Year 2, Day 68: Esther 8

God’s Righteousness

In Esther 8 we see that the king puts underneath Esther everything that had been Haman’s.  Esther in turn appoints Mordecai to rule over that which used to be Haman’s.  Here we can see God at work in Mordecai’s life.  As I pointed out a few days ago, remember that this happened because Mordecai was patient and allowed God to work it out.  When we submit to God, we are in a position to receive what God would have us receive.  When we submit to God, we are in a position to glorify Him through whatever means He deems necessary and appropriate.

However, I also don’t want that paragraph to be read in a works-righteousness sense.  Notice that I didn’t say, “If we submit to God, we will all be in a position to be exalted.”  No, when we submit to God we are in a position to receive that which brings glory to God.  Some people submit to God and are exalted as Mordecai was exalted.  Other people submit to God and find themselves martyred – like 10 of the 12 disciples, Jan Hus, or even Deitrich Bonhoeffer.  Submission to God does not imply worldly glory for us.  Submission to God implies glory being given to God through our testimony about Him.

It is important to keep this focus.  We should not teach a works-based faith.  Neither should we teach a faith that treats God as a gift-giving Santa Claus.  Neither should we teach a prosperity gospel.  We should teach a faith that places the focus on God and always asks: “What role is God asking me to play in His kingdom?”  God’s kingdom and God’s agenda is far more important to life than my glory and exaltation.  Even if I am to be martyred, I should be content to play that role should it be asked of me by God.

That is precisely what is happening here in this book.  God is using Esther and Mordecai to save His people.  They may be receiving glory from being in such positions of honor, but what is important is that God’s agenda is being accomplished.  God’s agenda is being propelled forward.  God is working through Esther and Mordecai just like God is working through the people in a lower station that doesn’t get fame, recognition, or even a long-term social memory.

The Request Before the King

Now we turn to Esther’s and Mordecai’s request.  At first, it might seem easy to balk at the words in this chapter.  Esther 8:11 is a particularly harsh verse: “the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods.”  Words like “kill,” “annihilate,” “destroy,” and “plunder” are not kind words, especially when mixed with words like “women” and “children.”  It might be easy to read these verses and think that this is outside of God’s will.

However, I think that there is a very important word that tempers all of this verse.  The king allowed Jews to gather and defend their lives.  The Jews do not have permission to be the aggressor.  The Jews do not have permission to go out and simply attack the people they don’t like.  If that was what was being said here, then the Jews would be absolutely no better than Haman!  Rather, the Jews are allowed to defend themselves.  It even seems like the Jews are allowed to preemptively defend themselves – but only against those that they know are going to attack them.  So the key to this whole edict is that the Jews can only take up arms in defense against those who would intend harm to them.  In this light, I believe this chapter is well in line with God’s character.

But don’t think that one must defend oneself, either.  Just because we can defend ourselves and be in God’s will it does not mean that defending ourselves is the only way to be in God’s will.  The martyrdom of the original disciples and the many Christians who followed after them was incredibly useful in propelling the church forward.  In fact, on an infinitely bigger scale – all of Christianity solely rests upon an act that came about because Jesus did not defend Himself and embraced the cross!  Jesus was wrongly crucified.  If anyone had a reason to defend himself, it would be Jesus.  But thanks be to God that Jesus did not defend Himself!  Where would we be if He had?

Christianity is a faith that abounds in God’s character of forgiveness, self-sacrifice, and humility.  As we read through this chapter and read into the end of the book tomorrow, we should be quick to remember this fact.  There is a time for defending oneself.  There is also a time for martyrdom.  There is a place for Esther and Mordecai as well as for Jan Hus and Deitrich Bonhoeffer and the Twelve Apostles.  Mercifully, there is a place for the people in the middle like you and for me, too!

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