Morning Message: InThe King's Name

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "In the King's Name"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Haman was hanged because of his plot to destroy God’s people in the 127 Provinces of the Persian Empire. After the Babylonian Captivity, the Jews knew that there was nothing left of their homeland, Jerusalem, nor the Temple there, for the Babylonians had destroyed them, and taken the Jews into captivity. Seventy years later, King Darius released them, and many Jews returned to rebuild their Temple, and Jerusalem (see Ezra and Nehemiah). Many others stayed in the Middle East in foreign lands, quietly observing God’s Word. Whether foreigners coming into Israel, or Israelis living apart from the homeland, assimilation was expected, if for no other reason than living harmoniously in whatever land you found yourself. Abraham received God’s Word, and foreigners that were conquered and stayed in Israel were to follow the Jewish Laws, and customs. Males were to even be circumcised if they lived as servants in Jewish households, and not just newborns, but even adult men were to endure the uncomfortable procedure.

The Jews that lived in Persian Provinces remained quiet and docile, blending into multiple cultures, while remaining faithful to God’s Ordinances as best they could, for they had no Temple anymore. But accusations against them from Haman were borne out of his own hurt pride. King Ahasuerus had given Haman legal authority to write a Royal Edict that compared to the Third Reich of Hitler’s Germany in the 20th Century.

Though Haman was dead, the edict he had written to destroy the Jews was still in effect, with no legal way to rescind it. But Ahasuerus saw a way around this problem he had inadvertently created.

Now, the King authorized Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, to write a new Royal Edict, and Mordecai did not waste any time. On the day reserved for Haman’s slaughter of the Jews, turn-about would become fair play. God is protecting His people from His lofty Throne, through wisdom imparted to His people.

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my namesake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." - Mark 13:13

Bobservations' Column: Audio Version (Coming Soon!)

Sunday Morning Message:

Esther 8:1-17 - "In the King's Name"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Any time we read a story, we are often able to see the trajectory of where the story is heading before arriving at any final resolution.

We still do not have final resolution at the conclusion of Esther 8. Because even though Haman is dead, there is still an edict in play that would allow for the extermination of the Jews, and something must be done to counteract it. And it is here that we have the real culmination of the reversal of events in Esther’s story. What’s remarkable is that while Esther and Mordecai play a pivotal role in preserving the Jewish people, the author has made it abundantly clear that the reversal that takes place is ultimately orchestrated by One who is unseen, One about whom Esther and Mordecai seem to be oblivious at times, One whose power and authority dwarfs the seemingly limitless influence of King Ahasuerus as He shapes the contours of history through the actions of everyday people in everyday life. That is where Esther’s story diverges from so many others. This is not ultimately a tale about the transformation of a princess and her cousin. It is a story of reversal and redemption that is accomplished in spite of their frailties and flaws, pitted against the greatest superpower in the world, as Yahweh makes good on his forever promise and rescues his people from destruction. And this is our hope. We await a King and his Kingdom to come, finally and forever, and undo the evils of this world. But we wait with confidence because the resurrection of Jesus was the ultimate reversal that assured all other reversals. From death to life. From sorrow to hope. From darkness to light.

Esther Chapter 8 is an emotionally charged narrative that shifts the circumstances of the Jews from sorrow to joy in the Persian kingdom. After the execution of the wicked man, Haman, Esther and Mordecai leverage their newfound influence to reverse Haman's genocidal decree against the Jews. This chapter poignantly illustrates God's providence and how bravery can lead to redemption and justice.

The events sit near the middle of the 5th century BC, about thirty years after the first exiles returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-3). Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) reigns over the Persian Empire, which stretches from modern Pakistan to Sudan. Jewish communities live throughout these provinces, still vulnerable yet retaining their identity.

Sunday Morning Audio Message: Coming Soon!

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

The House of Haman (8:1) - The property of a traitor, by Persian custom, was returned to the king.   In this case, he gave it to his queen, Esther, who put Mordecai over it (8:2).  The outcome for Haman's wife Zeresh and his wise men is unknown (5:14; 6:12, 13).  Haman's ten sons later died (9:7-10).

Haman the Agagite (8:3) - A descendant of the Amalekites.  The Amalekites were descendants of Esau, and enemies of Israel.  Agag was one of their greatest early kings (Numbers 24:7), as well as the name of their last and most cruel king (1 Samuel 15:8, 33).

Devised Against the Jews (8:3) - Although Haman had been executed, his plan to destroy the Jews had the force of the unchangeable law of the Persians, so Esther pleaded for an offsetting decree to enable them to survive. 

To Revoke (8:5) - This proved to be impossible in light of the inflexible nature of the king's edicts (1:19). However, a counter-decree was possible (cf. 8:8, 11, 12).

Sivan (8:9) - This refers to the period May/June. It had been two months and ten days since Haman's decree (cf. 3:12); eight months and twenty days remained until both decrees became simultaneously effective (cf. 3:13).

The King Permitted (8:11) - Just as the king had permitted Haman, so he permitted the Jews to defend themselves and to plunder their spoil (cf. vv. 10, 15, 16).

Assault Them, Both Little Ones and Women (8:11) - It is likely that the intended sense of this edict was that the Jews were authorized to defend themselves and to slay those who tried o "Assault them both little ones...for a prey."  That is, the section beginning with "assault" and ending with "prey" was merely a quotation from Haman's earlier decree (3:13).  As far as the record goes, the Jews in defending themselves slew only the men (9:6, 15) and took no prey for themselves (9:10, 15, 16).

Mordecai Went Out (8:15) - This second reward exceeded the first (cf. 6:6-9).  Blue and white were the royal colors of the Persian Empire.

Many . . .People . . . Jews (8:17) - The population realized that the God of the Jews exceeded anything that the pantheon of Persian deities could offer (cf. Exodus 15:14-16; Psalm 105:38; Acts 5:11), especially in contrast to their recent defeat by the Greeks.