Esther 8:1

Esther 8:1 says, On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.  After Ahasuerus had Haman hanged on his own gallows, he gave Haman’s possessions to Esther the queen.  What was to be Haman's greatest achievement led to his complete loss of everything, including his life.  If people today think that they are going to be glorified for standing against God and His people, one day they will find out that it had led to their loss of everything, even their everlasting life with God.  Esther, who was called queen, then brought Mordecai before the king and told him who Mordecai was to her.  We should never be ashamed to stand with our fellow Christians, even if there are threats made against them. 

Verse two adds, And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.  The king, having already honored Mordecai for his revealing the plot to kill him, then took the ring that he had given to Haman and put it on Mordecai’s finger, signifying his acceptance of and honor to Mordecai.  We don’t serve God for personal honor, but one day those who have stood against God will see everything that they ever had, even honor in the world, taken away, while honor will be given to those who have faithfully served God. 

Verse three continues, And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.  Esther then once more spoke to Ahasuerus, fallen down with tears at his feet, and asked him to put away the decree that Haman had him make to destroy the Jews.  She did not make demands, but humbled herself before the king, even if she was the queen.  No matter our status in life, we cannot come to God making demands but must simply humble ourselves before God in repentance for our sins, and then once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, He will lift the death sentence that we are under until we do. 

Verse four states, Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,  Esther had spoken to the king a second time without being called, but he now let her know that it was okay by holding out the golden scepter, which granted her permission to continue.  God doesn’t hold out a golden scepter to us to grant us permission to speak to Him but holds out the cross and the empty tomb for us to accept granting us permission to talk to Him.  I believe that until we accept the gift of salvation that God is not going to answer our prayers.  Just as Esther was speaking to Ahasuerus because of her personal relationship with him, we can only expect God to hear and respond to us if we have a personal relationship with Him through our faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. 

Verse five adds. And said, If it please the king, and if I have favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:  Once again, Eshter did not make a demand to the king, but only made a humble request.  She wasn’t looking for her own rewards but for the good of all the Jews, her people.  They were all under a death threat because of the wickedness of Haman.  We as sinners are also under a spiritual death threat because of our sins, and God has declared that the wages of sin is death, and His word is always true.  We either bear that penalty ourselves or accept the penalty that Jesus Christ paid for us.  We can never go before God demanding anything but must come to Him humbly asking for His favor.  It is always better if we are looking for the good of others instead of just for ourselves after we are a follower of Christ, I believe. 

Verse six continues, 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?  Esther asked how could she endure the evil that was to be done to her people because of this decree.  We as Christians should likewise be troubled in our spirit when we hear of the destruction of other Christians anywhere, since we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.