Esther 8:10-12 - Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes,
sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted
couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king. The king's edict
granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to
destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province
that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder
the property of their enemies. The day
appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
The king had removed Haman from the lives of Esther and
Mordecai….even raised Mordecai to prime minister….but the damage he had done
was still looming heavy on the horizon. It was only months till the irreversible
edict of the king would be carried out…and all the Jews would be killed. Esther was so overcome with sadness that she
fell at the king’s feet…full of tears …pleading for him to somehow reverse his
orders.
The king had already given Mordecai his signet ring….so now
he gave him permission to write whatever decree he wanted…and seal it with the
king’s ring. Mordecai went straight to
work...gathering all the secretaries of the palace to help him come up with an
order that gave all the Jews the right to protect themselves if they were
attacked. He sent the order out with no time to spare…quickly spreading the
news to over 127 provinces where the Jews were known to be living.
The edict gave all the Jews new hope…they danced in the
streets and rallied so that no one dared to attack them on the day set for
their destruction. Many people were so
fearful of them that they joined them...pretending to be a Jew themselves. Any
threat of death was completely erased with the new orders…Mordecai and Esther
used of god in a mighty way to preserve the line of David that would bring the Messiah.
It is such a great reminder to me that we who have
proclaimed our belief in Christ…have been sealed with his blood…forever
protected by his love. God sealed us and
even gives us his Holy Spirit to guide and deliver us from every attack that
satan can formulate against us. God will
have the last word…just as we are promised in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 … “ Now all
has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God
and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. For God will bring every
deed into judgment, including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.”
God began a good work in all of us the day we accepted his
love into our heart. He has a plan…and
if we are obedient and follow his will…the promise in Philipians 1:6 will be
applied to our lives...it says… “ being confident of this, that he who began a
good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of
Christ Jesus. We must work like Jesus
told the blind man in John 9:4-5… “ As long as it is day, we must
do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the
world." It is up to all of us who
believe to be Ester’s and Mordecai’s. We must be the light that writes the new
pages of life of hope for others that have not come to know the love of God.
Father….thank you for breathing love and life into the lives
of your servants Esther and Mordecai. Help me to be brave and courageous…using
all the resources you have placed around me to spread your love to others. Help me to have a heart like theirs…full of
passion…and hope…and wisdom….to never give up….because I know that you will
have the last word. Amen.
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