Good morning,
We have come to the conclusion of our study of the Book of Esther.
The festival of Purim celebrates God’s deliverance from a plot to destroy all the Jews. This year the celebration begins on the evening of 16 March and ends on the evening of 17 March.
This week we will look at chapters 7-10. The plot of Haman is revealed to the King. Haman is judged. Mordecai is promoted. A new letter is sent. The feast of Purim is inaugurated.
Today is provided the highlights of chapters 7-10, with a challenge for each chapter.
Chapter 7 Esther’s banquet request and the death of Haman
“Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.” (7:3-6)
“So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.” (7:10)
Esther tells the king that Haman has plotted to kill her people the Jews. As the king contemplates what to do, Haman throws himself on Queen Esther for mercy. The king, however, thought that Haman was assaulting the queen. Haman is sentenced to be hanged on the gallows he had made for Mordecai.
Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18) Everyone in Shushan knew the wickedness and pride of Haman. So, when his plot is revealed, the king’s advisors were able to tell the king about the gallows made for Mordecai. Haman’s pride truly did destroy him. Proverbs 16:19 states, Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Chapter 8 Promotion of Mordecai and new decree to allow the Jews to defend themselves
“On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.” (8:1-2)
“Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.” (8:8)
“And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,” (8:10-11)
The problem still exists, what will become of the Jews? The king’s decree could not be revoked.
The king promotes Mordecai to Haman’s position. He suggests that Haman write a new decree. He does. Verses 10-11 above tell us what Mordecai wrote. Basically, he gave the Jews the ability to defend themselves, to destroy, to slay and cause to perish, all those that would try to destroy them.
The anti-Semites of that day were about to understand the power of God.
“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. (Deuteronomy 7:9-10)
He did!
Chapter 9 Jews destroy their enemies and Purim instituted
“Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.” (9:5)
“And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.” (9:20-22)
“Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,” (9:26)
The Jews defeated their enemies. To commemorate this event the festival of Purim was initiated. It has been celebrated from that time till today.
“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:1-4)
God avenges the enemies of the Jews.
Chapter 10 Mordecai’s greatness
“For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.” (10:3)
Mordecai is second to the king. More importantly, he is accepted by the Jews as a great benevolent leader.
So the story has a happy ending.
God orchestrated each event. He was in every circumstance that Mordecai, Esther, and Haman encountered.
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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