Old Testament

Esther 10:1-3
The Greatness of Mordecai

Esther, like Ruth or Jonah, is a book which records events that really occurred. Like Ruth, it is one of the historical writings, but like Jonah, and even Ruth, it is also a book which prophetically looks forward, while also being given in types and shadows of other things. But Esther doesn’t just look forward, it also looks back on history and, through the real events that it records, it gives us a snapshot of all of redemptive history, but most especially in how it deals with the Jews.

To insert the church into Esther would be to mischaracterize the symbolism of what we are being shown. It is true that the church is included in one of the seven dispensations of time, but the church deals with both Jew and Gentile. Rather than focus on the Gentiles during the dispensation of Grace, Esther looks at how Jews, as a people, have responded to that period.

There are enemies, and then there are enemies. Can we not say that a state of enmity exists between Christ and the unbelieving Jewish people of today? Of course we can! If we deny this, we are naive in how we view Scripture. And yet, there are those out there who are completely foolhardy in this regard. They claim that the Jews are saved through their adherence to the Law of Moses. This is known as dual-covenant theology. It is heretical and it is dangerous. And more, it is specifically refuted by an understanding of what the Book of Esther is showing us. Paul is very clear when he speaks of the enemies of the cross of Christ, including all – Jew and Gentile – who have rejected His work.

Death is an enemy. But death is merely the result of sin. Therefore, sin is an enemy. But sin is the result of disobedience to law. The book of Leviticus, speaking of the law, says that the man who does the things of the law will live. However, nobody but God can do the things of the law. If we could, we wouldn’t need Jesus! Thus, the law – though it is good – actually acts as an enemy to us because of our sin nature. And the law exists. Just as the law in the Garden of Eden was given and it led to the fall, the Law of Moses does the same. The law exists, and there is nothing that we can do about it. We are defeated as foes of the law… but for Christ Jesus.

Text Verse: “For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.” 2 Samuel 14:14

If the law was all that there was, it would be a futile existence indeed. Especially because the law is God’s standard. It is what we must meet in order to be granted that life promised in Leviticus 18. The book of Esther is a type and shadow of what God has done in redemptive history, and it reveals the means devised by God to bring back His banished ones. John Lange caught onto this in a limited way. From his commentary of Esther 9 –

“We would be more just to Esther, to the Jews spoken of in our book, and to the book itself, if, in what was done in Shushan as well as in all Persia, we would see an anticipation of the judgments connected and parallel with the progress of the kingdom of God on earth, and especially of the final judgment. If the animus of the O. T. with respect to the destruction of enemies seems to us terribly vindictive, rather than mild, yet this may not only be excusable, but may even be a prophetic intimation the fact, so prominently and emphatically expressed, in the present instance, that the Jews did not stretch out their hands after the goods (spoil) of their enemies, proves to us that they meant to conduct this contest as a measure of self-protection, or better as a holy war, the sole purpose of which was the removal of their enemies.” John Lange

The removal of their enemies. Well said, John Lange. But just who are the enemies being pictured in this book? And who then is the great enemy, Haman, picturing? And even more, the ten sons of Haman were counted as the enemies of the Jews as well. Other than a list of names, we know nothing more about them than that they were his sons, and that there were ten of them. And yet, Esther felt it necessary that they be hung for all to see after they had been killed. And more, the Lord specifically included these details in His word. Why? Who is the great enemy of the Jews today?

Esther, even without the answers to these questions, has been a marvelous adventure. But the questions beg for us to answer them, and so we will. I pray that what is presented to you today is wholly in accord with His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Exaltation of Mordecai (verse 1-3)

And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea.

The narrative now jumps suddenly from the accounts of what occurred on Purim, and how the celebration was mandated, to a statement concerning the imposition of tribute on the land by King Ahasuerus. It seems entirely out of place stating the words of this verse now. It is as if it is haphazardly tossed in here without any anchoring in the narrative.

In fact, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown finds it perplexing enough to state that Chapter 10 is simply an appendix to the history already presented, and that it has been improperly separated from the preceding chapter. But such is not the case. Though connected to what has been presented, it is also a completely different thought that has its own unique purpose and design.

The word used, mas, or tribute, is elsewhere consistently translated as “forced labor.” Thus, it is assumed that this forced labor equates to the levying of a tribute upon the lands under the authority of the empire. For the Persian empire, the islands mentioned would be those which are found in the Aegean Sea. The reason for the tribute is unstated, but because it follows directly after the war between the Jews and the nations, it can be assumed that the war was actually so great that the empire required the tribute in order to rebuild, repair, and redirect. Thus a tribute was levied in order to overcome the effects of the war that occurred.

It appears that Ahasuerus is the main subject of the verse, but in showing that he had such great power and authority to impose such a massive tribute upon the realm, it then demonstrates that his chosen royal vizier, Mordecai, had risen to a position of complete authority and greatness in all of the realm. In other words, though Ahasuerus is the subject of the verse itself, it is actually a statement concerning the greatness of Mordecai. This is notably revealed in the next words…

² Now all the acts of his power and his might,

These words confirm that the true subject of verse 1 is Mordecai. First, it says, “the acts of his power.” The word toqeph, or power, was first seen in the Bible in verse 9:29 which said “Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim.” The authority of Ahasuerus is implicitly also the authority of Mordecai. He bears the royal signet and thus he possesses the power. This is then revealed in the next words…

^2 (con’t) and the account of the greatness of Mordecai,

Here we have the second and final use of the word parashah, or account, in the Bible. It signifies an exposition or declaration. Nowadays, it refers to a section of a biblical book, somewhat like our chapter divisions in the Bible. The parashah forms the basis for reading of Scripture in Jewish synagogues. The greatness of Mordecai is especially noted in conjunction with the acts of power and might which stem from the king himself. Thus, one can see that the focus is on him, and it is he who wields the authority because he fills the position…

^2 (con’t) to which the king advanced him, 

In these words, there is the idea that in exalting Mordecai, the king himself is also exalted. One is not robbing the other of glory, but he complements the king because of his own greatness. It is therefore appropriate that as the record of the king is recorded, the record of the king’s right hand man would also be so recorded…

^2 (con’t) are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

The book of the chronicles of the kings is said to not only contain the record of King Ahasuerus, but it also chronicles the deeds of Mordecai, relaying that he also possessed kingly power. Although he is positionally second, he bears the dignity and authority that stems from the kingly throne. It is the logical conclusion to the statement that he is recorded in these writings.

Here, the empire is noted for the first time in Esther as “Media and Persia” rather than “Persia and Media.” Media is named from Madai, the son of Japheth. The word is associated with madad, or measure. Thus, Media would signify “Measure.” Persia, without all of the lengthy details, would signify “Division(s).”

As Chapter 10 is such a short one, Sergio ran an acrostics search. He noted that verse 2 forms an interesting sentence, which is derived from forward and backward acrostics formed from the first letters. The words say, Humtu v’tamu. v’gam gihah akas keheh. Ad hadas hilam v’milah – “They were killed and destroyed, and also the dark* anger was cured, until Myrtle and the Word is here.” It doesn’t seem to make sense, but it is actually a beautiful thought. The acrostic is an amazing parallel to the account itself, especially what it is picturing. Now in understanding that Mordecai bears full authority as is recorded in these chronicles, the book of Esther closes out with words of shalom; words of peace…

³ For Mordecai the Jew

There is an immediate stress on the fact that Mordecai is a Jew. He is not a Mede or a Persian, but a Jew, who has been exalted in the realm. He didn’t convert from his Jewishness in order to accept the appointment, instead, he remained a Jew. It is he who…

^3 (con’t) was second to King Ahasuerus,

The closing of the narrative shows that a Jew holds the position second to the king alone. This means that Mordecai held a representative position among his people. And not only was he in this exalted position, but his people remained, despite having faced complete annihilation. It is he who rescued them, and it is he who then was exalted in their eyes. As it says…

^3 (con’t) and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren,

Though Mordecai was at one time just considered another Jew, and one who was actually kept in obscurity in his relation to Esther, he eventually was realized for his greatness, and he became great among his own people. They openly received him as being great among them. He had always been in Shushan, the Lily, but he remained obscure among the Jews until the time that he was needed to rescue them. The hidden Lord then acted, revealing His plan in the calling of Mordecai to his time of recognition among his people. From that point on, he was…

*^3 (fin) seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

The Hebrew literally reads, “seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his seed.” The two thoughts are placed in parallel though, and so seed isn’t speaking of his posterity, but his countrymen, as if sons. Closing out the book, are two acrostics. First, in the beginning of the verse there is an acrostic that forms the word male, full or completeness. Then, there is another acrostic with the words, kamah mehem. It is a question followed by an answer, “How many of them?” The answer is “Completely.”

Secondly, the next acrostic in order says, b’shuvi shlomii, or “In my return is peace.” Considering the surrounding text, it is a rather remarkable acrostic which matches the intent of what is said in the verse itself. In fact, Sergio never read the verses. He just searched for the acrostics and then laid them out. When I told him how precisely they match the surrounding verses which speak of peace to Mordecai’s countrymen, he was astonished. Finally, many of the acrostic words in this verse form the same concept backward and forward. A theme is repeating as a stress to the story itself.

Now, with all of the book analyzed, the obvious question is, “Is there anything beyond the surface story that the Lord is telling us?” Esther is the last book of the Old Testament historical writings. Therefore, it would makes sense that what is recorded here would parallel the final historical account of Scripture itself. It is with that thought in mind, that we will all-too-briefly review the book of Esther from a pictorial perspective of history itself.

Exalted to the right hand of God!
All power and authority to act in His name
In every nation; everywhere that man does trod
His power is unlimited, as is His glory and fame

To the ends of the earth, and to the islands of the sea
Throughout all places His power and authority are known
His mighty deeds are recorded, O so carefully
So that of them, to all peoples they may be shown

He is good to His people, and to them He speaks words of peace
And in Him, His people shall forever delight
His greatness is eternal, never shall it cease
For the ages of ages, in Him we shall delight

II. Dispensations

Read Galatians 4:21-31. In Galatians 4, Paul says the two wives of Abraham are symbolic of the two covenants. Esther follows this same remarkable symbolism, showing it from another angle.

The book of Esther began with a statement concerning the reign of Ahasuerus over the entire realm of the empire. It then ended with a statement concerning the king imposing tribute on all the land and islands of the sea. But it includes the addition of the greatness of Mordecai. During the story, however, there was a time when the enemy of the Jews held that same position. From this, we can then see a history of the world itself; the dispensations of time in which the Bible is divided, and which detail the plan of redemption, brought about through a particular group of people, and a particular Individual, chosen to deliver them and be exalted among them.

The book begins with the king, in Shushan, or Lily. The Lily signifies great beauty and splendor. It is a favorite in the Song of Solomon, being used eight times there. It is equated to magnificent glory by Jesus in Luke 12:27 –

“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

And this is how Shushan is described right in Chapter 1. The details of the palace were magnificent. It was a place of joy and feasting, beauty and royal splendor. There was harmony, just as in the Garden of Eden. It is the dispensation of (1) Innocence. But then there arose a problem. The king sent his seven servants to bring his bride before the people. She disobeyed his orders. It is a picture of the fall of man. Vashti pictures the state of disobedience leading to the fall. If you remember, it was conjectured, rightly, that the king had asked Vashti to come with her crown, but nothing else was mentioned. Thus she was naked; a picture of a sinless state. However, she hid herself from the king. It is reminiscent of Adam and his wife hiding in the garden from the Lord.

Man was made lower than the angels, and he was crowned with glory and honor, but that crown was removed, and he was expelled from the presence of the Lord. Thus we see that Ahasuerus pictures the divine throne of God in Shusan, Paradise. Vashti signifies disobedience, and a loss of access to that throne. It was not merely an offense against the king, but against the throne. The same is true with the fall of man. It was an offense against the ruling power of God. It thus resulted in the fall of man and his expulsion from the Lord’s presence. At the fall, man was given authority over the woman in Genesis 3:16. This is repeated in Esther 1:22, where it said “that each man should be master in his own house.” It is the dispensation of (2) Conscience.

After this came a new law to correct the situation which occurred with Vashti. A search would be made for a new queen to replace her. This is the dispensation of (3) Government. It is a time when man would be found in many people groups, but in which a select line would be chosen out of them for the king’s delight. Each people group is represented by the gathering of the virgins, but only one will be selected. It is thus an anticipation of the dispensation of Promise, and which is realized in the selection of Esther.

If you remember, the virgins were brought forth, one at a time after being carefully evaluated and readied for their time before the king. There it said, that each virgin “was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace.” When Esther’s time came to go before the king, it said of her that “she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised.”

Hegai represents the Spirit of the Lord, directing the events, choosing the right person for the Promise, and relaying what is pleasing to God. Esther was chosen by him, he tended to her until she was ready for her meeting, and he recommended what she should take before the king. However, she was given the choice.

She could have taken whatever she desired, but her desire was to take what Hegai knew would please the king. It is a picture of free will being exercised in accord with God’s will, and thus it is a picture of salvation by grace through faith. The grace was given to Esther through her unmerited selection. The faith was Esther’s willingness to trust not in her own self, but in Hegai’s words. And this led to her selection as queen.

It is the call of Abraham; the dispensation of (4) Promise. Thus, whereas Vashti signifies disobedience and a loss of access to the throne, Esther signifies faithful obedience and access to the throne. Said otherwise, she represents the beauty of the Gospel. Hence, emunah in Hebrew, or pistis in Greek – both meaning “Faith” – are feminine nouns, represented by Esther.

In the next chapter, Haman comes flooding into the story. He is the enemy of the Jews. Everything about him shows him to be such. He is the son of Hammedatha, or “The son of the one who works in darkness.” He is also an Amalekite, an ancient enemy of the people of God. They are the “The People Who Wring Off.” They are those who are disconnected from the body and strive to disconnect the body. It is a fitting description of Haman and his coming actions. In the Exodus 17 sermon, we learned that the Amalekites represent false teachers, heretics, and other unregenerate people who are constantly attacking the weakest of the flock. Amalek is the natural man that Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 2 –

“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:13, 14

One must wonder how he fits in then. There is Esther, representing access to the throne by Grace through Faith, and yet Haman obtained access to the throne, even the king’s signet-authority. What is he picturing? He is the dispensation of (5) Law, specifically its effect, which is a curse. As Paul says –

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” ¹¹ Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” Galatians 3:10

We will just call him Law from here on. It is he who passed the law which would lead to the destruction of the Jews. In the edict, he offered to pay the price of their lives with silver. As I said then of Esther and Haman, one has found the favor of the king’s heart, and the other has found the favor of his throne. But we know that the law was given by God. How can that be contrary to the people of God? The answer is most especially found in Paul’s letter to the Romans, though he speaks about it throughout his letters. From Romans 7:7-11, we read –

“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” ⁸ But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. ⁹ I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. ¹⁰ And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. ¹¹ For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.”

Death comes through the law. Instead of accepting Haman’s silver, the king said to him, “The money (keseph/silver) and the people are given to you, do with them as seems good to you.” In the Bible, silver pictures redemption. Through the law would come redemption, but not in the way expected! The approval of the law was filled with seemingly surplus words – destroy, kill, annihilate; and young and old, little children, and women.

The cruel passion of the overuse of words was to ensure that complete destruction of all Jews, without exception, is the ultimate goal and expectation. Law leads to death for all. The people of Israel were given the law, and the law set about to bring death – exactly as the account in Esther shows, and exactly as Paul explains it in Romans.

It appears that Haman, Law, would prevail. But it must be remembered that justification by grace through faith – the Gospel – came before the law, just as Esther was introduced before Haman. The importance of this will be explained later.

With the coming of Haman, pur, or lots, were cast, and a date for the destruction of the Jews was set. The law was written, and it could not be revoked (or pass away). Though it seemed out of control, the unseen Lord’s guiding hand was still evident in Esther just as it has been evident in history. The law was not a mistake, but a lesson, a guide, and a tutor. We must remember that access to the throne was already granted to Esther, but it was not through law; it was by grace through faith. The law also provides access to the throne, but in a completely different way – total obedience; something we are incapable of.

What this means for now though is that Law, represented by Haman, is actually the enemy of the Jews. The very thing they trust in, is the very thing that is set to bring about their destruction. Ask any observant Jew if they believe this, and you will be called a lot more than just a heretic. And yet, this is what the Bible teaches, most specifically in the New Testament. However, it is even seen interspersed throughout the Old Testament as well. From Abraham, to David, to Isaiah, to Habakkuk, it is the constant, and yet wholly ignored, theme presented to Israel.

While considering the story thus far, what has been the status of Mordecai? Oh yes, Mordecai! We have overlooked that guy. His status? He has remained relatively out of the picture. He is in Shushan, or Lily. He raised Esther as his own daughter. Remember that she pictures restored access to the throne by grace through faith; the beauty of the Gospel.

He also sat within the king’s gate, and he charged Esther to not reveal her family or her people. That itself represents God’s dispensational plan of redemption. Though the pattern is set in Abraham, the dispensation of Promise, that stays concealed so that the dispensation of Law may be worked through. It is, as Paul relays in Galatians, a necessary step intended to lead man to Grace.

In the Bible, the sha’ar, or gate, is the place of judgment – where legal matters are resolved. So here is Mordecai, a Jew, sitting in the place of judgment, in Shushan. And now, we need to remember why Haman decided to kill the Jews. It is because of Mordecai. His hatred of Mordecai led him to want to kill all the Jews. If Mordecai represents Christ, and he does, then why would Haman, who represents Law, hate him? It is because Christ is, as Paul says, “the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

If Law prevails, the people would continue to die because by the law is the knowledge of sin, and the wages of sin is death. Thus the devil would retain his authority over the world. Christ knew this, and so He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. In His fulfillment of it, the law would be rendered powerless. This is why Christ didn’t dispute the devil’s claim that the whole world was his and he could give it to any he chose. Through Law over fallen man, this was a true statement. In destroying the Jews, the promise of God to the patriarchs would fail.

The timing of the events of Chapter 3 are important to understand. Mordecai would not bow to Haman before Haman got the signet. Thus, in picture, his actions were not disobedience to Law, but obedience to Promise. The ancient enmity between man and Law goes all the way back to Eden. Paul explains it in Romans 7:9 with the words, “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.”

Here we can remember what was said in Chapter 3 concerning the date of the casting of lots by Haman, the 13^th of Nisan, the day before Passover. It was at this same time, almost 500 years later, that the Jews who prided themselves in the law, conspired together to destroy, Christ Jesus. As we saw, the number thirteen is the number connected to rebellion, apostasy, defection, corruption, disintegration, revolution, or some kindred idea. The law is an entity, not a person. But that entity is contrary to what has already been established in another entity, the Gospel of grace through faith, already seen in Abraham, and pictured by Esther.

At the end of Chapter 3, it was seen that the king (the throne) and Haman (Law) sat down to drink. Law, pictured by Haman, is seemingly now the way to access the throne. And that access is denied to all who are bound under it. With that, Chapter 4 immediately opened with Mordecai tearing his clothes and putting on sackcloth and ashes. With the law in place, Christ’s destiny was sealed. Only through death could there be life. As Isaiah says –

“He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”Isaiah 53:3

It is an apt enough description for us of Mordecai at this point. Right at the beginning of Chapter 4, we read that “When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry.” At that time, we were shown a very specific parallel between Mordecai and Esau.

In the Genesis sermons, Esau pictured fallen Adam. Jesus took on the nature of man, his humanity. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul calls Him the second Adam. This then is the time of Jesus’ incarnation. He thus is representative of Israel, having lost their blessing, and who is now facing a curse. Christ came from Israel, revealing His humanity and that He is a Jew, under Law.

From there, Esther (the Gospel) wants to know what is the distress concerning Mordecai (Christ). So she sent Hathach to find out what was troubling him. Mordecai in turn explains what has transpired, including the decree of Haman, meaning death through the law. He notes the parashah, or exact amount of money that was offered for the destruction of the Jews.

As I said, the word parashah refers to a section of a biblical book, somewhat like our chapter divisions in the Bible. The parashah forms the basis for reading of Scripture in Jewish synagogues. It is the law as read by the Jews to this day, which bring them anticipated death. By law is the knowledge of sin, and the wages of sin is death. The law does not bring life; it brings death. But Mordecai went on, appealing for Esther to go before the king to petition for her people. Esther then responds that she has not been summoned by the king for an extended period of thirty days, and that to approach the king without being summoned would mean death. Was the Gospel given during the time of Promise still sufficient to bring her access to the throne? At that time, it said, “So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.”

Up until that point, everything was singular. All of a sudden, in verse 12, it changed to the plural. The plural, “they,” is speaking of anyone who had thus far believed God’s promises of faith in the Messiah. Messiah had been promised, and there is now a questioning of the Gospel of Grace by Faith. Had it failed? Would Law prevail? But rather than being an inopportune time, it was the perfect time – thirty days. The number thirty signifies “a higher degree the perfection of Divine order, as marking the right moment” (EW Bullinger). The chain of events had reached a time where a new direction should be sought.

And so Mordecai, picturing Christ, instructs that it is the perfect time to rely on the Gospel, and not be destroyed by Law. A marvelous change could be expected. It is at this time that Esther approaches the king without being summoned. Would she receive grace? The words testify to the fact – naseah khen b’enav, “she obtained grace in his eyes.” Yes! “The just shall live by faith.” And this was while Law was still the law.

In this, the offer of the king is made, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!” Her only request, a banquet with the king (the throne) and Haman (Law). And that led to the petition for another banquet on the following day. But on that same day, the plot to hang Mordecai was also made. Haman’s hatred of Mordecai is seen in the Jews of Jesus’ time concerning Christ Himself. They wanted Him destroyed and so they plotted against Him. They trusted their deeds under the law rather than what the law pointed to – Christ. This is what Paul wrote about in Romans 2. A person “is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” The Gospel of grace through faith in Messiah was concealed in the Old Testament, just as Mordecai instructed Esther to conceal her identity. Now that time was ended.

And so, on the same night, the king’s attention is directed to one whom he has decided to now honor. The time for the long overdue acknowledgment of approval has arrived. Calling in Haman (Law), he asks “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Obviously, those under law feel they have earned the right to the king’s favor, and so Haman thinks up the most outlandish and ostentatious display he can think of to herald his victory.

But then… it is Christ who is to be honored, not Law! And so what happens… it is he, Law, who lays the kingly attire on Mordecai (Christ), just as the kingly attire was placed on Christ in the gospels. Law actually adorns Christ for who He is!

Haman then leads Mordecai on a horse shouting aloud “Thus shall it be done to the man to whom the king delights to honor!” Paul says specifically that “the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” In picture, Haman, leading Mordecai around on the horse and yelling out his proclamation, is doing exactly that. Law is acting as a schoolmaster to the people that the king delights to honor grace through faith in Christ, not Law, because Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and the end of the law for righteousness for all who believe. It is by faith in Him, not in our deeds, that God delights. And to make that point perfectly obvious, Haman is then horrified, covering his face and rushing home where his wife and friends tell him that “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.” Messiah has come. The Savior of Israel has made Himself manifest. The dispensation of Law is near its end.

Chapter 7 opens with the second banquet of Esther. It is when she petitions for her people, the Jews. They are under Law, and they are destined for annihilation. When the king finds that it is Haman (Law) that has set them for destruction, His wrath was raised. It is a picture of the wrath of God at sin. Paul says in Romans 4:15 that “the law brings about wrath,” and so there is only one way to remove the wrath, and that is through the death of Law. But the law is written, and it cannot pass away. However, its effects can. Again, Christ said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).

Through Christ’s fulfillment of Law, man can die to Law. With that, the king is told of a gallows made for Mordecai. His response: “Hang him on it.” With that, it says, “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.” In the death of Jesus came the death of the Law for all who believe in Him. But you ask, “How can you equate Haman’s death with Christ? That doesn’t make any sense!” Well, it doesn’t if your stuck under Law, and can’t see beyond your own good efforts in an attempt to please God. But when you pull out your New Testament theological instruction manual, you find –

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴ having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13, 14

Haman pictures Law, but Christ actually died. It was Christ who was nailed to the cross, and so in type and picture, Christ became our Haman, our Man under Law, if you will. It is no different at all than Christ equating Himself with the serpent on the pole in John 3:14, or Paul saying that God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. In the death of His body, the law died with Him for all who believe. For all who don’t, Law, and thus the enmity, remains.

This is where the marvelous symbolism of a very misunderstood passage in the book of John is explained. It says in John 20, “Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.”

Many fanciful explanations have been made up about this, but the truth is revealed in what happened to Haman, when he was taken to be executed… they covered his face. The Law was to die. Christ died in fulfillment of the law. When He arose, the face covering was removed, and carefully folded. It was an intentional act of the Lord showing that the shame of death through Law had been removed for those who trust in Him.

The people of Israel, the Jews, even to this day, celebrate Purim, and yet they are celebrating the exact opposite of what they think they are celebrating. They curse Haman, stamp their feet, and howl wildly as his name is read, and yet, he simply pictures Law that they are still under. Until they come to Christ, Haman will continue to come after them to destroy, to be killed, and to be annihilated because of the ministry of death, meaning Law (2 Corinthians 3:7). Why do the Jews celebrate Purim? It is because of what pur signifies. It is a lot, a broken piece, and thus Purim, the plural of pur, signifies broken pieces. Pur means “to break,” “frustrate,” “make ineffectual,” “annul,” “bring to naught.” This is what Christ has done concerning our covenant with death according to Paul –

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

The Jews cling to the law, but it is Christ who has defeated that enemy. The law is annulled in Christ. This is the message of Purim.

At the opening of Chapter 8, the first verse says, “On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews.” The Gospel has prevailed and has received everything that Law possessed. This is certain because no definite article was placed in front of the word “house.” Instead, it said, beit haman, or “house of Haman.” It is comparable to speaking of the house of David, meaning not just a physical house, but everything associated with David. What belonged to Haman (Law), all which made him who he was, transferred to Esther (Gospel).

It is at this time, that the King took off His signet and gave it to Mordecai. Gospel has replaced Law; Christ has been exalted over the house of Law. But immediately Esther falls at the king’s feet mourning in tears for her people. It is at this time in the story that the dispensation of (6) Grace finds its true entrance. For a second time, the golden scepter was held out to her. The Gospel is evidenced at anytime, but it was only fully realized for us after the fulfillment of Law. The Promise to Abraham leads to the Grace through Faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus. The law cannot annul what had already been determined by God, As Paul says in Galatians –

“And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.” Galatians 3:17

Paul refers to the promise of Abraham as a “covenant.” He then says that the law cannot make it void. Likewise, the new covenant in Christ does not void the old covenant through Moses, but our death in Christ gives us a new life. In this, we are dead to Law and freed from it, and yet we are alive in the new covenant of Grace. Believe it or not, this is all seen right here in Esther. No law of God can be revoked, it must stand, including the Law of Moses, but He declares through the Gospel that the law is no longer in effect for all who are in Christ.

However, the law still has power over all who do not believe. The Jews are not out of hot water yet. They are sold to destruction by Law, even if Law is defeated. The date of their destruction is set, and it cannot be revoked. But Esther (Gospel) petitions the king for her people. There must be a way to save them. And so the King instructs Esther and Mordecai to use their signet authority. This is the reason for including the tribe from which Mordecai was from, Benjamin. It pictures what occurred. Benjamin was first named Ben-Oni, and then Benjamin. The Son of Suffering had become the Son of the Right hand. The signet of authority is His. And so He will use that authority in a remarkable way.

As I noted in Chapter 8, the word, tabaath, or signet was first used in Genesis 41:42 concerning the signet ring of Pharaoh. That was taken from his hand and granted to Joseph. It pictured the authority of Christ. After that, the same word was used to describe the rings for carrying the Ark of the Testimony in Exodus 25, which pictured the four gospels that reveal Christ. They are the link between the Old and New Testaments which speak of the coming Christ and the Christ who has come. They reveal His authority. The power and authority is found in the tabaath, or ring. Something Mordecai, picturing Christ, then uses.

The word issued by Haman (Law) is irrevocable. In this case it is a word which brings death. And yet, another word can be issued which will grant life. The king would not allow one word of reversal of the former command, but yet its power could be annulled through a new command.

The signet is the granting of all power and authority to Christ. The law is set, but He can still act without revoking the law. Though it is the dispensation of Grace, the focus is solely on the Jews, and Chapter 8 goes directly from the time of Christ’s first advent, to the tribulation period. The whole world, pictured by the Persian Empire, is set to destroy the Jews, but the Jews are now granted authority to defend themselves. It is a physical battle in Esther, but it as much pictures a spiritual one. The edict is issued is from Mordecai (Christ), and Esther (the Gospel), it is the New Covenant.

At the end of Chapter 8, Mordecai went out in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple. The colors are reminiscent of those used in the tabernacle. They signify the exaltation of Christ, the embodiment of the law, His righteousness, His deity, His purity, and His royalty granted because of His sacrifice.

The Jews of today are at enmity with Christ. They are under Law, and the time of their destruction has been decided. But in the Bible, the final books after Paul’s letters are directed to them, not to the Gentiles. Hebrews, James, and Peter specifically, and John and Jude to some extent. And then there is Revelation. Chapters 1-3 are written to the church, but verses 4:2-19:10 are written to the Jews of the end times.

The physical destruction which is coming against Israel is a given, but the spiritual revitalization of them in coming to Christ is also. The Jews will prevail over their enemies, but the highlight of the narrative focuses on a very particular group within Sushan – five hundred the first day, three hundred the second day, and the ten sons of Haman. The larger numbers were explained in Chapter 9, but what was the point of mentioning the death of the ten sons of Haman, and then their being hanged after they were dead?

The answer is exactly the same of that of hanging Haman. The ten sons of Haman are what issue from the giving of the law, the Ten Commandments. It is Esther, the Gospel, who says to hang the ten sons of Haman. It is the Gospel of Christ which demands our allegiance to Him as the fulfillment of the law, not to the law itself. Hanging Haman left the sons untouched for the Jews. While the church pursued Christ, the Jews pursued Law.

Despite issuing from the law, the Ten Commandments are the basis of it. As long as Law is the goal, and not Christ’s fulfillment of it, a spiritual battle will always exist. Israel today, whether observant or secular, finds its foundation in the law, summed up by the Ten Commandments. Until they find their true foundation in Christ, the fulfillment of this law, they will remain at enmity with God. The Ten Commandments sum up the Law; Christ embodies the law. It is Christ who died on the cross, and yet Paul said that it is the law, meaning Christ’s fulfillment of it, which is nailed to the cross.

People try so hard to find a distinction between a moral law and a civil law in the Law of Moses. The Bible never makes this distinction. One is either under law and under sentence, or they are in Christ, under grace, and free from condemnation. Those are the only two choices the Bible gives. Chapter 9, symbolizing the Tribulation period, is given to lead the Jews to this understanding. Until they come to that realization, tough times lay ahead for them. But that time will end. The new law which is written is that which was prophesied in Jeremiah 31. A New Covenant was promised to the house of Israel and the house of Judah, but it only comes into effect for them when they, as a national group, accept it.

If you take the last paragraph of Chapter 9, and simply think of what each person is picturing, it opens up the passage. When you read Esther, think of the Gospel. When you read Abihail, think of Possessor of Might, When you read Mordecai, think of Christ Jesus. The kingdom of Ahasuerus is the world, the second letter is the New Testament. In fact, what is the almost-constant greeting in the New Testament epistles? Well what does it say in Esther 9? “And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews, to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth.”

The one hundred and twenty-seven provinces picture the world. The New Testament epistles have gone out to the entire world, and they almost always begin with the word “peace,” and they always speak of Christ, who is the Truth. It is that word in Hebrew, emeth, or Truth, that we carefully analyzed in the last sermon. It is used 127 times in Scripture, just as there are 127 provinces. The Truth of Christ has gone out to the whole world – He is God; He did go to the cross, and He did shed His blood; He was, He is, He will be. All of this leads to what lies ahead for the Jews as a people, the (7) Millennial Reign of Christ, Chapter 10 of Esther.

King Ahasuerus pictures God, the ruler of the world, the greatness of Mordecai is the greatness of Christ Jesus, the second Member of the Godhead. It is the greatness of Mordecai which is highlighted in verse 2. He was advanced to his position of authority which was then recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia. There in verse 10:2 is the second and last us of the word parashah in the Bible. Someday, the Jews will no longer look to the Law for their readings, but to – as it says – the “account of the greatness of Mordecai,” meaning the glory of Christ.

As I noted, it is the first time they are called “Media and Persia” rather than “Persia and Media.” And that is in conjunction with the words, “the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia.” As we saw, Media is associated with the word madad, or measure. Persia signifies “Division(s).” Where there were divisions and then the measure, there is now the measure and then divisions. There is a harmony which has been realized which was previously lacking. Thus the name is stated this way to show this. It is a picture of the Bible, God’s measure (canon), followed by its divisions – Testaments, books, chapters, and verses.

In that verse are found the words forming the acrostic, “They were killed and destroyed, and also the dark anger was cured, until Myrtle and the Word is here.” It shows the power of the law which exists until the wrath is appeased in Christ. What is really impressive is that that words include the hadas, or myrtle. This is because it is where the name Hadassah, Esther’s Hebrew name, is derived from. Isaiah references the myrtle twice (41:19 and 55:13). In these references Old Dominion University notes that they then concern “the divine establishment of the people in the land in subjection to Jehovah.” They then note that “As an evergreen, fragrant shrub associated with watercourses, the myrtle is a fitting symbol of the recovery and establishment of God’s promises.”

Imagine that! “…the divine establishment of the people in the land in subjection to Jehovah.” That is exactly what has been anticipated since their inception as a people. They have cast off His rule since the beginning, but the time is coming when they, the Jews, will be subject to Him, because of Christ.

The hadas, or myrtle, is associated with watercourses. Just as there were watercourse running through Eden, there will be that again in the Millennium. Read Ezekiel 47 to brush up on that. The description of the myrtle could not be more perfect – a “symbol of the recovery and establishment of God’s promises.”

What is even more unusual is that the myrtle is never mentioned until the first captivity of the Jews, but then it is specifically said to be used in the building of the tabernacles in Nehemiah 8:15, even though this was not stated in Leviticus at the giving of the law. Thus, the myrtle is again seen to be a picture of restoration. Understanding this, it is to be noted that the only Feast of the Lord mandated for the time of the Millennium is the Feast of Tabernacles. It makes it all the more amazing that the myrtle is here mentioned in this acrostic.

Finally, the acrostic finishes with, “and the Word is here.” The Word of God (Christ) will be there, ruling among His people, symbolized by Mordecai who bears the authority of the king. And then that is topped off with the final acrostics of verse 3. The secret question is, “How many of them?” The answer is “Completely.” This is referring to all who enter the Millennium. All of them will be believers in Christ.

Secondly, the last acrostic in order says, b’shuvi shlomii, or “In My return is peace.” In His first coming, peace is offered, but it was not yet realized for Israel. However, in His return, there will be peace. Isaiah prophesied of it –

“Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:7

This is what is pictured in this final passage of Esther. It is an amazing journey that Israel has been on, and it will soon come to its fulfillment. The Lord has regathered this particular group of people back into their land, and there they shall face their enemies, both physical and spiritual. When they realize what they have missed for so long, they will openly mourn over the path they had chosen. But when the time of mourning is past, they will rejoice in their deliverance, and they will celebrate in a way that they have never celebrated before.

The years of trouble, the seemingly never-ending death sentence, and also the times of pride and boasting in their own accomplishments will be behind them. They will find that for those redeemed by Christ, the only boasting to be done is in Him. When they have vanquished their enemies, they won’t lay their hands on the plunder. Rather, they will acknowledge that it belongs to the Lord alone. It is His victory, and it is His honor to receive –

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

This is the story of man’s redemption, from tragic fall to final restoration, it is all about the One who came to make things right again. Esther is a snapshot of this from a time gone by, and yet looking forward to a time of glory which lies ahead. How great is this word which reveals such marvelous things!

Closing Verse: “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31

Next Week: Numbers 1:1-18 Starting another really great book, Booyah and Yes! (A Census in the Wilderness) (1^st Numbers sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. At times, you might feel as if he has no great design for you in life, but he has brought you to this moment to reveal His glory in and through you. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Greatness of Mordecai

And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land
And on the islands of the sea; so we understand

Now all the acts of his power and his might
And the account of the greatness of Mordecai
———-to which advanced him the king
Are they not written in the book of the chronicles
Of the kings of Media and Persia? Don’t they speak of this thing? 

For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus
And was great among the Jews
And well received by the multitude of his brethren
———-seeking the good of his people
And speaking peace to all his countrymen
———-sending out the good news

Lord God, thank You for Your presence that is with us
Even when we don’t realize that You are there
Because You sent Your own Son Jesus
We can know that You truly do care

And Lord God, thank you for this wonderful book
Esther! What a marvel to have studied it
Into every detail possible we took a look
And to You our thanks and praise we now submit!

Hallelujah to Christ our Lord!
Hallelujah for Esther, a marvelous part of Your superior word!

Hallelujah and Amen…

Esther 9:18-32
The Days of Purim

The 30^th Psalm is one which could have been written specifically for the circumstances which surrounded the Jews during the time of Esther. Though it was written by David many centuries earlier, it fits their situation so very well. Other than the several references to the Lord, which are lacking in Esther, the contents reflect going from hopelessness to joy and from utter defeat, to triumph.

And then again, the words reflect the life and times of Joseph, David himself, and of course, Jesus. Yes, David may have been writing about his own terrible plight, but there is no doubt he was prophesying about events in the life of the Lord.

And yet, the parallels don’t end there. The Jews endured many more such occasions in one form or another over the past 2000 years, culminating in the Holocaust, and followed by her reestablishment. But even that isn’t the end of the story. The book is written, and we know what is coming upon Israel in the future. In fact, it will be worse than anything yet. But, there will be an end to that too. When all seems hopeless, the Lord will once again deliver them, and they will once again sing in elation…

Text Verse: “I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.” Psalm 30:1

It’s a wonderful thing to contemplate, and yet its mournful to consider, what will lead up to their deliverance. How much better for them to just get on their knees and call out to the Lord now, before the times of real trouble arise. But, as I said, the book is written. What is coming must come and then Israel will be delivered. As Daniel says, “And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.”

All I can say is, “Thank God for Jesus.” He has taken away the prospect of such a terror for us. This doesn’t mean that we won’t face our own horror. A million and a half Armenians were destroyed by the Turks in the early 1900s. Countless other Christians have faced the same end at the hands of their foes, but unlike those who don’t know Christ, that isn’t the end for us. It is simply a step into a new beginning.

The terror of dying for humanity is that of an end, followed by eternal separation. There is no hope, no second chance, and only eternity to contemplate what was lost. Again, thank God for Christ Jesus. In Him there is hope, and there is a new beginning. Someday the whole world will find that out. For now, there are temporary victories leading to that final great Day when the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the oceans. It’s all heading there, and it is all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. From Sorrow to Joy (verses 18-25)

¹⁸ But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day, as well as on the fourteenth;

Today we begin our verses with the word, “But.” This then is showing us a contrast to the verse which we ended on in the last sermon. There it said, “This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.” Those Jews who defended themselves from their enemies, and who lived in the provinces, had fought on the thirteenth of the month, and they rested on the fourteenth of the month.

In contrast to that, we saw Esther’s petition to the king in verse 13, requesting that the Jews in Shushan be granted an additional day of fighting against their enemies. The king granted her petition, and so we now read of that to begin us today. Thus, the fighting was on both the thirteenth and the fourteenth of Adar. With that finished, they too, like those in the provinces, then celebrated the victory over their enemies by gathering together. It is the same verb as was used in verse 16. There is an assembly of the Jews, no longer to fight, but to rejoice…

^{18 (con’t)} and on the fifteenth of the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

They had rest from their enemies, and so now like those in the provinces, they enter into their rest, making it a day of mishteh v’simkhah, or “banqueting and joy.” Being a banqueting feast, the people brought out wine and celebrated abundantly. Because of this occurring a day later than the rest of the provinces, we next read…

¹⁹ Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar

The word “dwelt” should be in the present tense, “dwell.” It is speaking of the custom which arose out of the events described. Two rather rare, but almost identical, words are used here. The first is perazi, or “villages.” It is used only three times in the Bible, this being the last. The second is perazah, or “unwalled towns.” It also being used only three times, this being the first.

The first was used to speak of villages outside of Israel, specifically east of the Jordan, and then in the land of the Philistines, west of Israel proper. The second speaks of the land of Israel, and the city of Jerusalem of the distant future, our time now, when Israel would be a land of unwalled villages (Ezekiel 38), and Jerusalem would be likewise (Zechariah 2:4). For now, the Jews of the empire’s villages and unwalled towns celebrated on the fourteenth. In the apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees, it is recorded that this fourteenth day of Adar became known as “the day of Mordecai.” It is the main day on which the Jews celebrated…

^{19 (con’t)} with gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and for sending presents to one another.

Again as before, the time is described as one of joy and of banqueting. The term “holiday” doesn’t necessarily mean they took holidays. Rather, the Hebrew says, “and a good day.” Thus whether working or not, it is to be a day of celebration. On this day, they would send out manah, or portions, to one another, usually meaning sweet cakes and the like. In this verse, there is a complete contrast to that of verse 4:3, which said –

“And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.”

The mourning had turned to joy, the weeping and wailing had turned into banqueting, and the sackcloth and ashes were replaced with the sending of gifts of food to one another. This then is similar to the response found in Revelation 11:10 after the killing of the two witnesses, where it says, “And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.” This remains the custom of those in the middle east today and it will, as you see, continue on in the end times.

²⁰ And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus,

The verse begins with va’yiktov mordecai eth ha’devarim he’elleh, or “And wrote Mordecai the words, the these.” It seems straightforward enough, but scholars are at war as to what “these things” refers to. Is it what has occurred, or what he will now convey. If it is what occurred, does it comprise the book of Esther up to this point, or the events of the past few days which will lead to what will next be stated? Whatever it is referring to, it is a letter by the second highest in the land to all of his people. As you can see, what seems obvious at first does get complicated with a bit of study. In the end, the result comes out the same, a commemoration is forthcoming…

²¹ to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar,

The reason for this seems clear. The Jews in the provinces fought on one day and celebrated the next. On the other hand, the Jews in Shushan fought on two days and celebrated on the third. In order to bring conformity to annual celebrations of this day, Mordecai establishes two days of celebration. It seems, based on this, that the “these things” of the previous verse were the details of what had occurred. They are thus presented as justification to all who were unaware of the events in Shushan for holding a two-day festival.

²² as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies,

It is not the days of fighting which are celebrated, but the days of resting. The Jews in the country rested on the 14^th, and the Jews in Shushan rested on the 15^th. These days of rest are combined into one celebration. It is a pattern set at creation. God labored and then rested, thus He sanctified the seventh day. Later, for Israel, the Sabbath was instituted as a day of rest in commemoration of that (Exodus 20:11). But it was also instituted as a day of rest based on their deliverance from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15). The celebration of Purim follows both patterns, rest after labors, and rest after deliverance.

^{22 (con’t)} as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday;

Again, we see in these words the stark contrast between the mourning and wailing in sackcloth and ashes of the initial announcement by Haman, and the joy and celebration of what finally occurred. God took that which was evil, and turned it around for good.

^{22 (con’t)} that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor.

The intent of Mordecai’s letter was to establish a remembrance of what occurred. In order to solidify that, the days were to become special days, with more than just a memory of what happened, but an active participation in the day. Thus, each year, the people would come to anxiously anticipate the celebration. And so, the commemoration each year was to follow what occurred on the first occasion – feasting, joy, and sending portions of food. And one extra expectation is given, that of sending gifts to the poor. The obvious reason for this addition is that all Jews were delivered, and thus all Jews, even the poor, should be able to participate in, and celebrate, what occurred.

In this verse is the last use of mishteh, or banqueting, in Esther. Out of 46 uses in the Old Testament, 20 of them have been seen in Esther. It is remarkable when considering the size of the book. But it shows the importance of banqueting to the turning of events in the story, and thus in history itself. And so, a festival of banqueting is appropriate to remember this fact. One can picture the words of Isaiah in the joy of the Jews here. In Isaiah 25:6, the mishteh, or banquet, is seen twice. Compare the story of Esther, and see how it fits well into Isaiah’s prophecy of the future –

And in this mountain
The Lord of hosts will make for all people
A feast of choice pieces,
A feast of wines on the lees,
Of fat things full of marrow,
Of well-refined wines on the lees.
⁷ And He will destroy on this mountain
The surface of the covering cast over all people,
And the veil that is spread over all nations.
⁸ He will swallow up death forever,
And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;
The rebuke of His people
He will take away from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.
⁹ And it will be said in that day:
“Behold, this is our God;
We have waited for Him, and He will save us.
This is the Lord;
We have waited for Him;
We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:6-9

²³ So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them,

The custom would be remembered for a year, or a few years, and then it is possible that it would be slowly forgotten. Further, for those who celebrated, they would remember the day of their rest – be it the 14^th or the 15^th. In order to have all join in a united celebration, and in order that the day would never dwindle away, Mordecai wrote to them of the things that occurred and to remember them in this special way, year by year. It says here that they Jews accepted this, receiving it as a permanent custom. And the reason now given is…

²⁴ because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them,

Here, the entire title of Haman is given. He is the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and he is the enemy of the Jews. It is also the last time that he will be mentioned in the Bible. In a short recap, we are reminded that it is he who had plotted against the Jews in order to annihilate them, but instead, it is he who saw annihilation.

^{24  (con’t)} and had cast Pur (that is, the lot), to consume them and destroy them;

This takes us back to Chapter 3, where Haman had cast the pur, or the lot, in order to set a date for the destruction of the Jews. He may have known that the Lord is the God of the Jews, but what he probably was unaware of is what that meant concerning lots –

“The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.” Proverbs 16:33

As a sort of ironic twist of the Hebrew, the word hamam or, consume, is used here – l’humam u-l’abedam – to consume them and destroy them. Hamam is a word almost always used to speak of an action coming directly from the Lord in order to throw His enemies into confusion. It is probably being used here as a play on the name of Haman. “Haman tried to hamam the Jews, but instead Haman got ‘hamam’d’ by the Lord.” This is seen next…

²⁵ but when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

The name Esther is inserted here, and it seems out of place to do this. It is more likely speaking of the matter itself – “And when the matter was brought before the king.” Once the truth was brought to his attention, the action necessary to rectify the situation was commanded. Interestingly, and in accord with using the word hamam in the previous verse, it doesn’t give the details about the deliverance of the Jews, but instead, it deals with the plot itself and how it was turned back on Haman and his sons. One can infer divine retribution is the intent of the words here.

A celebration of the foe’s defeat!
A time to rest in the work accomplished
A time when the Ruler reigns from His royal seat
Now there is peace; war and strife is abolished

Here we relax and rejoice in what has been done
In this place there is peace and rest
Who can steal our joy? We looked and there is none
We are no longer downtrodden; no longer oppressed

The days of working for peace and rest
Have now passed behind; they are no more
In garments of luxury we now find ourselves dressed
We have arrived on that marvelous, peaceful shore

II. Words of Peace and Truth (verses 26-32)

²⁶ So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur.

This one verse both looks backward and then forward. First, it looks backward to what has been said and gives a name based on that, Purim. The Jews gave the Persian word pur their own Hebrew plural, calling the celebration Purim. The im is simply like an “s” on one of our words as a plural marker. The verse also looks forward to what will be said with the next words…

^{26 (con’t)} Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had happened to them,

The word “letter” here is iggereth. It is completely different than the other seven times the word “letter” or sepher, has been used so far in Esther. It signifies a letter, such as an epistle. The three thoughts are combined into one whole. “The words of this letter” refers to what Mordecai had written. “What they had seen” refers to the events of Providence that had come to pass before their eyes. And, “what had happened to them” refers to the deliverance based on those events. These three give the reason that…

²⁷ the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year, according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time,

Verse 26, leading into verse 27, introduces our final set of two’s in the book. It is the two letters instituting the commemoration of Purim. The first is here, written by Mordecai. The second is written by Esther & Mordecai in verse 29. They contrast, and yet they confirm the instructions for the observance of the celebration at their appointed time, year by year, and wherever the Jews were.

Purim is more than just a voluntary annual celebration of remembrance, but a self-imposed time of remembrance. Mordecai gave the instructions; they were accepted and the self-imposition of them became a resulting custom from that time on. It was to become, and indeed it is, as firm a date of remembrance as the Passover. All Jews, their descendants, and any who would join them – generally meaning proselytes – observe the days. This is seen as we continue…

²⁸ that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.

An obvious question arises from the establishment of Purim. “Is it of divine origin, or is it of human origin?” The story is given in the book of Esther, a book of the Bible, but the imposition of the celebration came from a Jew and not only a Jew, but one of the dispersion. It seems hardly likely that the Jews in Israel would feel the need to add something to their culture and life that came from someone who wasn’t a prophet or a priest. But it was accepted.

As Mordecai was second to the king, and as the land of Israel was subject to the laws of Persia, and as there was nothing but good which had come from the matter, it was accepted as Mordecai had written. Thus, it was of human origin. However, it is as clear as it can be that the Lord had directed the events – from beginning to end – in order to bring about the Jew’s deliverance. Therefore, it is implicitly of divine origin, and certainly divinely sanctioned.

And this is all the more relevant because it is notable that Nisan is the first month of the year in Israel’s redemptive calendar. The last month is Adar. In both months, the 14^th and 15^th of the month are considered special days. Nisan 14 is the Passover, and the 15^th is the first day of Unleavened Bread. Adar 14^th and 15^th are now made special commemorations. The first recognized Israel’s redemption from Egypt. The second recognizes deliverance from the enemies of God’s people. The redemptive year thus opens and closes in recognition of the Lord’s hand in the preservation of His people.

Finally, as the proverbs showed us, the Lord directs the lot. Therefore, the days are not accidental, but purposeful. The unseen hand of the Lord guided the events which led to a national proclamation that the days of Purim would not cease. Therefore, wherever a Jew is, and throughout his generations, the day is to be remembered as a day of deliverance.

²⁹ Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim.

Here we have an interesting verse. It reads literally, “Then wrote Esther the queen, daughter of Abihail; and Mordecai the Jew, with all authority, to confirm letter the Purim the this, the second.” Esther is suddenly brought back into the narrative, and she is writing the letter along with Mordecai. She is not only named, but so is the name of her father. That hasn’t been seen since verse 2:15. The story is highlighting that Esther is the daughter of Abikhayil, or Possessor of Might. This is followed up with “Mordecai the Jew,” instead of just “Mordecai.”

And then it says that they have kal toqeph or “full power.” The word toqeph is new here. It will be seen twice in Esther, and once in Daniel. They are granted the full power, or authority, to confirm a second letter about Purim. The word “letter” here is the same as in verse 26, iggereth. This is the last time it is used in the Bible. The words of the verse are widely translated, and scholars debate over what the true meaning is of what is being relayed.

But because of the use of this word, iggereth, it appears that the first letter is that of Mordecai in verse 26, and now a second letter is being issued by Esther, along with Mordecai. This then closes out our final set of two’s in the book – the two letters instituting the commemoration of Purim. The first was in verses 26 & 27, written by Mordecai. The second is here, written by Esther and Mordecai. They contrast, and yet they confirm the instructions for the observance of the celebration at their appointed time, year by year, and wherever the Jews find themselves.

³⁰ And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews, to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,

These are not copies of the letter which was just written, but they are letters which would accompany that letter. It is a different word here, sepher instead of iggereth. It then explains why Mordecai is mentioned in the previous verse. Esther and Mordecai wrote the letter, and with it are accompanying letters which then go out to all 127 provinces in the kingdom. As it says, they are letters with words of shalom v’emeth, or “of peace and truth.”

What this may mean is that the letters began with a salutation which said something like, “Peace and truth to you who receive this.” Or, it could mean that the substance of the words were both friendly in nature and sincere in content. Interestingly, and as a squiggle for your brain, the word emeth is used, like the 127 provinces of the kingdom, 127 times in the Old Testament. And so we should stop here and evaluate the symbolic meaning of the word emeth, or truth –

TRUTH in Hebrew is אמת (emeth – aleph, mem, tav)
1. Aleph means Strength and points to God
2. Tav means A Mark and points to the Cross
3. Mem is in center of the Alphabet
4. Mem is a pictograph of Water and it means Blood
5. The entire word EMET is symmetrical in the alphabet.
6. God – Blood – Cross.
7. Jesus = TRUTH.
8. He was, He is, He will be.

³¹ to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them, and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants

The three verbs, “confirm,” “prescribe,” and “decree,” are all from the same Hebrew word. The word means “to stand,” and thus it signifies “fixing,” or “establishing.” The letters of Mordecai confirmed what was prescribed by both himself and Esther concerning the days of Purim – when it should be held, how it should be observed, and so on.

^{31 (con’t)} concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting.

These words completely dumbfound scholars. First, the word fasting is plural. It should say, “fastings.” Some claim the words are a later insertion, some claim they are speaking of fasting and mourning on the thirteenth of the month, known as “Esther’s Fast.” Others just ignore any context and ramble on about the state of Esther and Mordecai when they first got the bad news about the annihilation of the Jews, and how that should be continued on by the Jews in the future.

What is probably correct, is that the “matters of their fastings and lamenting” has nothing at all to do with Purim. Instead, it is speaking of what is noted in Zechariah 7:5 –

“Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?” Zechariah 7:5

The Jews already had customary times of fastings and lamenting, as during their time of exile. They are not biblically mandated, but were customary times of mourning, just as “Holocaust Remembrance Day” is observed today in Israel. The days of Purim are now being tied in with those times of fastings and lamenting as customs to be observed by the Jews. Unlike those, however, Purim was always to be observed, and by all people.

*³² So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book.

Esther was given authority to confirm the matters of Purim, something pertaining only to the Jews, by a command. After that was accomplished, the details were written ba’sepher, or in the book. The question is, “What book?” Some say it is the book of Esther, but that is not a natural way for a Hebrew author to refer to a book he is writing in. Others think it might be a book used as a basis for the book of Esther which has not been preserved. But what is probably correct is that it is speaking of the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Persia and Media. It has already been described this way four times in Esther, and there is no reason to assume that it isn’t the same here.

As a point of note, the maamar, or decree, of Esther is the same word as was used concerning King Ahasuerus towards Vashti in verse 1:15. It is a command. This is its third and last use in the Bible. And as a curious finishing note to the verse and the Chapter, Catholic Bibles, such as the Latin Vulgate and the Douay-Rheims, translate this verse in the most odd manner. They say, “And all things which are contained in the history of this book, which is called Esther.” That is so far from the Hebrew that it had to be intentional.

It may be that because the word maamar, or command, is coming from a woman, they intentionally changed the wording so that it could not conflict with later instructions in the Bible about women not having authority over men. If that is the case, as I suspect, that is a terribly stupid reason for changing the word of God.

Deborah was a Judge of Israel; and despite the circumstances, there was one ruling queen, Athaliah, in Jerusalem for a while. She eventually got whacked and things got back on the right path, but the Bible is a record of what occurred, and what was said, regardless of the propriety of the situation. Translations of the Bible need to reflect what is said, not what one desires for it to say.

We now have one chapter, of three verses, left to go. What will come out in that sermon was still yet unknown at my time of typing this sermon. Like Jonah, I hadn’t got my mind made up in advance, and I can only present to you what the Lord will reveal as I contemplate what has been presented in these past nine chapters.

For now, what I can tell you, is that I hope you are much better informed on the book than when we started. If nothing else, we have reviewed every verse and every sentence with a view to the hidden Lord who is still clearly evident in its pages. He is, after all, the main Subject of all of Scripture. What we need to do now, and at all times as we read the word, is to think on Him, on His plan of redemption, and on what lies ahead for Israel as a people, and for us as a body, in that plan. With these things in mind, the Lord will continue to open our minds and reveal Himself to us.

As we have seen since Chapter 1, His attention is on what is happening, He is there – directing the events, and what seems clearly hopeless, is actually a chance for the Lord to shine through all the more at the end. Imagine the pain of the those who walked with Christ as they saw Him crucified. The darkness which must have covered their hearts would have been unimaginable. And yet, despite the greatest moment of pitch black they had ever encountered, there shown forth the most resplendent light they could ever have imagined.

This is what we too need to focus on as we hit those black, dark moments in our own lives. Children may be as lost as the prodigal son, marriages may be torn and destroyed, finances may be completely used up, but these things can never cover the light which lies ahead for the redeemed of the Lord. Israel went from sackcloth and ashes to feasting and joy. So too will we at the end of this difficult road, if we just profess faith in Christ. He’s already gone before us to open the doors and prepare the table. Let us follow Him until we pass through and sit down to dine, rejoicing in His marvelous presence for countless ages to come.

Closing Verse: “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
¹² To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Psalm 30:11, 12

Next Week: Esther 10:1-3 Really powerful and famous was this guy… (The Greatness of Mordecai) (13^th Esther Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. At times, you might feel as if he has no great design for you in life, but he has brought you to this moment to reveal His glory in and through you. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Days of Purim

But the Jews who were at Shushan
Assembled together on the thirteenth day
———-as well as on the fourteenth, after great success
And on the fifteenth of the month they rested
And made it a day of feasting and gladness

Therefore the Jews of the villages
Who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day
———-whoo hoo! O brother!
Of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting
As a holiday, and for sending presents to one another

And Mordecai wrote these things
And sent letters to all the Jews, near and far
Who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus
To establish among them that they should celebrate yearly
———-the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 

As the days on which the Jews
Had rest from their enemies, hip hip hooray
As the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them
And from mourning to a holiday

That they should make them days of feasting and joy, for sure
Of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor

So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun
As Mordecai had written to them, with this good news
Because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite
The enemy of all the Jews

Had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them
And had cast Pur (that is, the lot)
To consume them and destroy them
But when Esther came before the king
———-he commanded by letter that this wicked plot…

Which Haman had devised against the Jews
Should return on his own head
And that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows
There they hung, eleven of them dead

So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur
Therefore, because of all the words of this letter
What they had seen concerning this matter
And what had happened to them; how things turned for the better

The Jews established and imposed it
Upon themselves and their descendants far and near
And all who would join them
That without fail they should celebrate these two days every year

According to the written instructions
And according to the prescribed time, with happy elation
That these days should be remembered
And kept throughout every generation

Every family, every province, and every city
That these days of Purim should not fail
———-to be observed among the Jews
And that the memory of them should not perish
Among their descendants, but should be kept alive this happy news

Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail
With Mordecai the Jew
Wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim
This thing he did do

And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews
To the provinces one hundred and twenty-seven
Of the kingdom of Ahasuerus
With words of peace and truth, words without leaven

To confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time
As Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther for them had prescribed
And as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants
Concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting
———-as they had described

So the decree of Esther these matters of Purim confirmed
And it was written in the book; thus it was affirmed

Lord God, thank You for Your presence that is with us
Even when we don’t realize that You are there
Because You sent Your own Son Jesus
We can know that You truly do care

And so Lord, be real to us in a wonderful new way
Open our minds and our hearts to seeing You always
Through every step we take, and throughout every day
Be real to us, O God, and to You will shall give all of our praise

Hallelujah and Amen…

Esther 9:1-17
Rest From Their Enemies

The verses today speak of rest twice. But there is a difference in what they are saying, as you will see. There is a place of rest, and there is a state of rest. The two are not the same, but they can be united when the conditions are right.

I live in a really nice place because my grandfather moved to where we are 70 years ago. It was his place of rest, even though he continued to work for many years after arriving there. My dad found that it suited him well, and he stayed. Even though he also continued to work, he had a place of rest.

And now, I live on that same beautiful island. It is a place of rest, but I assure you that I don’t get much rest. The mornings are early, the days are long, the dogs are many, and the grass never seems to stop growing. Add in four part-time jobs and full-time work for the church (times 27.3628) and rest, even when I’m asleep, isn’t a state of rest.

And yet, I have the same place of rest that dad and grandpa enjoyed. I hope that each of you has a place that you can call your place of rest, even if you haven’t yet begun to rest. But more than a house, I would hope you have found the true Place of rest…

Text Verse:  “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. ³ For we who have believed do enter that rest.” Hebrews 4:2, 3

What does this have to do with the book of Esther? Well, there is rest, and then there is a place of rest. The Bible says that for those who have believed in the gospel, they have entered their rest. I’m guessing that most of you have done this thing. And yet, I’m pretty sure that most of you also have lots to do from day to day. Is your Place of rest in Christ a respite from your labors? Surely it is so. And yet you still have work to do in Christ. Paul speaks about that in his epistles. Ephesians 6 is a great place to see that even though we have entered our rest, there is on-going work to do, and it is more than just mowing the lawn, it is an on-going battle. Someday the battle will end.

Israel found that out for a short time during the reign of the Persian empire. They will find it out in a more complete way some wondrous day ahead. We already know it is true, and we are just waiting on the day it occurs. These are truths which are to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Fear of Mordecai (verses 1-5)

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed.

As has been seen several other times with verses in the book of Esther, this opening verse of Chapter 9 is a long one. Several clauses preceded the actual narrative, thus setting up a suspenseful period of waiting between what occurred in Chapter 8, and what will occur in Chapter 9. Each additional word introduced adds to that suspense, and it makes the reader eagerly anticipate what will come about on the date set by the ruling edict.

This is especially suspenseful because nothing of the intervening months is spoken of. In verse 8:12, the giving of the date for the coming events was cited, and that was followed by a few verses concerning the transmission of the edict and the joy which accompanied it. Now, immediately after that, the date cited in the edict has arrived. It is the situation of this eagerly-anticipated date which is next described…

^1 (con’t) On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them,

The word translated as “hoped” is sabar. It is derived from a primitive root meaning “to scrutinize.” Thus, by implication, it signifies “to wait expectantly.” One can see the subjects of the kingdom who were hoping to enrich themselves off of the plunder of the Jews almost drooling at the chance to do so.

These Jews had moved into their area, established themselves, kept separate from them, and had probably become wealthy. Now, the people envied what they had not worked for, and they eagerly anticipated taking that which they had not earned. It is a story repeated often in the history of the Jewish people, and it is a story which is also often repeated in the history of the shiftless of many societies who desire to have what they are unwilling to earn.

In the case of these enemies of the Jews, the Bible next uses the word shalat, meaning “to domineer over” or “be empowered.” They had a royal decree which allowed them to take by force from those who had earned, and they hungrily waited to do so. Again, it is no different than any governmental decree which would redistribute from those who earn, to those who are unwilling to do so. The desire for unmerited gain leads to forceful seizure.

This is the state of things on the 13^th day of the 12^th month of Adar. The Persian empire had been anticipating this day, wondering who would prevail. The day had arrived, and the outcome was finally realized with the words…

^1 (con’t) the opposite occurred,

The word is haphak. It means “to turn,” or “overturn.” Translations seem to revel in finding new ways of describing the marvelous turning of what was hoped for – the tables were turned; just the opposite happened; quite the opposite happened; but it turned out the opposite happened; the exact opposite happened; the reverse occurred; it was turned to the contrary; but instead, the Jews turned things around; things were turned around; contrary to expectations; the case being altered; and finally, “and it is turned.” The variety of translations shows the eager attempt by the translators to capture the epitome of the irony which occurred, which was…

^1 (con’t) in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.

The same word for “overpowered” which was just used of the hope of the enemies, shalat, is used again here. Those looking for a bunch of freebies at the Jews’ expense, wouldn’t find what they were hoping for. They were looking to overpower the Jews and profit off of labors which they had not earned, but instead they were overpowered by the Jews. The apple cart had been upturned, the dice had been rolled and come up amiss, and the trap they had set instead sprang up and ensnared them. And the reason was because of the allowances of Mordecai’s second edict…

² The Jews gathered together in their cities

This was exactly what was authorized in verse 8:11 – “…the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together.” As a point of clarification, the term “their cities” means the cities wherever they lived, not cities which were Jewish cities.

^2 (con’t) throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus

The implication of the words here is that the Jews remained scattered, literally, throughout the entire kingdom. There were 127 provinces, and the wording points to a dispersion of the Jews throughout all of them. This then is one of the punishments promised to the people of Israel for disobedience. In Deuteronomy 28:64, it says, “Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other.” The dispersion recorded here confirms the words of the Lord found in the books of Moses.

^2 (con’t) to lay hands on those who sought their harm.

It is debated among scholars whether this was defensive only, or offensive. The reason for this is that some scholars attempt to justify a more moral stand by the Jews by merely defending themselves and not being those who would take the offense in such matters. However, the wording of the edict, and the wording found later in this chapter, both allow and confirm offensive fighting on the part of the Jews once they are threatened.

It has been, and it continues to be a trait of the Jewish people to defend themselves as needed, but to also go on the offense as the situation demands. Nothing is wrong with this, and there is no reason to see this as wrongdoing. It is the standard practice of all wise people groups throughout history.

^2 (con’t) And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people.

The scholar Brenz states of these words, “We have above such an example in Haman, who was himself hung on the cross which he had prepared for Mordecai. So the Egyptians were themselves overwhelmed in the sea to which they had driven the Israelites in order to overwhelm them. So also Saul, who had driven David over to the Philistines, that they might destroy him, was himself destroyed by the Philistines.”

He is correct. These, and numerous other such episodes are recorded in Scripture and in history. It is assured that the enemies of God who attempt to destroy His people are the ones who are ultimately converted, or they are destroyed in a manner similar to that in which they intended. This cannot be equated with karma, but with divine retribution in a like for like manner.

³ And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

The list of these officials includes pretty much all of the government officials in the kingdom from the top all the way down. They are said to have “helped” the Jews, but the Hebrew word used is literally translated as “lifted up.” In other words, they would have given support as needed – be it encouragement, praise, government assistance as necessary, material support, and so on. They had the backing of the regional and local officials in order to assure their success.

And the reason for this lifting up is explicitly stated in the words, ki naphal pakhad mordecai alehem, or “because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.” This is the explicitly stated reason. He was the highest ruler in the land behind the king himself, and he held governmental authority over their jobs and their livelihood.

However, there are also two other reasons for this. The first is obviously that it has become known that Esther was Jewish. Though this is unstated, it would have not harmed their cause at all. And the second reason is just as certain. The Lord had directed the events to occur as they had. We have already been told in verse 8:17 that many became Jews because of the edict which was published by Mordecai. The fear of the unseen God who directed the affairs of the Jews would have been present in the people’s minds, even if it was a subliminal presence. The Lord has directed, and the people were affected by His guiding hand, whether they realized it or not.

As a squiggle for your brain, the words here include the last use of the word akharshdarpan, or satrap in the Bible. It was seen once in Ezra and three times here. Now it is toast. But as a great biblical fun-fact, it is spelled here with a connecting letter, vav, thus making it tied for the longest word in the Old Testament, containing eleven letters. Two others words are this long. One is found in Ezekiel 7, and the other is in Ezekiel 16. As far as the fear of Mordecai on these people, the next verse says…

⁴ For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace,

Three clauses in this one verse show us the level of greatness which Mordecai had attained. First, he was “great in the king’s palace.” That is a  note of distinguish, but it doesn’t necessarily signify anything more. There are people who are considered great in the president’s cabinet, but they remain obscure beyond that point. There were seven royal counselors to the king of Persia, but their names may not have been known outside of the citadel of Shushan. However, with Mordecai it says…

^4 (con’t) and his fame spread throughout all the provinces;

Mordecai wasn’t just a powerful figure within the main government, but his authority, and certainly his leadership skills, caused his fame to spread throughout all of the provinces of the empire. The word “fame” here is the Hebrew shoma. It is rather rare, being seen just four times. It gives the sense of being known through having been heard of. In other words, the fame of Mordecai came because of the words spoken of him. The very name when spoken was one which was esteemed. And as a result…

^4 (con’t) for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent.

The verse began with ki gadol mordecai – “for (was) great Mordecai. Now it ends with ki ha’ish mordecai howlek v’gadol – “for this man Mordecai went and great.” It is taking the words of the first clause and turning them into a superlative. He increased; he became greater and greater, even to great prominence. In America, he would be the person most likely to be nominated for the next president of the nation. It is because of the great prominence of Mordecai that…

⁵ Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

The verse consists solely of three verbs and eight nouns. Two words are used here for the first time. The first is the noun form, hereg, of a more familiar verb. It indicates “a slaughter.” The second word is abdan, found only here in the Bible. It is also a noun, signifying “a destruction.” One can hear its similarity to Abaddon, or the proper name of the place of destruction mentioned in Revelation 9.

In using these nouns, it shows that they did more than just strike, slaughter, and destroy. They accomplished a stroke, resulting in slaughter and destruction. Their work was complete in its intended scope. In this, they had complete control over the battle against those whom they fought.

This verse is also an implicit reference to the futility of divination in order to meet one’s goals. The entire premise of Haman’s casting of the pur, or lot, was to determine the most advantageous day for the destruction of the Jews. And yet, on that supposedly advantageous day, the Jews gained the victory. In this, the attempts of those who try to conjure up designs against the Lord and His plans are shown to be worthless.

This verse brings in another set of two’s in the book. It is the two times which are authorized for the Jews to take vengeance on their enemies in the citadel of Shushan. This one will go from here until verse 12, and then the next will go from verse 13 through verse 15. The two contrast, in that one was in response to a royal edict mandating the destruction of the Jews, and one was not, but the two confirm that the enemies of the Jews will be destroyed completely and sufficiently according to what God has ordained.

He is great in the palace of the King
And those He favors rejoice in His royal authority
Peace and joy to those He favors does He bring
He protects His people, even against an evil majority

His people shall prevail; they shall be set free
And in freedom they shall find peace and rest
None shall them assail; He will defend gloriously
Even when His people are from all sides oppressed

Great is He in the palace of the King
Great is His splendor and His royal authority
Happiness and contentment to His people He shall bring
And it is they who will forevermore be in the majority

II. Victory Over the Enemy (verses 6-17)

⁶ And in Shushan the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.

The word birah, or citadel, is used, but it certainly indicates the city in which the citadel resides. There would be no tolerance for bloodshed within the citadel, and with 500 killed, it means that more than double that would have been involved. Thus, it is expressive of the city proper, not merely the citadel.

Of this verse, Adam Clarke states, “It is strange that in this city, where the king’s mind must have been so well known, there should be found five hundred persons to rise up in hostility against those whom they knew the king befriended!” This would only be strange if one assumes, as Adam Clarke does elsewhere, that these people first rose against the Jews, and that the Jews were not the aggressors. However, there is nothing to indicate this.

Haman was an Amalekite. It is to be presumed that throughout the empire, Amalekites were dispersed, just as the Jews were. The ancient enmity meant that on this day, it was “kill or be killed.” Both factions had every reason to use this day, authorized by the king in separate edicts, to destroy one another. The prophecy against Amalek would be fulfilled, and a part of that fulfillment was to come about through the events of the book of Esther.

The enemies of God, and the people of God, are in a great struggle until the end. Each will take every opportunity to destroy the other until the battle is complete. Thus, in Shushan alone, five hundred of the Jew’s enemies were killed and destroyed. The number 500 is the product of 10 and 50. Ten is the perfection of Divine order, and 50 is the number of Jubilee, or deliverance. Thus we have in this a picture of God’s Divine order being worked out in the deliverance of the Jews. This includes the destruction of an entire family of Amalekites…

⁷ Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,

The first three sons of Haman. All three are only named here. The only name that can be identified with a meaning is Dalphon. His name is possibly tied to the Hebrew dalaph, to weep or to drip.

⁸ Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,

The three names here are all found only this once in the Bible. They are of Persian origin, and their meanings are uncertain or dubious at best.

⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha—

These final names are all found only this once in the Bible as well. Like the others, they are of Persian origin, and their meanings are uncertain, or dubious at best.

It should be noted that in the Hebrew Bible, the names of these ten sons are written not right to left as is normal, but each name is written one below the next vertically. It is an unusual occurrence and various reasons have been suggested for this. One is to give prominence to their names, thus facilitating their computation (Keil). Another is that it signifies that they were hanged on the one pole, one above another at fixed distances. This makes sense. Being written one on top of the other, as if arranged on a single pole, thus it gives special credence to the actual height of Haman’s gallows, and that all ten could have been hung from it in this way.

Additionally, there are several unusually sized letters in their names. In the Masoretic Text, letters found in the second, seventh, and tenth names are made smaller than the others. And the first letter of the last name is written larger than the others. It is a curiosity that many have attempted to find secret meaning in.

The most common interpretation of this is that the small letters represent the year 707 (“tav shin zain” equals 707) of the sixth millennium (represented by the large “vav” which equals 6). Thus you have the Jewish date 5707, or 1946 by the civil calendar.

It is on 1 October, 1946 – 6 Tishrei 5707 on the Jewish calendar – that the Nuremberg Military Tribunal tried ten Nazis and sentenced them to death by hanging for their modern “Hamanism.” One of them, the notorious Julius Streiker, even is said to have cried “Purim-Fest 1946” as his cryptic last words. There are several problems with this. First, there are actually four small letters, including two small tav’s in the names, not one. Thus, this is a “choose what you want to make something that doesn’t actually exist” scenario. Secondly, various other manuscripts give different letters which are smaller. And thirdly, they were hung for more than just crimes against the Jews, but for all sorts of war crimes, and others from WWII were hung for war crimes as well. In this, we find the common error of people looking for the Bible to fit an account, rather than an account fitting the details of the Bible. I will explain the meaning of the hanging of these ten in our final sermon.

¹⁰ the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews—they killed;

Here, the ten named individuals are noted for their connection to Haman, and Haman is noted with his connection to his own father, Hammedatha. The link between them is Haman, noted as “the enemy of the Jews. It can be surmised that the ten sons of Haman had attempted to take revenge for the death of their father, but that only turned back on their own heads as well.

All ten died in the process. As ten is the number of perfection of Divine order, there appears in this, the thought of the perfection of Divine order, even in the destruction of these sons of Haman. As hard as that may be for us to imagine, it appears that such is the case. Their destruction fit a particular part of God’s plan for the preservation of the Jews, a plan which went so far and no further. This is seen in the next words…

^{10 (con’t)} but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

The Jews, according to the edict, had a right to plunder their enemies, but they chose to not exercise this right. They merely sought deliverance from their foes, and vengeance upon their enemies, nothing more. The battle was not one for profit or plunder, but for protection and self-preservation. In this, nobody could accuse them of profiting off of what had occurred. This precedent was seen in their forefather Abraham many centuries earlier –

“But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, ²³ that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— ²⁴ except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.’” Genesis 14:22-24

¹¹ On that day the number of those who were killed in Shushan the citadel was brought to the king.

The record of those lost in battle is normally meticulously recorded. Such is the case here. Despite being an internal war, the number of subjects lost would be important to the king to know the state of the empire, what type of animosity existed, and if something more was needed to correct the matter. What is striking, however, is that only the number of non-Jews is recorded. The number of Jews having died is not mentioned…

¹² And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman.

After being informed of the scope of the slaughter in Shushan, the king passes the details on to Esther. As reports within the kingdom which stretched from India to Ethiopia would take up to even weeks to arrive, he can only mentally calculate what the total number of subjects who died would be. Assuming a similar amount in the other 127 provinces, and probably an even greater number in the land of Canaan, he then proceeds with…

^{12 (con’t)} What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces?

It is either a rhetorical question for Esther to ponder the magnitude of the slaughter, or it is an exclamatory statement to highlight the same. Either way, the king has shown the greatness of the engagement in the citadel alone before making an offering for even greater allowances for his queen and her people…

^{12 (con’t)} Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done.”

The king indicates that he has fully and sufficiently granted her request and given her all that she had hoped for, but he graciously then offers her even more with the words, “what is your further request?” This offer of the desires of her heart, is because what had been determined by Haman was as much his fault as Haman’s. Now, with the first edict over and dispensed with, thus meeting his initial repentance through Mordecai’s edict, he offers her the granting of an altogether new request, not based on any type of retribution at all. Thus, the first grant to her was one of mercy, while this one is a grant of special favor, of grace.

The word baqqashah, or request has been seen eight times, once in Ezra and seven here in Esther. We will now retire it from the Bible with the playing of taps. Or rather, we will just bit it goodbye and go on to the next verse.

¹³ Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today’s decree,

Some scholars are particularly horrified at Esther’s request, finding it hard to imagine that a woman would have such an attitude and such a strongly determined streak of violence within her. That is a complete misunderstanding of the situation, and it holds far too romantic of a view of human nature.

Esther and her people were threatened with extermination by Haman. The enemies of the Jews had plotted their demise and surely reveled in its coming to pass. With the advancement of a second edict, their designs were frustrated, and even went into retreat. It is not unlikely that those who had once thought to destroy the Jews, and who openly taunted them, had gone into hiding on the day of slaughter.

With the royal edict past, they could go about life happily hating the Jews once again, waiting for their moment to strike. However, this state of contentment would be foiled by the passing of a new edict, one to be so fresh that many would be unaware that it had even been published. But every Jew would be informed of it. Thus, it was an exceptional idea of Esther to put forth this request. It is comparable to what occurred with Josef Mengele, Adolf Eichmann, and others who fled to Argentina after WWII. When faced with their own destruction they went into hiding. Esther wanted to ensure that those in Shushan who spent the day hiding would be routed out and exterminated. But she had more on her mind…

^{13 (con’t)} and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

This was one tradition of the Jews that would be universally known – hanging a person on a tree as a sign of a curse. It goes back to the book of Deuteronomy –

“If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, ²³ his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.” Deuteronomy 21:22, 23

The law of removing the body from a tree only applied within Israel, their inherited land. The law says nothing of taking them down outside of the land. So they may have hung there one day, or until they were nothing but bones. However, their hanging would be a sign to the Jews of the curse upon their enemies, and it would be a sign to all others of the disgrace and the terror which would be meted out as punishment against such offenders in the future.

The punishment of the children for the iniquity of their fathers is prophesied in Isaiah 14. It is a warning against the king of Babylon, but many have taken the passage to refer to Satan himself. However, this is unlikely. Rather, it is more comparable to the one who epitomizes Satan on earth, the Antichrist. Thus what we are seeing here in Esther is a foreshadowing of what lies ahead for him. Isaiah’s words thus state –

“All the kings of the nations,
All of them, sleep in glory,
Everyone in his own house;
¹⁹ But you are cast out of your grave
Like an abominable branch,
Like the garment of those who are slain,
Thrust through with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit,
Like a corpse trodden underfoot.
²⁰ You will not be joined with them in burial,
Because you have destroyed your land
And slain your people.
The brood of evildoers shall never be named.
²¹ Prepare slaughter for his children
Because of the iniquity of their fathers,
Lest they rise up and possess the land,
And fill the face of the world with cities.”

This equating of what is occurring in Esther as a prophetic picture of the future is almost completely ignored by scholars, but John Lange had an inkling of it which is worthy of note –

“That the Jews really executed this climax of punishment, may indicate the especially severe judgment that will overtake those who are the principal agents of Antichrist on earth; and this illustrates the truth that opposition against whatever is antagonistic to goodness and piety, must rise till it reaches its overwhelming acme. This is a principle valid even for Christians, that they must be in a hostile attitude to evil to the last degree.” John Lange

¹⁴ So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

The decree was for the additional day of slaughter, whereas the hanging would have come simply by the word of the king. The king agreed to Esther’s request, and granted it without amendment or protest. The victory over the foes of the Jews, particularly the Amalekites, would be effective and their disgrace would be seen by all. This continues to be seen with the next words…

¹⁵ And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan;

The number three hundred is not specifically defined by EW Bullinger, but its component parts are. Ten is the perfection of Divine order, whereas thirty is a higher degree of the same. Thus not only is there a sense of Jubilee and Divine perfection in the 500 killed, but there is a higher sense of that Divine perfection with the killing of these additional 300. In total 800 were killed in Shushan. Eight is the number of new beginnings, which is combined with Divine perfection squared. In what is pictured in Esther, it is an appropriate number to record what lies ahead for Israel.

^{15 (con’t)} but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

Again, the words here reflect the Jew’s determination to not tie the death of their enemies in with profit or plunder, but for protection and self-preservation. This ends the set of twos which came earlier in this passage, the two times which are authorized for the Jews to take vengeance on their enemies in the citadel of Shushan. The two contrast, in that one was in response to a royal edict mandating the destruction of the Jews, and one was not, but the two confirm that the enemies of the Jews will be destroyed completely and sufficiently according to what God has ordained.

¹⁶ The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies;

The verse appears highly unusual in its structure, and scholars struggle over why it is written as it is. It first notes that the Jews not in Shushan gathered together and protected their lives. This would have occurred on or before the thirteenth of the month. It then says that they had rest from their enemies, this seemingly would have occurred on and after the fourteenth of the month. It then seems to revert to the events of the thirteenth of the month by saying that they killed 75,000 in their slaughter.

However, the word “rest” is a noun, not a verb. It is used only twice in Scripture, once in 2 Chronicles 6:41 when speaking of the resting place of the Lord, and the other is here in Esther. What it appears to be saying is that is in the gathering and slaughtering of their enemies, they had their rest.

The edict of Mordecai granted them the right to gather, provided them rest, and allowed them to kill their enemies. They had entered their rest even before their enemies were destroyed. It is reflective of the state of Christians today. Hebrews 4:3 says that for those who believe, we have entered our rest (a noun in the Greek), and yet, we are still actively engaged in a spiritual battle in this life.

^{16 (con’t)} but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

Again, like those Jews in Shushan, this exceptional note of restraint is stated. The Jews did not initiate the conflict, they did not ask for it, but they were willing to see it through and yet not profit off of it, even though they had a right to do so.

¹⁷ This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar.

These words support the thoughts on the previous verse. They refer to the previous verse, all of which occurred on the thirteenth day, including the rest which the people had entered. This is then confirmed by the final words of today…

*^17 (fin) And on the fourteenth of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

There is a place of rest, and there is a state of rest. The Jews of the provinces entered a place of rest, even if they did not enter into a state of rest. They now unite the state with the place. It says that on the fourteenth of Adar, they rested (a verb). It says that in their rest, they then made it a day of feasting and gladness. However, as has been the case throughout Esther, the word “feast” is mishteh. It is a feast of drinking; a banquet. There would be immense joy, wine would flow freely, and the people would have the burdens of this life lifted off their shoulders as they finally were freed of the threat of the enemies which had haunted them for so very long.

With just two sermons left, we continue to see the hidden hand of the Lord working continuously behind the scenes in order to deliver His people. Esther has been chosen as the queen of the realm; Mordecai has been placed in an exalted position; Esther’s petition has been granted to work against the decree of Haman; and the enemies of the Jews have been brought to their end.

All of this could be chalked up to time and chance with the exception that it had already been said that these things would occur. Not the specific details, of course, but the overall promises of protection and life. And so, like always in Scripture, the result of what has come about is ultimately left up to one word for us to consider. That word is “faith.” God has done all of the things He has done in such a way that it takes faith to believe.

The earth looks old, but the Bible says it is young. Where is your faith? The Lord promises destruction by flood, but the skies are sunny. Where is your faith? The Lord says He is our Defender, but we are hemmed in by enemies? Where is your faith? The boat is sinking, but the Lord is right there with you. Where is your faith? The word is written, but the resurrection of a dead Man seems impossible. Where is your faith?

The Bible doesn’t say it is easy to believe, but it does ask us to do so. God looks for faith in His faithless creatures, and so a little bit will do. Will we chalk up the defeat of the enemy to our own goodness and skill? Or will we call out to the Lord in thanks and praise? In the end, the only thing that we can give God is our faith. Loving God requires faith that He exists. Praising God requires faith that He is listening. Praying to God through Jesus Christ implies that we believe in the Person and work of Jesus.

If you have never made the commitment of faith in Him that God is looking for, today is the day. Have faith, and be saved from the wrath which is sure to otherwise come. God would have you saved, and with Him, rather than lost and cast away. Call on Him. It is that simple.

Closing Verse: “Ascribe strength to God;
His excellence is over Israel,
And His strength is in the clouds.
³⁵ O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.

Blessed be God!” Psalm 68:34, 35

Next Week: Esther 9:18-32 The Jews prevailed though their chances looked slim, and so they call them... (The Days of Purim) (12^th Esther Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. At times, you might feel as if he has no great design for you in life, but he has brought you to this moment to reveal His glory in and through you. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Rest From Their Enemies

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar
On the thirteenth day; a date not disputed
The time came for the king’s command
And his decree to be executed

On the day that the enemies of the Jews
Had hoped to overpower them, as is stated
The opposite occurred
In that the Jews themselves overpowered those
———-who them had hated 

The Jews gathered together in their cities
Gathering even from field and farm
Throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus
To lay hands on those who sought their harm

And no one could withstand them, so the account does tell
Because fear of them upon all people fell

And all the officials of the provinces
The satraps, the governors as well
And all those doing the king’s work helped the Jews
Because the fear of Mordecai upon them fell 

For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace
And his fame spread throughout all the provinces
For this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent
So the account to us says

Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies
With the stroke of the sword, as is stated
With slaughter and destruction
And did what they pleased with those who them had hated

And in Shushan the citadel, there and then
The Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men

Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha
Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha too
Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha
To them was bid tata and adieu

The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha
The enemy of the Jews—they killed
But they did not lay a hand on the plunder
It was enough that their blood was spilled

On that day the number of those who were killed
———-in Shushan the citadel
Was brought to the king; to him the stats they did tell

And the king said to Queen Esther
“The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men
In Shushan the citadel
And the ten sons of Haman

What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces?
Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you
Or what is your further request? It shall be done
Speak as to what you desire me to do

Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king
Let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan
To do again tomorrow according to today’s decree
And let be hanged on the gallows the ten sons of Haman

So the king commanded this to be done
The decree was issued in Shushan
And they hanged Haman’s ten sons, yes each and every one

And the Jews who were in Shushan
Gathered together again on
The fourteenth day of the month of Adar
And killed three hundred men at Shushan

But they did not lay on the plunder a hand
They only killed their enemies; so we are to understand

The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces
Gathered together and protected their lives
———-had rest from their enemies, truly a wonder
And killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies
But they did not lay a hand on the plunder 

This was on the thirteenth day
Of the month of Adar
And on the fourteenth of the month they rested
And made it a day of feasting and gladness, both near and far

Lord God, thank You for Your presence that is with us
Even when we don’t realize that You are there
Because You sent Your own Son Jesus
We can know that You truly do care

And so Lord, be real to us in a wonderful new way
Open our minds and our hearts to seeing You always
Through every step we take, and throughout every day
Be real to us, O God, and to You will shall give all of our praise

Hallelujah and Amen…