Esther 8
- Summary
After Haman has been hung the king gave all his estate to Esther, who after revealing her relationship to Mordecai gave him the charge of it. The king also gave his signet ring (which had been removed from Haman) to Mordecai.
Esther now further pleaded for the life of her people to be spared, falling at the kings feet in tears, and after reminding her what he had already done the king gave Mordecai permission to write letters to all his provinces and seal them with his ring. Although the initial decree could not be reversed these further letters gave the Jews permission to defend themselves and destroy any that would destroy them on the date that had been set.
At the king's command these letters were urgently taken to all his 127 provinces extending from India to Ethiopia by messengers on horseback, mules, camels and dromedaries.
Meanwhile, the king had Mordecai dressed in royal apparel and gave him a great crown of gold and there was great rejoicing in Shushan. The Jews likewise throughout his kingdom were full of joy and celebration, and many citizens became Jews out of fear of them.
- Thoughts
The verse that stood out to me today was verse 6:
"For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?".
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Not content with having secured the safety of her own life and seen the death of Haman Esther is now pleading for the lives of her people, her kindred. A decree had been passed for their massacre, and although the king now realised what his agreement to this meant, once a decree had been passed it could not be revoked, not even by the king. However, following Esther's pleas, the king did what he could by issuing a further decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves.
But what struck me with this verse was not so much the events in which it was spoken but in thoughts of Jesus. Can these words of Esther be seen as a type of the Lord's love for his people, which brought him to come as their Saviour? The words from a Christmas carol come to mind, 'all for love's sake'.
'Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becamest poor;'
(Frank Houghton)
Can you hear the Lord's love in these words of Esther? Matthew Henry writes that though Esther didn't weep for herself 'she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like' (page 518). Hear the mourning pity and tenderness of Jesus when he says, 'O Jerusalem...how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! (Luke 13:34).
Photo by Andrea Lightfoot on Unsplash
We read of Jesus's love to us at the time of creation as Proverbs 8: 30,31 records, 'Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men'. We have the well known verse, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life' which then continues... 'For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved' (John 3: 16, 17).
Esther's words of love for her people, her tender spirit, and pleading can also be likened to Christ's intercession for his people to God. Hear his words on the cross, amidst the most awful suffering and humiliation, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do' (Luke 23:34).
And what a wonderful truth we have that the Lord Jesus, today, right now 'ever liveth to make intercession' (Hebrews 7:25) for his people that they might be forgiven their sins which we continually commit, and that nothing might separate us from God's love, 'Christ...who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us' (Romans 8: 34).
Not only does he continually intercede for us, but when we don't know how to put into words the feelings and thoughts of our hearts in prayer, 'the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8: 26,27)
How wonderful!
Dear reader, can you fathom this?!
How quickly our minds get bogged down in all of the words and troubles and situations of people around us. How long we spend looking into the murky, muddy waters of our lives! How our sins and guilty consciences tell us he condemns us!
Photo by Matt Seymour on Unsplash
But look up dear friend, look up with me here! (how do we truly write and speak of this amazing love?) Hear the love of God and take comfort. You that feel so alone in your sins, so guilty and conscious of the barrier it creates between yourself and God, and perhaps don't know how to come to him and express it - the Lord knows all about you and what you need. He lives to intercede for you. Ask him to perform that which you cannot do, to give you the comfort of his salvation in your soul and open your eyes and heart to know his love for you.
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