Esther 9 Commentary
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And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. Verse 3. Yes, it’s the same Bible and the same author. In other places, the holy script would have God as the central character. It would be the fear of God and not the fear of Mordecai. So what is the point here?
It’s like Esther is written for an atheist audience. Will they still fail to see a higher power behind these happenings? While the saint inserts the word ‘God’ in just about every event in this book, even without thinking about it, the none believer must have question marks everywhere. It’s these question marks that must lead them to a true knowledge of the El-Shaddai God.
Chapter 9 appears to contain the main purpose of this book. It answers the why of the annual Jewish festival of Purim. Even today, Purim is celebrated by the Jews to mark Israel’s salvation from the hand of Haman. The Book of Esther is probably one of the most well-known stories as it is read in its entirety every year during Purim.
This chapter also reveals the two sides of divine generosity. Not only is man saved from the penalty of sin, but he is also brought into a place of abundance.
As we saw earlier in this book, being a Jew represented trouble for self and placed a huge disadvantage on progress. No wonder Esther was forbidden from disclosing her Jewish identity. Even today, the remnants understand this situation very well. As we reflect on the triumph of the Jews in this chapter, our minds are quickly taken to another triumph for the remnants when the Son is revealed in His glory. The timid and fearful saints can then have a name to be admired even by their enemies. We have been called to this kind of glorious hope.
Saints should not be mistaken. The unique blessing of the LORD upon their lives isn’t going to earn them praise from the world. Listen to the story of the Jews and know your position. The LORD does provide relief here and there but no one saint should expect a red carpet for their faith in the El-Shaddai God. However, our hope lies in the future restoration of all things by the Son who, we suspect, has been pulling strings for Esther and Mordecai in this book.
Purim is a unique festival. While the Passover was instituted by the LORD through Moses, Purim doesn’t seem to have its origins in the mind of the LORD. However, its very existence in scripture is a message by itself. Let man return to a place of his blessing. It’s a call to remember the generosity of the LORD. It’s a call to count one’s blessings in praise and worship of the El-Shaddai God.
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