Learning from Esther 10 – Mordecai as a Symbol of the Holy Spirit

Esther 10:3 – “Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews…”

This is the concluding verse of the book of Esther, and it highlights one of the main points of the book: the character and actions of Mordecai. Mordecai, Ester’s legal guardian, is a prophetic symbol of the Holy Spirit. Just as Mordecai raised Esther, the Holy Spirit rears the faithful church, giving instruction, and forming her character.  The meaning of “Mordecai” in Hebrew is “pure myrrh,” used in the holy anointing oil (see Exodus 30:22-31, symbolizing anointing by the Holy Spirit).

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Learning from Esther 9 – WHAT IS PURIM?

Esther 9:24-25 – “For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur .)”

Esther explains the origin of the Jewish holiday “Purim,” which occurs every year in February or March.  The modern holiday celebrates the victory that God gave His people against the genocide plotted by Haman.  The name “Purim” refers to casting lots, as the passage mentions above.  This practice was an important feature of Israel’s relationship with God in the Bible.  It has an important application for believers today in the form of asking God to speak through His Word.

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Learning from Esther 8 – Right To Assemble and Protect Themselves

Esther 8:11 – “The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies.”

An interesting feature of the story of Esther is that even when the King discovers the plot to exterminate the Jews (Haman was planning to commit genocide), there was no measure taken to prevent this from occurring.  Instead, Mordecai and Esther convinced the King to authorize resistance by God’s people against their enemies.  This was partly due to an unusual feature of ancient Persian law, which made the previous edict irrevocable; the best they could do was try to offset it or cancel it out with an equal counter-measure.  Instead of prohibiting anyone from attacking the Jews, the new edict simply authorized the Jews to assemble and to protect themselves, and to destroy any who attacked them.

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Learning from Esther 8 – No Document in the King’s Name Can Be Revoked

Esther 8:8 - “Now write another decree in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.“

The ancient Persians had an unusual custom in their legal system – the king’s official decrees were irrevocable or permanent.  This created problems when the king wanted to undo something he had already decreed – he could not retract his edict (see Daniel 6:11-15 for another story where this problem arose).  This strict Persian custom brought stability in their legal system, but sometimes produced unjust results.  In the book of Esther, the only way the king can counteract his first edict is to give a second one authorizing resistance against the first edict.

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Learning from Esther 7 – Then The King’s Fury Subsided

Esther 7:9-10  – “Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, ‘A gallows seventy-five feet [50 cubits] high stands by Haman’s house.  He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.’  The king said, ‘Hang him on it!’ So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.  Then the king’s fury subsided…”

Haman, the enemy of God’s people, had planned to have Mordecai killed (impaled or crucified) on a tall execution stake.  The word “gallows” in the original was actually a pole or cross to which they would impale the victim.  In an unexpected turn of events, Haman himself dies on the very execution stake that he planned to use to kill God’s servant.

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Learning from Esther 7 – Grant Me My Life

Esther 7:3-4 – “Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition.  And spare my people—this is my request.  For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation.  If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.’ ”

This passage records Esther’s third request of the King.  Here, Esther finally explains to the King what she really needs.  She asks the king to save her life.  We see in her request a prayer for salvation.

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Learning from Esther 6 – The One That The King Delights To Honor

Esther 6:6-10 – When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?”

So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head.”

We see here a picture of the mentality of many religious leaders – self-promotion and seeking glory, and being oblivious to the Lord’s purposes.  Men seek to be elevated or have control over others.  The Lord carries out his project without glorifying man or yielding control to any human being.

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Learning from Esther 6 – The King’s Sleepless Night

Esther 6:1-3 – That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.  It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.

“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.

This passage is about a remarkable answer to prayer.  Esther and all the Jewish people had been fasting and praying for a deliverance from the genocide that their enemies were planning against them.  Esther had already received one blessing because of her fasting, when the King gladly welcomed her into his court even when she came uninvited.  From her perspective, that was the very thing for which she had prayed, and she received the very blessing she sought.

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Learning from Esther 5 – Esther’s Requests

Esther 5:3-4 – Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”

“If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

When the King offers Esther whatever she wants, up to an equal share with him in the kingdom, Esther does something unusual – she simply asks to have a private meal with the King, an intimate conversation with him and his second-in-command (Haman). This shows us the disposition of the faithful church in prayer. Even when there is a great crisis or need that prompts her to seek God’s deliverance, her first request is to be close to Him (Jesus is our King of Kings), to be with the Lord. The number one prayer request of the Bride of Christ is this: to have intimate fellowship with the living Jesus, to be in His presence, to hear His voice. This comes before all our needs, all the problems we have to lay before Him, all out items for intercession.

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Learning from Esther 5 – Esther and the Golden Scepter

Esther 5:1-3 – “On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you…”

Esther faced a great crisis. She needed to plead for help from her husband, the Emperor of the Persian Emperor, to prevent a planned genocide against her people.

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