Last week we looked at roughly 50,000 of the exiles who returned home.
That would mean the majority of the Jewish people were still in Persia. Xerxes
the son of Darius I is the king of Persia. It was interesting to read that
Persia under king Xerxes was divided into 127 provinces and he was more
powerful than any other king of his time, and ruled over most of the known
world.
The powerful king held a party.
Esther 1:1-4
“1 These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus, who ruled 127 provinces from India to Cush. 2 In those days King Ahasuerus reigned from his royal throne in the fortress at Susa. 3 He held a feast in the third year of his reign for all his officials and staff, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials from the provinces. 4 He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness for a total of 180 days.”
King Xerxes in our reading and Ahasuerus is the same person, Xerxes is his name in Greek. Now Xerxes was throwing the ultimate party that lasted 6 months. Can you imagine partying for that long; don’t these people have responsibilities that they need to attend to? Anyways, Xerxes was basically trying to impress all the leaders and elders in the provinces of his nation. He wanted to ensure they saw him as king and would support the upcoming invasion of Greece.
After this 6 month party, Xerxes wanted more and had another party.
Esther 1:5
“5 At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet in the garden courtyard of the royal palace for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were present in the fortress of Susa.”
One party led to another, probably an important lesson there somewhere
but we will leave that one for another day. During this ‘after’ party king
Xerxes summoned his queen Vashti and she refused to join him. In Persia at this
time, the queen had no rights, and was at the beck and call of the king.
Esther 1:11
“11 to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful.”
It is believed that Queen Vashti was summoned to show up and parade in front of Xerxes and his guests in nothing but her crown. He was treating his queen very poorly and she fully knowing the consequences bravely stood up for what was right. She stood up for herself and it cost her severely.
What do we learn from this? Take a stand for what is right no matter the consequences. The right thing to do is the right thing to do, even if you endure pain in the end. Vashti, as well as Esther and Mordecai do just that throughout our lesson today.
Vashti is banished, a few years have passed, and Xerxes is looking for a new queen. That is when Esther enters the picture. Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin Hadassah, AKA Esther. She was a beautiful young lady and was noticed by those searching for the next queen. She was taken to the castle and given a spa year. Not a day, or week, but a full year of spa treatments before she could enter the presence of the king. To make a long story short Esther impressed the king and everyone else around.
Esther 2:17
“17 The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other young women. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.”
Esther becomes the queen, luck or something else?
While all this was going on Mordecai does what he can to keep tabs on his cousin Esther and catches wind of something and lets the queen know.
Esther 2:21-23
“21 During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. 22 When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf. 23 When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows. This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.”
Mordecai is hanging around when he hears a couple of guys trying to figure out how to take out the king. He gets Esther involved and when the king investigates it, he has the men hung till dead. Mordecai and Esther have earned some credibility with the king, which will help out later. Was Mordecai hearing this luck or was someone at work?
In chapter 3 we are introduced to Haman.
Esther 3:5-6
“5 When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him homage, he was filled with rage. 6 And when he learned of Mordecai’s ethnic identity, Haman decided not to do away with Mordecai alone. He planned to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout Ahasuerus’s kingdom.”
Haman had it out for the Jews and more specifically Mordecai. Haman is an Amalekite, Saul the first King of Israel failed to wipe out the Amelekites. From what we can discern it appears that all these years later Haman still held a grudge against the Jews. He had also been given a high position of authority in the Persian Empire with direct contact with the king.
Haman had the lot cast, or dice rolled, to determine a day that he could have the Jews wiped out. Once he had that day determine he went to the king and pleaded his case.
Esther 3:8
“8 Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, yet living in isolation. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.”
The king agreed that some 8 or 9 months later the Jewish people were to be exterminated. 8 or 9 months down the road, whose luck won out on that date or is someone influencing the results?
As the news spreads all the Jewish people in Persia weep, fast, pray, and Mordecai rips his clothes and puts on sackcloth and ashes. Esther hears of this and Mordecai pleads with her to appeal to the king, but she is afraid. If she goes to the king and is not summoned her life is forfeit. She eventually agrees to go before the king, knowing that her life could end today or with the rest of her people. She rolled the dice.
Esther 5:1-2
“5 On the third day, Esther dressed up in her royal clothing and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace facing it. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing its entrance. 2 As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she won his approval. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.”
The king offers Esther anything even up to half of his kingdom; she simply invites the king and Haman to a dinner she has prepared. The king and Haman enjoyed the banquet and Esther asked them to come back the next day.
Haman was on top of the world, he was promoted, he had a dinner with the king and queen, and then he saw Mordecai hanging outside the palace. His mood soured and Haman wanted Mordecai gone now. So he set plans in motion to get the king to approve of hanging Mordecai the following morning.
The king has a hard time sleeping that night and figures he might as well do something productive. He has the book recording the daily events read to him. When they read about how Mordecai helped foil the assassination plot against the king, the king realizes that nothing was done to honor Mordecai for his actions.
The next morning the king asks Haman what would be the best way to honor a hero and Haman thinking that he was going to be honored went all out.
Esther 6:7-9
“7 Haman told the king, “For the man the king wants to honor: 8 Have them bring a royal garment that the king himself has worn and a horse the king himself has ridden, which has a royal diadem on its head. 9 Put the garment and the horse under the charge of one of the king’s most noble officials. Have them clothe the man the king wants to honor, parade him on the horse through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.’”
Haman was expecting to be honored but was horrified when he was ordered to clothe Mordecai accordingly and parade him through the capital. Haman thought he was going to rid himself of Mordecai that day, but instead had to honor him. Was it luck that saved Mordecai?
That night Haman has dinner with the king and queen again, and Esther pleases the king and once again her offers her anything.
Esther 7:3-4
“3 Queen Esther answered, “If I have obtained your approval, my king, and if the king is pleased, spare my life—this is my request; and spare my people—this is my desire. 4 For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and extermination. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.”
The king is angered and Haman is hung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai. Mordecai was honored and given Haman’s place as an official in the Persian Empire.
Now this is all and good, but the threat still remains against all the Jewish people in Persia. As we have seen over the last couple of weeks a Persian king’s edict cannot be overturned. So a new decree is written and sent out that the Jews can defend themselves against anyone who is hostile towards them. The Jews in Persia prevailed against their enemies.
Seems like the Jewish people got lucky that Esther was beautiful, that Mordecai caught on to the assignation plot, and that the king read about Mordecai the night before he would have more than likely been killed.
Proverbs 16:33
“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”
God controls the roll of the dice. God’s name is not mentioned in the book of Esther, but His presence is seen. It is not luck that saved the Jews, it was God working in the Upper Story making sure things happened according to His plans.
Name your fears… illness, aging, not enough money, loss of a job, loss of home, family breakdown, being alone, wayward children, depression, death, whatever.
Take a courageous stand, like Esther and Mordecai, knowing that life may look like things happen by luck but in reality it is God. How can you be Courageous for God?
Romans 8:28
“28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.”
God Loves us so much that He is working all things out for our good!
God Bless,
Robert
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