Esther 4:5

Esther 4:5 says, Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.  Under the laws of the kingdom, Esther and all other women were severely limited in what they could do.  She couldn’t go directly to Mordechai and ask him what was bothering him, so she sent Hatach to find out.  Some religions today put many restrictions on what women may do, but as followers of Christ, this should never be true.  We are all equal, both male and female, under His authority. 

Verse six adds, So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.  Hatach went to Mordecai in Esther's place, and the Holy the Spirit goes to the Heavenly Father in our place today to bring our cares and concerns to Him.  He is our Advocate. 

Verse seven continues, And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.  Mordecai told Hatach everything that Hamasn had done to receive permission to kill all the Jews.  If we have concerns about anything today, we must go to the Holy Spirit and tell Him our concerns.  He will take them to the Heavenly Father then, but we don’t have to go to anyone else to bring our concerns to God.  We all have equal access to God if we are followers of Christ. 

Verse eight concludes, Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.  Mordecai didn’t just tell Hatach what Haman was doing, but he also sent the written decree to Esther.  He then asked her to go to the king and speak for her people.  We shouldn’t expect people to just take our word about what is wrong in the world today, but we should be able to back it up with the Bible, God’s written word to us.  Of course, what Mordecai was asking of Esther could put her life in danger, but she had to be willing to risk it in order to save her people.  We may be asked to do something today as we stand for God that will put our lives in danger, but we must be willing to do so.   

Esther 4:1

Esther 4:1 says, Then Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;  When Mordecai realized what was being done, he was very distraught and tore his clothes and cried out in anguish.  He was physically affected by this decree, not for himself alone but for all the Jews.  Matthew Henry says that he freely identified with those under the decree of death and that he also realized that it was due in part to his actions in refusing to bow down to Haman.  We need to be upset when we see injustice happening to other believers, but we should also be grieved by the fact that so many people are doomed to everlasting punishment because of their refusal to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.  We also need to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins. 

Verse two adds, And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.  Since Mordecai had clothed himself in sack cloth, he stopped outside the king’s gate since anyone who was dressed in sackcloth could not enter the city.  We are blessed by the fact that we can come to Jesus no matter how we are dressed and if we put our faith in Him, He will redeem us and establish a right relationship with God.  Still, until we do accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we will be sitting outside the gate to everlasting life with God. 

Verse three continues, And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.  Mordecai was not the only one mourning and dressed in sackcloth.  Throughout the kingdom people were doing the same while fasting, weeping and wailing.  In all of this though it doesn’t say that they were praying to God for deliverance.  They may have been, but it really doesn’t say so.  I do know that all the external signs of grief at being doomed to everlasting punishment will do us no good.  We must pray to God for forgiveness and deliverance through putting our faith in Jesus Christ to be saved.  Matthew Henry says that the liberty that Cyrus had given them was now gone and they were crying out because most had not done anything to help in the rebuilding of Jerusalem when they had the chance.  Many people are one day going to be mourning because they didn’t accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord when they had a chance.

Verse four concludes, So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.  Esther received word of Mordecai’s state, and sent him clothes to replace his sackcloth, but he wouldn’t take them.  We cannot just dress sin up in nice clothes and suddenly be forgiven of our sins, not that Mordecai was guilty of sin. Nor will dressing nicely instead of in tattered clothes solve anything if we are dressed so in mourning for the state of the world. 

Esther 3:7

Esther 3:7 says,, In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.  Lots were cast by God’s people to determine His will at times, but that was not what was happening here.  They were casting lots before Haman and not before God.  Sometimes today, people will go through the motions of following God’s will when they are really just seeking to bring their own desires about. 

Verse eight adds, And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.  Haman, whose advice was still valued by King Ahasuerus, told him that there were a group of people scattered throughout his kingdom who did not obey his laws.  He said they were a diverse people, or different from those who were native to the kingdom, and it wasn’t in the king’s best interest to allow them to continue to live.  For whatever reason, people around the world today still want to present Christians as being a problem for the country and in many countries, they are executed just for being a Christian. 

Verse nine continues, If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.  Haman asked Ahasuerus to write an edict that these people that he said didn’t obey him be killed.  This all started not because of what the Jews as a whole had done that might harm the kingdom, but because of the fact that Mordechai would not bow down to Haman.  If he had been truthful about his motive, the king most likely would not have listened to him.  Christians often face false charges today, many times because someone just has a personal hatred for them.  Haman further said that he would pay ten thousand talents of silver into the king’s treasury if this was done.  Matthew Henry says that this was done so that the king would not think he was going to lose revenue if these people were killed but the question for me would be how Haman got this many riches to begin with.  

Verse ten states, And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.  Ahasuerus took the ring, which signified his official approval of an act, from his finger and gave it to Haman.  He surrendered his authority to Haman without trying to find out if what Haman said about the Jews was true or not.  Too often, those in power have failed to keep their authority and find out if things that are said about God’s people are true or not instead of finding out the truth for themselves. 

Verse eleven adds, And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.  Ahasuerus told Haman that he would give him the resources, and the people needed to destroy the Jews if that was what seemed good to Haman.  To state it once more, he was giving up his authority and placing it in Haman’s hands.  Ahasuerus was basically allowing Haman to do what Haman had claimed the Jews were doing and that was to harm the kingdom overall.  Since Christians, if they are being faithful to God, will not cause harm to their country, those who accuse them of doing so are the real problem.

Verse twelve continues, Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.  An edict was written and sent to all the rulers in all the provinces in the name of the king and sealed with his ring to carry out Haman’s plan to destroy all the Jews.  The enemies of the followers of Christ today often use lies to portray them as harmful to the nation, even if they have done nothing to base this claim on.  

Verse thirteen says, And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.  A letter was sent to all the provinces that on a certain day all the Jews, including the women and children, were to be killed.  The women and children would certainly not have been a threat to Ahasuerus, but Haman wanted to kill them all because of his hatred of Mordechai.  In some places today, those in power want to kill all Christians, not because they are doing anything to harm the country but simply because of their hatred of Christians. 

Verse fourteen adds, The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.  The letter went to all provinces as stated, and they were called on to be ready to act on the appointed day. 

Verse fifteen continues, The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.  After the decree went out, Ahasuerus and Haman set down to drink, but the rest of the people in Shushan were perplexed by the decree.  Ahasuerus was just going on with life as usual, but even his own people could not understand why he would issue such a decree.  Even some non-Christian wonder at the hatred other people have toward Christians today, especially if that hatred is based on false claims about them. 

 

Esther 3:1

Esther 3:1 says, After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.  After the plot to overthrow Ahasuerus was defeated, Haman and not Mordecai was promoted to a position as the king's favorite and second in command.  At times, people are put in positions of power today because the one in power prefers them and not necessarily because they are the best person for the position. 

Verse two adds, And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.  Those servants at the king’s gate all bowed and gave reverence to Haman in accordance with the king’s command, with one exception.  Mordecai did not do this.  Some people still bow at least figuratively and give reverence to those in power today, but we as followers of Christ can never do this even if the government were to require it. 

Verse three continues, Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?  The other servants at the gate asked Mordecai why he disobeyed the king’s commandment.  Those who obey any law that goes against God’s word today may ask why we as Christians do not follow that law.  We are to obey the government unless what the government require goes against God's Law, but if it does, then we must disobey it. 

Verse four states, Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.  When Mordecai continued to refuse to obey the decree to bow down to Haman, the other servants at the gate reported him to Haman.  Those who do follow leaders no matter what may want to become more favorable to him by reporting those who do not.  Mordecai said he did not bow to Haman because he was a Jew, and it would have been against God’s commandments to do so.  We need to identify ourselves as followers of Christ if we are and refuse to obey any law that goes against His commandments. 

Verse five adds, And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.  Haman may not have noticed before that Mordecai was not bowing in reverence to him, but after it was brought to his attention, he did.  Then, he was filled with anger toward Mordecai.  Those who are placed in power may allow that power to lead them to believe that other people should always acknowledge them as being worthy of praise and be angry when someone refuses to give them the honor them with that praise.  No matter how powerful a person is in the world today, they are no better in God’s sight than anyone else, and we as Christians should not treat them as if they are. 

Verse six continues, And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.  Haman wasn’t satisfied with just wanting to kill Mordecai, but he wanted to kill all the Jews as well, I think because he thought that they would be like Mordecai and not bow down to him.   There are still people in power throughout the world today who would like to destroy all Christians and not just Christian leaders.  If we are to be faithful to Jesus Christ, we should be included in those that the world wants to destroy because of our believe in Him.  We should never even give the appearance of not obeying God’s commandments just to have safety in this world, and we certainly should not bow down to any person in power.