Reversal, Relief, and Remembrance

Esther 9–10

Main Idea: In the final scenes of Esther, we see God reverse what the enemies of his people intended to achieve, and we see him grant rest and relief for his people. Moreover, we see his people rejoicing and seeking to remember their great deliverance.

1. May the Lord Find Us Faithful Where Others Have Failed (9:1-16).
   1. Consider the reversal (9:1-5).
   2. Consider the retribution and rebellion (9:6-16).
   3. Consider their restraint (9:10, 15-16).
2. May the Celebration of the Lord’s Deliverance Never Be Empty Ritual (9:17-28).
   1. See their relief and rest (9:17-19).
   2. See their rejoicing (9:17-19).
   3. See the call for remembrance (9:20-28).
   4. Be grateful it has been recorded (9:20).
3. May We Be Faithful Stewards of All God Entrusts to Us (9:29–10:3).
   1. God accomplishes his perfect plan through imperfect people.
   2. God is in charge of our when, where, and what.
   3. The gospel fuels our how and our why.
4. May We Always Remember that God Is the Real Hero (9:29–10:3).
   1. Consider their (limited) renown.
   2. What can we learn about Jesus from this text?
      1. In the battle for our deliverance, Christ alone has achieved victory.
      2. As Haman’s sons’ bodies were hanged in shame, so was Christ’s.
      3. Christ brings eternal and true liberation.
   3. Consider the Lord’s Supper.

Have you ever researched Armageddon on the internet? Of the first ten results of my search, six were referring to the movie, Armageddon, starring Bruce Willis. One was a page providing Jehovah’s Witnesses’ thoughts on the last battle. (Definitely not the most helpful resources.)

When I think of the word Armageddon, I have in mind a massive eschatological battle. And I suspect the topic fills the minds of some with anxious or fearful thoughts and great dread. But not unlike massive fireworks purchased at a pop-up tent that promised a lot of thunder and awe only to fizzle out at the Fourth of July celebration, Armageddon will be over before it even starts. Oh, there will definitely be a lot of awe and thunder in that day but just not as the world might be expecting.

In Revelation 19–20, the final two battles between evil and good are revealed. In Revelation 19:11-21, Jesus never even has to dismount but destroys his foes while sitting on a horse. (I hope the media have their cameras ready when the time comes because it will all go down really fast.) In Revelation 20:7-10 one last massive gathering of the forces of evil is described. John sums it up like this:

They came up across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them. The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev 20:9-10)

I have no intention of swaying you to a particular eschatological camp here. I am simply pointing out that what the world thinks is going to be a massive war that rages on will really be the battle that never was. In Revelation 19, the enemies are gathered so the birds can become gorged on their flesh. And in Revelation 20, the enemies surround the saints just to be scorched. To the glory of God, the saints will go on to dwell with Jesus after these events, which will be for our eternal joy. That is the way the Bible says God’s people will live happily ever after.

In the months between the twenty-third day of the third month, when Mordecai’s edict was dispersed (Esth 8:9), and the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, when the purge had been decreed by Haman, it’s possible that the enemies of God’s people psyched themselves up for an epic battle. Maybe they were making plans about gathering together and surrounding the homes of the Jews and calling dibs on what would be plundered. But just as in Revelation 19–20, there would be no victory for the forces of evil. Those among the Jews who had been filled with dread as the date drew near found that the day of doom turned out better than they could have imagined.

Importantly, just as the Lord takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek 33:11), neither should we. While we glorify God by saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and righteous” (Rev 19:1-2), we should also be grieved that there are those who perish because they foolishly rage against God and his people. Esther 9:1–10:3 is one last reminder that God’s people will always be preserved, but God’s enemies will perish and be punished forever. In the final scenes of Esther, we see God reverse what the enemies of his people intended to achieve, and we see him grant rest and relief for his people. Moreover, we see his people rejoicing and seeking to remember their great deliverance.

May the Lord Find Us Faithful Where Others Have Failed

Esther 9:1-16

In J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, the ring-bearing hobbit, Frodo, bemoans to Gandalf, “I wish it need not have happened in my time.”

Gandalf responds: “So do I and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us” (The Fellowship of the Ring, 50).

We cannot control circumstances passed to us or what we inherit from previous generations, but we can control what we do with them. Sometimes previous generations leave messes for those who come behind to clean up. For example, Saul’s refusal to kill Agag and to ban all of his plunder left ramifications for Samuel and the generations that followed, possibly including Esther’s generation. If Haman, the Agagite, was indeed linked to Agag, then after all this time God’s people were finally going to do what previous generations had failed to accomplish. If, as I noted earlier in this book, Haman was called an Agagite simply because of his hatred of the Jews, then Esther’s generation would eliminate all those who in the spirit of Agag are enemies of God’s people. Either way, the Jews in Persia were given an opportunity to stand and fight together for their preservation. They were not passing the problem to anyone else!

Consider the Reversal (9:1-5)

It turns out luck was not as much of a lady as Haman thought she would be on the thirteenth day of Adar. Of course, we know luck had nothing to do with the Pur that was cast (3:7); the matter was under the complete control of the Lord. What Haman had thought would be a day of dancing over his enemies turned out to be absolutely devastating for his family and many other foes of God’s people.

In our faith family we often sing songs that reflect the truth of Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” One of the reasons we can sing this truth is because we see it appear over and over in the Lord’s Word. We see God working for Joseph’s good what his brothers meant for evil. We see God working for Shadrach’s, Meshach’s, and Abednego’s good what Nebuchadnezzar meant for their harm. We see God working for Daniel’s good what those jealous of him intended for his demise before they became brunch for the lions! We also can see in Esther 9:1–10:3 that God is working for the good of his people what Haman and his group intended for evil. Of course, we see God’s working for our good most clearly in Christ’s death and resurrection, though Pilate, Herod, and the religious leaders acted with evil motives. Included in the “all things” of Romans 8:28 are not just our own actions but what all others might do to us as well.

As familiar as this verse is to me, I still need grace in “relearning” to believe it. There are just so many times when we are tempted to say something like this: “I know you said you would work all things for our good, Lord, but I can see no way in which this situation can be worked for good.” When you are tempted to doubt similarly, just reread the book of Esther and be reminded that God truly can work all things for the good of his people—even if that means dealing with drunk kings, defiant queens, harem life, and an edict of death.

In Esther 9:1-5 those who hated God’s people hoped to conquer them, but God’s people would prevail because of God’s provisions. First, God provided unity among his people. When there is a war to be waged on the battlefield, we tend not to fight in the barracks. God used the threat of destruction to eliminate any divisions there might have been among the Jews. As Paul would say to the believers in Corinth, “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor 12:26). On the thirteenth day of Adar, if one Jew suffered, all would suffer; if one Jew fought against his enemies, all would join him; and if one Jew triumphed, all would triumph. I hope our battles against the flesh, the world, and the devil will unite us as well.

I currently receive accountability reports via email from a software program that one of my friends is using to strive for godliness as he uses technology. My friend knows he is not in the battle alone. God gives the gifts of his Spirit, his Word, and his people to stir us to Christ each day. We can and should remind one another not to choose sin. When people ask me how our church is doing, one of my responses is that we are not fighting one another but are fighting for one another. Indeed, one of the greatest ways we can serve those in our faith family is to help them fight for joy in the Lord while the battle with the flesh, the world, and the devil rages.

Second, God provided so that, of the adversaries who attacked the Jews, not a single one of them could successfully stand against his people (Smith, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, 279). As the Jews defended themselves, God made sure they would not be conquered but would be conquerors.

Third, God provided so that every ethnic group was afraid of the Jews. The enemies were not just thwarted physically but also psychologically. Baldwin notes,

The fear of God’s people was explicable only in terms of fear of their God, who vindicated their righteous cause by convicting their enemies in the whole Persian empire of having backed the losing side. (Esther, 103)

The situation was similar to the time about which Rahab confessed,

I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. (Josh 2:9-11)

Fourth, another place God provided help for his people was probably one from which they least expected it when everything began. God provided support for the Jews from the Persian officials. All of them. None of God’s enemies could stand against his people, but every government official stood with them. Pagan people were used by the Lord to protect and preserve his people. I have tried to point this truth out to you clearly throughout this book: God does not just reign over those who know and love him. He reigns over all. He does not just use those who comply with his will but even those who do not know it.

Consider the Retribution and Rebellion (9:6-16)

In both Susa and all the provinces, God empowered the Jews to strike down those who hated them and attacked them. At least 75,500 foes lost their lives on the thirteenth day of Adar, ten of whom were Haman’s sons. An additional 300 enemies were killed on the fourteenth day, as Ahasuerus allowed another day of fighting in Susa. I want to point out three aspects of the fighting.

First, consider the act of defense. God’s people were defending themselves against those who attacked them. They were not launching preventive attacks. They did not initiate the action by raiding the homes of their foes. Rather, the Jews followed what was prescribed in Mordecai’s decree and offered a vigorous defense.

Though the Jews had every right to annihilate anyone who attacked regardless of gender or age, Esther 9 does not record any specific instances of women and children being killed. If they were, then it serves as a reminder of the consequences of poor male headship in the home. May we never lead our families to fight against God. And may we who are husbands and fathers always remember that our rebellion against God produces painful consequences for our wives and kids. Look at Haman and his sons and learn.

Second, consider the issue of divine justice. When God’s people entered Canaan, God used them as instruments of divine justice against the sins of those who were living in the land. As Paul says in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” In Numbers 25 God instructed his people to put to death all those who had led his people astray in worship of the Baal of Peor. It seems harsh, but in reality it is about holiness. God alone deserves worship, and he does not want anything to pull us away from him. His command was to put away those who were luring his people away, and none of those killed in Numbers 25 were innocent. All who were killed were worshiping a false god, Baal.

An attack on God’s people is an attack on God. While he “was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,” Saul encountered the Lord who asked him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:1, 4). Jesus identified so strongly with the suffering Saul was inflicting on his people that he could ask why Saul was persecuting him. Do not rush past that thought.

When Helen Roseveare, who served as a medical missionary in Africa, was beaten and abused by rebel soldiers, she said the Lord brought to her mind that those were his beatings. What they were doing to her, they were really doing to him. She counted it a privilege, then, to suffer for the cause of Christ. The soldiers had no idea Christ was identifying with Helen’s suffering, just as Saul had no clue his persecution of the church was really a persecution of Christ. Nevertheless, that did not excuse what he or the soldiers did.

None who died in Susa or the provinces on the thirteenth or fourteenth days of the month of Adar were innocent. All were guilty. Here again is a visible picture of what we all deserve: death for our sin and rebellion against God. I am sure we each want to see ourselves as standing on the Lord’s side, but do not miss that without Christ we would all continually strive against the Lord. Left to our own resources, we are all “alienated and hostile” in our minds and express evil through our actions (Col 1:21). This is why our only hope for change is being reconciled by Christ (Col 1:22).

Was Esther wrong for asking for another day of killing, especially since Haman’s original edict called for attacking the Jews on one day only? The biblical author neither condemns nor vindicates her. Unlike so much of our contemporary news that is filled with commentary, here we get only the facts. Ahasuerus asked her what she wanted, and she wanted one more day of routing the enemies of her people. Some say she was vindictive and bloodthirsty and that this was how she got the name Esther—after Ishtar the Persian goddess of love and war. Others say she was completely in the right as she sought to wipe out all of those who wanted to harm God’s people. Like many other aspects of the book of Esther, however, we cannot make a definite call on her motive or her innocence or guilt. We can just affirm that on that second day three hundred more enemies of God’s people were put to death and that none of those were innocent. We can also affirm their stupidity: After seeing what happened the previous day and hearing reports from the provinces, did they really think their ongoing efforts against the Jews would turn out differently?

What a prime example of sin’s foolishness this provides! We can clearly see its consequences one day yet assume that dabbling in it will lead to benign consequences the next. Sin will never lead you to anything good, and sin will not give you a pass. When will we learn? Probably not soon enough. So let us consider the three hundred rebels who fought on day two and learn from their foolish and fatal decision.

Third, consider the deadly passion of Haman’s household. Certainly Haman’s ten sons wanted to vindicate their father. They were probably among the leaders of those in the citadel who were more than likely seeking Mordecai’s death, and maybe Esther’s too if they could get to her. Passion and courage were not lacking among them, but unfortunately godliness was. The sons are reminders of two important things.

First, we can be passionate and still perish. Strong feelings and even sacrifice are noble qualities but not when used for the wrong purposes. People can have intense convictions about atheism, for example, but that does not make that way of thinking any more beneficial or true than it is for those who hold mild views of atheism. If we are wrong on an issue, we are wrong, and it does not matter how much passion we feel or exert toward whatever it is.

Second, reading about Haman’s sons should prompt us to ask what we are leading those who come behind us to be passionate and sacrificial about? Haman’s sons followed their father’s footsteps right up to the point of joining him in eternal death. So where will our steps lead those we disciple? How many in our congregations are leading their children to be passionate about their favorite sports teams or leisure activities? How many in our congregations are leading those they are “discipling” to be passionate about things of the world? Where are the moms and dads who are passing down a legacy of making every effort to grow in godliness or making every effort to go with the gospel? Read these names and consider that Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha each had an eternal soul. Their father led them to be passionate not about their Creator but about what perishes. What are the names of those entrusted to your care? What passions do they foster because of you?

Consider Their Restraint (9:10, 15-16)

If a biblical author writes something multiple times, we should pay attention to it. For instance, Luke notes twice that Barabbas “had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder” (Luke 23:19, 25). He does not want you to miss that Christ, the innocent one, will be killed, while Barabbas, the guilty one, will go free. Of course, there could not be a clearer picture of Jesus’s substitution in our place. He is innocent, but we are guilty. He was punished; we are pardoned. Luke wants to be sure we get it.

No biblical author ever repeats something because his memory failed while he was writing! (That’s certainly a possibility in this volume though. Have I mentioned that I hate snakes?) Three times in Esther 9 the author points out that the Jews had the opportunity to plunder the goods of those they killed, but they refused to do so. For the Jews this battle was about preservation and not economic advancement. As instruments of God’s divine justice, their focus was on punishment, not plunder.

Years before, Abraham refused to take money from the king of Sodom (though he earned it with his victory in battle) because he did not want anyone to think he had advanced economically because of a pagan (Gen 14:22-23). And where Achan failed in the battle of Jericho (Josh 7:10-26), Esther’s generation proved faithful. Strain notes,

We do need to understand that in conducting holy war, the people of God were engaged in something quite different than a modern program of ethnic cleansing or geopolitical land grabbing. They were prosecuting the judicial decree of God in his wrath upon his enemies. It was, in fact, a graphic picture and expression of a deeper conflict, we’ve seen this before, that has raged, really, since Genesis 3:15 when God declared that the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent would live in perpetual enmity, one with another, ’til one would come who’d crush the serpent’s head. (“Holy War”)

Had they lost, the Jews would have certainly been plundered. As a matter of fact, it was the main motivation Haman provided in his edict. But God’s people exercised restraint. Their primary aim was life, not loot.

May the Celebration of the Lord’s Deliverance Never Be Empty Ritual

Esther 9:17-28

See Their Relief and Rest (9:17-19)

The completion of a final exam always served as a highlight for me, both in college and in seminary. I wanted to run through the middle of the quad and shout “FREEDOM!” at the top of my lungs. There was nothing like the feeling of relief that came after the flurry of preparation and perspiration. When I completed and defended my dissertation, that feeling was multiplied many times over. I might have even cried. I teared up at my graduation for sure. Relief!

After their battles God’s people had relief from their enemies and rest from striving, both of which came only after resolution to their problem (Smith, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, 284). There is often little rest and relief while a battle rages, though we long for it desperately. Rest typically follows resolution. Suddenly, where they had first expected ruin, there was an opportunity for reflection. The emotional toll of waiting for months to see how everything would turn out, the preparations for defending their children and property, and the fatigue from fighting could all be released. It was time for recovery.

In Christ we too have relief from our enemies and rest from our striving, but what we experience now in part we will know one day in full. What a glorious day it will be when we are forever free from anxiety, fear, and even striving in our sanctification! While we will still have work in heaven, it will be free from toil and exhaustion, and it will always be fruitful and done joyfully. What a glorious day it will be when we no longer have a need for internet filters or must put away good gifts that we have turned into terrible gods. Through Christ we will experience full rest and relief, and we are one day closer to it today than we were yesterday.

See Their Rejoicing (9:17-19)

Relief and rest are not ends in themselves, though, but means to rejoicing. The Jews’ fasting was important, but now it was time for feasting. As I mentioned earlier, the rejoicing was not in the deaths of the enemies but in deliverance. Wherever they were, the Jews celebrated with a day of good food and joy. Can’t you picture the hugs, the smiles, children being lifted into the air, hands raised in victory, and even dancing that surely filled the streets? Breathing in oxygen and knowing they were alive must have felt so good! In God’s strength and with his provisions, they had fought for one another, for life, for the ones who would come behind them, and they had won. I am sure the celebration had to be similar to the one that occurred on the banks of the Red Sea as the last waves crashed over the charging Egyptian army and the Israelites knew their enemy was vanquished and they were free! It is no wonder a spontaneous worship service erupted on that shore (Exod 15). If I had a tambourine that day, I would have shaken it too (Exod 15:20)!

Every Sunday we gather and celebrate Christ’s victory and the rest and relief he’s granted us from sin and wrath. We celebrate life! We celebrate that one day all our enemies of the flesh, the world, and the devil will be put away forever. But rejoicing is not just for Sundays or holidays. I hope that rejoicing is one of your daily practices. Much as the Jews did after the battle, we can celebrate with certainty. Christ is our Victor. We have won because he has won!

See the Call for Remembrance (9:20-28)

For some reason we are prone to forget God’s goodness to us. We see this tendency throughout the Bible. God does something great for his people. They are glad for a time. Then they forget. Esther and Mordecai did not want those in any generation to forget God’s deliverance. They therefore instituted Purim as a yearly reminder and commanded every generation in perpetuity to observe it. Jews in the modern world, in fact, just observed Purim not long before I sat down to write this chapter.

This feast was not instituted by the Lord but by others as a means to celebrate something that should not be forgotten. In the Old Testament, God’s people were often instructed to raise an ebenezer or a cairn so they would not forget something God had done and could teach future generations about God’s goodness. Every time a child or grandchild would ask why a particular stone of remembering had been placed or why God’s laws were so important, parents and grandparents had an opportunity to share the truth that

We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand. Before our eyes the Lord inflicted great and devastating signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his household, but he brought us from there in order to lead us in and give us the land that he swore to our fathers. The Lord commanded us to follow these statutes and to fear the Lord our God for our prosperity always and for our preservation, as it is today. (Deut 6:21-24)

As the psalmist says, “We will not hide them from their children, but will tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, his might, and the wondrous works he has performed” (Ps 78:4).

With regard to Purim, Gregory offers some helpful thoughts:

By naming the festival “Purim,” attention is focused on something deeper. And it is this: the lot, or destiny, of God’s people is not left up to chance and it is not determined by someone like Haman casting lots before his gods. No, only God determines the lot of his people. The name reminds the people that it is God and God alone who determines how things turn out in the world. (Inconspicuous Providence, 166)

Relief for the Jews was not just gained, it was given. With the establishment of a yearly reminder, God’s people were encouraged to always remember the Giver!

Whatever it takes, may we never forget God’s goodness to us through the gospel of Christ. Set reminders. Set alarms on your phone. Leave yourself notes posted where you will see them each day. Keep lists of the daily graces he extends to you. Participate in corporate singing with your faith family and in hearing God’s Word preached. Celebrate each baptism and each time the Lord’s Supper is observed. These are all aids in helping us remember and rejoice in who he is and what he has done for us.

One additional note about Purim. Gregory points out,

In the Jewish calendar, the year begins and ends around March. It begins with a celebration of the Passover and ends with a celebration of Purim. That is, it begins with a celebration of how God delivered his people from the oppression of Pharaoh in a foreign land, and it ends with a celebration of how God delivered his people from the oppression of Haman in a foreign land. (Ibid., 169)

Even when the Jews were far from home, God was not far from them. This should be a great comfort to us, who are also “strangers and exiles” (1 Pet 2:11).

Be Grateful It Has Been Recorded (9:20)

Nothing helps us remember and rejoice more than things we record. No doubt realizing this, Mordecai wanted things written down so that there would be a physical reminder of what occurred. How grateful we should be for the written Word of God, and how passionate we should be to see that all peoples have it in their languages! Consider these thoughts from David Strain:

In many ways, the application of the whole book of Esther is right here in this section of Esther chapter 9. The answer to the question, “What is the book of Esther intended to do in the hearts of its readers?” is here. Here is the “So what?” question answered regarding Esther. The whole thing is designed to explain why the Jews observe Purim, that is, why do we rejoice and celebrate? Here’s what you do with the truths of the book of Esther—you remember grace and you rejoice. The Jews did it at Purim; it’s what we do every Lord’s Day. . . . Part of our task, as we seek to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, is to do what the Jews do here at Purim, to remember to rehearse again the “old, old story of Jesus and his Cross,” that we might reignite the flames of rejoicing in our hearts. A Sunday that is morbid and dark is not a godly Sabbath. Today is the day when life and immortality were brought to light, the day in which light was created, when the Light of the world broke through the darkness of death for us and our salvation. Today, brothers and sisters, of all days, we have reason for joy. Jesus Christ lives and reigns and has won a victory for us. (“Holy War”)

Aren’t you grateful the gospel has not just been proclaimed to you but preserved for you to read again and again in God’s Word? Read, remember, rejoice, and then repeat.

In considering all that Mordecai recorded and the letters he and Esther sent, there is a bit of irony concerning where the book of Esther begins and ends. Remember when Ahasuerus’s counselors had him send out a decree so that women would be kept in their place in their homes (1:22)? “At the end of the book of Esther, a letter goes out to the entire empire, with the king’s own wife issuing the final command” (Gregory, Inconspicuous Providence, 167).

May We Be Faithful Stewards of All God Entrusts to Us

Esther 9:29–10:3

God Accomplishes His Perfect Plan through Imperfect People

At the beginning of this book, we did not even know Mordecai and Esther existed. Once we did, we were introduced to them and to their compromises and their initial lack of public identification with God’s people. But as the story progressed, so did Esther’s and Mordecai’s understanding of what was entrusted to them, not just for their sake but for the sake of God’s people scattered throughout the empire. Both displayed great courage and, above all, good stewardship of the positions of influence the Lord gave them. Recorded in the closing verses of the book is their power, influence, and making the most of their lives not just for Ahasuerus’s kingdom but for the Lord’s.

God accomplishes his perfect plan through imperfect people. This is good news for those who often have to admit, “I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me” (Ps 51:3). Though we will still have moments of disobedience until glorification, God can and will still use us for his name’s sake. Our plea is Christ’s perfection and not ours. As Esther and Mordecai progressed in their understanding and usefulness, may we as well.

God Is in Charge of Our When, Where, and What

As we have noted, God is no less in charge of our when, where, and what than he was for Esther and Mordecai. Nothing is accidental or arbitrary about our skills, circumstances, or opportunities. For such a time as this, you and I have been entrusted to make disciples as we go to the nations and to our neighbors.

I often stress to high school and college students that we are not living a trial run. Life is not like a video game in which you can just go back to the last saved checkpoint and start over after a mess up. Your freshman year in high school or in college could not be more real. And while you may repeat a grade, you will never repeat a year.

As I write, Senator John McCain is serving his last term in the United States Senate. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2017. Now that he does not have to run for reelection, he feels more freedom than ever to vote his conscience. In considering his time winding down both in political service and life in general, McCain referenced a line from For Whom the Bell Tolls: “The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for and I hate very much to leave it.” McCain wrote: “I hate to leave it. But I don’t have a complaint. Not one. It’s been quite a ride. I’ve known great passions, seen amazing wonders, fought in a war, and helped make a peace. I made a small place for myself in the story of America and the history of my times.” (Cooney, “I Hate to Leave”)

Two phrases from McCain’s response struck me. The first one was “I hate to leave it,” and the second one was “the history of my times.” If we would only consider both of these phrases more often, perhaps we would be gripped with gospel urgency. The days the Lord gives us are the history of our times. They are our only days. And soon we will no longer be in the positions in which we serve or even on this planet.

Even if you’ve worked for years with the same company and make many sacrifices, do not be surprised if the day after you retire they give your office to the next person to serve in your old position. The author of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever,” and “There is no remembrance of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no remembrance by those who follow them” (Eccl 1:4, 11). Do you know the names of your great-great grandparents? Without looking at records, I do not. Since those who came before us did not know us and those who come behind us will not remember us, we should maximize our striving to reach those who are with us here and now. These are the only days of our lives.

The Gospel Fuels Our How and Our Why

I have made this point many times over in this book, so I will not belabor it here. All God expects from us, he provides for us in Jesus. He does not expect us to be strong in our strength but in his. He does not expect us to persevere in our power but in his. He does not expect us to contend for the gospel so that he will keep us; rather, we contend for the gospel because we are kept. We seek to know what he wants and do it in his power because we have been delivered, redeemed, and forgiven. The resources and the reasons for what we do arise from the gospel. May we who have put our hope in Christ “bring praise to his glory” (Eph 1:12).

May We Always Remember that God Is the Real Hero

Esther 9:29–10:3

Consider Their (Limited) Renown

As powerful as Mordecai became, he was not in command of the empire. His was definitely a significant position (ask Joseph), but he still served under a pagan king. And even though it might have been all the world they knew, Persia was not all the world there was, and certainly not all the planets in our galaxy or every star in existence belonged to it. As great as the deliverance was for the Jews, they were still in Persia, and they were still under Ahasuerus’s reign. Neither Esther nor Mordecai was ultimate liberator of God’s people. He was still to come! And he is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev 19:16).

In the book of Esther, a significant issue was resolved for God’s people, but it wasn’t the ultimate issue. Even though they were granted victory over the edict of doom, the Jews were still under the domain of darkness with sin and death. They did not die on the day they battled, but eventually death came for them all and the children they fought for as well as the grandchildren they never met. A greater victory was needed.

The recording of their renown is also a reminder that we can be faithful and God can bless that faithfulness, but history does not revolve around us. Twice in high school my first name was misspelled on our baseball team’s calendars and once on an award I received for football. I learned early on, then, that only one name matters. Be faithful. Be a good steward. But remember that any good that comes through us is a work of God’s grace; therefore, he should receive the glory.

What Can We Learn about Jesus from This Text?

First, in the battle for our deliverance, Christ alone has achieved victory. Unlike the Jews who worked together, no one gathered to help Jesus be our substitute. His closest friends abandoned him, and some blatantly betrayed him. Unlike the Jews who had every Persian official standing with them, Jesus had no political person intervening on his behalf. Pilate washed his hands of the issue, and he and Herod bonded in their opposition. Christ alone stood against our enemies and defeated them with his death.

Second, as Haman’s sons’ bodies were hanged in shame, so was Christ’s. He was hung on the tree because in our place he was cursed. He received the full punishment of divine wrath, but he also experienced the full brunt of our shame. Haman’s sons’ bodies hung in defeat, and they deserved it. They are an example of what happens to all who come against the Lord. And the shame and defeat they experienced should be what we experience. But look! There is Christ, crucified in our place.

Third, Christ brings eternal and true liberation. The Jews in Esther’s and Mordecai’s day experienced rest and relief from their enemies in a particular instance, but Christ provides rest and relief from our enemies forever. An example of the temporary nature of the Jews’ relief can be seen in Ahasuerus’s taxation on the land (10:1). Nothing dispels relief and rest like getting a letter from the IRS in your mailbox! Whom the Son has set free, however, will be free forever! No more taxation and no more trouble.

Consider the Lord’s Supper

Though few of us observe Purim, we have been given a celebration feast as well. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder of God’s greatest reversal and his greatest goodness to us. The Jews celebrated Purim with rejoicing in relief, but how much more should the resurrection fuel our praise? At Purim they gave gifts to the poor, but at the Lord’s Supper we celebrate what Jesus gave to the poorest. He says to us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs” (Matt 5:3).

At Purim they would look backward and remember, which we do with the Lord’s Supper. However, we also look forward. We know Christ is coming again, and we will drink the cup together with him. The Lord’s Supper provides us a time to remember the cost paid for us to be able to participate in a future Table. All the feasts combined in the book of Esther cannot compare with the feast we will experience one day. As John was told to write, “‘Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!’” (Rev 19:9). John Frame notes, “We eat only little bits of bread and drink little cups of wine, for we know that our fellowship with Christ in this life cannot begin to compare with the glory that awaits us in him” (Systematic Theology, 1069).

Conclusion

Through his providence and in keeping with his promises, God placed Esther and Mordecai in positions of power to preserve his people and punish his enemies. Somewhere in the empire were those who would one day be recorded in the messianic genealogies listed in the Gospels. We do not know where they were, but God did. He kept them alive so that “when the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5). God kept them alive so that through them his Son might be sent. And through his death, we are granted life. As Paul declares, “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13-14). The decree of death has been destroyed!

In the book of Esther, God does not have to be named for us to notice his work. But it certainly was his work, so let us join the psalmist in declaring, “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth” (Ps 115:1).

Reflect and Discuss

1. In what ways, if any, are you striving for faithfulness where your parents or those who discipled you failed?
2. What reversals, if any, have you seen the Lord bring about in your journey? How have you seen him turn to good what others intended for your harm?
3. Though the striking down of God’s enemies seems harsh, why is it ultimately about holiness? How do we reconcile a text like Esther with Christ’s call to love our enemies and pray for them?
4. The fate of Haman’s sons should be a warning to all of us. How can we train those who come behind us to be passionate about and sacrificial for the things of God and not just our own agendas?
5. The struggle against enemies produced unity among God’s people. How should our struggles against the flesh, the world, and the devil produce the same in us? What things prevent us from uniting in these battles?
6. How often do you rejoice in the rest and relief Christ provides? How and why should you do so more?
7. In what ways are you intentional about reminding yourself of what God has done for us in Jesus? Why do we have to be intentional about this?
8. How grateful are you to have God’s Word recorded? How do you demonstrate this gratitude? What can we do so that all may have his Word?
9. In what ways has our journey through the book of Esther and seeing how God uses imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plans encouraged you? How has it been helpful?
10. What is something you have learned through your study of Esther? How will it impact how you live?