Esther 9-10New International Version (NIV)
9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. 2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them.4 Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.
5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”
13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.”
14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.
20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention,[a] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles.26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.
29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation.32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.
10 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.
Remembering and Celebrating
While the Jews carried out the task of defending themselves and killing their enemies, we must remember that behind the scenes is God Who the Avenger. Through a series of coincidences He had orchestrated this final lethal blow at Haman's evil plan of extermination. And yet we must always remember Paul's words of warning and not seek revenge for wrongs committed against us...
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
God is the Avenger and unless extraordinary circumstances occur in our lives as did in the Book of Esther, we are to leave it to God to extract the appropriate retribution at the perfect time. In the meantime we must pray for those who persecute us.
A side note......don't try to obey this command from Jesus in your own strength! You cannot do it!
After the battle, came the rest.
After the victory came the celebration!
Finally, after all the anguish, fear and battle that had gone on in the land, we see that God’s people could finally celebrate. The enemy had been defeated and there was freedom at last.
The sentence of death that hung over their necks had been replaced with unrelenting joy and the spirit of heaviness had been replaced by the garments of praise!
Yes, it was a day to be remembered, that is for sure... and a day to be celebrated.
It was also a day to give presents to another in thanksgiving of the wonderful victory and deliverance by God. So Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews instructing them to celebrate this victory each year on the 14th and 15th of Adar.
To this day, even 2500 years later, this celebration and feast is still kept every year by the Jews.
It is called the feast of Purim and is celebrated in the month of March.
So what can we, as God’s people today, take from this for our lives?
Well, this celebration is a reminder of the hope, joy and thanksgiving that should be ours due to the ultimate victory that was achieved for us on the cross.
We can look back on that day when God ‘turned the tables’ on the enemy and purchased life out of death. It is also a reminder of the day coming when all of our battles will be over and the fullness of joy shall be our lot.
We should also experience God’s ‘rest’ that is ours as we walk in faith.
And this rest is not one that only occurs once the battle is over. God’s rest is available in the midst of the difficulty and He commands us to take hold of that peace and rest ‘today’.
Finally, in this last chapter in The Book of Esther we are given a quick recap on the whole story.
What a story it has been!
A nasty villain and a wicked plan... a beautiful queen and position of power... a decree of death and a city perplexed... a sleepless night and an enemy exposed... an annihilation averted and a victory gained. In it all we have seen the hand of the invisible God moving providentially on behalf of His people.
Queen Esther sent a second letter out to the Jews in all 127 provinces of the Medo-Perisan kingdom reconfirming the importance to always remember the days of Purim for all generations to come.
Do you remember what the Lord has done for you..... the many different areas in which the Lord helps you and I?
As the Psalmist said:
"Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalms 103:2-5)
The Book of Esther finishes with a tiny little chapter of three verses.
In it we read of the ongoing fame of Mordecai, for he was held in high esteem throughout the kingdom and was second in rank to King Xerxes only. He worked on behalf of his people and not for his own gain. He spoke ‘peace to all his countrymen’.
In his fame and his actions, in his words and establishment of peace, we see that Mordecai is a picture of the Lord Jesus who shall one day rule over the entire world. His fame will be great, His work selfless and His peace never-ending!
Final thought.......
"Life can be hard!
Difficult times happen, and pain cannot be avoided!
When life doesn’t make sense, do you turn to God or away from Him?
Let the book of Esther encourage you that God is always present. Jesus called us “friends” ( John 15:15), and the Spirit is our “Helper” (14:26).
Trust and obey, as Esther did.
Then, watch God silently weave all events for His glory . . . and for our good."
Chuck Swindoll
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