One of the things I learn from reading the Bible chronologically is that even though the Jews had returned to Israel, there were still plenty of them left in Babylon. They apparently didn’t all leave. Which makes me wonder…how many Iranians or Iraqis today could have a jewish ancestor? Wouldn’t that be ironic, considering how much they fight amongst each other?
Where to begin? After all, books and bible studies have been written about this particular part of the Bible. Sermon after sermon has been preached, so many people are already so familiar with the story that it hardly seems worth explaining. But then again, every time we read God’s Word, the possibility exists of seeing new things and discovering new concepts. For instance, I hadn’t given much thought before to the fact that there were still so many Jews left in Babylon. When God permitted the Jews to return home why did so many choose to stay? Perhaps the large amounts of wealth that those who left carried with them are a clue…the Jews were doing well in exile. The one instruction given to the people who would assault the Jews was that they could “take possession of all their property”. That probably means they had significant holdings…something worth attacking them for.
There are several “base temptations, or base emotions” at the core of this story. In other words…there are some significant feelings that shape the whole narrative. Let me take a stab at listing a few:
Fear: Mordecai wasn’t afraid to say that he was a Jew, but he wouldn’t allow Esther to reveal her nationality. He must have already been aware of how much prejudice against the Jews existed already. But, since he wasn’t afraid to mention his own heritage…maybe it was just prudence, not fear.
While I’m talking about fear, let’s not forget how afraid Esther was to approach the king…and with good reason. Or again, was it simply prudence? Because she does approach him at the risk of her own life after a conversation with Mordecai. By the way, it’s interesting to me that Esther didn’t know what was going on out in the kingdom. Life in the palace was insulated from the realities of everyday life in the rest of the kingdom. If it weren’t for Esther’s love for Mordecai, she might never have known what was going on. Mordecai did a good job raising her, that’s for sure. It’s also interesting that we don’t know where Esther’s parents are. Did they die? How? Isn’t it odd that both parents would be gone?
By the time Esther has to face her fears, she has been the Queen for about 8 years..maybe a little less. By this time, she knows her way around the palace, and is very familiar with the rules and customs. After 8 years of intimate relations with the king….she has never revealed her heritage. It seems odd to me that the king hasn’t asked about her family, or how she was raised! He must have been fairly self absorbed to not have any interest in her upbringing at all.
Anger: The king has serious impulse control issues, brought about by a poor decision making process. It’s foolhardy to let people to drink an unlimited amount for 7 straight days and then make decisions that affect the outcome of a whole kingdom. I’m sure Vashti and the other women were drinking as well….her actions were just as much influenced by alcohol as were the kings. Neither of them were in any position to make policy. Clearly the king was a talented and gifted leader, but like all leaders he had weaknesses. I think this huge party where everyone in the room was praising him and his accomplishments reveal another issue:
Pride: No wonder Haaman was attracted to the king, I suspect they both had inflated opinions of themselves. Pride and hubris always blind us to the reality around us. The Lord was able to lead the whole nation into a trap because of the unrestrained anger and pride of these two men. Anyone who is a leader should take note of this: If your pride has been bruised, and you are in a position to take action against the person who bruised it, and..you do so while you are angry or to gain vengeance….beware. The person who is in the most danger is YOU.
Trust and Faith: Mordecai and Esther aren’t reliant upon their own wisdom to face this trial, they immediately fall to their knees in prayer and fasting. In fact, Mordecai never contacts Esther. I hadn’t noticed that before. I wonder if he would have ever asked her to get involved, if she hadn’t reached out to him. Even though these Jews have chosen to remain in Susa, they haven’t forgotten to serve the Lord, which tells me that they are still obedient…not sinning by remaining in Babylon. I wonder if the Lord told Mordecai to remain? it wouldn’t surprise me. This is the great difference between the two parties in this story: the powerful king and his ally, and the poor exiled Jew and his God. This is just one more way of the Lord proving to everyone that there is no difficulty that He can’t overcome, no problem that He can’t conquer, and no enemy that He cannot defeat. Do times ever look dark? Sure they do. But only for us, never for God. Those who rely on him will never be put to shame.
Remind me to tell you about Haaman and his heritage tomorrow.
Faithfully,
PR