The book of Esther provides a great example of God's deliverance and the marvelous reversals only He is capable of. The wicked Haman had signed into law of the Medes and Persians (which could not be changed) the Jews were to be slaughtered and plundered. At the persistent urging of her cousin Mordecai, queen Esther brought the evil plot of Haman against the Jews to light before her husband and king. Furious at this great betrayal, King Ahasuerus executed Haman, promoted Mordecai to a position of honour and power who drafted a new law which allowed the Jews to protect themselves from all adversaries. Filled with ironic turns and unbelievable plot twists, the book of Esther puts the best Hollywood attempts to shame.
Mordecai and the people went from fasting, mourning, and wearing sackcloth because of their eminent doom to celebrating together. Esther 8:15-17 says, "So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honour. 17 And in every province and city, wherever the king's command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them." Mordecai who once sat in the dust left the presence of the king clothed in royal apparel wearing a crown of gold; people who were in the shadow of death had "light and gladness, joy and honour." Jews who looked to the 13th day of the 12th month with fear and dread suddenly instead had a holiday with feasting and gifts. Inhabitants of the land who were very relieved not to be Jews (seeing they were condemned to death) converted to being Jews!
I cannot read this historical account without considering how followers of Jesus Christ share a similar experience with the Jews in Esther's day. We were condemned by our sin according to God's righteous Law, but Jesus has provided forgiveness and atonement by shedding His blood on Calvary. All men are heading to certain death and destruction in hell forever yet through faith in Jesus have the hope of eternal life, having been adopted by God and clothed in His righteousness. Through Jesus we too have "light and gladness, joy and honour" we do not deserve. Because Jesus is the Bread of Life we have an everlasting feast by faith in Him and victory over our foes--even Death. Every year the Jews celebrated Purim as a reminder of the great deliverance God had wrought for them, and the book of Esther is an awesome reminder of God's love and faithfulness to His people under the Old and now the New Covenant in Christ's blood.
Jesus is the Light of the world, and may we walk in His light with gladness. He grants us fullness of joy and peace that passes understanding. Though Jesus and His followers are hated by some, we have been granted unspeakable honour by His grace to be called by His name. The Jews of Shushan rejoiced to have a man of their own Mordecai ruling rather than Haman the Agagite, and how blessed we are to be ruled by Jesus Christ rather than Satan whose skull has been crushed underfoot by the Son of God. Isaiah 25:8-9 says what the God of Israel has done in Jesus Christ: "He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. 9 And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
Mordecai and the people went from fasting, mourning, and wearing sackcloth because of their eminent doom to celebrating together. Esther 8:15-17 says, "So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honour. 17 And in every province and city, wherever the king's command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them." Mordecai who once sat in the dust left the presence of the king clothed in royal apparel wearing a crown of gold; people who were in the shadow of death had "light and gladness, joy and honour." Jews who looked to the 13th day of the 12th month with fear and dread suddenly instead had a holiday with feasting and gifts. Inhabitants of the land who were very relieved not to be Jews (seeing they were condemned to death) converted to being Jews!
I cannot read this historical account without considering how followers of Jesus Christ share a similar experience with the Jews in Esther's day. We were condemned by our sin according to God's righteous Law, but Jesus has provided forgiveness and atonement by shedding His blood on Calvary. All men are heading to certain death and destruction in hell forever yet through faith in Jesus have the hope of eternal life, having been adopted by God and clothed in His righteousness. Through Jesus we too have "light and gladness, joy and honour" we do not deserve. Because Jesus is the Bread of Life we have an everlasting feast by faith in Him and victory over our foes--even Death. Every year the Jews celebrated Purim as a reminder of the great deliverance God had wrought for them, and the book of Esther is an awesome reminder of God's love and faithfulness to His people under the Old and now the New Covenant in Christ's blood.
Jesus is the Light of the world, and may we walk in His light with gladness. He grants us fullness of joy and peace that passes understanding. Though Jesus and His followers are hated by some, we have been granted unspeakable honour by His grace to be called by His name. The Jews of Shushan rejoiced to have a man of their own Mordecai ruling rather than Haman the Agagite, and how blessed we are to be ruled by Jesus Christ rather than Satan whose skull has been crushed underfoot by the Son of God. Isaiah 25:8-9 says what the God of Israel has done in Jesus Christ: "He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. 9 And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
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