Esther 8:12

The Bible says in Esther 8:12-17, “Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.[13] The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.[14] So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.[15] And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.[16] The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.[17] And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” It is interesting that in the history of the human race it is not always evil all the time. One might expect that to be the case, knowing the depravity of human nature and the power of the devil. But there have been exceptions. There have been times when God blessed on a national level in spite of the wickedness in the world. That happened at times in ancient Israel under King David and King Solomon. It happened perhaps some of the time when Great Britain was at its peak. It happened when the United States of America was formed and lasted for perhaps the first 140 years of its history. Would to God it would happen again. If more people would repent of their sins and turn to Jesus, it probably would. Jesus Himself will show what is possible on this earth when He returns and sets up His Millennial kingdom on earth. There will be no war: the swords shall be beaten into plows and spears into pruning hooks. Finally, we will have a good leader: Jesus the Son of God and King of kings. Finally, everyone will love the Word of God and will know it: “The knowledge of the Lord shall cover the land as the waters cover the sea.”

Ancient Persia had a time of great blessing because they had Queen Esther, who made a brave and self-sacrificing decision to risk her life and go before the king. They had King Ahasuerus, who made the right decision to punish the evil doers and to help the people of God. The believers, for their part, turned to the Lord to seek His help. No wonder things went so well for them in that country at that time. Notice verse seventeen: “And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Not only was the country blessed and people were happy, but many people became true believers. That is exactly what we need too: many more people converted to Christ.

The Bible says in Esther 9:1-4, “Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)[2] The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.[3] And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.[4] For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.” Verse one is the key verse of this passage. Notice that it says, “though it was turned to the contrary.” That was the work of God. Through deceit and lying and manipulating the king, the enemies of the Jews changed the law so that the Jews could be killed. But God turned the tables. Thankfully, God can do anything. That means that He can turn anything to the contrary no matter how bad it looks and no matter how much progress the enemies of truth appear to have gained. Keep trusting in the Lord and calling upon His name. Jesus can turn the tables to the contrary.

The Bible says in Esther 9:5-19, “Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.[6] And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.[7] And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,[8] And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,[9] And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,[10] The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.[11] On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.[12] And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.[13] Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.[14] And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.[15] For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.[16] But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,[17] On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.[18] But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof; and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.[19] Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.” Those were definitely violent times, but the winners were those who trusted in the Lord. This is symbolic of the fact that King Jesus will answer our requests one day. King Jesus has the power to decide what happens to everyone, and He tells us about it in the book of Revelation. It will not go well for those who reject the King of kings. Notice that the end of verse eight says, “but on the spoil laid they not their hand.” They simply wanted justice: they did not want money or any kind of material gain. Once they received justice, they had a time of “feasting and gladness.” O how wonderful it will be when Jesus returns and gives us justice too.

The Bible says in Esther 9:20-32, “And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,[21] To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,[22] As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.[23] And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;[24] Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;[25] But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.[26] Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,[27] The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;[28] And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.[29] Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.[30] And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,[31] To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.[32] And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.” Verse twenty-two has a phrase in it that is a good summary of just what happened in the book od Esther: “from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day.” When things really go wrong from a human standpoint, and we are talking about the possibility of violent death for an entire people here, just remember that things can always be turned around. Because there is a God, one of the wonderful things about life is that things can always be turned around. There is a solution to every problem. Even when things are the darkest, there is always that glimmer of hope that something can be done. People of faith know that truth, because we trust in the Almighty God and His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus can do anything. Thankfully, He has promised to turn the tables. There is always His Return that will put a final fix on everything too. Pray, stay positive, and do what you can. There is a bright future ahead, one way or another.

The holiday of Purim that was started in the time of Esther is still celebrated today. The reason that this celebration was created is given in verse twenty-eight: “that these days should be remembered.” Of course, we should remember the good things that happen. And sometimes holidays and special days help us remember. For example, we have Christmas to remember the birth of Christ. We have Easter to remember the resurrection of Christ from the dead. We have the Fourth of July to remember the establishment of our nation. Some people can remember these things without having special days, but perhaps it helps others. Christians should always remember what Jesus did for them when He suffered and died on the cross.

We know who wrote the book of Esther. Verse twenty says, “And Mordecai wrote these things…” Verse thirty-two says, “and it was written in the book.” We know where the writings came from: Mordecai as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit just like all the other writings of the Bible. God used men to write the scriptures. God also used women because many times women are quoted, and so God spoke through godly women also. Because God used human beings to write the scriptures, somehow God allowed the personality, mental acuteness, and personal perspectives of those humans to be used to present God’s truth. The book of Esther is the only book of the Bible that does not mention the name of God directly. One reason for this is because Mordecai wrote this book, and Mordecai for a long time kept his faith secret from the authorities in Persia, even though Mordecai worked in the palace. Mordecai had common sense. If you are around a bunch of people in a society that will kill you for your beliefs, then you keep your beliefs quiet. That is what the Christians did in Rome in the first century by going into the catacombs, and that is what some Christians have to do today in certain countries that have governments and populations that are not friendly to the followers of Christ. But in spite of the reluctance to mention God’s name, the truth about God and God’s power and God’s control of events still comes through. The truth is everywhere because God is everywhere.

We also know that Mordecai and Esther did not remain silent forever. The time came when they knew that it was God’s will for them to speak up, even though it might have meant death. But they were very polite to the king when they did speak up. They were wise. They did not make accusations against the one in authority. Life is short. The judgment is coming. Pray for those in authority.

The Bible says in Esther 10:1-3, “And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.[2] And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?[3] For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.” God raises people into positions of authority for God’s own reasons. We do not know those reasons, especially not before the fact. His thoughts are not our thoughts. We will all find out at the judgment why God did what He did: why God gave certain leaders in certain countries in the ways and the times that God chose. In this particular case in ancient Persia, in spite of the murderous intent of the Jews’ enemies, God put Mordecai and Esther into positions of power and influence just under King Ahasuerus. God can do that whenever He wants because He is God. Whoever is put into power will one day give an answer to God for what they did with that power. That is why Christians are told in Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” Christians are also told in First Timothy 2:1-2, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;[2] For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” Christians should always be the best citizens no matter who the leaders are and no matter what is the form of government. God put those leaders into the positions of leadership.

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