Esther 9
- Summary
The day of the massacre arrived (7 March, 473 BC according to my study Bible), and instead of the Jews being destroyed by their enemies, they gathered themselves together in the cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus' kingdom to defend themselves and destroy their enemies. We read that fear of the Jews was 'upon all people'. Additionally because of fear of the increasing power and greatness of Mordecai the Jews were joined by the king's rulers, lieutenants, deputies and officers in destroying all their enemies.
At the end of the day 500 men had been killed in Shushan alone and 75,000 across the king's kingdom. Amongst those killed were Haman's 10 sons, who at Esther's request were hung from gallows. The king asked Esther what else she would like to be done, and she asked for a further day to kill their enemies. Permission being given another 300 men were killed in Shushan, but in the rest of the kingdom there was quiet and much feasting and gladness amongst the Jews.
Notably, throughout their destruction of their enemies the Jews did not plunder their possessions and take spoil.
The remainder of the chapter details the establishing of these two days as a future memorial and time of thanksgiving and feasting throughout the Jews in the kingdom for generations to come.
- Thoughts
On initially reading this chapter, I could only think how murderous it was with all the killing, but on re-reading it the lovely words of verse 22 stopped me:
'...the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day'...
Isn't it a wonderful example of answered prayer and God's care of his people?
God had worked for them giving Esther favour and power from the king and putting Mordecai in a position of power and respect. Instead of being mercilessly and defencelessly murdered the Jews were feared throughout the kingdom, with many people becoming Jews in support of them and the rulers and governors helping them against their enemies.
This day of expected mourning and sorrow for the Jews had been totally transformed into a day of rejoicing, a day to be remembered in future years for celebration.
Have you had times of sorrow which the Lord turned to joy?
I think of times in the Bible when Jesus walked on the earth and turned sorrow to joy:
- raising Lazarus, Jairus' daughter, and the widow at Nain's son from death to life. What times of joy, rejoicing and celebration there must have been.
I think of the time of Jesus' death and resurrection:
- Mary, weeping and mourning at the tomb, the disciples on the Emmaus road, bewildered and sad, Peter in self-reproach and sadness, the scattered disciples meeting together again without their Saviour... and then the beloved tender voice which spoke Mary's name, the precious hands that broke bread with the disciples on the Emmaus road, whose hearts burned within them as he expounded the Word to them, and his sudden appearance to his disciples as they met together.
Their mourning and sadness was turned to great joy and gladness.
We see the fulfilment of the prophecy spoken of Jesus in Isaiah 61: 3, 'To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness'.
How is our mourning turned to joy today?
We may mourn because we have lost loved ones - how can we have joy knowing that they have been taken from us?
We may mourn because of the difficulty of our providential circumstances.
We may mourn because we feel to be so sinful and far from God. How can our mourning be turned into joy?
Only Jesus can turn our mourning into real lasting joy.
As we read in Nehemiah 8: 10, 'The joy of the LORD is your strength'. Jesus promises, 'Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted' (Matthew 5:4).
In some circumstances as it was with the Jews here our expectations and events are so reversed by the Lord working for us, that we celebrate with joy and gladness.
In other circumstances the Lord gives us a quiet spirit of sustaining, restful joy - a joy which assures us and comforts us amidst our sorrow; times when we literally feel the Lord's presence with us, loving us and supporting us, being all we need and comforting us.
He turns our mourning in circumstances into joy when he gives us faith and submission to believe that he is in control and working it all out for our eternal good, faith to believe that we are precious to him and the little (or big) circumstances of our lives matter to him.
But most importantly, he turns our sorrow into joy when he reveals his love to us and we are able to repent and believe on him as our Saviour.
Why does he do this?
I think we have one answer in the remainder of the verse quoted above from Isaiah 61: 3, '...that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified'.
He does this because God is the very essence of love, and he cares about his people. As trees and plants need roots, nutrients, water and sun, he roots his people in him and supplies them with all they need to grow and to live - he is their 'Sun of righteousness' (Malachi 4: 2), who warms them with his love and joy, healing their withered, sick souls that they might in turn love him and glorify him in their lives and for eternity.
Photo by Alyssa Teboda on Unsplash
Are you mourning today?
Do you feel empty and sad?
Does the devil tempt you that God has got it all wrong, he doesn't love you or care about you?
Come to him, just as you are, pray as the Psalmist, 'Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise' (Psalm 55: 1,2).
Plead the promise in verse 22 as you tell him all your sorrow, 'Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved,' and may the Lord indeed bless you and turn your sorrow into joy.
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