Esther 8:1-17 - Evil Returned on its Head

Esther 8:1-17

Esther Saves the Jews

1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, 5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?”

7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. 8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”

9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds.

11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Shushan the citadel.

15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. 17 And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.

The evil brought by the adversary of God’s people was turned on its head through the wisdom given to Mordecai.  The initial decree set in stone of the law that could not be revoked was countered by allowing the victims to group together and destroy, kill, and annihilate all those who would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, just as the edict from evil Haman’s hands had set in law against God’s chosen people of whom the king now knew were Queen Esther and her cousin’s countrymen.  The law set in stone was countered by none giving the victims the right to defend themselves and further enact retribution using the same methods against anyone and everyone set against them to destroy, kill, and annihilate (Esther 3:13) them as a people.  This was the justice given by the LORD of His people, even though His name is not explicitly spelled out in this account.  This decree of protection and turning an evil intent upon the Jews was turned around on the adversary and all who hated God’s people with him.  Likewise, in the final day of judgment, all who side with the adversary of all the chosen people of the Lord in Christ will suffer the same fate set in stone by God’s word (1 Peter 4:17, 5:8, 2 Peter 2:4, 17, Hebrews 10:26-27, Jude 1:6) unless they Ruth from sin to Him and have His royal laws written on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10, 2 Corinthians 3:3) by Him.  His law written on our hearts, minds, and souls is irrevocable and defends against all attempts of the adversary to kill and destroy (John 10:10, Revelation 12:10) or attempt to annihilate anyone who belongs to God in Christ.  We are held in His mighty and all-powerful hand of grace by the One who has turned the attempts of the adversary to destroy us by sin through the sacrifice of God’s Son to pay the price of the fall and set the law against him who would destroy us.  The Lord has crushed the evil one (Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20) and given us freedom (Hebrews 2:14, 15, 1 Corinthians 15:56-57) from the punishment of the Law (Galatians 3:13-14, Colossians 2:13, 14) which was left nailed to the cross, and has given a new decree (Psalm 133:3) of forgiveness and eternal life.  Evil has been returned on its own head by the grace and power of the decree by God in His Son.