Chapter 8
The book of
Esther: A study of God in action when nothing appears to be
happening!
by Patsy Norwood (c) 2023
- 2024. All Rights Reserved.
In our
last lesson we left Haman hanging on the gallows he had built for Mordecai and
the question of what to do about his decree that would annihilate the Jews.
Also, it
seems the king is undergoing a change of heart, can it be?
Let’s
pick up from there …
1
On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house
of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king,
for Esther had told how he was related to her.
“On
that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman” … it was
customary in Persia that the goods and properties of the executed were automatically
confiscated by the king. This
confiscation included everything the executed owned right down to the lowliest
servant.
This
obviously left Haman’s family homeless and penniless! What a change in their lifestyles!
2 So the king took off his signet ring, which he had
taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over
the house of Haman.
This
is a big verse for Mordecai, a lot happens in his life:
“So
the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it
to Mordecai” … with this
action the king gives Mordecai Haman’s job of prime minister and then Esther appoints
him overseer of Haman’s estate which the king has given to her.
Mordecai
now has a new job and a new place to live, both of which have elevated his position,
authority, and status. Sadly though, it
doesn’t change the decree against the Jews made by Haman.
3 Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his
feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite,
and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews.
Sometime later, Esther again goes
to the king to plead for her people.
Will the king withstand her tearful pleas? Does he want to?
4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward
Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king,
Esther has once again risked her
life by going before the king unbidden and the king has once again granted her
entrance.
5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right
to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke
the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he
wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s
provinces.
“if I have found
favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in
his eyes” … it seems Esther is using ‘a
delicate touch’ with the king. The king displays a glimpse of human kindness towards Esther … maybe he
learned something from the debacle of Vashti.
Maybe his heart is changing!
Esther’s request this time has to
do with Haman’s decree against the Jews, she asked him to revoke it. She and he both knew that he couldn’t because
of the “Law of the Medes and Persians” that said that no one, not even the king
had the authority to reverse a decree signed and sealed by the king’s ring. That didn't stop Esther from asking though, it was a starting place to begin to unravel the danger Haman had created. (Sometimes we have to start where we can, don't we and not necessarily where we would like to.)
6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will
come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my
countrymen?”
Esther continues to plead for her
people, she bears her heart to the king …
7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai
the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have
hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the
Jews.
The king recounts to Esther the
things he has done for her. It does
indeed seem that he loves her and has softened his heart.
It appears the king’s heart is
truly undergoing a change in the hands of God.
(Nothing is too hard for God, let us not forget that!)
8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the
Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the
king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with
the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”
The king might not be able to
reverse or revoke Haman’s decree, but he can counteract it by giving the Jews
authority to defend themselves. This surely
would give pause and be a deterrent to anyone planning on participating in the
destruction of the Jews.
The king gives full authority to Mordecai
and Esther to write another decree that will allow the Jews to unite and defend
themselves. What a task, it had to be
airtight and cover all the points that Haman’s decree had.
Haman’s decree was meant to wipe
out the Jews. Mordecai’s was meant to
save them. What a contrast that speaks
volumes about each man.
9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the
third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and
it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the
satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to
Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every
province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to
the Jews in their own script and language.
The ’third month’ corresponds to
our May-June calendar and was a little over 2 months after the first decree had
been written and published. This would
give the Jews some 8 months to prepare to defend themselves.
Notice Mordecai’s decree was
delivered to the same places and in the same manner as Haman’s had been. This was important, no place could be
neglected, this new decree must reach all the same people as Haman’s had.
10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus,
sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers
on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds.
The king’s signet ring made it official
and irrevocable, just as Haman’s decree was.
11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in
every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy,
kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would
assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their
possessions,
Mordecai was careful in wording
his decree to match Haman’s so that no loophole could be found for those wishing
to challenge the new decree.
The entire land had been turned
against the Jews by Haman’s decree, now they would be free to defend themselves. Only
God can make such a transformation reality.
In our world today, we would call that a ‘game changer!’
12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on
the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month
of Adar.
Same day, the 13th day
of the 12th month. Everything
about the new decree had to match Haman’s right down to the date.
13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in
every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on
that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
The king’s command was clear, all people
everywhere were to be informed of this new decree. He wanted to make sure that everyone knew
that the Jews were given authority to defend themselves and that those in opposition
might want to consider this before attacking!
14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out,
hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the decree was issued
in Shushan the citadel.
“Royal horses” … this added to the importance and officialness of the delivery …
just like Haman’s deliverance of his decree did.
15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in
royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment
of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was
glad.
As soon as the couriers were on their
way, Mordecai assumed his royal garments and went forth in a public procession
giving credence to the decree. The Jews
could believe it, this was not some horrible joke.
The city, not just the Jews
rejoiced and was glad … did some of these non-Jews just want to be on the
winning side? Would they have rejoiced
and been glad in the same way if Haman’s decree had not been circumvented?
Mordecai’s new authority, power
and position are on display, which he likely didn’t enjoy. But, if it portrayed the authority of the
decree being delivered, he was willing.
16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and
honor.
Prior to this, the Jews had been
living in dread and with great fear hanging over their heads. It truly was a time of mourning in every
sense of the word for them, but now the Jews had reason for hope and their
mourning turned to gladness.
Mordecai and Esther had courageously
done what they needed to do, what peace that must have brought to both of them. (There’s a lesson in that for us today!)
On the other hand, it was evident
that Haman had been no match for God!
(There’s a lesson in that for us today as well!)
17 And in every province and city, wherever the king’s
command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a
holiday. Then many of the people of the
land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.
Joy, feasting, gladness, and a
holiday, those observing who were not Jews had to be confounded along with
being fearful in what they were seeing.
“Then many of the people of the
land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.” … many
became Jews because of their fear of the Jews.
Did they actually convert to the Jewish faith and all that that entailed
or did they just side with the Jews?
The ungodly were afraid of the
godly, sadly, it’s not that way now.
I hope
you’ve enjoyed today's lesson. Don't forget to leave a comment and
if you're enjoying this study, please share the link with other ladies who you
think might enjoy it as well.
Next week we’ll move into
chapter 9 and look at verses 1 – 19, ‘THE DAY’ arrives!
We have two more lessons
in this study, and I would love to start getting feedback regarding its format
as well as any thoughts overall you would like to share. As a
student of God’s Word, I am always looking for ways to improve upon the methods
I use in writing and do take into consideration any feedback to make future
writings and studies more user friendly, easier to understand and
navigate. Thank you in advance.
Links to previous lessons
can be found HERE.
Until the next class ...
patsy @ From This Heart of Mine; (c) 2023 - 2024 by Patsy Norwood ~ All Rights Reserved.
It's hard to imagine the ungodly being afraid of the godly. And so incredible to think of the downfall of Haman's family. Wow!
ReplyDeleteLana, the downfall of Haman's family happened rather quickly, didn't it? I'm sure they and possibly others around them were shocked, but God wasn't!
Delete