For The Fear of The Jews

In the ten months that followed the issuing of the second edict there was a great time of rejoicing within the Jewish community. It was such an outward expression of joy that it was clearly seen by their friends and neighbors, even by those who had before wanted to attack them. After the second edict came a time of gladness a time when their light of that joy shined onto those around them. They became a witness to the power of God, a light to the Gentiles.

I believe this to be an initial fulfillment (the ultimate fulfillment of the following passage I believe will be fulfilled in the end) of Zechariah 8:23 which says, “This is what the Lord almighty says: “In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘ Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'””(NIV) It is interesting to note that Zechariah was written in the time of Xerxes father Darius and even in the early part of Xerxes reign.

This is what the ancient world was seeing. Many peoples were coming to the Jews and following their God. God had made it obvious that He was with His people and the Gentiles did not want to be caught on the wrong side.

Remember that the first edict was sealed with the king’s signet ring, but so was the second. The people now had a choice as to which edict they would follow. Before the second edict came out there was but one choice and it had to be obeyed. Now, however, there was hope. Hope in the God of the Jews.

Here is where most people miss the blessing of the book of Esther. It is not just that God rescued his people through Mordecai and Esther, but that He used them to also start a chain reaction, so to speak, that overflowed to the rest of the peoples of the kingdom. It is clear that because of the fear of the Jews many became Jews. Yes, it does take looking beyond the surface to see the object of that fear. It is God Himself.

Remember that even Haman’s wife knew that his downfall began with parading Mordecai, a Jew, through the streets of Susa. Because the King’s honor went to a Jew, she knew he would surely come to ruin. She knew who truly lead the Jews, it was their God. It was their God that caused her to predict the ruin of her own husband.

Here too, we see the peoples of the kingdom understanding that the fear of the Jews is God. Their only hope was in trusting in this God of the Jews and thereby becoming Jews themselves. We must not think that becoming a Jew was a casual thing. It was not and is not. It involves, and did then as well, a public ceremony declaring your allegiance to the God of the Jews, immersion (called mikvah) for both men and women, and circumcision for the men. It is and was no small thing to become a Jew.

What we see at the end of chapter eight is a mass revival. We see people from different tongues, tribes and nations coming to God through the joyful witness of His people. We see the heart of God giving us a glimpse of what he would one day do.

Why do I say it like that? Because this was a short lived revival, it only lasted one generation. After the death of Xerxes, his son, Artaxerxes would declare Zoroastrianism the official religion of the kingdom. It is important to remember here that it was the Zoroastrian priests who helped conspire against Xerxes and largely gave direction to the coup against him that put Artaxerxes on the throne. One must ask the question why? Why would the priests feel the need to do that? Perhaps Xerxes himself turned and followed the God of his new adopted family. He had publically aligned himself to that family and perhaps, we can hope, to their God.

Either way, God had moved among the nations and given His invitation to the peoples of the Persian Empire just as He had with Egypt (The Exodus), Assyria (Jonah), and Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar’s turning to God). God’s heart has always been that His people, Israel, be a light to those far away so that they can be brought near.

Let us also not forget that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was dispersed into this area by the Assyrians. They may very well be a part of this revival. We think of them as lost, but God never lost them and never stopped wanting them back. We see in Ezekiel 37 that God would once again bring the house of Israel and the house of Judah back together to be one. This event in Esther may very well be that event or at least a part of that process. Remember Ezekiel was a prophet during the time of the Babylonian exile about 100 years before the account of Esther.

We also know that by the time of the first century that the Jews once again saw themselves as the twelve tribes. We see this in the opening verse of James where he addresses his letter “To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations”(NIV). The scattering James is referring to is not the exile but the diaspora in the first century after the stoning of Stephen.

Here in Esther we see God once again drawing people to Himself. This is the heart of our Father. We should never neglect to see the working of His might Hand.

For The Fear of our God,

Vicky

The King’s Pleasure and Displeasure

So King Xerxes and Haman once again go to dine with Queen Esther and after the meal while they are reclining drinking their wine, just as many today have coffee after a meal, the king once again addresses the queen. Wanting to finally hear her petition and request, he signaled to her that he is willing to grant it. Remember, he has had the entire evening to contemplate whether or not he would be willing to grant what was sure to be a large request, even up to half his kingdom. He must have loved and trusted her greatly to be willing to grant a large request before even hearing it.

Esther, the Queen, finally answers, but also prefaces her request. “If I have found favor with you, oh king, and if it pleases your majesty…” Remember our definition for favor and our discussion about being pleasing. Both of those things still apply. She is seeking his pleasure and reminding him that she does please him and is deserving of his favor and grace.

Then came the petition and request. She asks for her life and the sparing of her people. She is finally identifying who she really is to her own husband. She is a Jew. If her people have been sold to destruction, slaughter, and annihilation, then so has she. In doing so, she is choosing to stand with her people, which is more important to her than being the Queen of Persia.

Who will the king choose? The Jewish girl he married unknowingly or the Queen of Persia? Will he deny who she really is and deem her guilty of treason for deceiving the king?

Esther then says and does something profound – something other Jewish women of faith have done in the past. She is about to stand in the gap, so to speak, and give her husband a very strong warning. She is truly a daughter of Sarah and Rebekah. Think on that a moment and hopefully one day we can discuss that as well.

She carefully lets him know that if they had merely been sold as slaves she would have said nothing. But, then she begins to paint the real picture of danger that her husband has gotten himself into. This danger is the danger of incurring the wrath of God.

You see the words, “because no such distress would justify disturbing the king” could also be translated, “… but this adversary could not reckon the king’s loss.” I believe the latter to be the better and more accurate translation and it definitely fits the context of the whole book better.

Remember that Haman had offered to compensate the king through money and plunder for the annihilation of the Jews from his kingdom. Also remember that Esther even knows the amount Haman offered. However, that large earthly sum could not even begin to compare to the loss he would suffer at God’s hands for annihilating the people of God.

Also, notice the word “our”. She is not just saying that the enemy, Haman, is the adversary of her and the Jews, but of her husband as well.

Xerxes definitely gets the point and demands to know the identity of the adversary. Who is the man who would oppose my wife, my Queen and her people and dare to come between me and my wife? Who?

Esther then finally reveals the adversary and enemy. Note that both words from the Hebrew can be translated adversary or enemy. The one she would name is an enemy of enemies who is based on pure wickedness and evil. It is the wicked Haman.

It was Haman. The one Xerxes thought he could trust to have his back. The one he had trusted to not betray him when there seemed to be enemies all around. It was Haman who attempted to come between him and his wife and bring the wrath of God upon him. Is there any greater betrayal?

Let’s not forget that Haman is setting right there listening to the king and queen as they begin to understand together that Haman has betrayed them. You see, as long as they were apart and Esther was the only one knew the truth Haman was safe. However, Haman was in real danger after the King and Queen came together and worked together as one. Haman knew of the king’s love and respect for his wife and queen and that he would be willing to fight for her.

Make no mistake about it, our King is willing to fight and protect us as well. The enemy knows that when we stand with Yeshua, stand together as Yeshua’s Bride in His will, then he is in trouble. That is why he seeks to divide us so much and keep us separated from the will of our King. We too are in a battle of annihilation and we must stand together with our King and identify our true enemy and shine light into his darkness.

The enemy knows his fate and knows it has already been decided. Notice this was true of Haman as well and when the king gets up to leave in his rage, Haman begins to beg Esther for his life. I believe the king leaves to seek some self-control. He wants this rage and wrath to be properly directed and controlled.

Let’s also not forget how skillfully Esther handled this. Even though she made it clear that the king would suffer loss from incurring the wrath of God, she was very careful to point the responsibility and ultimate blame on Haman and not Xerxes. I think that is the real reason she had Haman come to these banquets, so that when she finally revealed the truth she would have the enemy to point directly to. I also find it interesting that Haman begs for his life from the one he sought to kill – knowingly or not.

Xerxes returned from the palace garden—where he had sought to think things through, to find Haman at the feet of his wife, a place that was forbidden to all except him. The passage says that he “fell” to her feet. I think you will find it interesting to know that the word “fell” can also be translated “to cast down oneself or lots, to die, to perish, to slay, or to smite out”. This whole business started with the casting of lots. I don’t think it is just a coincidence that that idea is also used here. Haman knows in order to live he must cast himself down and die to what he wanted.

Once again Xerxes’ anger or hot displeasure spikes again and he even accuses Haman of attempting to molest the Queen right under his nose. The word for “molest” can also be translated “to subjugate, to conquer, or to bring into bondage.” The king was very aware of the position Haman was taking and what he was trying to accomplish. His motives were clear. How brazen was this enemy?

It is at this point we realize Xerxes might not have left the room just to calm down, but also to bring attendants to arrest and execute Haman. We see Harbona, perhaps one of those who had escorted Haman to the banquet. This would have given him the opportunity to learn of the gallows Haman had been built for Mordecai. Harbona, speaks up and lets the king know about the gallows. Then Haman, who is now under a covering, hears the order of the king for him to be hung on those same gallows. The words his wife and friends had spoken to him of his ruin were quickly coming to pass.

Then the King’s anger subsided. This subsided anger was the idea of allaying ones passions through secreting them, it was a flood abated. The anger literally washed off of him. Now there was work to be done.

In the Name of our King,

Vicky

Mordecai is Honored by the King

After the banquet Xerxes was unable to sleep. We could speculate that perhaps he was wondering what his bride would request of him because obviously this was not going to be a small thing. However, Scripture does not tell us why he could not sleep, but it does give us the result of that insomnia. Xerxes has the chronicles of his reign brought in to be read. Perhaps he was hoping he would find it easier to sleep after listening a while or perhaps he thought he might as well get some work done. Either way it was read that Mordecai had saved his life.

Notice that Xerxes is the one who asks if Mordecai had been honored for saving his life. When the answer of “no” comes back to him he genuinely desires to honor Mordecai. He also wants to make sure he does just the right thing to honor him. He wants some input and ideas from others. So he asks if there is someone in the court and, of course, Haman had just entered to ask if he could hang Mordecai. However, unbeknown to Haman he will indeed be discussing Mordecai, but in terms of honoring him not executing him.

Xerxes wants an honest opinion to his question of how to honor someone that the king delights to honor; so he does not give Haman the name of the man. Haman being an egotist thinks that naturally the king is meaning him and so gives the king a very elaborate plan for honoring someone.

Xerxes knew he could count on Haman for this and likes his idea. Here’s the kicker to Haman’s gut, the man the king delights to honor was not him, but his enemy Mordecai. Not only did Haman come up with the idea of how to honor Mordecai, but he would be the one to carry it out and parade Mordecai through the streets.

I love the sense of humor of our God. Remember, that Haman is the antagonist in our story. Haman had intended to make an example of Mordecai with an execution. Instead, he would make an example of him as someone honored by the king. God is very capable of turning the enemy’s plans upside down and making His people shine as the stars instead of being extinguished by the enemy.

The enemy here is humiliated by having to parade Mordecai on the king’s horse while wearing the king’s robe. But that was not all. Haman himself would robe Mordecai. In other words, he would serve Mordecai. What a humiliation.

As we study this we must understand the theological truth within this passage. For the hearer it seems like all is lost. Haman is about to get his way and kill Mordecai. It is at that moment that the king steps in to honor him. Our King wants to see His people robed for His glory. He wants us to shine and be the light of the world, because the light we reflect is His.

Let’s break this down. We are to put on our new selves or the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Mordecai was clothed in the king’s robe so when we put on our new selves we are putting on Yeshua our King. We are made into His image in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4 & Colossians 3). We are then lead by God Himself “in triumphal procession in Christ” (II Corinthians 2:14).

Mordecai is led through the streets in the name of the king. Granted, Haman leading Mordecai is not the same as God leading us, but then again even though we see truths in this account it is not a perfect parallel. I believe for Haman this was part of God making him His footstool (Psalm 110). For Haman set a trap that he himself was falling into and he would fall hard (Psalm 57:6 & Proverbs 28:10). The one who set out to destroy the Jews, God’s people, was indeed to be made the servant of God’s people, a sign of cursing.

This was a sure sign that God was working and about to deliver His people. But notice that Mordecai does not proudly declare victory yet among his people. Instead he returns to the city gate where he had gone to fast, pray and mourn. He did not stop appealing to God, but persevered in his appeal. Allow me to give an example. Let’s say you are in a strange town with your family and having car trouble. Your husband must go into a potentially dangerous situation to get the car to the place that can help, so you begin to pray. Once you hear from him and know that God is answering your prayer for his safety do you stop praying or continue until you see him walk in the door? You continue to pray for God’s protection until he walks in the door. That is what Mordecai is doing. He does see God working, but still continues to pray and watch.

Meanwhile, Haman and those connected to him definitely see the writing on the wall. They know the reputation of the God of the Jews and know His hand is against Haman. Here we see the enemy experiencing the fear of the Jews and knowing he is in real trouble and will come to ruin. When something happens in the book of Esther through God’s people, the Jews, it is clear that it is God doing the work. Again, God’s people are a reflection of the One True God. Their actions, the actions of God’s people, are not seen as their own, but as those of their King.

And the king’s eunuchs come and quickly take Haman into the presence of the king.

May We Truly Reflect His Glory,

Vicky

In the Presence of the King

Esther had asked Mordecai to have all the Jews of Susa fast for her for three days. She would also fast for three days along with her maids. At the end of this time of fasting she would go before King Xerxes. She was resolved that if she perished, she perished. This is where chapter 5 of Esther picks up.

“On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court the palace, in front of the the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.” (NIV)

Did you catch it? Esther had asked Mordecai to fast for three days and it was on the third day that she adorns herself in her royal robes. Allow me to point out that it was also on the third day that Jesus rose from the dead and thereby was adorned in His royal robes. What a picture! Especially considering the time of year it was, right around Passover and Pentecost and what is after Passover, Feast of First Fruits or Resurrection Sunday.

Yes, Esther approaches King Xerxes with boldness and fear, knowing her life is in the hands of God alone. She approaches him in her royal best on the last day of the fast. She comes to the court and waits to be noticed by Xerxes. She is not pushing her way in past other royal officials, but quietly stands and waits for her husband to notice her. She has approached the throne with dignity and grace.

The king does notice his bride. He see his Queen standing in his court and that pleases him. Xerxes holds out the scepter and in that moment Esther’s life is spared. She approaches her husband, her king, and touches the scepter. God is revealing Himself to her. God does have a plan and He is setting it in motion, and doing it through her.

I want to discuss what Esther has just done. She has taken great care in approaching her king. Here is the question, do we take such care in approaching our King? After all, our King is King of kings and Lord of lords. In discussing this I want to look at Daniel 7:9-14 to see what it says about the throne room of our God. Beginning in verse nine it says,”As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were open. Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.) In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

Now does this courtroom sound like a place where one can be cavalier? You are absolutely correct, it is not that kind of place. This is the ultimate courtroom and it is no mortal king who sits on the throne. This throne is occupied by God himself. He is the only One who can hold out that gold scepter and his scepter is His Son at His right hand. We may only approach the throne if we have held out our hand to touch Yesuah. In other words, to take Him as our Lord and Savior.

Then comes the next point. Esther approached her king very carefully and in her royal best, but how do we? In Revelation 19 the bride is given her royal robes to wear at the wedding of the Lamb. The royal robes are fine linen and represent the righteous acts of the saints. In other words, our royal robes represent our obedience to the acts He has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Thereby making our obedience to our King equivalent with wearing our royal best.

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. The word here for “confidence” means to have all outspokenness, frankness, bluntness, publicity, assurance, bold, confidence, freedom, openness, and plainness. We are to approach the throne with boldness and assurance so that we can freely and openly speak to our God. However, it does not mean we can do this in a cavalier way.

Ephesians 3:12 says, “In him and through faith in him we may approach with freedom and confidence.” The word in this verse for “freedom” is that same word used for confidence in the Hebrew passage above. However, the word used for “confidence” is another word, which means reliance, confidence or trust. We have this reliance or this sacred trust to know that when we come before God and we are in Him and our faith is in Him He hears us.

I want to look at some more verses, so please bear with me today. I truly believe this is an important topic because we far too often approach God casually and really with very little thought as to whom we are approaching and where we truly are, His courtroom. The first one I want to look at is John 14:12 – 16 which states,”I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever”.

I love these verses and the truth is that in most of our Bibles such as the NIV, which I have quoted here, separate these verses right in the middle. When these verses are separated we do not get the importance of the second part, which is to obey His command. Yes, we do have confidence and freedom in approaching our King, but we are also to put on our best, and what is our best? It is our obedience.

Now let’s look at another verse and John 16:23-24 that says, “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

Know this, that in order to ask in the name of Yeshua we must not be disgracing or taking His name in vain. This is foundational. We can not expect to receive what we ask if we are disobedient children who also blaspheme the name of Yeshua. And to be sure that we all understand what this means, let me be clear. We often think of blasphemy or taking the Lord’s name in vain as something we say and yes, it can mean that. We must also keep in mind that it is also about how we live the life we say belongs to Him. If we are living a disobedient life as His child we take His name with us into disgrace, let it never be. If we live that life of disobedience we can be sure He will not hear our plea in His court until we allow Him to deal with the topic of our disobedience.

There are many other verses on this subject in Scripture that I would hope you would take the time to look up. As you look at more verses you will find that in coming to the throne room we approach God with rejoicing and confidence in him, asking in his name and will. The requirement is always our obedience to all that He has commanded, which is to believe in Him and to love one another.

So, before we get back to Esther let me recap a little. When we approach our King we must realize that we are in the courtroom of The King and that His court is in session. We may approach Him with confidence and freedom. We must also be in our best, true obedience or humility ready to confess our disobedience. And as I Peter 4:7 says we must “be clear minded and self-controlled” so that we can pray.

Now, let’s get back to Esther. The fast Esther called Mordecai and the Jews to participate in was a fast with a purpose, it had a focus. It was not just a general mourning, wailing, fasting and call for deliverance, but it was very focused and specific on where the deliverance would come from. There was now a plan for deliverance in place or at least the person, Esther. So she approaches the King. She is clear minded and self-controlled about who she is to be in his presence and what she wants from him. She makes her request. She asks for Xerxes and Haman to come to a banquet that she has prepared.

Xerxes had told her that even up to half the kingdom it would be hers. This was not, as we will see later, just a euphemism, but dare I say it, a limitation. Keep this in mind for later in the book. However, she does not ask for half the kingdom, but for him and Haman to come to a banquet.

So the question is, why did she need to go to court to invite Xerxes and Haman to a banquet? It was necessary because what she would eventually discuss with Xerxes was a matter of official Persian business, the edict to annihilate the Jews. However, she knew that she must handle the situation with care and love. Yes, it was a matter of official Persian business, but it was also personal in that she was about to reveal something about herself to her husband, that up to this point she had kept secret. She would have to tell Xerxes that she was a Jew. Do you see the problem? She had to tell her husband in a loving way that he had made a big mistake, dispatching the edict to annihilate her people, and at the same time not point the finger at him. I believe that is why she also invited the enemy. She needed someone else to point the finger at.

However, at this banquet she does not reveal her petition, but states,”If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Can you hear it? She is basically saying that if Xerxes really loves her then he needs to give careful thought to whether or not to grant her request because this ones going to be a doozy. Xerxes must be resolved to answer her request, her petition, with a resounding yes if at all possible because this request will by no means be a small thing.

It is at this point that Haman goes home to brag, but is again confronted with the presence of Mordecai at the king’s gate and Mordecai does not acknowledge him at all. This riles him to no end. He wants to brag about his day and yet he cannot get Mordecai out of his mind. So his wife, whose name we ironically have, Zeresh, along with his friends and relatives tell him to hang Mordecai on the gallows. So Haman has them erected.

We will discuss what happens next time.

In the presence of our King,

Vicky

For Such a Time as This

We have arrived at chapter six where the famous phrase of Esther “for such a time as this” occurs. What leads to that statement and what is meant by it ? More importantly what is the end result of it? The last question we will not be able to answer until we get more toward the end of the book. However, the other two we will deal with today.

We already know that Haman had sent out an edict declaring a day of destruction for the Jews and that to this point both Haman and Xerxes are comfortable in that decision. This is where we pick things up in chapter 4.

In this chapter we find Mordecai responding to the news. Remember this edict would have gone out to the city of Susa at the time of Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread and The Feast of Firstfruits. these are Times of sacrifice, but also times of rejoicing as the people of Israel remember how God brought them out of the land of slavery in Egypt. However, this year they were not celebrations of feasting and rejoicing in a past deliverance. For Mordecai it would become a time of mourning. I want to take a specific look at what Mordecai was doing because it is hard to completely convey it in our English translations.

For starters, his mourning was not a closet experience. Mordecai did not find a quiet spot to be alone with his wailing and mourning. No, he actually went to the middle of the city (remember this was Passover time) in sackcloth and ashes and publicly announced his mourning. It was a mighty cry of proclamation. He was letting everyone know of his bitter heart and its cause. He was also in the place where proclamations are given, the city gate (remember he works at the city gate). This was not done in secret. There was something terribly wrong and he was letting everyone know about it and was also letting everyone see how he cried out to God for help.

This makes me wonder about our situation in this country and in our churches today. how does our day compare to his? Is something terribly wrong? Would we be willing to go into the middle of the city and make a mighty proclamation of bitter mourning and plea to the only One who can truly help us? Makes one think!

It was not only Mordecai, but wherever the edict went there was great weeping and wailing among the Jews. This was coupled with fasting. In a book that does not directly mention God or prayer, these acts of contrition and fasting are as close as the writer comes to speaking of a direct appeal to God for deliverance.

Word does come to Esther about how Mordecai was behaving at such a time of celebration. Perhaps others in the city came to join him after his public display of mourning. Esther would have wanted to, of course, know the reason, but in the meantime she sent him some appropriate clothes for the festivals. Can you imagine her surprise when they are rejected and were brought back with a message of tribulation?

It is interesting to note here that Mordecai knew the exact amount of money that Haman promised to put into the treasury for the destruction of the Jews. Obviously his position would have given him access to that information, which makes what we mentioned in an earlier post about the extra Biblical evidence of a Mordecai being mentioned as a high level accountant during the reign of Xerxes so significant.

Mordecai also instructs the attendant to explain the edict to Esther. I do not believe that this was because she could not read, in fact I believe the exact opposite. However, the explanation probably came in the form of him telling her about the events that led up to the edict, not the edict itself, that would have been plain. Esther needed to know Mordecai’s role in the chain of events. She also needed to realize that she would not be exempt from such a decree.

It was time for her to do what he had done. Announce that she was from the family of Israel. Mordecai specifically asks her to go to the court of the king to beg for the lives of her people. What a thing to ask of her! He was not asking her to have a private conversation with her husband, but to go before him at court. Remember, she may have very well have had a court of the women to operate herself, we do know that Xerxes’ mother did.

It was dangerous, even for the queen, to go into the court of the king without being summoned. That’s right, when Esther speaks of not being summoned before Xerxes for thirty days she is talking about not being called to the king’s courtroom for thirty days to perform her duties beside him as queen. She knew that she too would need for him to hold out his golden scepter to avoid potential punishment like Vashti had received.

Yes, this concerns her, for she like most women, knows her husband. He had proven he could be easily angered and she needed the help of God to make sure this was not one of those times. Only God could make sure that when she entered the court that he was not right in the middle of a most pressing matter and therefore more annoyed at her presence than joyful. Only He could make sure the mood of her husband was more than ready and willing to see her.

Mordecai had also made it clear that if she chose not to obey him at this point that she would not escape the destruction decreed by her husband. In fact her entire family would not. This may have meant only her and Mordecai. However, it could also be referring to possible children that Esther may have had with Xerxes up to this point or possible brothers and sisters. Either way, she would pay the price of remaining silent. Remember, Mordecai made two very public proclamations at this point.

Again, this causes me to think about the price of remaining silent in our culture and in our churches about unbiblical behavior and practices, even edicts and laws from our government. We, like Esther, think we are safe in our silence. If we don’t say anything then no one will know how I feel about this matter. But like Esther if we do remain silent and do not understand that God has us where we are, each of us, for such a time as this, and that He expects us to speak when he says speak, then we too will pay a high price or even worse see our children pay that price.

That’s right, Esther was in that place and time for such a time as was before her. And as Mordecai says, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” God has His ways and we are only to follow and obey.

These words above remind me of Joel 2:12-14 where the prophet says, “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.” Yes, who knows!

And yes, there is a time to remain silent and a time to speak as Ecclesiastes 3:7 reminds us. This, however, was definitely a time to speak. In fact, the word in these verses in Esther 4 that we translate silent actually means “to conceal” and carries with it the idea of secrecy. Here Mordecai is telling Esther that the time for concealing and keeping the secret is over.

Mordecai also tells her that if she does remain silent that relief and deliverance will come from another source. This is her opportunity to follow God herself and do the thing He is asking her to do and not to leave it to someone else who is not of her position and honor.

What I find so amazing about this section is the word for “relief”. This word in the Hebrew means “room, enlargement or space”. Yes, this is a relief that comes with the blessing of enlargement, not just a return to the status quo. As we continue to study the book we will see how God brings this enlargement about.

In fact, it is my belief that this enlargement is at least one of the main reasons God allowed this all to take place. God always has His reasons, His plans that even come out of what we would call catastrophes or tribulations.

It is at this point that Esther, for the first time, gives instructions for Mordecai to follow. Up until now it has been the other way around. Here Esther tells Mordecai to gather all the Jews of Susa to fast for three days, day and night, for her. She would need God’s help of strength and courage if she was going to do this. She also promises him that she and her servants would do the same. Only an appeal to God Himself would get her and her people through this. Only God could deliver His people once again. Remember we are right around the feast of Passover and here they are again needing His deliverance. She ends it by taking on herself the full responsibility of action, but leaving the responsibility of success with God. If she perishes, she perishes. It was in God’s hands not hers.

For Such a Time as This, (let us speak)

Vicky

Haman’s Plot

Upon hearing that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman set out to do to Mordecai’s people what the Jews were supposed to have done to his. He wants to completely annihilate them from the Empire.

Haman had taken notice that Mordecai did not give the worship he thought he was due him from the king’s command. This was bad enough, but b/c of Haman’s history with the Jews, Mordecai’s actions put his entire people in jeopardy. To me, this implies that if Mordecai had been from any other ethnic group, only he would have been punished and his people spared.

Haman’s actions constitute a full scale invasion into the homes and lives of every Jew throughout the Empire, no matter how old or young. Haman is truly playing the role of their ultimate enemy. He is easily a Hitler of his day. Remember that Jesus in John 10:10 says that the enemy comes to “steal, kill, and destroy”. That is just what Haman set out to do. Chapter 3 calls on everyone to “destroy, kill, and annihilate” as well as to take the plunder of the Jews. Does that sound anything like, “steal, kill, and destroy”?

It is the first month of the Jewish year, the month of Nissan, when Haman puts this plan in motion and casts the lots (purim) in order to determine when the people of the kingdom could destroy the Jews. I find it interesting that in the text this is done before Haman goes to Xerxes. Haman wants everything s in place and ready to go forward once the king gave his approval.

Do you remember in the book of Proverbs, it says that the casting of the lot is determined by God. Here we see that proverb coming to life. Why would I say that? Notice the time the destruction of the Jews was to take place. It was in the final Jewish month of the year, Adar. That’s right. God made sure that the Jews had a full year for things to fall in to place as God wanted them to. No one knew what God was up to, but of course, He did. God had a plan of His own that was being set in motion. And yes, God was using what Haman thought were his own clever plans to do His own will in the life of His people.

Then Haman goes to Xerxes. Keep in mind what we have discussed before, that Xerxes was trying to find someone whom he could trust. Someone who would watch is back from possible assassination and treachery. Haman was the one Xerxes had placed that trust in to protect himself and his kingdom. Haman uses just that to get Xerxes to sign off on his plan. Haman tells Xerxes that there are those in his kingdom who are separate (they do not see themselves as Persians) and have different customs than the rest of the kingdom, including, of course, their religion. In other words, their supreme allegiance was not to Xerxes – they answered to someone else. However, that was not all. Haman specifically mentioned that they did not follow the king’s commands.

Now, if you remember from chapter one, that even Queen Vashti was not exempt from obeying the command of the king and for her disobedience she was banished from the king’s presence. How much more severe would the punishment be for those not even related to the king (little did he know).

Here Mordecai is definitely seen as the peoples’ representative. If Mordecai did not obey then neither would the people. This is definitely seen as a danger by Xerxes. So he listens.

Haman tells Xerxes that it is not beneficial to him to keep these people around. Part of the benefit he is discussing here is a financial benefit, (remember they lost the war with Greece and it would have cost them a great deal financially – Here Haman is offering a way to get some of that back) which makes his next comment very interesting. He offers money into the treasury to finance the operation. He even gives a specific amount, ten thousand talents. Notice the language that Haman uses here. “If it pleases the king”. We have seen this language before. It is up to the pleasure of the king to give final approval or not.

Everything Haman has to say speaks right to the heart of Xerxes. The protection of his life, his kingdom, and a way to get back much of the financial loss he suffered from the war. Were these things enough to warrant such an action. For Xerxes the answer is yes.

The decree is written in every language of the kingdom and sent to every province. Notice the date. This decree was written in the languages of the Empire on the thirteenth of Nissan, the day before Passover. With that being the case it is reasonable to assume that the day that Susa heard the news was indeed Passover. Talk about bewilderment. On one of the most holy days in the life of a Jew they would learn in the city of Susa that all Jews would be annihilated by the hands of their neighbors.

Keep in mind this was a command of the king, which would have made it a crime for the non-Jewish people to disobey. I am sure there were many who immediately began to think about their options, would they obey or risk punishment for disobedience just as many did during World War II in Europe.

While the rest of the city was bewildered, Xerxes and Haman sat calmly drinking together. No doubt Haman was feeling as if he had put one over on Xerxes and feeling proud and successful, while Xerxes would feel safe and protected.

Ironic, isn’t it, the snake was actually in the room with him and not out there. The one Xerxes should have feared and rejected was the one whom he thought he could trust. Isn’t the enemy clever. I believe that is what it says about him right off the bat in Scripture, that he was clever.

We must always be alert and on guard for the schemes of the enemy. We must be dressed in full armor. The enemy is clever and he is more then willing to wait until we are off guard and in a place where we even feel safe. Then he attacks.

Yes, Haman was clever and played right into the concerns of Xerxes. May I even say into his legitimate concerns. The enemy knows just how to play us. The question is, when we fall for it can we end up doing the right thing? Did Xerxes in the end get it right? Did he become stiffnecked like Pharaoh or will he become someone willing to listen like David did with Nathan?

Remember, Esther and Xerxes have been married about 4 to 5 years at this point. She is still very much a part of his life and for all we know a mother at this point. Next, we will narrow the parameters from all of Susa being bewildered to Mordecai then back into the palace itself with Esther’s reaction.

Stay alert,

Vicky

Mordecai’s Declaration

Esther 3:2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. ³ Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” ⁴ Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.(NIV)

Here we see that the king had given a command to the servants who worked for him at the King’s Gate to pay honor to Haman. This was no simple bowing of the head or even just to a knee, but there are two words here in the Hebrew. Both of the Hebrew words in this passage can be translated to prostrate oneself. In other words, those before Haman were to fall down and prostrate themselves. The second word can even mean to worship. This command was an all out call for the servants at the King’s Gate, which included Mordecai, to in essence worship Haman as their head. This, of course, did not sit well with Mordecai.

The word “disobey” in the NIV is actually “cross over” in the Hebrew. I find this interesting because it means that Mordecai was crossing over the command of Xerxes. In other words, he was not doing it necessarily in an obvious way. Remember Haman had not noticed him not prostrating himself, when everyone else obviously did. Perhaps he found ways to be conveniently away from the areas Haman passed and this was only obvious to those who worked with him, but not Haman. The reason I think this may be the case is because his fellow servants at the King’s Gate spoke to him about this “day after day”. They were trying to get Mordecai to follow the king’s command.

Finally, Mordecai gives his response to their inquiries. His answer, “I will not prostrate myself before (worship) Haman because I am a Jew”, or something like to that affect. This was not something Mordecai could bring himself to do. If you have never noticed before, Mordecai has a Babylonian name and a Jewish name is never given for him in the book. Also, the other servants at the King’s Gate do not seem to know he is a Jew, he had to tell them or as the Hebrew says it, he “declared” he was a Jew.

Mordecai broke his silence. Remember that Mordecai had told Esther not to reveal to anyone that she was a Jew. It would appear that Mordecai was giving her advice that he followed himself. There is no telling how long he had worked at the King’s Gate, but all that time his true identity was kept secret until he himself made it known.

There is a time and place for secrecy, even about who we are in Christ. There is also a time and place to publicly declare we are His servants. Many of us do not ever face this choice, but most assuredly some do. The believers in Muslim nations for instance. Even Jews who have come to believe in Messiah that search for the right time and place to tell family of their decision, praying for an open door to tell them about Yeshua and at the same time knowing the possibility of being disowned.

Then there are those times that come, like this one for Mordecai, when no matter what happens it is time to speak. It is time to declare our allegiance to the One we serve. These are the times Jesus is talking about when He says, “If you deny me before men, I will deny you before My Father.” We are not to keep silent and worship other gods. Another good example is the three young men in the book of Daniel who refused to bow before the statue of the king of Babylon and faced the fiery furnace. Those young men, according to their Hebrew names were, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. May we never bend the knee and worship another god.

It would appear that there were anti-Jewish sentiments within the culture of the citadel of Susa. I say this because when the other servants found out he was a Jew it was this information that caused them to go to Haman. They could have gone to Haman before this, but it was not until they received this little tidbit of information that they chose to see if Haman would tolerate it. The other servants must have known that at least Haman despised the Jews and wanted to see what he would do.

What could the reason for this anti-Jewish sentiment have been. No one knows. If you may allow me to speculate, it may have been because they were against or at least refused to fight in the Persian-Greco war that Xerxes lost. Remember they were in a Persian province at the time, yet in looking through Herodotus’ account of the war there is no listing for a Jewish participation when he lists so many others. Again this is speculation, but seems at least possible.

The main reason for Haman, of course, was what we discussed in the last post. The Israelites had almost annihilated his people hundreds of years earlier in the time of King Saul. So for Haman this was personal. There was no way he was going to tolerate this lack of respect and, yes, worship from this Jew. It would appear as if the servants knew this would probably be the result. We will get more into Haman’s response in our next post.

I want you to notice something else as well. The other servants did not have the authority to arrest Mordecai on there own. They were by no means ahead of Mordecai in ranking and position. It may even be that Mordecai was over them since they did not feel confident enough to report him until after he declared publicly that he was a Jew. Perhaps they feared him already. However, I would not be fair if I did not at least mention the possibility that they may have liked him and did not want to see him get in trouble until they found out he was a Jew. That, of course, again says something about he overall attitude toward the Jews, at least in the citadel of Susa, it not in the whole of the Persian Empire.

Regardless, of the details that have long since been lost to history, there was an anti-Jewish sentiment in the citadel that gives Haman the perfect opportunity for what he does next. Attack!

A Declared Servant of God,

Vicky

Enter Haman

Before I begin today I must tell you that when I do this lesson as a Bible study it is usually the whole chapter and it is done in a two hour setting. I typically begin this lesson by saying something like, “this is the downer week when we have to study the enemy”.

In this post, however, I will only be looking at the very first verse of chapter 3 to give a good understanding of who Haman was and where he was coming from. We will look at the rest of the chapter in the next post.

Esther 3:1 “After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.” (NIV)

“After these events” indicates that this took place after Mordecai had saved Xerxes life from the assassination attempt. The two who plotted to take Xerxes life are named leading outsiders to believe that their names meant something to the original readers, perhaps members of the royal family or at least highly connected to the family since they also made these plans at the king’s gate. The truth behind those men has been lost to history, yet the events they put in place triggers the exaltation of another person in the king’s court.

Haman and his elevation is interesting since we can plainly see that he is not of royal blood. If you recall from chapter one, all the advisers that Xerxes turned to for advice on what to do with Vashti were relatives. Now Xerxes has married a woman whose ancestry he does not know and at least two possible relatives try to take his life.

Where does he turn from here? Who does he trust? Remember, we have made the point several times that Xerxes is looking for a home for his heart, he is looking for someone he can trust, trust with his life. One can assume that considering the words, “After these events”, that Haman had something to do with the investigation of the two that attempted to take the life of the king.

At this point it is not Mordecai that Xerxes chooses to trust. Instead, by elevating Haman, it’s safe to make the assumption that Haman was already higher up within the court than Mordecai.

Perhaps Xerxes and Haman already have a personal repor. In any case, Xerxes chooses to trust Haman to be his second in command. He is trusting him with his life. He is trusting him to protect him from anyone else who would try to take his life.

Remember Haman is not Median or Persian, not a member of the royal family, at least by blood, and therefore he is not a threat. He would not be someone after the throne and therefore could be trusted.

At least that seems to be what Xerxes assumed. He assumed he was safe with Haman and so was his throne. In other words, his administration was safe with Haman looking after things because Haman had no obvious motive. Xerxes saw Haman as an outsider who was a safe choice.

Then there is the other side of Haman… how Mordecai would have known him due to the history between their peoples.

Haman is an Agagite and therefore an Amalekite, thereby a descendent of Esau (Genesis 36:12).

This takes us back to I Samuel 15 when Saul was told to go in and destroy the Amalekites whose king was Agag, but he did not. God had told him to do so because of how they attacked the Israelites as they came up out of Egypt. If you recall this was when Joshua was leading the Israelite army and Moses was up on a hill with Hur and Aaron holding up his arms in Exodus 17.

Haman, in other words, was from the royal family of the Amalekites that somehow survived Saul’s attack. Mordecai would have been very aware of this history and would have known that Haman was dangerous and not worthy of trust.

So from the very beginning of this account in Esther, just from Haman’s ancestry we have two very different perspectives of him.

Xerxes chooses to trust him, but Mordecai knows better than to place his trust in this person that was from an accursed lineage (Genesis 17:14-16). Yes, God had said He would always, “from generation to generation”, be at war with Haman’s people, the Amalekites.

That meant that as a child of Israel, as part of God’s people, that he, Mordecai, was also at war with Haman. This automatically put Haman and Mordecai in opposite camps and from there their story only escalates.

Knowing in Whom I trust,

Vicky

Mordecai Saves the King

Esther 2:19 When the young women were assembled together for a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate. 20 Esther still had not revealed her birthplace or her ethnic background, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her. 21 During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). 22 When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf. 23 When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows. This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.(HCSB)

Here we see that the king’s attendants had not stopped bringing in young women for the harem even though a new queen had been selected. We must remember this was a pagan empire with a pagan king. We must also remember that even in Israel the kings had concubines and multiple wives. The mentioning of the young women still being brought in is meant to do nothing other than to tell us the time period that this event takes place.

We also see that it was in the first five years of Esther’s reign. We know that she has not yet told Xerxes her true identity. Even though she is Queen of the Persian Empire she still obeys her father as if she still lived in his house. Again we are reminded of the deep relationship of trust and loyalty that this father and daughter have with one another. Not only was she not willing to assert her independence from Mordecai as a grown woman with a home of her own, but she was also not willing to exert her authority as his queen over him. To Esther, Mordecai would always be her father and elder regardless of her position. This stands is such stark contrast to how so many of us treat our fathers and elders today. Her attitude toward Mordecai also sets the stage for how things are played out later.

It was when the young women come in a second time, during the first five years of Esther’s reign, that Mordecai is sitting at the king’s gate. This location indicated that he had a position of some responsibility.

Remember he lives in the citadel and obviously has some type of responsibility around the king’s officials, if not around the king himself. While he was sitting at the king’s gate, two eunuchs who guarded the entrance planned an assassination on King Xerxes. For some reason, unknown to the readers, these two eunuchs had become angry with the king and wanted to retaliate. Many have speculated that they were angry that a new queen had been chosen and Vashti had been deposed. Regardless of the reason, they planned to kill Xerxes.

Somehow Mordecai learns of the plot, either by hearing it himself or someone else reporting it to him. If it is reported to him it may speak of the importance of his position at the gate. Mordecai then takes this information to Queen Esther. We do not know if he reported this information to her personally. If he did, it was in the capacity as an official at the king’s gate, not her father.

We do know that Xerxes mother, Atossa, had set up a Queen’s Court for herself. It may be that this tradition was continued in the reign of Esther and that Mordecai’s information was reported to her at her own court. In other words, in an official capacity. Esther in turn takes this information to Xerxes, giving Mordecai the credit for the information. And since the matter is investigated, we can assume it was taken to Xerxes at the king’s court, again in an official capacity. Doing things in a court setting was very important in Persia and therefore to our understanding of this book.

These two eunuchs were than found to be guilty and hung.

Remember this was done at court so it went into the official records of the king. Not only did it go into the king’s own official records, but it gave Mordecai the credit. As we know, this comes into the story again later. One might assume that since it was something investigated and recorded at court that Mordecai himself may have been interviewed at court about the information. This would have given Xerxes a personal encounter with Mordecai. However, to our knowledge this may or may not have been the first time the two had met.

Therefore this experience did three things. It saved the life of the king. It more than likely allowed Mordecai and Xerxes to meet. Finally, it put Mordecai into the official records of the king, perhaps for the first time. This helps set things up for later.

We must not forget that this encounter also says something about the relationship that the king and queen had with each other. Xerxes obviously took the report from his wife seriously enough to have it investigated. A trust has begun to build in them for each other. A trust that will serve them well later in their marriage.

Esther has left the world of childhood behind and is now a queen and she lived that life with dignity and grace. She was the Queen of Persia, but first of all a child of Israel and the God of Israel.

Blessings,

Vicky

Esther: Queen of Persia

Esther is first introduced to us in chapter 2:7 as Hadassah the adopted daughter of Mordecai. We are told according to the NIV that she “was lovely in form and features”. What does that mean? These are two separate Hebrew words here that can both be translated “beautiful” and therefore emphasizing her physical beauty, however, the first can also be translated “pleasant” and the second translated “favored”. Both definitions are very important because it points out that not only was she beautiful in form but also in character. These second definitions are also ones repeated often in our story and so must be taken seriously.

When the edict of Xerxes went out many young women were brought to the citadel in Susa, but if you remember Esther already lived there with Mordecai. Therefore, Esther was one of the closest and therefore first to be brought to the harem within the actual palace of the king. She along with many others were entrusted to Hegai the eunuch in charge of the harem and the one responsible for preparing the girls to go into the king. This was a long process that would take a year to accomplish.

It was Esther who first caught the eye of Hegai. She “pleased him and won his favor” and so he immediately began to put her through the purification rites and to provide her with the best food. What is interesting about these two words her is that not only do they mean “pleasing” and “favor”, which they do and you remember these words are important, but both of these words can mean either “pleasing” or “favor” and they can also both mean “best”.

In other words, Hegai thought Esther to be pleasing, pleasing and the best, best and so he showed her favor, favor. I am emphasizing these words because of their importance and also to remind you that when a thought is repeated in Hebrew, either with the exact same word or not, it is done to add weight to the point.

Hegai not only began her purification, but also gave her seven maids from the king’s palace and moved her to the “best” accommodations within the harem. This again is emphasizing what he thought of her and her chances for being the one selected.

Then we find out that she has been commanded by her father, Mordecai, not to reveal who her people are or her homeland. The text makes it clear that she followed this command showing her to be obedient to her father and loyal to her people. She is a young women of character and distinction. She knows who she is and what that means.

We also see the love her father has for her as he goes everyday to inquire of her at the harem courtyard. These two, father and daughter, are very close and loyal to one another. It is not until verse 15 of chapter 2 that we learn that they are actually cousins.

This part of Esther’s biography reminds me of one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 45. It is found it verses 10 and 11 where it says, “Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.” This is the Psalm of a wedding that foreshadows the great wedding in Revelation 19. We are to forget our past focus only on our Lord, our Bridegroom. Here Esther is to do just that, she is to focus on her potential bridegroom. The difference is that Esther is doing it to protect herself and her people. She is also from God’s family, Israel, and it is the king in this case who will be joining through marriage, even though he does not yet know it. Remember, I said in an earlier post he is looking for a home for his heart.

Esther underwent her required twelve months of purification, no doubt having some religious significance within Zoroastrianism. When it was her turn to go to Xerxes, presumably one of the first, she asked for only what Hegai suggested she take.

It is at this point I find the statement in verse 15 quite interesting that states, “Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.”(NIV) I find this interesting because it seems to be out of place or at the least unexpected at this point. We already know she has won the favor of Hegai and it is yet to speak of the favor of Xerxes so who might the text be referring to when it says “everyone”? Possibly, Shaashgaz, the eunuch in charge of the concubines, perhaps the other young women, perhaps her maids,

I can’t help but wonder if there is another important person this may be referring to. My thoughts go to Xerxes mother, Atossa. Remember she is still alive at this point and I find it hard to believe she had nothing to do with the selection process of the next queen, at least in her own mind anyway. If that is the case, this is a huge statement and not one so out of place. Notice though we are once again hearing how Esther won the “favor” of people.

Finally, she is taken to the king in December of 479 B.C. or January of 478 B.C. She would only return to the king if he called for her by name, until then she would remain in the part of the harem where the concubines dwelt under the protection of Shaashgaz.

Yes, this does imply that their night together was a physical one, an intimate one and Scripture gives us no indication that it was not. Regardless, she is now waiting to see if he will call for her again or if the rest of her life will be spent alone in the harem.

Scripture does not leave the reader to the suspense that Esther must have felt at first. Rather, it lets us know very quickly that Xerxes loved Esther more than the others. This love he felt for her was not purely physical, but much deeper than that; even to the point of friendship.

They liked each other in a genuine way that makes for a strong bond and marriage. It is obvious that he not only loved her for her beauty, but that they also enjoyed each others company as well. Esther won the favor of Xerxes, this word “favor” can also be translated “grace”, she found grace with him. She also won his approval, the word “approval” can also be translated “mercy”.

Therefore, with Xerxes, Esther found grace and mercy. He was pleased with her so he made her is wife and queen by setting a crown on her head presumably at their wedding.

Xerxes then throws a banquet and calls it, “Esther’s Banquet”. He is not showing off his own glory, but that of his Queen. She has become a reflection of him and his glory or majesty. He does not keep his bride hidden, but shows her off and once again the officials and nobles of the kingdom, i.e., family, are there. He doesn’t stop there, but declares a holiday in the provinces, which would have included Israel, and lavishly gave out gifts.

The symbolism in this portion of the account is breathtaking.

Remember in an earlier post I said that Xerxes is a type of Christ. Well, here it is obvious and shines through with abundance.

Yeshua our King has found his bride and paid for it all. He paid the bridal price, He paid the cost of the wedding and the banquet. He gives out gifts through His Holy Spirit. He has chosen us to be blameless and holy and made us so through the sanctification or purification of the Holy Spirit. He has made us a part of His family according to His good pleasure and will, by His grace and mercy. He has lavishly poured out His favor or grace upon us.

What an awesome picture of the wedding that is to come. What a glimpse of the fulfillment of the mystery of the Bridegroom and His Bride. It becomes so obvious doesn’t it? Now do you see why I said this book was also prophetic?

Rejoicing in our King,

Vicky

This is what the ancient world was seeing. Many peoples were coming to the Jews and following their God. God had made it obvious that He was with His people and the Gentiles did not want to be caught on the wrong side.

What we see at the end of chapter eight is a mass revival. We see people from different tongues, tribes and nations coming to God through the joyful witness of His people. We see the heart of God giving us a glimpse of what he would one day do.

Here in Esther we see God once again drawing people to Himself. This is the heart of our Father. We should never neglect to see the working of His might Hand.

For The Fear of our God,

Vicky

Who will the king choose? The Jewish girl he married unknowingly or the Queen of Persia? Will he deny who she really is and deem her guilty of treason for deceiving the king?

She carefully lets him know that if they had merely been sold as slaves she would have said nothing. But, then she begins to paint the real picture of danger that her husband has gotten himself into. This danger is the danger of incurring the wrath of God.

Also, notice the word “our”. She is not just saying that the enemy, Haman, is the adversary of her and the Jews, but of her husband as well.

Xerxes definitely gets the point and demands to know the identity of the adversary. Who is the man who would oppose my wife, my Queen and her people and dare to come between me and my wife? Who?

Esther then finally reveals the adversary and enemy. Note that both words from the Hebrew can be translated adversary or enemy. The one she would name is an enemy of enemies who is based on pure wickedness and evil. It is the wicked Haman.

It was Haman. The one Xerxes thought he could trust to have his back. The one he had trusted to not betray him when there seemed to be enemies all around. It was Haman who attempted to come between him and his wife and bring the wrath of God upon him. Is there any greater betrayal?

Then the King’s anger subsided. This subsided anger was the idea of allaying ones passions through secreting them, it was a flood abated. The anger literally washed off of him. Now there was work to be done.

In the Name of our King,

Vicky

Xerxes wants an honest opinion to his question of how to honor someone that the king delights to honor; so he does not give Haman the name of the man. Haman being an egotist thinks that naturally the king is meaning him and so gives the king a very elaborate plan for honoring someone.

The enemy here is humiliated by having to parade Mordecai on the king’s horse while wearing the king’s robe. But that was not all. Haman himself would robe Mordecai. In other words, he would serve Mordecai. What a humiliation.

And the king’s eunuchs come and quickly take Haman into the presence of the king.

May We Truly Reflect His Glory,

Vicky

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Enter Hamen (estherslegacy.com)

Mordecai’s Declaration (estherslegacy.com)

Xerxes had told her that even up to half the kingdom it would be hers. This was not, as we will see later, just a euphemism, but dare I say it, a limitation. Keep this in mind for later in the book. However, she does not ask for half the kingdom, but for him and Haman to come to a banquet.

We will discuss what happens next time.

In the presence of our King,

Vicky

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For Such a Time as This (estherslegacy.com)

We already know that Haman had sent out an edict declaring a day of destruction for the Jews and that to this point both Haman and Xerxes are comfortable in that decision. This is where we pick things up in chapter 4.

That’s right, Esther was in that place and time for such a time as was before her. And as Mordecai says, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” God has His ways and we are only to follow and obey.

Mordecai also tells her that if she does remain silent that relief and deliverance will come from another source. This is her opportunity to follow God herself and do the thing He is asking her to do and not to leave it to someone else who is not of her position and honor.

In fact, it is my belief that this enlargement is at least one of the main reasons God allowed this all to take place. God always has His reasons, His plans that even come out of what we would call catastrophes or tribulations.

For Such a Time as This, (let us speak)

Vicky

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Haman’s Plot (estherslegacy.com)

Mordecai’s Declaration (estherslegacy.com)

Upon hearing that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman set out to do to Mordecai’s people what the Jews were supposed to have done to his. He wants to completely annihilate them from the Empire.

Now, if you remember from chapter one, that even Queen Vashti was not exempt from obeying the command of the king and for her disobedience she was banished from the king’s presence. How much more severe would the punishment be for those not even related to the king (little did he know).

Here Mordecai is definitely seen as the peoples’ representative. If Mordecai did not obey then neither would the people. This is definitely seen as a danger by Xerxes. So he listens.

Everything Haman has to say speaks right to the heart of Xerxes. The protection of his life, his kingdom, and a way to get back much of the financial loss he suffered from the war. Were these things enough to warrant such an action. For Xerxes the answer is yes.

Keep in mind this was a command of the king, which would have made it a crime for the non-Jewish people to disobey. I am sure there were many who immediately began to think about their options, would they obey or risk punishment for disobedience just as many did during World War II in Europe.

While the rest of the city was bewildered, Xerxes and Haman sat calmly drinking together. No doubt Haman was feeling as if he had put one over on Xerxes and feeling proud and successful, while Xerxes would feel safe and protected.