Esther 8
McGeeCHAPTER 8THEME: The message of hope that went out from the kingAlthough Haman is dead, the threat of death still hangs over every Jew. The decree he sent forth that Jews may be slain on a certain day is still in effect. Because the decree is a law of the Medes and Persians it cannot be changed. That presents a real problem. What is the solution? This chapter will answer that question.
Esther 8:1
For the first time Esther let it be known that Mordecai was her adoptive fatherMordecai, the man whose refusal to bow to Haman occasioned this terrible decree. This passage indicates that the king was quite free with the use of his ring. It was a powerful and important ring. It could be pressed down into wax and make a law that would destroy a people. This was the ring he passed on to Haman when he was prime minister. It is the ring he now passes on to Mordecai. I feel that the ring is in good hands now, but the king certainly seems to be careless in passing it around.
Esther 8:3
Esther cried to the king for help, but nothing could be done to change the decree. It could not be changed in any shape or form. Even the king could not change the law. Again the king is gracious and extends his sceptre.
Esther 8:4
Esther makes it quite plain to the king that the judgment against Haman is of no avail unless something is done to save her people. Something must be done to save them.
Esther 8:7
It is true that the king gave to Esther and to Mordecai the house of Haman, but that did not spare the Jews at all. Things were still no better for the Jews than they were before Haman’s death.
Esther 8:8
Mordecai now acts swiftly.
Esther 8:9
Again the scribes are called in to make copies of the new decree in every language in the kingdom.
Esther 8:10
The original decree is not altered in any way. It cannot be. It stands. But now another decree is made and sent out just as the first one was. It is signed by the king. The entire power of the king, as evidenced in his army and his officers, is now on the side of the Jews. This changes the entire picture, you see. When this new decree comes to the Jews, their hearts are filled with joy and gladness. As we read this record, we can see the picture. It must have been late in the evening that Queen Esther had gone into the presence of the king to plead for her people. Now the new decree is written and signed with the king’s ring. The kingdom was polyglotmany languages were spoken. You can see that all the amanuenses were summoned to write the decree in the languages of the 127 provincesprobably there were hundreds of copies for each language. The kingdom employed all means of communication common to that day. Heralds were sent on horseback, on mules, on camels, and on dromedariesacross the Arabian Desert, up the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, down into India, and some into Africa. The heralds were riding in every direction getting this decree out as quickly as possible into every village and hamlet in the kingdom. This new decree provides a way of escape for the Jews. If they receive the message in timeand believe itthey can save their lives. This is probably one of the most wonderful pictures of our salvation in Scripture. It is not an illustration that is used very much today, but it is a picture straight from God. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1Co_10:11). God has sent out a decree. It says, “…the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Eze_18:4). This does not only refer to certain people on skid row or some criminals; it refers to everyone. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom_3:23, italics mine). “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isa_64:6, italics mine). God cannot save us today by perfection because we cannot offer it.
God cannot save us by imperfection because He cannot lower His standard. We belong to a lost race. That is the predicament of humanity. That is the problem of the human family. We like to think that the problem is somewhere else, in someone else’s heart, but it is right in our own hearts. Out of the heart proceed all the evil things.
The world is polluted. It is not only the rivers and the air; the human heart is polluted. God has to judge. Men are sinners and need a Savior. Many people don’t like to hear that. Many churches today have become liberal, and liberalism is based on weakness.
The men in the pulpit do not have the courage to stand up and tell people that they are sinners and need a Savior. Of course, it is an unpopular message. All of us would rather be flattered. But it is God’s decree, and it stands unalterable. It means eternal death to ignore it. But thank God, another decree has gone out from the throne of God. It is: “…be ye reconciled to God” (2Co_5:20). We are ambassadors in this world today. An ambassador is the highest ranking representative appointed by a country to represent it in another country. The ambassador represents both a friendly country and a friendly potentate. Our God is friendly. You don’t have to do anything to reconcile God. He has done it for you. Christ has died for you and for me. What can we add to what Christ has already done? You cannot do anything to soften God’s heart. His heart is already soft toward us because Jesus has already paid the penalty for our sin. Now we can say that “…If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom_8:31). God is on our side, friend. The decree has come out, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved …” (Act_16:31). If you put your trust in Christ, you will be saved. That is the provision that King Ahasuerus made for the Jews. All they have to do is believe the new decree and act upon it. It will rescue them from certain death. God has a way to save sinners. You are not good enough to go to heaven, and you never will be. God has to work you over. You and I have to come to Him and accept the salvation that provides for us a robe of righteousness that is perfect. Christ gives us His righteousness! You cannot improve on that! God could not take us to heaven as we are; we have to be born again. This is what our Lord said to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, “…ye must be born again” (Joh_3:7). In 1Pe_1:23, God puts it this way, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” It is because folk hear and believe the Word of God that they are born again and their lives are being changed. I don’t talk to people about “committing their lives to God” as if they had something to commit. Do you think He wants your old life? My friend, He wants to give you a new life. He wants to regenerate you. He wants to save you. The Jews in Esther’s day had to recognize that a decree had been made to destroy them. Also they had to believe that the king was on their side and had issued another decree to save them. We too must believe that the King of kings is on our side. I am an ambassador for Christ, and, therefore, on behalf of God I must say to you, “…be ye reconciled to God” (2Co_5:20). He is reconciled to you. So the second decree from the king went out.
Esther 8:13
There was a need for haste, and there is a need for haste today. I am not trying to frighten you, but this may be the last time you will have an opportunity to accept Christ as Savior. Now is the accepted time to believe Christ. The only time God wants you to be in a hurry, friend, is to accept His Son.
Esther 8:15
The royal apparel Mordecai is now wearing is certainly different from the sackcloth and ashes he wore only a short time before. His appearance in the city undoubtedly reinforced the joy produced by the king’s new decree. Notice the contrast between the two decrees; Haman’s decree produced sorrow, and the king’s decree produced joy. Salvation can bring real joy into your life. You can go to a nightclub and spend one hundred dollars, and I will grant you that you can have a good time. If you are an unsaved person, you will have a good time because you can watch the show, get drunk, and eat like a glutton. Yes, you’ll have a good time that night, but you won’t in the morning. You will feel bad, and in it all you will never know what real joy is. Only when you come to Christ will you experience real joy.
Esther 8:16
Light is what God offers you. Jesus is the Light of the world. He also is the gladness, and joy, and honor of the world. The thing that gives dignity to sinners is to receive the Savior, who is God manifest in the flesh, who died for them. That will lift sinners out of the muck and mire. It will enable a sinner to walk through this world with his head held high, rejoicing. My, how we need to rejoice! Are you joyful today, Christian friend, with that gladness that comes from deep down in your heart? If you are not filled with joy, come to Christ and He will give you something to be glad about.
Esther 8:17
For fear of the Jews many of the people became Jews, that is, they accepted their religion. The nation Israel was a better witness to the world than we give it credit for.