Esther 8-10
Here we see the resolution to counter the law Haman had established to destroy the Jews, and how the whole situation turned around.
We need to understand that "The Law of the Medes and the Persians" could never be changed or nullified. (8:8; The writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.) We saw this in the book of Daniel. And it is evident in all the secular, historical documents archaeology has found.
So this was a sticky situation. God had performed miracles saving Daniel from the lions' den (Daniel 7), and his friends Hananiah, Mashael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3).
But here, they need to do something else, rather than think God will do a miraculous rescue of all the Jews in the whole realm when all their enemies will be attacking them when the time came.
This solution took a lot of wisdom and discernment, and political and legal knowledge. And shows God's great compassion for His people.
Xerxes promoted Mordecai into the position that Haman had occupied, and he gave all of Haman's property to Esther.
Now Esther had to approach the king again, to beg for her people. They needed to figure out how to nullifiy a law that couldn't be nullified.
So the king called for his scribes to write out another law, according to what Mordecai would say to them (vs. 8-9), to be sent out to all one hundred twenty seven provinces, in all their different languages, by mounted couriers who rode fast horses especially bred for the king (v. 10).
This was a law that gave the Jews permission and authority to not just defend themselves on the day that their enemies were to kill them, but also to attack their enemies back, and also to confiscate their properties and possessions, as their enemies were going to do to them. A complete turn-around.
By the time the day came, all the peoples they lived among had gained great respect for them, and many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them (8:17).
So even all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because they had great respect for Mordecai (9:3).
So when the day came, instead of their enemies attacking them, they were able to dispose of all their neighbors who hated them. But they didn't confiscate their stuff. This shows that they were honorable; they took the moral high ground, and did what was right.
They also killed Haman's ten sons, so there were none left to later want revenge (9:7-10).
This is the basis for the Jewish holiday of Purim (9:20-32). God always taught His people to remember, so they would remember Him and His ways. So even today the Jews, the Hebrews, the Israelis, have long memories of their history.
And the book ends with the fame of Mordecai: for, this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater (9:4), and 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 (10:3).
No wonder that Xerxes is one of the foreign kings who had favor on the Jews, and allowed them to return to their homeland, Israel (see the books of Ezra and Nehemiah).
O my Father, I praise You and I honor You, and I give You all the glory and credit for everything You have done! You are great, and You have done everything You wanted to do! You have known the evil plans of the wicked, and foiled them! You have turned the tables on those who hate You and rewarded Your people who love You.
You, Father, are unfolding all Your plans for all of us throughout this whole time-line, this whole era of Mankind on this Earth. It's all one grand story. The story of our Lord God Almighty having thought it all out in advance; then designing and making everything just right; and taking charge to redeem everything that You have allowed us to mess up.
And we are amazed with Your amazing ways! Nothing escapes Your attention or is outside Your authority to control.
I enjoy watching how You do Your things, Father! Your enjoyment in "playing the game" of worlds and civilizations and realms and universes, is so far beyond our ability to design games and write stories and imagine all that we can imagine in our little minds!
And You will always continue to do Your amazing, wondrous things, throughout all eternity, forever and ever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
