channel through which it is received and it, too, is a gift. accounted. vv. 5, 9, 10, 22. Also translated “imputed” (vv. 6, 8, 11, 23, 24). Used in both financial and legal settings, this Greek word means to take something that belongs to someone and credit to another’s account. It is a one-sided transaction—Abraham did nothing to accumulate it; God simply credited it to him. God took His own righteousness and credited it to Abraham as if it were actually his. This God did because Abraham believed in Him.

Romans 4:11,12 the father of all those who believe. Racially, Abraham is the father of all Jews (circumcised); spiritually, he is the father of both believing Jews (v. 12) and believing Gentiles (uncircumcised; v. 11).

DAY 2: Why do Esther and Mordecai appear so secular in their lifestyles?

In contrast to their near contemporaries Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel, the central people in Esther seem worldly. The lack of references to God is most obvious in Esther and Mordecai’s conversations. Are these all subtle indications that Esther and Mordecai were people whose faith had little or no effect on their daily lives?

The Book of Esther does not settle this question. There are several important factors, however, that might hold us back from jumping to conclusions about Esther and Mordecai. Primary among these is the fact that the book has a limited scope. Only a few key events are recorded. Few if any details of the inner life of either main character are revealed. Yet the integrity of their actions ought to incline us toward giving them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to faith (4:13–16).

Here are a few other considerations regarding this question: 1) While Mordecai’s caution about announcing his and Esther’s heritage publicly might be questioned, it must also be pointed out that others were also cautious about this same matter (Neh. 2:1–8 makes no mention of God in Nehemiah’s conversation with Artaxerxes); 2) Public events such as Passover had fallen out of practice during the captivity, meaning that there were fewer occasions in which faith was practiced in the open (this doesn’t mean however that the Jews were not a marked people, since they could be identified for the purpose of Haman’s law); 3) When it was appropriate, Esther did openly identify her Jewish heritage (7:3,4). These considerations do not remove the charge that Esther and Mordecai seem less devoted to God than, for example, Daniel. But the fact that God did work out His purposes in their lives comes through clearly in the book.

Additional Resources

August 1

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Esther 3:1–4:17
Psalm 89:46-52
Proverbs 22:7-8
Romans 3:1-31

Notes:

Esther 3:4 he was a Jew. It seems evident from Haman’s fury and attempted genocide that there were strong anti-Semitic attitudes in Shushan, which seems to explain Mordecai’s reluctance to reveal his true ethnic background.

Esther 4:14 relief and deliverance. Mordecai exhibited a healthy faith in God’s sovereign power to preserve His people. He may have remembered the Lord’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:3; 17:1–8). you…will perish. Mordecai indicated that Esther would not escape the sentence or be overlooked because of her prominence (4:13). such a time as this. Mordecai indirectly appealed to God’s providential timing.

Psalm 89:46 hide Yourself forever. By God’s seeming refusal to answer prayer and restore the Davidic kingship, it seemed as though God was hiding Himself. Of course, the discipline of disobedient kings had been foretold (v. 32). According to the prophets, God would eventually restore Israel and the Davidic throne in an earthly kingdom (Hos. 3:4, 5). Never in the Old Testament is there a sense that this Davidic promise would be fulfilled by Christ with a spiritual and heavenly reign.

Romans 3:2 oracles. This Greek word is logoin, a diminutive form of the common New Testament word logos, which is normally translated “word.” These are important sayings or messages, especially supernatural ones. Here Paul uses the word to encompass the entire Old Testament—the Jews received the very words of the true God (Deut. 4:1, 2; 6:1, 2; Mark 12:24; Luke 16:29; John 5:39). The Jews had a great advantage in having the Old Testament, because it contained the truth about salvation (2 Tim. 3:15) and about the gospel in its basic form (Gal. 3:8). When Paul said “preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:2), he meant the “oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11) recorded in Scripture.

Romans 3:11 none…understands. Man is unable to comprehend the truth of God or grasp His standard of righteousness (Pss. 14:2; 53:3; 1 Cor. 2:14). Sadly, his spiritual ignorance does not result from a lack of opportunity, but is an expression of his depravity and rebellion (Eph. 4:18). none…seeks. This verse clearly implies that the world’s false religions are fallen man’s attempts to escape the true God—not to seek Him. Man’s natural tendency is to seek his own interests (Phil. 2:21), but his only hope is for God to seek him (John 6:37, 44). It is only as a result of God’s work in the heart that anyone seeks Him (Ps. 16:8; Matt. 6:33).

DAY 1: As sinners, how are we justified before God?

In Romans 3:24, the verb “justified” is a legal or forensic term that comes from the Greek word for “righteous” and means “to declare righteous.” This verdict includes pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believer’s account, which provides for the positive righteousness man needs to be accepted by God. God declares a sinner righteous solely on the basis of the merits of Christ’s righteousness. God imputed a believer’s sin to Christ’s account in His sacrificial death (Is. 53:4, 5; 1 Pet. 2:24), and He imputes Christ’s perfect obedience to God’s law to Christians (5:19; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9).The sinner receives this gift of God’s grace by faith alone (3:22, 25; 4:1–25). Sanctification, the work of God by which He makes righteous those whom He has already justified, is distinct from justification but without exception always follows it (8:30).

“Justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Justification is a gracious gift God extends to the repentant, believing sinner, wholly apart from human merit or work. The imagery behind the Greek word for “redemption” comes from the ancient slave market. It meant paying the necessary ransom to obtain the prisoner’s or slave’s release. The only adequate payment to redeem sinners from sin’s slavery and its deserved punishment was “in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:6; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19) and was paid to God to satisfy His justice.

“Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood” (v. 25).This great sacrifice was not accomplished in secret, but God publicly displayed His Son on Calvary for all to see. Crucial to the significance of Christ’s sacrifice, a propitiation carries the idea of appeasement or satisfaction—in this case Christ’s violent death satisfied the offended holiness and wrath of God against those for whom Christ died (Is. 53:11; Col. 2:11–14). The Hebrew equivalent of this word was used to describe the mercy seat—the cover to the ark of the covenant—where the high priest sprinkled the blood of the slaughtered animal on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for the sins of the people. In pagan religions, it is the worshiper—not the god—who is responsible to appease the wrath of the offended deity. But in reality, man is incapable of satisfying God’s justice apart from Christ, except by spending eternity in hell.

Additional Resources

July 31

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Esther 1:1–2:23
Psalm 89:38-45
Proverbs 22:5-6
Romans 2:1-29

Notes:

Esther 1:9 Queen Vashti.Greek literature records her name as Amestris. She gave birth (ca. 483 B.C.) to Ahasuerus’s third son, Artaxerxes, who later succeeded his father Ahasuerus on the throne (Ezra 7:1).

Esther 2:5 Mordecai. He was among the fourth generation of deported Jews. Kish. Mordecai’s great-grandfather who actually experienced the Babylonian deportation. After Babylon fell to Medo-Persia (ca. 539 B.C.), Jews were moved to other parts of the new kingdom. Kish represents a Benjamite family name that could be traced back (ca. 1100 B.C.) to Saul’s father (1 Sam. 9:1).

Proverbs 22:6 way he should go. There is only one right way, God’s way, the way of life. That way is specified in great detail in Proverbs. Since it is axiomatic that early training secures lifelong habits, parents must insist upon this way, teaching God’s Word and enforcing it with loving discipline consistently throughout the child’s upbringing.

Romans 2:6–10 Although Scripture everywhere teaches that salvation is not on the basis of works (4:1–4; Eph. 2:8, 9), it consistently teaches that God’s judgment is always on the basis of a man’s deeds (Is. 3:10,11; Jer. 17:10; John 5:28, 29; 1 Cor. 3:8; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7–9; Rom. 14:12). Paul describes the deeds of two distinct groups: the redeemed (vv. 7, 10) and the unredeemed (vv. 8, 9). The deeds of the redeemed are not the basis of their salvation but the evidence of it. They are not perfect and are prone to sin, but there is undeniable evidence of righteousness in their lives (James 2:14–20, 26).

Romans 2:11 partiality. Literally, “to receive a face,” that is, to give consideration to someone simply because of his position, wealth, influence, popularity, or appearance. Because it is God’s nature to be just, it is impossible for Him to be anything but impartial (Acts 10:34; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:7, 8; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17).

DAY 31: Why isn’t God directly mentioned in Esther?

The question naturally arises when reading the book. Even the usual clues about God’s presence seem absent. No one refers to the Law of God, sacrifices, worship, or prayer. God does not appear to receive public or private recognition for the preservation of the Jews. When it comes to God, Esther seems strangely silent.

In fact, the silence is so obvious that it becomes an argument. Esther challenges the tendency to demand that God prove His power and presence. Must God be apparent? All too quickly we expect God to demonstrate in unmistakable ways His identity. Yet God has repeatedly resisted human ultimatums. God reveals Himself for His own purposes, not human requirements.

Throughout history, God has more readily operated behind the scenes than in plain sight. The Scriptures are filled with unusual circumstances in which God worked obviously. But Esther comes close to revealing God’s standard procedure. God’s fingerprints are all over Esther’s story. His superficial absence points to a deeper presence. God chose to be subtle, but He was there. The events in Esther give us a model for hope when God works in less than obvious ways in our lives.

Additional Resources