God Moves In A Mysterious Way
Rev Rodney Rod ney A Gray
Studies in the Book of Esther The Book of Esther tells the amazing story of how God reserved his eole from the threat of e!tin"tion# $et% remarka&ly% the name of the 'ord never aears in the telling of the story# There is no referen"e to worshi% rayer% or sa"rifi"e# If we didn(t know &etter% we might "on"lude that it tells us nothing nothing a&out God# But when we read the the story in the light of the rest of the Bi&le we dis"over that it is really a summation of what God reveals a&out himself in the totality of S"riture# It is the story of the sovereign urose of God# In keeing with the rest of the Bi&le% the Book of Esther "annot &e understood aart from God(s urose# )is urose was to reserve his "hosen eole in the world until the Savior "ame through them# It is also the story of the sovereign roviden"e of God# It re"ords in &reathtaking ways how God "ontrols and uses all events and all "ir"umstan"es to fulfill his urose# The thoughts% "hoi"es% and de"isions of men% whether for good or evil% all serve the urose of God# *inally% it is the story of the sovereign ower of God# Even when men and women violate his revealed will% he dire"ts their sin to fulfill his se"ret will# A suerfi"ial reading of the Book of Esther might give the imression that God is not only silent% &ut a&sent# )e aarently says nothing and does nothing# But read in the light of the rest of &i&li"al revelation% the words and works of the 'ord God of Israel are distin"tly heard and seen# +hater ,- .ueen /ashti /ashti 0ethroned and 0eosed# 1This is what haened2 3verses ,456# The setting in whi"h the events of the story of Esther took la"e was a world of lu!ury and ower# ower# 7er!es ruled the 8ersian 8ersian Emire from 9:; to 9;< B+# Some =ews &egan the return return to their homeland homeland in <>? B+# +yrus the the Great had esta&lished esta&lished the dominan"e dominan"e of the 8ersian Emire over Ba&ylon and all the an"ient middle east# The de"ree of +yrus authorized authorized the =ews to re&uild the temle in =erusalem% =erusalem% a ro@e"t they "omleted "omleted &y <,; B+# )aggai and e"hariah were a"tive in romoting the ro@e"t# Ezra% ehemiah% and Mala"hi "ame later# They were among the minority remnant# Esther and Morde"ai were among the ma@ority of =ews who were still disersed throughout the 8ersian Emire# *ew% if any of them% would have suse"ted the dia&oli"al lot a&out to &e hat"hed that would ut their very e!isten"e in dou&t# o one among them "ould have known that God would would reser reserve ve their their e!iste e!isten"e n"e throug through h a =ewish =ewish girl girl named named )adass )adassah% ah% who would would &e"ome the Cueen of 8ersia# 8ersia was a vast domain e!tending from Afri"a to India# 7er!es( father% 0arius% had organized it into D distri"ts "alled satraies# These were divided into ,D? rovin"es# Several royal residen"es were used &y the 8ersian kings% of whi"h the ala"e in Susa was only one# The setting for the story of the Book of Esther is the "itadel of Susa% and it resents a i"ture of great ower and fa&ulous wealth# BanCuets and feasts figured rominently in ala"e life% and events in the story unfolded largely in relation to these feasts# feasts# Fing 7er!es 7er!es laun"hed a military military "amaign "amaign against Gree"e Gree"e in 9: B+% and it is ossi&le that the lanning for this "amaign may have rovided the o""asion for the
&anCuets des"ri&ed in this introdu"tory se"tion# 8ersia was the great world ower% while Israel(s kings and kingdom had "eased to e!ist# $et as the stage is set in the first "hater% it turns out that even the a&solute ower of Fing 7er!es is vulnera&le% &e"ause he "ould not "ommand the o&edien"e of his wife# *rom the erse"tive of &i&li"al revelation% things are not always as they aear to &e# 7er!es was in the third year of his reign# The writer noted that he 1sat on the throne of his kingdom2 3,-D6# This means that his kingdom was esta&lished and he was firmly in "ontrol# More than a hundred years had assed sin"e the downfall of =erusalem# 7er!es is resented as all4owerful at a time when Israel had no king or kingdom# )e "ele&rated &y giving a &anCuet# *or ,: days the royal treasure was ut on dislay and everyone of any imor imorta tan"e n"e gathe gathere red d for for the the o""a o""asi sion# on# The The &anC &anCuet uet itse itself lf last lasted ed seven seven days days with with uninhi&ited drinking# At the same time .ueen /ashti gave a &anCuet for the women# /ashti(s name "ould mean 1the &est%2 1the &eloved%2 or 1the desired%2 whi"h may in art e!lain what haened ne!t# She was the king(s most e!Cuisite ossession he had ut everything else on dislay% and she alone was left# 1/ashti 1/ashti refused to "ome2 3verses ,4DD6# , 4DD6# .ueen /ashtiHs defian"e of her hus&and set in motion a "hain of events that would rove to &e nothing short of amazing# The king 1was in high sirits from wine2 3,-,6# To say that he was drunk would do @ust as well# In his drunken "ondition the thought "ame to him to send for the Cueen 1to dislay her &eauty to the eole and no&les% for she was lovely to look at2 3,-,,6# In other words% .ueen /ashti was summoned for the e!ress urose of &eing ut on dislay# dislay# There is no way of knowing the re"ise reason for /ashti(s refusal% &ut it triggered an international "risis# If we read the story from the erse"tive of the roviden"e of God% we need no e!lanation &eyond the fa"t that this "risis triggered the sear"h for a new Cueen who turned out to &e Esther# At the same time% we are reminded that when the Bi&le tells us what haened% it does not always re"ord the events with aroval# That is% what eole should eole should have have done and what they a"tually did in in a given situation are two searate issues# The king(s ultimatum to his wife is not a model aroa"h for hus&ands to "oy% nor is the Cueen(s resonse# This is "learly an e!amle of how sin has degraded the human "ondition and human relationshis# Aside from all this% the most imortant issue was the urose of God# What was God doing The great king 7er!es% 1who ruled over ,D? rovin"es stret"hing from India to +ush%2 was "omletely &efuddled &y his wife(s defian"e# )e referred the matter to his to advisers% seven in num&er% 1who understood the times2 3,-,>6# These were reuted to &e wise men who "ould "ounsel the king a&out the &est "ourse of a"tion# They were among the rivileged few% 1the highest in the kingdom%2 who 1saw the king(s fa"e2 3,-,96 and "ould a"tually talk to him# In order to "over his em&arrassment% he asked for a solution from from the the law law# )e oin ointe ted d out out that that .uee .ueen n /asht ashtii had not not o&eye o&eyed d his his 1"omm 1"omman and#2 d#2 Interestingly% this same word will aear again at the end of the &ook as the 1de"ree2 of Esther whi"h suggests a relationshi &etween the two# Would /ashti(s refusal to o&ey the king(s "ommand turn out to &e the reason why Esther "ould issue a "ommand In the end% it was the "ounsel of Memu"an that won the day# day# 8erhas he was a"ting as the sokesman
for the grou# Instead of re"ommending that the matter &e "ontained and resolved Cuietly% he ortrayed it as a "risis of the whole realm# /ashti 3no longer Queen /ashti6 Queen /ashti6 must &e dealt with severely and de"isively to avoid "haos in the kingdom and the disgra"e of the king# )er wrong4doing was 1"rooked2 or 1erverse2 3,-,;6# If she refused to aear &efore the king% let her &e &anished from his resen"e forever% and rela"ed with 1someone else who is &etter than she#2 Memu"an(s advi"e was imlemented &y 1a royal de"ree%2 or 1a word of the kingdom2 3,-,56# Thus% in the roviden"e of God% the stage was set# If GodHs urose was to reserve the =ewish eole in order to &ring the Savior into the world% events that may otherwise seem senseless and ointless &egin to fall into la"e# Events that may aear to have no relationshi to ea"h other may instead &e seen as "omonents in a master lan# Read in the "onte!t of the Bi&le% this "hater reminds us that God has a urose% and that the de"isions% motivations% and a"tions of men serve that urose% though they are not aware of it# The king(s king(s de"ision and lans for the &anCuet% his thought a&out /ashti% her refusal% and the "ounsel of his advisors were all details of roviden"e that "ontri&uted "o ntri&uted to God(s greater urose# They intended it for evil% &ut God intended it for good# +hater D- Esther(s Rise to 8ower# 1'et a sear"h &e made2 3verses ,4,:6# The king(s advisers were ready with a roosal for sele"ting a new Cueen# Without a dou&t Esther(s e!erien"e illustrates how God &rings good out of evil# In fa"t% God &rings the greatest good out of the greatest evil# The stories of =oseh and =o& are "lassi" e!amles of this truth% not to mention the Jne Story that the Bi&le is really a&out K the in"arnation% sufferings% death% and e!altation of the Son of God# The re"ord of Esther(s rise to ower is another tri&ute to the amazing ower and wisdom of God# Esther was "aught u in a &rutal and frightening system in whi"h the auto"rati" word of the king "ould la"e anyone at his disosal# What Morde"ai and Esther should or "ould have done in su"h a situation we do not know# Whether they were 1saved eole2 is known only to God# It is imortant to remem&er that what they did is not ne"essarily what they should have done# But the story is really not a&out them# It is a&out how God reserved his eole so that he "ould fulfill his romise to &ring the Savior into the world through them# God "an a""omlish the greatest good even &y using the greatest evil# We should also &e reminded that God is a&le to e!alt the lowest and hum&le the highest# In this sense Esther stood with su"h women as )annah 3I Samuel D-94:6 and Mary 3'uke ,-
sought revenge against the king(s king(s "ounselors# "ounselors# Jn"e again% their 1advi"e aealed to the king% and he followed it2 3D-96# But if 7er!es the tyrant followed this advi"e% those who know the 'ord will &e sure to re@e"t it as the "ounsel of the ungodly# $et God used even su"h ungodly "ounsel to &ring & ring an unknown =ewish girl to the throne of 8ersia# It is worth noti"ing that Morde"ai is introdu"ed in the story ahead of Esther# That he was "alled 1a =ew2 is more literally 1a man of =udah2 3D-<6# By this time the eole of Israel were "ommonly known as =ews after the tri&al name% =udah# )owever% Morde"ai(s tri&al "onne"tion was not to =udah% &ut to Ben@amin# Morde"ai &elonged to the family of Fing Saul 3I Samuel 5-,%D6% a detail the imortan"e of whi"h will &e"ome aarent later in the story# At least some of his family mem&ers were ro&a&ly in"luded among the no&ility who surrendered with =ehoia"hin% king of =udah% to e&u"hadnezzar% king of Ba&ylon in <5? B+ 3II Fings D9-:4,?6# Morde"ai may have &e"ome esta&lished in a osition of some influen"e% although we are not told why or under what "ir"umstan"es he 1was in the "itadel of Susa2 3D-<6# Esther is introdu"ed as a 1girl% who was lovely in form and featur features2 es2 3F=/ 4 1and 1and the maid was fair and &eauti &eautiful ful26 26 3D-?6# 3D-?6# She was Morde"a Morde"ai( i(ss "ousin% an orhan% and he had raised her as his daughter daug hter## We also note that God "an wat"h% rote"t% and dire"t the lives of his eole% whether in high ositions ositions or low# low# The leading leading "hara"ters "hara"ters were "alled &y their agan names without without mu"h mu"h "ommen "omment# t# The name name 1Morde 1Morde"ai "ai22 was related related to the Ba&ylo Ba&ylonia nian n god Marduk Marduk## 1Esther%2 whose given name was )adassah% )ad assah% was similar to the Ba&ylonian goddess Ishtar# Ishtar# To assign a name resuosed ower and authority over the thing or erson named# We remem&er that =oseh was given an Egytian name% &ut the Bi&le always "alls him =oseh 3Genesis 9,-9<6# 0aniel and his three friends were assigned Ba&ylonian names 30aniel ,-;%?6 &ut they seemed not to wear them "omforta&ly and 0aniel at the &eginning was still 0aniel at the end# 0aniel drew the line on a""eting se"ial food from the king(s ta&le 30aniel ,-:6# Esther aarently did not o&@e"t to the ela&orate &eauty rearations rearations nor to the idea of &eing resented to the king as an o&@e"t of desire# If she rotested% the Bi&le does not re"ord it# or did she reveal her =ewish identity 3D-,%D6# Are we entitled to &elieve that Morde"ai and Esther were wearing these 8ersian names too "omforta&ly )ad they% like many other =ews in the disersion% &e"ome too mu"h at home in the kingdom of the world Was Morde"ai motivated &y selfish am&ition or &y a genuine loyalty loyalty to the God of his fathers fathers Although Although Morde"ai tried tried to "losely "losely monitor Esther(s Esther(s status on a daily &asis 3D-,,6% what was his goal Was he @ealous for her safety Was he maniulating events &ehind the s"enes Jr &oth In the "ourse of events% Esther 1won the favor of everyone who saw her2 3D-,<6# The word used here des"ri&es a free gift of gra"e# Esther had already won the favor of )egai% the keeer of the harem 3D-:%56# This word "ommuni"ates the idea of kindness% loving kindness% or steadfast love# When she was resented to the king% Esther se"ured &oth from him# 1She won his favor 3gra"e6 and aroval 3kindness6 more than any of the other virgins2 3D-,?6# So 1he made her Cueen instead of /ashti#2 /ashti#2 So leased was he that he gave yet another &anCuet% this time in her honor# It was 1Esther(s &anCuet#2 The king wanted "ele&ration throughout his domain and took stes to see that everyone shared in the festive o""asion#
1Morde"ai was sitting at the king(s gate2 3verses ,54D>6# In the "ourse of events% Morde"ai learned of a lot to assassinate the king# If God ordinarily works through men and means to a""omlish his larger urose% here was a "ase in oint# 1Morde"ai was sitting at the king(s gate2 3D-,56# The strategi" imortan"e of this detail &e"ame "lear when Morde"ai Morde"ai learned of the intended lot against the king# But it &e"ame signifi"ant in another sense when Morde"ai refused to arti"iate as 1all the royal offi"ia offi"ials ls at the king(s king(s gate gate knelt knelt down down and aid aid honor honor to )aman2 )aman2 3>-D6# 3>-D6# Morde"ai(s resen"e at the king(s gate was rovidential% and it was for a urose# )is dis"overy dis"overy of the assassinatio assassination n lot ut him in a osition osition to later foil the lot to kill the =ews# Thus God(s urose to deliver his eole is in la"e even &efore )aman(s lot to destroy them is known# While Morde"ai did not re"eive immediate reward or re"ognition for his servi"e to the king% his influen"e with the king would &e mu"h greater when it was useful in the lan of God# +hater >- )aman(s 8lot to 0estroy the =ews# 1But Morde"ai would not kneel2 3verses ,4;6# The sudden advan"ement of )aman was as sensational as it was ine!li"a&le# Jn"e again we have an indi"ation of the assing of an indefinite eriod of time in the e!ression% 1After these events###2 oti"e the referen"e to the seventh year of the reign of 7er!es in D-,;% and to the twelfth year in >-?# >-?# )aman must have re"eived his romotion sometime sometime in &etween# We should remem&er from the revious "hater Morde"ai(s "ru"ial role in e!osing e!osing the assassination assassination lot against against the king# But now% for some unse"ified unse"ified reason% )aman was honored a&ove all the other no&les at "ourt# It reminds us that the eole of the world do not always honor the &est and &rightest among them# The worst are often e!alted while the &est are sometimes ignored# The king(s de"ision to elevate )aman was a "ase in oint# Aarently it was done with great flourish# The king honored him 31made him great26% elevated him 31raised him u26% and gave him the highest osition 31seat26# 8erhas his new osition &rought out the worst in him# It is worth noting that no e!lanat e!lanation ion was given given for this this romot romotion ion## *urthe *urthermo rmore% re% the king king 1"omma 1"ommanded nded this this "on"erning2 )aman 3>-D%>6# Morde"ai(s refusal to honor )aman makes us wonder whether he was doing the right thing for the right reason# Was Morde"ai @ust lain stu&&orn and roud Jr was he standing on rin"ile Jr was he deli&erately rovoking a "onfrontation The offi"ials who knew Morde"ai aarently saw saw his &ehavior as somewhat unusual# They seemed to "onsider it strange that he refused to o&ey the kingHs "ommand and de"ided to test his resolve &y reorting the matter to )aman# The fa"t that the king gave an order a&out this may indi"ate that Morde"ai was not the only one who was relu"tant to "omly# )amanHs rea"tion was in keeing with his "hara"ter# In fa"t% it was in keeing with his name# )aman was enraged# The words for 1)aman2 and 1enraged2 have a similar sound# Evil men will use any rete!t for wiing out a er"eived threat# )aman roved himself to &e one su"h evil man# )e was determined not to overlook or tolerate it# The imortant
oint is made that it had "ome out &y now that Morde"ai was a =ew# =ew# )amanHs ride suffered a terri&le &low &y Morde"aiHs refusal to 1kneel down or ay him honor#2 $et he was not willing to settle matters ersonally with Morde"ai and &e done with it# Jver su"h a seemingly seemingly trivial matter )aman resolved resolved to 1destroy all Morde"ai( Morde"ai(ss eole% eole% the =ews% throughout the whole kingdom of 7er!es#2 We may have a "lue to the &ehavior of &oth Morde"ai and )aman in the fa"t that )aman was a 1son of )ammedatha% the Agagite#2 Morde"ai% as we dis"overed in the revious "hater% was a des"endant of Fish of the tri&e of Ben@amin# In the days of Fing Saul% the son of Fish% Agag was the king of the Amalakites 3I Samuel ,<6# The Amalakites were the first to atta"k the Israelites after they "ame out of Egyt 3E!odus ,?-:4,;6# =oshua led the "ounter atta"k that defeated them% and Moses de"lared% 1the 'ord will &e at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation#2 The rohet Samuel ordered Saul to "omletely destroy them% &ut he sared Agag# Samuel then killed Agag himself# Both )aman )aman and and Mord Morde" e"ai ai must must have have know known n this this hist histor ory y# Both Both men men may may have have &een &een determined to settle this rivalry that &egan a thousand years earlier# earlier# 1There is a "ertain eole2 3verses ?4,,6# )aman wasted no time in se"uring "learan"e from the king to go ahead with his lan# As a first ste% the lot was "ast to determine the most oortune time that would ensure su""ess# It reminds us that the world is often willing to wait for an oortunity to do ma!imum damage to the eole of God# The 1ur2 was the 8ersian eCuivalent of the )e&rew 1lot%2 and it gave the =ewish *east of 8urim its name 35-D>4D:6# The "asting of lots was used among the Israelites in various situations to determine the will of the 'ord# It was used when the land was divided among the tri&es under the leadershi of =oshua# But )aman did not know or &elieve in the true God% and his use of this devi"e was nothing more than suerstitious# That he resorted to it at all reveals that he wanted to leave nothing to "han"e# )e was rea"hing for an am&itious goal and he was determined to su""eed# As it turned out% the lot that was "ast in the first month indi"ated that the twelfth month was the most favora&le one% &ut )aman was willing to wait# It is a "lassi" e!amle of the rin"ile that 1man rooses &ut God disoses#2 )aman% a slave to his siritual darkness and suerstition% unwittingly "ommitted himself to give Morde"ai and Esther amle time to unravel his lot# In the end% the roll of the di"e d i"e was his downfall# oti"e% in the second the second la"e% la"e% how he resented the matter to the king# )e aroa"hed the king with a reort and a re"ommendation# )e laid the matter &efore the king in a way that in"luded little or no details &ut stressed that he only had the &est interests of the king at heart# The king was taken in &y the generi" referen"es to 1a "ertain eole2 who osed a threat to the ea"e and se"urity se"urity of his realm% realm% and he did not even trou&le trou&le himself to find out who they were# )e was "onvin"ed more &y what )aman did not say than &y what he did say# Mu"h of what he said was true% some was only artly true% and some was &latantly false# It rovides an e!amle of the timeless rin"ile that good "an &e evil soken of when someone is determined to "onstru"t a "ase against the good# +onsider the elements in )aman(s aroa"h to the king#
)e referred to the =ews as 1a "ertain eole%2 without naming them# This in itself had a sinister sound% insinuating that these eole lived in the shadows and "overed their true identity with a "loak of se"re"y# Surely this was "ause for "on"ern# )e added that they were 1disersed and s"attered among the eoles in all the rovin"es of your kingdom#2 )aman was imlying that a "onsira"y was afoot among these eole to desta&ilize the emire# They ket to themselves% yet they were everywhere# )e furthermore de"lared that the "ustoms or laws of these eole were 1different from those of all other eole#2 The word for 1"ustom2 or 1law2 is used freCuently in Esther% most of the time to refer to the king(s edi"t or de"ree# So it would "ome as unsettling news that a network of eole throughout the emire were refusing to a&ide &y the law of the land# As if that were not enough% )aman ne!t a""used them of not o&eying the king(s laws# In what ways they were se"ifi"ally diso&eying he did not &other to mention% and the king did not &other to ask# The &lanket a""usation was enough to arouse the king(s susi"ion# Then% finally% )aman aealed to 1the king(s &est interest#2 All things "onsidered% )aman &elieved it would &e in the &est interests of the king and his kingdom not to tolerate these su&versives# To 1tolerate2 them meant to leave them alone% or to let them rest# After this was all over% the =ews did in fa"t have 1rest2 or 1relief2 35-,;%,?%,:%DD6# The word 1interest2 31rofit2 in the F=/6 suggests "omarative value# It means that one thing is of no value in "ontrast to another thing# )aman used this term again when he "omlained that all the wealth wealth and honor he ossessed gave him no satisfa"t satisfa"tion ion as long as 1that =ew Morde"ai2 refused to &ow to him 3<-,>6# *or now% he got the king(s endorsement of a lan that made money more valua&le than eole# eo le# The otential for se"ta"ular finan"ial gain was there% one way or the other# As the de"ree was disat"hed to the far rea"hes of the kingdom% it in"luded the rovision to annihilate the =ews 1and to lunder their goods2 3>-,>6# In the the third la"e% la"e% we note that the king "onsented to &elieve the worst a&out the &est eole he had in his realm# )is rea"tion to )aman(s )aman(s "ari"ature of the =ews is tyi"al of how the world "ommonly re@udges and mis@udges the eole of God# In his thoughtless haste to arove the dia&oli"al lan% the king did not even realize that when he handed over his signet ring to )aman% he unknowingly handed over the life of .ueen Esther at the same time# The signet ring was a sym&ol of royal sovereignty# Fing 7er!es% like many earthly rulers% thought his ower was sureme# )e would have s"offed at the idea that he was only a tool in the hand of a sovereign God% that he was a""ounta&le to that God% and that he was &eing used to a""omlish God(s greater urose# The signet ring meant to him that he had a&solute "ontrol% and he was giving )aman a free hand to disose of the trou&lemakers as he saw fit# It is not "lear that the king refused )aman(s money# )e assured )aman that &oth the money and the eole were in his hand# )aman "ould do what he wanted with &oth# The F=/ "atures the thought in this way- 1The silver silver is given to thee% the eole also% to do with them as it seemeth good to thee#2 The king(s ring was re"ognized throughout his emire% &ut events would show that a greater
authority rules over the emires of this world# All the while )aman(s real motive% his desire for revenge against Morde"ai% was ket from the king# In addition to his full title% the writer now "alls him 1the enemy of the =ews#2 1In the name of Fing 7er!es2 3verses ,D4,<6# )aman aggressivel aggressively y ushed his lan through through and "omosed the de"ree he wanted# In a matter of days the do"uments were drawn u% "oied% translated% sealed and sent out to their destinatio destinations ns all over the emire# emire# Ironi"ally Ironi"ally%% the king(s king(s de"ree was dated one day &efore the =ewish 8assover% whi"h &egan the fourteenth day of the first month 3E!odus ,D-;6# Whether )aman was aware of this or not% we do not know# But it "ould not have es"aed the noti"e of at least many of the =ews who would &e reminded of the origin of the 8assover in the great deliveran"e out of Egyt# They would no dou&t have reason to hoe that God would deliver them again# This edi"t was going out in the name of Fing 7er!es himself and ro"laimed as law ever everyw ywhe here re in the the real realm# m# It was inte intend nded ed not not only only to singl singlee out out the the =ews =ews for for e!termination% &ut to in"ite all other grous against them so that no one would "ome to their defense# The general oulation had to &e given some reason to &elieve that it was in everyone(s &est interest to &e rid of the =ews# )aving the king(s edi"t u&lished 1in the s"rit of ea"h rovin"e and in the language of ea"h eole2 would instill a sense of urgen"y throughout the emire 3>-,D6# *urthermore% the suosed threat was made a oliti"al issue &y dire"ting the edi"t to every level of government authority# *rom the national to the lo"al levels government offi"ials were e!e"ted to e!e"ute the king(s de"ree in defense of the se"urity of the realm# realm# To To fail fail in this this would would not only &e oliti oliti"al "al sui"id sui"ide% e% it would would @eoar @eoardiz dizee the surema"y of the state# They had a year in whi"h to wage a war of roaganda and whi u re@udi"e against the =ews so that when the fateful day "ame% there would &e little hesitation a&out doing what otherwise might have &een unthinka&le- 1to destroy% kill and annihilate all the =ews K young and old% women and little "hildrenLand to lunder their goods2 3>-,>6# The order was very similar to the order Samuel gave to Fing Saul% Morde"ai(s an"estor% to destroy the an"estors of )aman 3I Samuel ,<->6# The same wording will show u again in Morde"ai(s similar de"ree on &ehalf of the =ews 3:-,,6# either Morde"ai nor )aman had forgotten this long4standing rivalry# rivalry# The "hater ends on a som&er note# 1The king and )aman sat down to drink% &ut the "ity of Susa was &ewildered#2 It is fair to say that the king had no idea what he had done% even though everything had &een done in his name# ot only had he un@ustly de"reed the destru"tion of a ra"e of eole% &ut realities of eternal "onseCuen"e were involved of whi"h he was totally ignorant# o wonder the eole of Susa were 1&ewildered#2 The word "an also mean 1"onfused 1"onfused or erle!ed#2 erle!ed#2 There had to &e something something &ehind all this that was more owerful than the king himself#
+hater 9- Morde"ai 8ersuades Esther to Intervene# 0e"isions and "hoi"es may have "onseCuen"es we do not e!e"t# We "annot tell whether Morde"ai was deli&erately fomenting a "onfli"t that would involve all his fellow =ews% or whether whether he siml simly y did not think think a&out a&out the otent otential ial "onseC "onseCuen uen"es "es of his ersonal ersonal "hallenge to )aman# )e must have realized at the very least that his a"tions would not go unnoti"ed# 0id Morde"ai get more than he &argained for 1All that had &een done2 3verses ,4>6# The "hater &egins with a des"rition of the rea"tion of Morde"ai and the rest of the =ewish =ewish oulat oulation ion when news of the kingHs kingHs edi"t rea"hed rea"hed them# They They disla dislayed yed the traditional signs of mourning mourning or grief# Tearing the "lothes% utting on sa"k"loth sa"k"loth or lying on it% sitting in ashes and throwing them on oneself% loud wailing and "rying% fasting and the like% were all ways of e!ressing ersonal or national "risis# It was a sign of great individual or "olle"tive distress# 1When Reu&en returned to the "istern and saw that =oseh was not there% he tore his "lothes2 3Genesis >?-D56# =o& 1tore his ro&e and shaved his head2 when word rea"hed him of the four4fold tragedy 3=o& ,-D6# 'ater he 1sat among the ashes2 3=o& D-:6# The Ben@amite who reorted the 8hilistine "ature of the ark of the "ovenant arrived arrived in Shiloh Shiloh with 1his "lothes "lothes torn and dust on his head2 3I Samuel 9-,D6# 'ikewise the man who &rought news to 0avid of the death of Saul and =onathan 3II Samuel ,-D6# 0avid ordered his men to tear their "lothes and ut on sa"k"loth to mourn for A&ner 3II Samuel >->,6# Tamar 1ut ashes on her head and tore the ornamented ro&e she was wearing2 after she was assaulted &y Amnon 3II Samuel ,>-,56# In resonse to the rea"hing of =onah the eole of ineveh 1de"lared a fast% and all of them% from the greatest to the least% ut on sa"k"loth2 3=onah >-<6# We may suose that Morde"ai had a dou&le reason for his loud and &itter wailing# By his ersonal "onfrontation with )aman he had &rought a senten"e of death uon his entire ra"e# Whether his a"tion was &orne of ride or rin"ile% the result was the same# It is a lesson to God(s eole at all times and in all "ir"umstan"es to &e as wise as serents and harmless as doves 3Matthew ,-,;6# 1What was trou&ling Morde"ai and why2 3verses 94:6# sually ro&lems are more easily "reated than they are resolved# It aears that Esther was among the last to find out what was going on# 1When Esther(s maids and eunu"hs "ame and told her a&out Morde"ai% she was in great distress%2 not a&out the edi"t% &ut a&out Morde"ai(s aearan"e and &ehavior at the king(s gate# Aarently the king had not "onfided in Esther a&out this% a fa"t whi"h suggests that% in 7er!esH mind% "ommuni"ation was needed only when he said so# This is in keeing with EstherHs EstherHs "omment in verse ,, ,, that she had not &een summoned to the king for thirty days# Esther sent "lothing to Morde"ai so that he would &e roerly attired to go in and see her% &ut he refused it# +lothes were the least of his "on"erns# Morde"ai wanted her to know that something serious was afoot# When )atha"h was sent out to learn what was the trou&le it &e"ame "lear that Morde"ai had "omlete knowledge of the lot% in"luding the amount of money )aman offered to seal the agreement with the king# )e even had in his ossession a "oy of the edi"t edi"t itself itself## This This he sent sent &a"k with )atha"h )atha"h for Esther( Esther(ss inform informati ation% on% with with
instru"tion instru"tionss for )atha"h to 1e!lain it to her2 39-:6# 39-:6# This "ould only mean that the edi"t had not &een widely "ir"ulated inside the ala"e% or Esther would have already &een fully aware of it# 1If I erish% I erish2 3verses 54,?6# It often takes e!"etional "ourage to do the right thing# 0oing the right thing usually involv involves es utti utting ng the intere interests sts of others others ahead ahead of onesel oneself# f# Esther EstherHs Hs first first resons resonsee to Morde" Morde"aiH aiHss lea for hel hel was not en"ourag en"ouraging ing## She knew the rules of "ourt a&out a&out unauthorized aroa"hes to the king# She would &e utting her life on the line if she aeared &efore the king without &eing "alled# This oli"y was for the urose of tightly tightly "ontrolling a""ess to the king in the interests of his ersonal se"urity# It also would serve the urose of limiting the ro&lems that would "ome to his attention# The king had hardly given Esther a thought for a monthHs time% and now she was asked to go to him% un&idden% on su"h a momentous mission# We may assume that she understood that she would have to reveal to the king that she also was a =ew# =ew# Mordi"aiHs Mordi"aiHs se"ond se"ond aeal was dire"t and to the oint# If Esther was "on"erned "on"erned that she would risk death &y going to the king% she should know that death was "ertain if she refused# Morde"ai "autioned her% 10o not think in your soulL2 39-,>6# The soul is the inner &eing or the self# )e was advising against har&oring any misguided inner thoughts a&out &eing e!emted from the king(s edi"t# Therefore% she had nothing to lose and everything everything to gain# Morde"ai Morde"ai seemed "onvin"ed% "onvin"ed% for some unse"ified unse"ified reason% reason% that one way or the other the =ews would &e sared from e!termination# It is worth noti"ing that 1relief2 39-,96 is the word for 1sirit%2 1wind%2 or 1&reath#2 10eliveran"e2 is related to a word that "an refer to a res"ue or snat"hing away% as when the 'ord said he would res"ue his flo"k from the mouths of the evil sheherds 3Ezekiel >9-,6# =oshua the high riest was likened to 1a &urning sti"k snat"hed from the fire2 3e"hariah >-D6# And the salmist assures us that the 'ord 1will save you from the fowler(s snare and from the deadly estilen"e2 38salm 5,->6# Morde"aiHs Cuestion is full of meaning for those who "onfidently trust in the roviden"e of God# 1And who knows &ut that you have "ome to royal osition for su"h a time as this2 39-,96# It seems to indi"ate some re"ognition of God(s roviden"e on Morde"ai(s art# The truth and e!erien"e of God(s God(s suerintending of world events were firmly em&edded in Israel(s history# Morde"ai "ould not have &een ignorant of the revelation God had given his eole# 0id he re"olle"t the story of =oseh and how God intended to send him to Egyt for 1the saving of many lives2 3Genesis <-D6 Morde"ai made his "ase in a way that Esther Esther "ould not deny# She resolved to muster muster her "ourage and aeal to the king% even though it was "ontrary to the law# She ro"laimed a fast for 1all the =ews who are in Susa2 with the se"ifi" dire"tive% 1fast for me2 39-,<6# *asting with rayer was a "ommon ra"ti"e on "ertain o""asions in Israel# The Israelites fasted and inCuired of the 'ord at Bethel in the midst of "ivil war with the tri&e of Ben@amin 3=udges D-D;%D?6# 0avid fasted and rayed when the 'ord stru"k his and Bathshe&a(s "hild with si"kness 3II Samuel ,D-,;%,?6# The Israelites fasted% "onfessed their sins% and worshied when they searated themselves from foreigners 3ehemiah
5-,4>6# What is "onsi"uously a&sent in EstherHs instru"tions to Morde"ai is any referen"e to rayer# If it was assumed or imlied% &ut not stated% we "an only se"ulate a&out the reason# +hater <- Esther 8ro"eeds With +aution# 1So Esther aroa"hed2 3verses ,4>6# It is "lear that Esther lanned "arefully# She had asked for time% and she aarently made good use of it &y "areful and thoughtful lanning# She had "alled for fasting for three days% and we would &e surrised if rayer did not a""omany the fasting# Jn the third day of the fast% Esther made her aearan"e &efore the king# /erse one refers to 1the ala"e2 and to 1the king(s hall#2 In the )e&rew 1the house of the king2 is mentioned three times% on"e with a lural form of 1king#2 It is aarently an attemt to distinguish &etween the royal residen"e and the throne room# 'ess has &een learned a&out the ala"e at Susa than a similar royal ala"e at 8erseolis some >< miles to the southeast in modern Iran# The royal throne room at 8erseolis had thirty4si! stone illars suorting a "eiling si!ty five feet high# Those to whom the king granted audien"es were suosed to &e hum&led &efore him &y the grandeur of the surroundings# The s"ene "onfronting her when Esther aeared 1standing in the "ourt2 would have &een an imressive one# She seems to have reared for her aroa"h to the king down to the last detail% and it aid huge dividends# dividends# Su"h was the imression imression she made on the king that 1she o&tained o&tained favor in his sight2 3<-D% F=/6# 'iterally% 'iterally% 1she lifted u gra"e in his eyes#2 )e was leased &y her &eauty% and the fa"t that she was dressed in her full royal regalia didnHt hurt# In the light of Esther(s statement in 9-,, we may imagine the thoughts assing through her mind as she 1stood in the inner "ourt of the ala"e#2 The king knew that she must have "ome on e!tremely imortant &usiness to risk this uninvited aearan"e# )e had &anished /ashti when she refused to aear when summoned# ow Esther has aeared when she was not summoned# The God who rules and overrules turned his heart to re"eive her kindly and asked her to state her reCuest# 1Then I will answer the king(s Cuestion2 3verses 94:6# We also find that Esther lanned atiently# She devised an une!e"ted strategy# strategy# We We might have e!e"ted her to immediatel immediately y &egin leading leading for her eole and to waste waste no time in letting the king know what was going on# +ertainly the urgen"y of the situation would have warranted su"h haste# Instead% she deli&erately withheld her reCuest and atiently took a less dire"t aroa"h# Esther had "arefully laid her lans% in"luding the rearation of a &anCuet# She wanted the "onditions to &e as advantageous as ossi&le to ensure su""ess# She delayed making known her reCuest not on"e% &ut twi"e# Esther wanted )aman to &e resent at her &anCuets along with the king &e"ause )aman was the real antagonist# *urthermore% his resen"e would give him a false sense of se"urity# By the time Esther revealed her reCuest to the king% he really was ready to grant it% 1even u to half the kingdom#2 1All this gives me no satisfa"tion2 3verses 54,96#
The remainder of the "hater des"ri&es a man ossessed of hainess and rage in the same day# )aman e!emlified the erson who makes his hainess and "ontentment deendent on what others are willing to do for him# )aman "ame away from EstherHs &anCuet riding a wave of 1high sirits#2 'iterally% 'iterally% he was 1good of heart#2 )e was "ongratulating himself that he was the only man% other than the king himself% to &e honored with an invitation to the CueenHs rivate &anCuet# )e imagined that Esther was so taken with his "harm and manners that she had invited him to a""omany the king to her se"ond &anCuet# But @ust then he "ame "ame uon Morde"ai at the kingHs gate# Morde"ai gave no indi indi"a "ati tion on that that he agree agreed d with with )aman )amanHs Hs asse assess ssme ment nt of hims himsel elf% f% or that that he was was inti intimi midat dated ed in )aman )amanHs Hs res resen en"e "e## Mord Morde" e"ai ai 1nei 1neith ther er rose rose nor nor show showed ed fear fear in his his resen"e2 3<-56# This% of "ourse% enraged )aman and soiled an otherwise erfe"t day# day# )amanHs "omlaint a&out Morde"ai demonstrated that he was really not a great man at all# A truly great man "ould afford to overlook an insult or o ffense# )aman had everything going his way% as he roudly &oasted to his household% &ut he made his hainess deend on one erson# 1But all this gives me no satisfa"tion as long as I see the =ew Morde"ai sitting at the king(s gate2 3<-,>6# The F=/ renders it% 1$et all this availeth me nothingL2 The same word was used in >-: when )aman soke of 1the king(s &est interest#2 We saw ther theree that that it mean meanss that that one thin thing g is of no valu valuee in "omar "omaris ison on to anot anothe herr thin thing# g# Everyth Everything ing that that should should have have made made )aman )aman hay hay was "an"el "an"eled ed out &y Mordi" Mordi"ai( ai(ss resen"e at the king(s gate# gate# The advi"e of )aman(s wife% eresh% and his friends reveals that they had a stake in )aman(s hainess% not to mention his advan"ement# Good things for )aman signaled good things for them# They were "onfident that the king would go along with their lan to do away with Morde"ai and make him a u&li" e!amle# They roosed 1hanging2 Morde"ai on an e!or&itantly high 1gallows#2 The referen"es to hanging on gallows in Esther may refer to imaling on a stake# The 8ersians referred this method of e!e"ution# The word for 1hang2 does not mean to strangle with a noose around the ne"k# It means to hang in the sense of hanging something on a eg driven into a wall 3Isaiah DD-D>%D9 Ezekiel D?-,6# The salmist said% 1There on the olars we hung our hars2 38salm ,>?-D6# )aman(s vain and vengeful sirit meant that he "ould &e ersuaded that su"h a horri&le fate was too good for the likes of Morde"ai# +hater ;- An ne!e"ted 0eveloment# This "hater shows how a series of what seem to &e trivial "ir"umstan"es roved to &e a owerful movement to overturn )amanHs lans# Any one of several &i&li"al rin"iles would rovide a good summary of what took la"e# 'et him who thinks he stands take heed% lest he fall 3I +orinthians ,-,D6# Be sure your sin will find you out 3um&ers >D-D>6# Whatever a man sows% that shall he also rea 3Galatians ;-?6# 1That night the king "ould not slee2 3verses ,4,,6# /erse , is the turning oint of the whole story# It is a simle enough o&servation% yet it suggests rofound theologi"al truth# 1That night the king "ould not slee#2 It was the
evening following Esther(s first &anCuet# It was the same night that )aman(s wife and friends advised him to have Morde"ai e!e"uted# Also% it was the night when "onstru"tion on )aman(s gallows must have distur&ed the slee of many# *or whatever reason% 1the slee slee of of the the king king fled# fled#22 The The king king happened to have a restless% sleeless night he happened to to ask to have the royal re"ord &ook read to him it was dis"overed that the king had happened to to overlook Morde"aiHs reward )aman happened to to &e in the ala"e at @ust the right right time# 0id all these these things @ust @ust 1haen to haen%2 haen%2 or did they "ome a&out under the dire"tion of a sovereign God It seems almost imossi&le to imagine that su"h a deed would go unrewarded% sin"e it saved the kingHs life# But this "onsira"y of "oin"iden"es has &rought it to the kingHs attention# We noted in "onne"tion with Morde"ai(s intervention that% while the king did not reward him at the time% it turned out that through Morde"ai(s a"tion a lan to res"ue the =ews was ut in la"e even &efore the lot was hat"hed to destroy them 3D-D,4D>6# The king wanted to take immediate a"tion to re"tify the oversight &e"ause it refle"ted oorly on him as matters then stood# Enter )aman# The stage was set for one of the great ironies of the &ook# It was to &e layed layed out on a mu"h larger s"ale s"ale when the edi"t against the =ews was reversed# But for now% now% who should &e assigned the resonsi&ility resonsi&ility of utting matters right with Morde"ai &ut his great antagonist% )amanN The fa"t that )aman had arrived at "ourt at su"h an unearthly hour to se"ure the king(s ermission to e!e"ute Morde"ai only a""entuates the irony of it all# This reversal of fortunes was nothing short of remarka&le for &oth )aman and Morde"ai# )aman% who e!e"ted to &e honored% was going to &e hangedN Morde"ai% who was suosed to &e hanged% was honoredN The word for 1honor2 in verses >% ;% ?% 5% and ,, refers to something rare or s"ar"e% and therefore to &e rized or valued# A""ording to 8rover&s D-,<% 1lis that seak knowledge are a rare @ewel#2 The king wanted to do something se"ial for the man in Cuestion# )aman% already already riding the "rest of a wave of favor with the king% was "onvin"ed that he was that man# )e "ould have suggested almost anything% &ut it would not have made any differen"e# The honor would go to Morde"ai# )aman was immediately delegated as 1one of the king(s most no&le rin"es2 to "arry out his own lan# We "an only try to imagine his "onsternation when he had to do for Morde"ai% a "ondemned man% the honor he "raved for himself# 1)aman rushed home2 3verses ,D4,96# )aman(s rea"tion rea"tion to the situation was Cuite redi"ta&le# It was almost more than he "ould stand# )e was humiliated &y having having to shout the raises of the very man he was trying trying to &ring downN 1This is what is done for the man the king delights to honorN2 It would have hav e &een &ad enough if Morde"ai had simly slied through his fingers% &ut this was devasta devastatin ting# g# When Morde" Morde"ai ai learned learned of )aman(s )aman(s lot lot he 1tore 1tore his "lothe "lothes% s% ut on sa"k"loth sa"k"loth and ashes% ashes% and went out into the "ity% "ity% wailing wailing loudly and &itterly2 39-,6# ow )aman 1rushed home% with his head "overed in grief2 3;-,D6# )is wife and friends seemed to forget that they had heled to set him u for this great fall% and essentially ronoun"ed him a lost "ause# Those who were "alled his 1friends2 in <-,%,9 are now "alled his 1advisers2 or 1wise men2 3;-,>6# Wise or not% they did dis"ern that )aman had
&itten off more than he "ould "hew when he de"ided to take on Morde"ai 1of the seed of the =ews#2 They saw that )aman(s doom would &e "omlete# =ust then% when it seemed that things were at their worst% )aman was hurried away 1to the &anCuet Esther had reared#2 )e must have wondered then if he was &eing 1hurried away2 to his e!e"ution# +hater ?- )aman(s 8lot nravels# God does not allow evil men to have the final word# )ere is where we dis"over that Esther was more than a mat"h for )aman and his s"heming designs# She was reeatedly "alled "alled 1.ueen Esther%2 Esther%2 even &y the king# But it is &etter &etter to say that the 'ord God of Israel demonstrated his a&ility to rule and overrule in the affairs of men and nations to a""omlish his sovereign will# The message of 8salm D lies at the heart of the story of Esther# When kings and eoles "onsire and lot against the 'ord and his anointed one% 1The Jne enthro enthroned ned in heaven heaven laughs laughs the 'ord 'ord s"off s"offss at them#2 them#2 The &reath &reathtak taking ing reversal of the lot "an only &e e!lained in these terms# The events of o f "hater si! remind us that the situation situation has "hanged raidly and radi"ally radi"ally for all "on"erned# "on"erned# Thus the stage was set for EstherHs intervention# 1So the king and )aman went to dine2 3verses ,496# This "hater &egins with Esther(s se"ond &anCuet already in rogress# The king was "learly an!ious to know her reCuest# )e assured her again that virtually nothing would &e denied her% Oeven u to to half the kingdom#O +learly the king remained remained largely in the dark a&out what had &een going on# )e knew nothing of the interrelation of the events that were unfolding around him% so his friendly sirit oened the door of oortunity for Esther# Esther% sensing sensing that the time time was right% revealed revealed her etition# She demonstrated ta"t and skill in the way she la"ed it &efore the king# She simly asked that her life and the lives of her eole &e sared# 8ro&a&ly the king was startled startled &y what she said% and it was only &eginning to sink in that the eole she was talking a&out were the =ews and that she was one of them# Esther reeated the words used in the de"ree that had gone out in the king(s name K 1destroy% kill% and annihilate2 3>-,>6# In her own way% @ust as )aman had aealed to 1the king(s &est interest2 3>-:6% Esther took a similar aroa"h# She ointed out that the king would gain nothing and lose mu"h if this lot were "arried out 3?-96# 1This vile )aman2 3verses <4,6# )ere we witness the the final unmasking of )aman# The king demanded the identity and the wherea&outs of the man who was &ehind all this# 'iterally% he wanted to know 1who fills his heart% or whose heart has filled him2 to do su"h a thing 3?-<6# The word 1fill2 is too "ommon to "ite many illustrations illustrations%% &ut 8salm ,-? "hara"teriz "hara"terizes es the wi"ked man as one whose 1mouth is full of "urses and lies and threats#2 Esther was ready with her answer# 1The adversary and enemy is this vile )aman#2 The terror of )aman and the rage of the king were a mi"ro"osm of the uset this revelation "aused#
*or his his art art%% Fing Fing 7er! 7er!es es was was dou& dou&ly ly outr outrag aged ed &e"a &e"aus usee he had &een &een unwi unwitt ttin ingl gly y imli"ated in this sordid affair# The edi"t% whi"h "ould not &e reealed 3,-,56% had gone out with his full authority authority## )aman% on the other hand% knew that he was finished @ust &y the way the king rea"ted# )e was sure 1that the the king had already de"ided his fate2 fate2 3?-?6# The F=/ says that )aman 1saw that there was evil determined against him &y the king#2 But he still thought Esther might &e a&le to sare his life# After all% she had su""essfully intervened intervened for the the =ews# And )aman had nothing nothing to lose# lose# But &y this this time )aman )aman was over"ome over"ome with sheer ani" and he "ouldnHt "ouldnHt have "hosen a worse thing thing to do# As he was there &egging Esther for his life% the king returned and% of "ourse% ut the worst ossi&le interretation on what he was doing# We may legitimately wonder a&out Esther(s "ondu"t at this "riti"al moment# If she was a godly woman% should should she have &ehaved differen differently tly in this situation situation Should she have tried to get the king to go easy on )aman Should she have leaded for mer"y At the very least% she might have "leared u any mistaken ideas the king had a&out )aman(s 1falling on the "ou"h where Esther was re"lining2 3?-:6# But even if she had done so% it is not likely that anything "ould have saved )aman# An attendant mentioned )aman(s gallo gallows ws## The The king king seem seemss to have have &een &een the the only only one who was was unawa unaware re of it# it# The The unhesitating order% 1)ang him on itN2% must have &een sarked &y the fa"t that )aman had reared the gallows for Morde"ai% 1who soke u 3or soke good6 for the king2 3?-56# The order was immediately "arried out# 1Then the king(s fury su&sided2 3?-,6% like the waters of the great flood 1re"eded2 3Genesis :-,6# +hater :- An Edi"t for an Edi"t# God uts the right eole in the right la"e at the right time# In this "hater we learn how the remarka&le turna&out &etween )aman and Morde"ai was e!tended throughout the emire emire &y way of another edi"t edi"t ro"laimed ro"laimed in the name of Fing 7er!es# The stage was set for a "omlete reversal in the outlook for the =ews throughout the 8ersian Emire% now that Esther and Morde"ai had se"ured their osition with the king# 1Into the resen"e of the king2 3verses ,4:6# The humiliating disgra"e of )aman was surassed &y the e!altation e!altation of Morde"ai# )e was granted the highest favor of the king# Morde"ai "ould now "ome 1into the resen"e of the king% for Esther had told how he was related to her2 3:-,6# The king retrieved his signet ring from )aman and gave it to Morde"ai% who was now se"ure in the osition that )aman had "oveted for himself# *urthermore% he was made overseer of EstherHs newly a"Cuired estate# The king had "onfis"ated )amanHs roerty and handed it over to her# 'iterally% the 1estate2 was the 1house2 of )aman% &ut the house often in"luded everything in the house% the household% or the roerty# The 1house2 "ould &e the hysi"al dwelling% as when the 'ord instru"ted the Israelites to 1take some of the &lood and ut it on the sides and tos of the door frames of the houses2 3E!odus ,D-?6# The 1house2 "ould in"lude what was in the house% as in the tenth "ommandment-
1$ou shall not "ovet your neigh&or(s house# $ou shall not "ovet your neigh&or(s wife% or his man servant servant%% or maid servant% servant% his o! or donkey% donkey% or anything that belongs to your neighbor 2 3E!odus D-,?6# The 1house2 "ould also in"lude the household or family% as when 1=a"o& said to his household household and to all who were with him2 3Genesis ><-D6% or when =oshua sared Raha& and her household household in the destru destru"ti "tion on of =eri"h =eri"ho o 3=osh 3=oshua ua ;-D<6# ;-D<6# In short short%% whatev whatever er &elonged to )aman was "onfis"ated &y the king and given to Esther# Esther was now in a more se"ure osition to renew her intervention for her eole# )amanHs disat"h had &een released and "ould not &e "alled &a"k# But Esther leaded with the king to do something a&out 1the evil lan of )aman the Agagite2 3:->6# oti"e how "areful she was not to imli"ate the king in this matter# She made it entirely )amanHs doing# She ta"tfully leaded for the overthrow of )aman(s lan rather than the reversal of the king(s edi"t# She hum&led herself &efore the king in every way she knew how% this time 1falling at his feet and weeing#2 Then 1the king e!tended the gold s"eter to Esther and she arose and stood &efore him2 3:-96# Esther used the same words that she used to aeal for her own life 3?->6 and added two for good measure# She aealed &oth to his sense of @usti"e 31thinks it the right thing to do26 and to her ersonal standing with the king 31and if he is leased with me26 3:-<6# It seaks well of Esther that she did not sto short and settle for her own life while her eole were left to erish# 1*or how "an I &ear to see disaster fall on my eole )ow "an I &ear to see the destru"tion of my family2 3:-;6# The king was "areful to oint out that he had already taken signifi"ant stes to "omensate them 1Be"ause )aman atta"ked the =ews2 3:-?6# The F=/ reads% 1&e"ause he laid his hand uon the =ews#2 Even so% Fing 7er!es authorized Esther and Morde"ai to draw u 1another de"ree in the king(s name in &ehalf of the =ews2 3:-:6# 1Morde"ai wrote in the name of o f Fing 7er!es2 3verses 54,96# So the new edi"t was drawn u# The result was that the reversal in Morde"ai(s situation was e!tended to all the =ews throughout throughout the emire# It was almost a mirror mirror image of the events des"ri&ed in "hater ># This time Morde"ai di"tated the wording and he did so &y the authority of the king# Also% this time time the edi"t was to &e u&lished in in the language of the =ews# oti"e the similarity &etween this this and the former edi"t 3>-,D4,96# Morde"ai(s Morde"ai(s disat"hes% sealed with the king(s signet ring% were "arried 1&y mounted "ouriers% who rode fast horses ese"ially &red for the king2 3:-,6# Morde"ai had full authority% not only to di"tate the edi"t% &ut also to deliver it as Cui"kly as ossi&le# 1The king(s edi"t granted the =ews in every "ity the right to assem&le2 3:-,,6# )aman(s edi"t had not for&idden the =ews to assem&le% &ut erhas government offi"ials would have assumed this to &e the "ase# If the =ews were not allowed to "ongregate their a&ility to meet the "risis would have &een severely imaired# This word is used numerous times in the Jld Testament to refer to the 1"ongregation% assem&ly% or "ommunity2 of Israel# Jn"e the de"ree was u&lished% the =ews in Susa and the other "ities where they lived did gather together to defend themselves and then to "ele&rate the *east of 8urim 35-D% ,<% ,;% ,:6# In addition to the right of assem&ly% the =ews were given the right to defend
themselves against any atta"k% and then 1to lunder the roerty of their enemies#2 Jn"e again the same three words of )aman(s de"ree were in"ororated into Morde"ai(s de"ree K 1to destroy% destroy% kill and annihilate2 3>-,> ?-96# The &ig ro&lem in this "hater% if not in the story as a whole% is the word 1avenge2 in verse ,># It is a word that imlied more than self4defense% and the &lood &ath des"ri&ed in the following "hater was the result# In a similar way% Samson was determined to 1get revenge2 on the 8hilistines 3=udges ,<-?6# But in many "ases it is "lear that vengean"e &elongs to God# )e either e!e"utes it himself or orders it through his servants# In Romans ,D-,5 8aul aealed to 0euteronomy >D->< K 1It is mine to avenge I will reay# In due time their foot will sli their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes uon them#2 )ow the ideal rin"ile and what a"tually haened fit together in the minds of Esther% Morde"ai% and the =ews of the disersion is diffi"ult to say# If they went wrong on this% it aears they went very wrong as the savage &rutality of the ne!t "hater will &ear out# Morde"ai(s edi"t did not merely restore a normal status for the =ews in the emire# And it did not @ust give the =ews the right to defend themselves# It "learly tied the s"ales in thei theirr favor favor so that that they they felt felt at li&e li&ert rty y to sear sear"h "h out and dest destro roy y thei theirr enem enemie ies# s# As +hristians we will do well to take our lead% not from what haened in this situation% &ut what should have haened# Jur orders "ome% not from Morde"ai% &ut from the 'ord =esus +hrist 3'uke ;-D?4>;6 and his aostles 3Romans ,D-54D, ,>-:4, =ames ,-,D I 8eter >-:4,?6# 1A @oyous "ele&ration2 3verses ,<4,?6# /erse ,9 e"hoes the "on"luding "omment of "hater >% &ut with a signifi"ant differen"e# 1The king and )aman sat down to drink% &ut the "ity of Susa was &ewildered2 3>-,<6# )ere% 1Morde"ai left the king(s resen"e2 wearing his offi"ial regalia and 1the "ity of Susa held a @oyous "ele&ration2 3:-,<6# In "ontrast to the mourning% fasting% weeing and wailing reviously o&served among the =ews 39->6% now @ust the oosite revailed# 1*or the =ews it was a time of hainess and @oy% gladness and honor2 3:-,;6# ot only that% &ut many other eole 1&e"ame =ews 3P=udaized themselves(6 &e"ause fear of the =ews had seized them2 3:-,?6# +hater 5- Triumh or Tragedy Thoughtful +hristians will wonder a&out how to rea"t to the "on"luding events of the Book of Esther# They are resented in su"h a way as to vindi"ate the =ews and show"ase the heroi" leadershi leadershi of Morde"ai and Esther# Esther# *or the most art% art% the events seak for themselves themselves## But as they seak% what do they say +hristia +hristians ns will want to evaluate evaluate and understand what is going on in the light of the "omlete revelation of the Bi&le# This means that we must ask ourselves% Is the urose of this re"ord to tell us what haened% or is it to tell us how we ought to &ehave in similar "ir"umstan"es
1They did what they leased2 3verses ,4,6# These verses rovide a summary of how events turned out as the result of the two royal de"rees# Remem&er that the se"ond edi"t did not make the first first one null and void# It only gave the =ews the legal right to do to their enemies what the first edi"t authorized their enemies to do to them# Both de"rees were to &e "arried out on the same day% 1the thirteenth day of the twelfth month% the month of Adar2 3>-?%,> :-,D6# This was the last month of the =ewish year and "oin"ided with our *e&ruary and Mar"h# =ust as 1the ta&les were were turned turned22 in the rivalry rivalry &etwee &etween n )aman )aman and Morde" Morde"ai% ai% a great great revers reversal al was in rogress all a"ross the emire# More literally% literally% 1it was turned to the "ontrary2 so that the e!e"ted vi"tims &e"ame the vi"tors# The =ews now had the right 1to assem&le and rote"t themselves2 3:-,,6# Gathering in strategi" lo"ations% they were in a osition 1to atta"k those seeking their destru"tion2 35-D6# This means they were a&le to 1stret"h out a hand against2 them% or 1lay hand on2 them% a""ording to the F=/# This was not merely a defensive strategy# They seemed to &e taking the initiative against 1those who hated them2 35-,6# It aears that suffi"ient time had elased for susi"ions and fears to &e whied u into universal hatred for the =ews# Widesread hatred was "ouled with widesread fear of the =ews 35-D6# The =ews no dou&t remem&ered that in the days of =oshua and the invasion of +anaan% it was the 'ord who was resonsi&le for utting this fear fear uon the +anaanit +anaanitee kings kings and eoles eoles 3=oshua 3=oshua D-:4,, D-:4,, <-,6# In this "ase it was dire"tly tied to the fa"t that 1fear of Morde"ai had seized2 their government offi"ials 35->6# /erse 9 leaves no dou&t a&out the status of Morde"ai &oth in the ala"e and in the rovin"es# 'iterally% 'iterally% 1)is fame or reutation was walking in all the rovin"es2 and 1this man Morde"ai was walking and &e"oming greater#2 Morde"ai(s se"ure osition with the king em&oldened the =ews and intimidated their enemies# If the result was not wholesale slaughter% it was something akin to it# 1The =ews stru"k down all their enemies with the sword% killing and destroying them2 35-<6# 1Filling and destroying2 were se"ifi"ally authorized in the de"rees of &oth )aman and Morde"ai 3>-,> ?-9 :-,,6# *urthermore% 1they did what they leased to those who hated them#2 At the very least% this meant that they took advantage of the free hand the king(s de"ree had given them to avenge themselves on their enemies# The initial death toll in Susa alone was 1five hundred men2 35-;6# 35-;6# The =ews sared women and "hildren% "hildren% though the de"ree emowered emowered them to atta"k atta"k indis"rim indis"riminatel inately y 3:-,,6# 3:-,,6# They also had "learan"e "learan"e 1to lunder the roerty of their enemies%2 &ut it is reeatedly stated that 1they did not lay their hands on the lunder2 3verses <%,<%,;6# o e!lanation was offered for this% &ut a re"edent had &een esta&lished e sta&lished long ago when A&ram refused to take the lunder of the kings 3Genesis ,9-D,4D96# When =oshua led their an"estors into the land of +anaan% everything was to &e devoted to the 'ord 3=oshua ;-,?%D,6# 8erhas more to the oint for the story of Esther was the diso&edien"e of Fing Saul when he defeated the Amalekites Amalekites and ket 1everything that was good2 3I Samuel ,<-56# The =ews were wise to re"tify the error of Saul% Morde"ai(s Morde"ai(s an"estor% in the interests of settling matters with )aman% the des"endant of the Amalekites% and those asso"iated with him# As a further measure% the =ews killed all ten sons of )aman# This would se"ure Morde"ai and Esther in ower without any threat of )aman(s family and symathizers attemting
to overthrow them# In the days of Moses the family of Forah% his ossessions% and his suorters were all destroyed with him when his re&ellion was ut down 3um&ers ,;-D>4><6# In a similar way% the fate of A"han was shared &y his family and ossessions 3=oshua ?-D9%D<6# Thus ended% at least for Morde"ai and )aman% the &ad &lood &etween the Israelites and the Amalekites# As we refle"t on these events% we should not e!e"t to arrive at "omletely ositive or negative "on"lusions# In other words% while we re"ognize that God was rovidentially a""omlishing his urose and reserving the =ewish eole to that end% we should not find it ne"essary to re@oi"e in the shedding of &lood# And while we read in the Book of Esther God(s insired re"ord of what haened% we will "ontinue to sear"h the S"ritures until we find in =esus +hrist and his aostles our authority for how to treat our enemies 3Matthew <-9>49: Romans ,D-,94D,6# 1This day(s edi"t tomorrow2 3verses ,,4,?6# It is diffi"ult to de"ide with "ertainty what the king had in mind when he soke to Esther as he did# Was he insinuating that enough was enough% and that may&e they should ut a sto to the massa"re Jr was he really &ending over &a"kwards to give the =ews further li"ense to kill At any rate% it is diffi"ult not to read the a""ount of what haened as anything other than a re"ord of "old4&looded revenge# Jn the other hand% who would suggest that it would have &een &etter had the =ews &een a&andoned to )aman(s lot Jn"e again% Fing 7er!es was reared to grant Esther whatever 1etition2 and 1reCuest2 she named 35-,D6# These were the same two words used on revious o""asions when the king romised to grant her 1u to half the kingdom2 3<-;%?%: ?-D%>6# Esther(s etition made a distin"tion &etween 1the "itadel of Susa%2 where five hundred lives had already &een taken% and the "ity of 1Susa%2 whi"h referred to the area outside the ala"e roer# )er reCuest was to 1give the =ews in Susa ermission to "arry out this day(s edi"t tomorrow also2 35-,>6# 1So the king "ommanded that this &e done2 35-,96# The result was the slaughter of three hundred more men# In addition% Esther stiulated that the &odies of 1)aman(s ten sons &e hanged on gallows#2 This was also "arried out% whether on the gallows )aman had &uilt or on some other we are not told# Amidst all of this "arnage the author was "areful to reeat that the =ews 1did not lay their hands on the lunder2 35-,<6# In the meanti meantime% me% sevent seventy y five five thousa thousand nd were were system systemati ati"al "ally ly killed killed in the far4fl far4flung ung rovin"es of the emire# The F=/ reads that they 1gathered themselves together% and stood for their lives% and had rest from their enemies#2 The 1rest2 or 1relief2 that finally "ame% mentioned in verses ,;%,?% and ,:% was not the same as the Sa&&ath rest% whi"h reCuired the "essation of a"tivity# This rest meant that they were now safe and se"ure and "ould return to normal life as they had known it# But even then the =ews 1did not lay their hands on the lunder2 35-,;6# After the two days of systemati" killing in the "aital% and seventy five thousand eole slaughtered in the rovin"es% the =ews had 1a day of feasting and @oy2 35-,?6# +hristians should wonder% in the light of the gosel of the 'ord =esus +hrist% if they "ould have heartily arti"iated in the "ele&ration# 1Morde"ai re"orded these events2 3verses ,:4DD6#
The same 1feasting and @oy2 that was o""asioned &y Morde"ai(s de"ree 3:-,;%,?6 and that "on"luded the revious se"tion 35-,?6 is mentioned here in verses ,:% ,5% and DD# +learly it was the urose of the writer of Esther to &rand this emhasis on the minds of the =ewish =ewish eole# *or the re"ord% re"ord% the reason for the dis"rean"y dis"rean"y in the days was noted here again% reminding us that the king granted a se"ond day of killing in Susa a""ording to Esther(s reCuest 35-,>6# An added feature of this feasting and @oy was 1giving resents to ea"h other2 or 1giving resents of food to one another and gifts to the oor2 35-,5 and DD6# In the F=/ 1giving resents2 is rendered 1sending ortions#2 The same e!ression was used when Esther "aught the noti"e of )egai% 1who had "harge of the harem2 3D-:%56# )e gave her se"ial attention to reare her for her resentation to the king# There may &e a "ommon link &etween these two 1ortions2 in that it was through the se"ial favor given to Esther at the &eginning of the story that it ended as it did# The 1giving of resents to ea"h other2 may have &een intended as a way of a"knowledging the se"ial favor of God in reserving his eole% the =ews# 'ater there was a similar resonse in the days of Ezra and ehemiah when Ezra e!lained the 'aw 3ehemiah :-,4,D6# The authority to 1"ele&rate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar2 "ame from Morde"ai# to this time the =ews understood that all their annual feasts were rooted in the 'aw of Moses# Se"ifi"ally% the feasts of 8assover% 8ente"ost% and Ta&erna"les were to &e o&served on"e a year# The 0ay of Atonement was also an annual o&servan"e 3'eviti"us D>6# These and other rovisions of the 'aw were given &y revelation from God# It is also worth noting that no feast was ever ordered in the 'aw of Moses to "ommemorate any vi"tory in armed "onfli"t# It is true that 8assover "ele&rated the deliveran"e out of Egyt% &ut it was &e"ause of the 'ord(s suernatural intervention# The o&serv o&servan" an"ee of )anukk )anukkah ah &egan &egan mu"h mu"h later later to "ommem "ommemorat oratee the re"over re"overy y and "leansing of the temle in ,;9 B+% after it was dese"rated &y Antio"hus Eihanes# This was never art of the 'aw of Moses% and what Morde"ai esta&lished% as far as we "an tell% had no &i&li"al or legal authority either# We must also remem&er that Morde"ai and Esther were among the =ews of the 1disersion#2 They were the vast ma@ority of =ews whose families had "hosen to remain where they were rather than return to the homeland when Fing +yrus allowed them to do so 3II +hroni"les >;-DD%D> Ezra , and D6# evertheless% some kind of formal authorization was needed% and at the time Morde"ai was that authority as the result of the events that had transired# )e "reated an offi"ial re"ord of those events leading u to and in"luding the day that would now &e"ome an annual o&servan"e# o&servan"e# The same 1relief Qrest Qrest from their enemies2 mentioned mentioned in verses ,;% ,?% and ,: is mentioned here again as the out"ome of the great struggle 35-DD6# But it was also 1the month when their sorrow sorrow was turned into @oy and their mourning into a day of "ele&ration#2 A""ording to the F=/% their mourning was turned into 1a good day#2 The deliveran"e of the =ews reresented a se"ta"ular reversal and Morde"ai was determined to kee the memory of it alive for generations to "ome# 1These days of 8urim2 3verses D>4D:6#
The author of Esther was "areful to demonstrate that the =ews agreed to esta&lish 8urim for eret eretual ual o&serv o&servan"e an"e## This This se"tio se"tion n in"lud in"ludes es a "on"is "on"isee review review of the events events that that "ulminated in the o&servan"e and the =ews( willingness 1to "ontinue the "ele&ration they had &egun2 35-D>6# Se"ial attention was given here to how the "ele&ration got its name# It was not the writer(s intention to add new information as mu"h as it was to reeat the essential fa"ts# These fa"ts "entered around the identity and a"tivity of )aman% whose role is "on"isely summarized in verse D9# Mu"h was made of the fa"t that )aman 1"ast the pur the pur 3that 3that is% the lot6%2 to determine the day on whi"h to "arry out his lan against the =ews# But 1the lot "ame to the king(s attention2 35-D<6# The F=/ renders it% 1But when Esther "ame &efore the king#2 The reason for the dis"rean"y is that the ronoun in )e&rew "an mean either 1she2 or 1it#2 Either way% the result was the same# The king(s new de"ree% de"ree% "omosed "omosed &y Morde"ai% Morde"ai% effe"tively effe"tively reversed )aman(s )aman(s lot# )aman was e!e"uted 3?-5%,6 and he forfeited the lives of his sons 35-?4,6# In short% three elements "ontri&uted to the institution of 8urim# First 8urim# First % 1everything written in this letter2 3Morde"ai(s Pletters( of verse D and Pwhat Morde"ai had written to them( in verse D>6 &rought order and organization to what the =ews were already doing# Second % 1&e"ause of what they had seen%2 and third % &e"ause of 1what had haened to them%2 they 1took it uon themselves to esta&lish the "ustom2 in eretuity 35-D;%D?6# The author was "learly trying to leave the =ews of future generations without any dou&t a&out the roriety of 8urim# It was for the =ews and 1their des"endants and all who @oin them2 to o&serve 1without fail#2 That is% =ews and roselytes to =udaism would &e"ome o&ligated to this o&servan"e as well as every stiulation in the 'aw of Moses# It was to &e o&served 1in the way res"ri&ed and at the time aointed#2 Then% as if that was not enough% the writer added a "omrehensive statement a&out 1these days of 8urim2 in verse D:# It was an e!hortation for all =ews in all la"es at all times to kee the memory of those days alive for their des"endants or 1seed#2 1Esther(s de"ree "onfirmed these regulations2 3verses D54>D6# Esther had "ome a long way sin"e we first met her in "hater D# Jn"e a young girl under Morde" Morde"ai( ai(ss wat"hf wat"hful ul eye% eye% inno"en inno"ent% t% ine!e ine!erie rien"e n"ed% d% and owerl owerless ess%% she had &y now &e"ome something of a ower &roker in the affairs of the 8ersian Emire# The "on"luding aragrah of "hater 5 added yet another an other layer of offi"ial authority to the o&servan"e o &servan"e of 8urim# This time it was Esther who 1wrote with full authority to "onfirm2 what Morde"ai had already written 35-D56# It is interesting to note that .ueen Esther was "alled 1the daughter of A&ihail2 while Morde"ai was "alled 1the =ew#2 8erhas this had the effe"t of esta&lishing Esther(s indeendent identity and the fa"t that she no longer fun"tioned as an e!tension of Morde"ai# At any rate% Esther is ortrayed in these verses as laying the leading role# The 1authority2 with whi"h she wrote is a word that aears again in ,-D where it is translated 1ower#2 It is used one other time in the Jld Testament% Testament% in 0aniel(s "hallenging rohe"y of the kings of the south and the north 30aniel ,,-,?6# The word "onveys the idea of ower or authority that revails over something or someone else# Without a dou&t Esther and Morde"ai had revailed over the enemies of the =ews% and their ower and
authority were "ommitted to written form for all time# Morde"ai sent "oies of 1this se"ond letter "onfirming 8urim2 throughout the length and &readth of the emire# It was "hara"terized &y 1words of goodwill and assuran"e2 35->6# The F=/ reads% 1words of ea"e and truth#2 1Shalom2 and 1emeth2 are the usual words for 1ea"e2 and 1truth#2 They were used together in this way &y )ezekiah 3Isaiah >5-:6# The word of the 'ord to =eremiah a&out 1ea"e and se"urity2 after "ativity was the same formula 3=eremiah >>-;6# The same words in reverse order are translated 1true and sound @udgment2 in e"hariah :-,;# The meaning and signifi"an"e of the words in this "onte!t "an only &e are"iated in the light of what had reviously transired# The oft4reeated word for 1ea"e2 imlies more than than the the a&se a&sen" n"ee of "onfl "onfli" i"tt or dang danger er## It is &ase &ased d on the the idea idea of "oml "omlet eten enes esss or wholeness# When there is ea"e% things are as they ought to to &e# The &i&li"al "on"et of 1truth2 stems from what is "onfirmed or esta&lished# In other words% truth is ossi&le &e"ause there is "ertainty as oosed to un"ertainty# un"ertainty# Things really are as they appear to appear to &e# Words Words of ea"e and truth were the only fitting words to &ring this terri&le eisode to a "on"lusion# But the e!ression romts us to think of the true and lasting ea"e and truth that are found in +hrist who is our ea"e 3Ehesians D-,96 and who is the truth 3=ohn ,9-;6# We are reminded again that the whole urose of all this attention to detail was 1to esta esta&l &lis ish h thes thesee days days of 8uri 8urim m at thei theirr desi designa gnate ted d time times2 s2 35-> 35->,6 ,6## Whil Whilee the the writ writer er emhasized the "ru"ial role of Morde"ai and Esther% he was also "areful to add that the =ews 1had esta&lished for themselves and their des"endants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation#2 The same 1fasting and lamentation2 were mentioned when Morde"ai and the =ews learned of )aman(s lot 39-,4>6# The "losing statement of the "hater "on"ludes simly% 1Esther(s de"ree "onfirmed these regulations a&out 8urim% and it was written down in the re"ords2 35->D6# 1The re"ords2 were a 1&ook2 or a 1s"roll#2 +ould this &e a referen"e to the Book of Esther itself It is imossi&le to know for "ertain# As to 1Esther(s de"ree%2 we are reminded that it was .ueen /ashti(s refusal to o&ey the "ommand2 3same word6 of Fing 7er!es that set in motion the "hain of events that linked the two# +hater ,- Morde"ai the =ew# The "on"lusion of the Book of Esther was "learly designed to esta&lish the greatness of Morde"ai% &ut not at the e!ense of Fing 7er!es# It was greatness 1to whi"h the king had raised him2 3,-D6# In fa"t% the author was "areful to reaffirm &oth the name and the authority of Fing 7er!es# It may have &een his way of des"ri&ing a return to normal life in the emire from the erse"tive of the king# *or the "ommon man% however% it was a reminder of the daily struggle for survival# When the king 1imosed tri&ute throughout the emire% to its distant shores%2 it meant that he alone "ould determine the &urden of ta!ation the "ommon eole had to &ear# 'iterally% he imosed tri&ute 1uon the land and the islands of the sea#2 Tri&ute "ould &e money% &ut not ne"essarily# In earlier times the Israelites 1ressed the +anaanites into for"ed la&or%2 a "ommon form of 1tri&ute2 3=oshua ,;-, ,?-,> =udges ,-D:% >% >>% >< II +hroni"les :-:6# Fing 7er!es refle"ted the usual
assumtion of an"ient tyrants% that he owned all the land% all the eole% and everything they rodu"ed# The author "ited something something "alled 1the annals of the kings of Media and 8ersia2 as the offi"ial histori"al re"ord of the emire 3,-D6# Both the king(s 1a"ts of ower and might2 and 1the greatness of Morde"ai2 were re"orded there# Media and 8ersia were mentioned &efore &ut in reverse order to refle"t the surema"y of 8ersia at that time 3,->%,9%,56# We are reminded of the status of Morde"ai as &eing 1se"ond in rank to Fing 7er!es and reeminent among the =ews2 3,->6# Morde"ai was 1great2 among the =ews and 1favored2 &y them# The reason was that he had earned a reutation for 1seeking the good of his &rothers and seaking ea"e to all his seed#2 1Seeking good2 and 1seaking ea"e2 are arall arallel el e!ress e!ression ionss that that emhas emhasize ized d Morde"a Morde"ai( i(ss role role in restor restoring ing sta&il sta&ilit ity y and se"urity to the lives of his eole# Things were ronoun"ed 1good2 in Genesis , &e"ause they were fun"tioning a""ording to God(s intended design# Earlier we saw that Morde"ai wrot wrotee with with 1wor 1words ds of ea" ea"ee and and trut truth2 h2 35-> 35->6 6## 1Sha 1Shalo lom2 m2 refl refle" e"te ted d the the idea idea of "omleteness or wholeness% and meant that things were as they ought to &e# Su"h was Morde"ai(s reutation among the =ews &e"ause of his role in defeating )aman(s sinister lan# *rom the wider s"oe of &i&li"al revelation God(s God(s an"ient romise to A&raham% revealed in em&ryoni" form in Genesis >-,<% still awaited fulfillment# Whether they were motivated &y a living faith in that romise or not% Morde"ai and Esther layed a vital role in keeing the romise alive# 8reared ,5:5% Revised =une D<
