Esther - Lesson 8

• Review

• Chapter 1 of Esther introduces King Ahasuerus as a king over the Persian empire around 484-481 BCE ruling from the capital city of Susa.

  • This was a time the empire was preparing to go to war with the Greeks.

  • The second part of chapter 1 unveils Queen Vashti’s refusal of the command from King Ahasuerus to come display her royal crown and her beauty, and how an edict was brought by the 7 advisors to the King for the disgrace brought upon the King and kingdom.

• In Chapter 2 we were introduced to Esther and Mordecai as the search for a new queen was carried out.

  • Esther is crowned queen and Mordecai saves the life of the king.

• Chapter 3 introduces Haman, who is elevated by king Ahasuerus, and shunned by Mordecai, and displays he is the enemy of the Jews with intensions to exterminate them from the kingdom.

• Chapter 4 displays the response to Haman’s edict of Jewish extermination by Mordecai; the Jews’ mourning, and Esther’s decision to approach the king.

• Chapter 5 The king receives Esther to his court and desires to honor her wishes while Haman is focused on Mordecai’s death.

• Chapter 6 Is the beginning turning point in the narrative.

  • Human’s plot is reversed as Mordecai is honored and not eliminated.

• Chapter 7 Esther reveals to King Ahasuerus Haman’s plans for the extermination of the Jews and ultimately he is hanged on the gallows he made for Mordecai.

Esth. 8:1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had disclosed what he was to her.
Esth. 8:2 The king took off his signet ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

• In verse 1 we learn on the very day of the death of Haman King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman to Queen Esther.

  • We are reminded that Haman was an enemy of the Jews.

• These homes were usually clustered around the king’s palace.

  • The house went with the station of the person like when our U.S. President resides in the White House.

• Haman is treated as a criminal and his property was taken away.

  • We see the irony continue as Haman’s desire was to take everything the Jews had as plunder.

• Mordecai is summoned to come before the king as Esther has now told the king he is her blood relationship a cousin and her adopted father.

• This is where we turn to verify that this relationship had not been revealed to King Ahasuerus until this time.

• When Mordecai is before the king in verse 2 the king gives Mordecai his signet ring.

  • This is the same ring he had bestowed on Haman after he had issued the edict to annihilate the Jews.

  • The signet ring represented the power and authority of the king.

• Since the king had give the house of Haman to Esther she established Mordecai to manage the house and all the responsibilities that go with this position.

  • Mordecai is receiving honor from Esther.

  • We are not told if the wealth of Haman was given to Esther or just the house and it’s operations. Some of the wealth may have very well accompanied this transfer from Haman’s estate to Esther.

Esth. 8:3 Then Esther spoke again to the king, fell at his feet, wept and implored him to avert the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his plot which he had devised against the Jews.
Esth. 8:4 The king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king.
Esth. 8:5 Then she said, “ If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let it be written to revoke the  letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
Esth. 8:6 “For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”
Esth. 8:7 So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given the house of Haman to Esther, and him they have hanged on the gallows because he had stretched out his hands against the Jews.
Esth. 8:8 “Now you write to the Jews as you see fit, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked.”

• Verse 3 begins with the word ‘then’ indicating the next event to focus on is Esther again speaking to the king.

• There is no indication of how long after Haman was hanged this next event occurs.

  • When Esther does approach the king to speak on this subject we read she fell at his feet and wept and implored him.

• This time it appears Esther is much more emotional as she comes before the king.

• Esther is wise to put the blame of this problem completely on Haman even though it was issued in the name of the king with his signet ring.

• The purpose of this coming before the king is to stop the plan to destroy the Jews that Haman had put in place with the edict he sent out to the provinces of the kingdom.

• Verse 4 provides and interesting detail about where Esther is when she is making this plea before the king as we see the king extended the golden scepter to her.

  • Esther must be approaching the king in the inner court again as she had done before.

  • The scepter is put forth and Esther stands before the king.

• The king has already indicated he is supportive of Esther as well as Mordecai as he gave Esther the house of Haman and Mordecai the power of the signet ring.

• In verse 5 Esther again approaches the king in a very respectful way and following protocol beginning again with,  “If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight”

  • Esther’s petition is to put in writing a revocation of the letters devised by Haman.

  • She again describes Haman as the son of Hammedatha the Agagite.

  • Then Esther details again the purpose Haman had with the letters to destroy the Jews who live in the king’s provinces.

• Haman had followed the court protocol in putting this plan into place.

• Esther is asking for the impossible.

• Verse 6 Esther confirms the plans of destruction are still in place and elaborates on the impact this destruction will have on her.

  • She simply asks how can she endure to see such destruction come to her kindred and people.

  • She clearly identifies herself with the Jews.

  • Esther establishes she would be living to see the destruction of her kindred and people which might mean she will survive the event.

    • There is no reason given for how or why she would survive the event.

• The clarification in verse 7 is that King Ahasuerus is speaking to both Queen Esther and to Mordecai.

  • He reminds them of their position at court as he has already given the house of Haman to Esther.

    • This would include the power and privileges associated with the position Haman once held.

• Secondly the king declared he has already removed Haman from being any a danger as he was hanged on the gallows.

  • The clarification is that Haman was hanged because he had stretched out his hands against the Jews he was not hanged for the apparent assault on Esther.

• The king’s advice is given in verse 8 for Mordecai to write to the Jews as you see fit.

• What Mordecai writes will be as from the king, his name and singed with his signet ring.

• The king is turning this matter over to Esther and Mordecai to resolve, with his blessing.

• The king reminds Esther and Mordecai he can not revoke what has been sent previously because a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked.

  • This is also described in Esther 1:19

Esth. 1:19 “If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed,

• The establishment of a statute that could not be revoked is seen in Daniel 6:7-15 as well:

Dan. 6:7 “All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den.
Dan. 6:8 “Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.”
Dan. 6:9 Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.
Dan. 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.
Dan. 6:11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
Dan. 6:12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.”
Dan. 6:13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”
Dan. 6:14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him.
Dan. 6:15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

• The unchangeable nature of the signed documents is according to the law of the Medes and Persians.

  • Not even the king could change or revoke the injunction or statue once he signed it.

• King Ahasuerus reminds Esther and Mordecai that any decree written can’t be revoked.

  • This was Haman’s plan from the beginning to have a decree approved that could not be changed or revoked.

Esth. 8:9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third  day; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, the satraps, the governors and the princes of the provinces which extended  from India to  Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to  every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language.
Esth. 8:10 He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horses, riding on steeds sired by the royal stud.
Esth. 8:11 In them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right  to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoil,
Esth. 8:12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar).
Esth. 8:13  A copy of the edict to be issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
Esth. 8:14 The couriers, hastened and impelled by the king’s command, went out, riding on the royal steeds; and the decree was given out at the citadel in Susa.

• Verse 9 describes the action taken next as the king’s scribes are called.

• The time of this action was in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third day;

• The edict Haman wrote for the Jews destruction was done on the thirteenth day of the first month.

Esth. 3:12 Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to  the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written  in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

• It has been seventy days since Haman’s edict was issued.

• Mordecai is the author of the new command.

• Mordecai addresses the edict to the Jews, the satraps, the governors and the princes of the provinces which extended from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces.

• These are the same people who received the edict issued by Haman, however, Mordecai specifically adds the Jews to his list of those who are to receive this edict, and they are listed first.

• This edict was also issued to every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language.

  • This time the edict is also specifically written in Hebrew to the Jews.

• Verse 10 confirms Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horses, riding on steeds sired by the royal stud.

• Verse 11 now gives the details of what had been devised at the solution for the Jews in the face of the edict previously issued by Haman.

  • Now the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives.

• The method of defending themselves meant they could destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them.

  • This defending included if an enemy came to attack their children and women.

  • This defending included those who would come for their plunder.

• Haman’s edict made all Jews the target while Mordecai’s edict only targeted the people who would send an army to attack the Jews.

• This clarifies it was to be armies of people being sent to annihilate the Jews.

• Verse 12 details the day the Jews could defend themselves as the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar).

• The day that was set for the Jews destruction is the very day they can defend themselves.

  • One would not know who the potential enemies were until they made themselves known by attacking the Jews.

• There could not be a preemptive strike made on the enemies of the Jews.

• In verse 13 the detail is given that a copy of the edict to be issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples.

• The reason the edict was being issued was so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

• The Jews were only free to avenge themselves on those who were clearly their enemies.

  • Those who would attack the Jews. Haman’s demise did not remove the enemies of the Jews.

• In verse 14 the method of delivery of the decree is detailed as the couriers, hastened and impelled by the king’s command, went out, riding on the royal steeds;

• The decree was also given out at the citadel of Susa.

  • This is important to the communication process as the citadel of Susa would be where representatives from all the provinces would have been located.

  • They would have the information necessary to communicate back to those in power in all the provinces of the kingdom.

Esth. 8:15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
Esth. 8:16 For the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor.
Esth. 8:17 In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a   holiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them.

• Verse 15 describes Mordecai as leaving the king’s presence dressed in royal robes of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple.

  • This attire is the outward sign of what has been done for Mordecai by the king in his new official position in the kingdom.

  • The bestowing of honor to someone by clothing them in royal attire is also seen in Daniel 5:7 and Daniel 5:29:

Dan. 5:7 The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom.”

Dan. 5:29 Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.

• In Esther chapter 6 Haman revealed one of the most significant ways a person could be honored in this time was to be adorned in royal robes and seen by the people:

Esth. 6:7 Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor,
Esth. 6:8 let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed;
Esth. 6:9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

• The earlier honoring of Mordecai was prophetic of what God had in store for Mordecai’s future.

  • Compare this outward display of Mordecai after this edict is issued verses the description of Mordecai after the first edict is issued:

Esth. 4:1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly.

• The response from the command and decree being brought to the city of Susa was of celebration.

  • The is a contrast of the response of the city of Susa after the edict was a written and posted by Haman recorded in Esther 3:15:

Esth. 3:15 The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.

• With darkness there is confusion and with light there is celebration.

  • In verse 16 the impact on the Jews in Susa there was indeed light and they now experienced gladness and joy and honor.

    • The Jews have been elevated to a position of honor in the citadel of Susa.

    • What Mordecai experienced individually is now felt by all the Jews in Susa.

• These would have been the same Jews that had fasted and prayed for their God to intervene for them for three days prior to Esther going before the king.

• Verse 17 highlights that in each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews.

• The gladness and joy is celebrated with a feast and a holiday.

• There is a comment directed about those who are among the peoples of the land becoming Jews.

  • There is not a way for someone to become a physical Jew because you can only be born one.

  • There are some who indicate this could mean there were many that converted to Judaism.

  • The context would indicate based on the topic unfolding that there were people of the land who agreed with the Jews need for defense against their enemies and they joined the Jews.

• There are those who are either for or they are against the Jews.

  • The end of the verse gives the reason for many to support the Jews was their dread of the Jews.

  • There is an interesting note that the dread of the Jews had ‘fallen’ on them.

  • This word choice reminds us of what we studied last week of this tie in to the advisors of Haman who said to him in Esther 6:13:

Esth. 6:13 Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.”

• Those in the land have an understanding of what it can mean to be a friend of the Jews or an enemy of the Jews.

  • The God of the Jews had a reputation feared by many, God used this to provide protection for His people.

• Leaving this chapter of Esther we are reminded about the need for special effort to be made because there was a edict made by a king that could not be revoked:

Esth. 8:8 “Now you write to the Jews as you see fit, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked.”

• The concept of a king’s edict not being open to change or revocation comes from a connection between the power and discernment of god’s to be the same for a king.

  • The king did not make mistakes so there can’t be changes to what the king would declare.

• The weakness to this understanding of course is that a earthly king is still only a man and men make mistakes.

• The difference with the God of the Bible we worship is that He is not subject to change and is always perfect.

  • Nothing God declares is imperfect or will not be fulfilled:

Deut. 32:3  “For I proclaim the name of the LORD;
Ascribe greatness to our God!
Deut. 32:4  “The Rock! His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.

Num. 23:18  Then he took up his discourse and said,
“Arise, O Balak, and hear;
Give ear to me, O son of Zippor!
Num. 23:19  “God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent;
Has He said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Num. 23:20  “Behold, I have received a command to bless;
When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it.

• God’s words and promises can never be revoked or reversed.

  • The reason for this is because God already has all the knowledge needed for every decision to be made in His creation:

Psa. 147:5 Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;
His understanding is infinite.

Heb. 13:5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
Heb. 13:6 so that we confidently say,
“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”
Heb. 13:7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Heb. 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

• The comfort and joy this should bring into our lives is unending.

Rev. 1:8  “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

• God already knows the beginning and the end because He is in control of all of history. He is sovereign. What God determines to be, IS:

Is. 46:8 “Remember this, and be assured;
Recall it to mind, you transgressors.
Is. 46:9  “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Is. 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

• What God desires to accomplish He will accomplish.

  • The motive for what God desires to accomplish is always for His good pleasure.

• What a believer is promised from God is that when we believe in the gospel, repent of our sins and accept Jesus as our savior from sin and death we will receive the Holy Spirit.

  • We are not clothed on the outside with a royal robe to distinguish our position but with an inner guarantee of our position before God:

John 14:16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
John 14:18  “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

2Cor. 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
2Cor. 1:22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

2Cor. 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Cor. 5:2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
2Cor. 5:3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.
2Cor. 5:4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

Every believer receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of justification and will receive the outward manifestation of the immortal body at the moment of glorification, known as the resurrection.