Esther 9:15

Esther 9:15 says, For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.  The Jews continued to gather together and defend themselves and kill those who would have killed them.  I don’t believe that they went out looking for their enemies to kill but simple killed them while defending themselves.  I do know that we are not called on to go out looking to kill those who oppose us or even those who might want to kill us as Christians, but we can defend ourselves if we are attacked.  They still didn’t take any of the material goods of their enemies. 

Verse sixteen adds, But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,  Throughout the provinces, the Jews stood together and killed their enemies, killing seventy-five thousand of them.  They were able to do this because God was with them in the battle empowering them.  If we today are to be successful as followers of Christ, we must stand together with our fellow believers under the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Once more, it is stated that they didn’t do this to profit materially but only to protect themselves.  Matthew Henry points out that they had been authorized to kill all those who opposed them as well as their wives and children, but they only killed those who were armed against them.  They were also authorized to take all their goods, but Matthew Henry says they left them for the women and children to live off of.  We can never fight against sin in the world simply hoping for material rewards but must do so for the glory of God and we should never leave widows and children of our enemies without a way to live.

Verse seventeen continues, On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.  After defeating their enemies, the Jews then rested and feasted in gladness.  Our enemies have already been defeated if we put our faith in Jesus Christ and we need to simply rest in the peace of the Holy Spirit and give God the praise. 

Verse eighteen states, But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.  It seems that those at Shushan gathered and had a feast the day after the other people did.  They both celebrated the day after their work of defending themselves was finished, and we need to celebrate every day because the work of defending ourselves spiritually has already been completed by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Verse nineteen adds, Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.  The people of the areas surrounding Shushan made the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a day of celebration ever year.  We have various days that we celebrate events in the life of Christ, but I don’t believe that we need days to celebrate particular days that we have had success in our spiritual life.  We are to celebrate the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death every day. 

Verse twenty continues, And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,  Mordecai, instead of being killed, had become a voice of authority for the Jews.  Jesus Christ, instead of just being killed, arose again to become the voice of authority for those who put their faith in Him. 

Verse twenty-one concludes, To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,  Mordecai established both of these days as a yearly celebration.  They are not called holy days Matthew Henry points out because we are not told that God established them.  Matthew Henry also points out that Nehemiah gave God the credit openly for all that was done and that Mordecai didn’t mention Him at all in his writing of these events, but that God was still at work.  He didn’t force them to choose one or the other but chose to have them celebrate both.  We were not all saved on the same day, but we should all celebrate not only our salvation but the salvation of others as well, and we do this when we celebrate Easter.  We may or may not always openly give credit to God for all the good in our lives, but we should never forget that He is responsible for everything good.