The importance of the book of Esther
The importance of the book of Esther, a book of the Old Testament, is a moral message, and it speaks of God’s care for His chosen people through Empress Esther. The time of ruling the Persian king Ahasuerus is the same time when all of these events happen. King Ahasuerus reigned from India to Ethiopia in 127 countries. One day, King Ahasuerus organized a feast for his guests, that lasted 180 days. He showed them his wealth and the glory of his kingdom. In the end, he wanted to show the guests the beauty of his queen Vashti.
He sent his courtiers to bring Empress Vashti under the royal wreath and all the lavish clothes that only empresses wear. He wanted to show her to all nations, princes, and rulers because he was proud of her beauty. But, Empress Vashti did not want to come even, the emperor himself called her. At that time, disobeying the word of the emperor was a serious crime even for the queen. Her disobedience diminished all his wealth. The emperor was remarkably angry, and the anger filled his heart. He called on his sages to hear their advice regarding the inappropriate behavior of Empress Vashti.
The emperor had the authority that all the peoples in his empire had to listen to, including Empress Vashti. After a short time, the sages agreed and told the emperor that what the empress had done was not permitted. Moreover, she can inspire all women in his kingdom that when they hear of the proud decision of disobedience to her husband, so they too would be disobedient to their husbands. Therefore it would be much defiant and quarrelsome to deal with these marriages.
Search for the new queen
However, his advisers had another suggestion. If it is pleasing to the emperor, to issue a royal order, and to write in the laws is unchangeable, Vashti no longer appears before the emperor. As a result of her behavior, she will no longer be queen. And that the emperor will give his empire to another woman obedient to him and better than her. In the royal city was Judah Mordecai, who was taken into captivity from Jerusalem with other slaves.
He had a younger cousin, Esther, whom he cared for because she had no parents. Esther was a beautiful and loving girl. He decided to bring her to the royal court, at the court of Hegai. Since the girls had been beautifying themselves for some time, they went to the emperor one by one so that he could choose who would be his new empress. They were all beautiful, but the most impressive was Esther. Mordecai advised Esther not to say what nationality she came from, not to say that she was Jewish because she could put herself in danger.
Emperor loved her very much, from the first moment, and he put a royal crown on her head. And the emperor made a great feast and cheer for Esther. On that occasion, the emperor gave relief to the countries and distributed gifts to all parts of his kingdom. And Mordecai sat for a long time at the king’s gate, and one day he heard how two servants were angry with the emperor and intended to kill him. And he quickly told Esther so that she inform the emperor. After proving the conspiracy, the emperor hanged those two courtiers, Bigthan and Teresh. In a book of important events, they write all that, before the king.
The Great I am!
Then Emperor Ahasuerus exalted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite above all royalties. That gesture filled him with pride. We know that pride gives birth to self-justice: I am important, I am the best, I have power, I am the first to the emperor. I can do what I want. He intended to do great injustice to the whole people of Judah. But God is there, who has perfect control over situation. We can all do more or less what we want, but we can’t do as much as we want. God sees, hears, and knows everything in advance.
Although he sees if it is dangerous for us, he warns us and says enough! If we deafen God’s disciplines that way, the Lord lets us do what we want. Every darkness returns to the head of the one who does evil. Haman enjoyed it since everyone worshiped him except the emperor and empress. But Mordecai, the Jew, was a man who believed in God. He knew the word of God well and lived by it. God said, do not worship anyone except the only living God. So Mordecai did not want to worship Haman, and Haman’s heart filled with anger.
When Haman said to Mordecai to bow to him, Mordecai said he is only bowing in front of living God, as God commanded. Haman asked, full of anger, who is the god? Mordecai said he only kneel before his emperor, and he humbles himself before God of my fathers. The great I am, the one true God, maker of Heaven and the Earth, God of Abraham, of Isaac and Jacob. That is how Haman discovered that Mordecai is a Jew.
Revenge on Mordecai and all the Jews
Once he learned that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman made an evil plan to revenge Mordecai and all the Jews. He planned to kill, exterminate, and expel all the Jews from all the lands of Emperor Ahasuerus, but he needed Emperor Ahasuerus’s permission. Of course, Haman used cunning, lies, and bribery to turn his plan into reality. He said to the king that there are people in his kingdom spread in all lands, which have other laws than theirs.
Therefore, it would not be suitable to live together. And he told the emperor that the emperor should write a book so that everyone is exterminated from his kingdom. That way, Haman will measure 10000 talents of silver to bring to the emperor’s treasury. One talent had the power of 34.272 kg silver, so the total value is 34 times 10000 kg of silver. It is also a measure of how much human hatred knows no boundaries. Terrible and sad, how much human malice has no limits only to do pain and injustice to others. But God is the only righteous judge.
The emperor sometimes makes mistakes. His first mistake was full confidence in Haman; he allowed him to do whatever he wanted. Therefore, the emperor took his ring from hand and gave it to Haman. He abused the emperor’s trust, and everything he wrote, he confirmed with the emperor’s ring as trustworthy to his word. The king said to him that silver is for him, and to do with people what he wants. Thus, Haman was encouraged in his evil; he started to realize his evil plan. Books were quickly written and sent even faster on fast horses to all the lands of the kingdom.
God is always present
Haman also determined the date when he will commit all that evil, to kill all men, women, and children, for 13 days, 12 months, which was called Adar. And then, as a good and obedient man, he came to the emperor again for a conversation and a glass – two favorite drinks. God is eternally there, He is forever present, and He always has perfect control over every situation. All the Jews were troubled by this terrible decision, which Haman wrote in the king’s name.
Mordecai found out about it, tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and sprinkled ashes on his head. It was then, as is the custom among the people, because of human injustice. Mordecai shouted bitterly around the city. Esther felt sorrow, so she called Hatach the king’s courtier, whom the king had given her to serve. She sends the servant to go to Mordecai to find out what happening. Mordecai told Hatach of all the evil of Haman and said that he would give the king 10,000 talents of silver to the treasury for the Jews’ destruction.
However, Mordecai gave Hatach a copy of the commandment, which Haman had sent to all the kingdom. And Mordecai said to Hatach to tell Empress Esther to go to the king, and have mercy on him and pray for his people. Then the empress said everyone knows that any man or woman who enters the emperor uninvited will be killed. The law is the same for everyone that person will be executed, except to whom the emperor would give the baton he remains alive, one more the importance of the Book of Esther.
Highly Recommended:
Book The Esther Anointing: Becoming a Woman of Prayer, Courage, and Influence.
Esther was willing to risk her life for the welfare of her people and the furthering of God’s plan.
DVD collection: The Bible Collection: Esther
One could put yourself into this film and see which character you would be in it. This tells the story of Esther, a Jewish girl that was forced to enter the court of the king and rose to be his Queen. She answered God’s call and went through a season of preparation physically and spiritually to get ready.
Chapter 5
Mordecai again said to the empress that she shouldn’t think she has protection between all the Jews. For if she keeps silent now, the help and rescue will come to the Jews on the other side, but she and her father’s house will perish. Again Esther told Mordecai to say to all the Jews in Susanna to fast for her and eat and drink nothing for three days. She will fast with her girls, so she will go to the emperor even it is not according to the law. At that moment, she was ready to die for her people. What an influential and powerful decision of Esther for herself and her people.
They all took a fast and a prayer that God would protect them. Throughout history, the Jewish people have suffered a lot, but God has always saved them. Esther put on her royal robe and stood on the porch of the king’s court, and the king saw her; she found favor in his sight. The king asked her, what is Empress Esther with you, and what do you want if it is up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you. How wonderful God works at the right time. Everything helps us if we pray according to His will. Plus, all the doors open one by one and lead to the realization of His perfect plan.
Emperor Ahasuerus asked the empress again, “What do you want?” And For what do you pray? If it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be yours. The empress said if it is pleasing to the emperor, to come with Haman for lunch tomorrow because tomorrow I will do according to the word of the emperor. Hamam was glad that the queen called him lunch for the second time. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s door, he has filled with anger again.
Mordecai’s reward in the book of Esther
And at home, he boasted to his wife Zeresh and a friend how the emperor exalted him more than the other princes, so the empress invited him to lunch again tomorrow. But all this is nothing to him while he sees Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king’s door. They advised him to build a gallows 50 cubits high and to tell the king to hang Mordecai on them. And he liked the idea; he immediately made a gallows.
That night the emperor could not sleep, and he asked the courtiers to bring him a book of famous events. Then he found out that Mordecai was the one who had told the king about the two courtiers who had determined to lay hands on the emperor. The emperor asked the servants what honor was made for Mordecai. Sadly, nothing has been done about honoring Mordecai. No one and nothing can hide from the eye of the Lord.
The Lord is listening to Esther
Haman came to the porch of the emperor’s house to tell him to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he built. The king called him to come in and asked him: “What should be done to the man whom the king wants to celebrate?” Naturally, Haman thought about himself, if not him, who else? Then he said, we should dress him the royal clothes worn by the emperor, and take a horse the king rides, and put a royal garland on his head.
So that the servents could lead him through the streets and shout: “This is how it happens to the man when the emperor wants to honor him!” I believe that Haman was all delighted, waiting for that great honor from the emperor. But his happiness lasted only a moment. Emperor Ahasuerus said, “Quickly take the suit and the horse as you said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s door, and do not leave anything out.” Haman, ashamed, humiliated, and miserable, went by the king’s order to do so. Our beautiful proverb says whoever digs a pit for others, he digs it for himself.
They dressed Mordecai nicely, as he said, and led him through the streets and shouting this is what happens to a man when the king wants to honor him. I don’t know what was going on in Haman’s head then, but this beautiful instructive book says, the book of Esther. He went home sad, with his head covered, he again complained to his wife and friend about what happened to him today.
Haman’s evil fell on him
Now they gave him other advice, not encouraging, but sad. His friend and wife told him, now that you have begun to fall before Mordecai, you can not bear it, but you will fall before him. Poor Haman, how he rejoiced at first, when the king exalted him, and then again when he took his ring off his hand and when he let him write everything he wanted about the Jews in the king’s name. But all he had in his head was evil and hatred, which he so skillfully hid. However, there is a God who sees everything, and everything is so beautifully exposed.
Soon after, the kings’ halls came and took Haman to lunch with Empress Esther. After lunch, the emperor asked the empress again, what is it that she wants? If it is up to half the kingdom, she can ask for it. The empress said, “If it is pleasing to the emperor, save my life, and my people, at my request.” Because my people and I have been marked to destroy, kill, and exterminate us. And the emperor asked who is he, and where is the one who dared to do so? Esther said the enemy is this wicked Haman. At that moment, Haman was afraid of the king and the empress.
Emperor got up angry and went to the garden near the court, while Haman stayed with the empress. He prayed for his life because the king had planned evil for him. Haman fell before the empress at that moment, the emperor came in and saw him in front of the empress. His thought was that Haman also wants to embarrass the empress. As soon as the king said this, the servants covered Haman’s face. One of them mentioned the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai.
Victory for Jews
At that moment, the emperor said to hang him on them. They hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. And the emperor’s wrath ceased. On that day, the emperor gave the house of Haman to Esther. Mordecai appeared before the king because Esther told him that he was her relative. The emperor took off his ring, which he took from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai, while Esther made Mordecai ruler over the house of Haman.
Empress Esther came to the king again weeping and begged him to remove the wickedness of Haman and his evil thought, which he had devised against the Jews. Now, they write the new book to nullify everything that Haman intended for the Jews. The emperor said again you can write anything in the name of the emperor and seal it with the ring so that it cannot be denied. Esther and Mordecai did as the emperor commanded. They wrote new books in which everything that Haman wrote was annulled.
They wrote that the king allowed the Jews to gather and defend their lives, and kill and destroy the whole army, which would strike at them. On the same day, when Haman wrote, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, everyone should be ready to take revenge on their enemies. They sent messengers on swift horses, urgently by the king’s command. Mordecai went to see the king in a royal suite of purple and white, and under a golden crown of wreaths and in a cloak of scarlet. A lot of the people of the land became Jews because they feared the Jews. Therefore, this is the fourth importance of the book of Esther.
The end of the book of Esther
On that appointed date, when the enemies of Judah hoped to rule over them, the situation changed, and the Jews took control of their enemies. And all their enemies were afraid of the Jews. God so wonderfully guards and delivers His people from all enemies. Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his glory was ever more magnificent. And on that day, the Jews destroyed and executed numerous people. They killed ten sons of Haman but did not raise their hands to the spoils.
Esther said to the emperor again, if it pleased the emperor, tomorrow, to hang the ten sons of Haman. So they did. In all the cities of the king, the Jews slew all their enemies, but they didn’t touch the spoils. And the people quieted down, and the Jews rejoiced that day. Mordecai wrote in books and spread throughout all the lands of King Ahasuerus, that everyone should celebrate the 14th and 15th day of that month every year because that is the day when their sorrow turned into joy and mourning into celebration.
Haman wanted evil for the Jews; he wanted to exterminate and destroy them. But Esther, without regretting her life, went out to the emperor, although no one was allowed to come to him without being called. And all Judah and Esther fasted, to ask for God’s protection because Haman commanded with a book. Haman’s evil turned on his head, and he and his sons were hanged. Hence, Mordecai became second unto king Ahasuerus, famous among the Jews, and beloved in the multitude of his brethren. He was taking good care of his people, a lesson for all of us.