Esther 10:1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.
2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
We see here that the wicked only know how to tax people for their failures. Wicked rulers never take responsibility for their actions. They look at their citizens as cash cows.
We have already noted that a large number of Persian citizens were killed by the Jews. It was a matter of either one or the other. There was no middle ground in this situation. As we have noted, there was no consideration of God in this whole event. God was very active, but neither side understood that here.
One of the things we need to understand is that there is a division between good and evil. The Jews were supposed to be God’s people. God proved in this book, that the Jews were His people, even though they did not know Him.
Today as well, God is protecting the nation of Israel even though they do not know Him. There are saved Jews and we praise the Lord for each one of them. There are those today who believe that the people living in Israel now are not legitimate Jews. That thinking comes from the devil, not God. We know there is an Arab quarter in Israel. That has been there for a number of years. However, the Jews that are there are Jews but most are lost. As we have noted in the book of Esther and throughout the Bible, God still called that people Jews and Israel. God will sort out those who are His children through faith and those who are Israel in name only.
God wants all, both Jew and Gentile to be saved.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
In verse 2 we are further reminded that the Persians were careful to record history. What happened here was something that the Persians would read and study for years to come. God made sure of this.
As we read this book, God wants His children to understand what is actually going on here. We do not need to add anything to God’s Word. We just need to understand what God is doing.
There is never a time when God is not there. The Jews need to understand that they did not kill God when Jesus went to the cross. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and He is still the Messiah and He is coming back. One day the Jews will turn to God in repentance and be saved. That will not apply to the many Jews who have rejected God and died in their sins. However, God has not given up on humanity. He has not given up on His promise to Abraham. God was not caught off guard by Israel’s rebellion against Him. He is demonstrating His longsuffering toward the Jews, but also to the Gentiles.
In verse 3 we read that Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus. In the book of Genesis, we read of Joseph who was brought into Egypt as a slave, and then even thrown into prison. Yet, God raised him up to second in command in Egypt.
In the book of Daniel, we read of four young Hebrew men who were taken captive and who were supposed to assimilate with the Babylonians. King Nebuchadnezzar was looking for individuals who could be an asset to his nation. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah asked that they not be fed food offered to idols. They were captives in a land that would kill its opposition just as soon as look at them. However, God granted them favour in that pagan land and Daniel was raised to a high position in that kingdom. His three friends were cast into a fiery furnace but God protected them there and the king learned some important lessons. Under the Medo-Persian Empire, Daniel was cast into the lion’s den, but God protected him there. Those men chose to walk in the fear of God, regardless of where they were.
God is able to give His people a platform to exalt Him, not themselves. We see that throughout the Bible. We see some of the most unlikely people used of God. The key is for us to get over ourselves, and submit to God and trust Him to save us first of all and then to submit to His leadership in our lives.
As we see in the book of Esther, He will be glorified, whether a person chooses to know Him or not. How much better when a person chooses to know Him and be invited into His family and bask in His glory.
Mordecai achieved respect of the king and of the Jews. He sought the wealth of his people. He wanted peace for the Jews. What he missed is the key to wealth and peace.
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
You notice in each of those verses, the riches are found in knowing Christ. Material wealth is such a relative thing. Material wealth does not bring happiness. So many people achieve wealth, but not happiness.
Through the centuries, the Jews have had the opportunity to experience material wealth, yet they do not know the peace of God. In Israel, the people need to have bomb shelters because they always have to be ready to run for shelter. Across the world, anti-semitism seems to be the popular thing. The Gentile world does not care to protect the Jews. Some in the Gentile world hate the Jews. Others, tolerate them but do not understand them. Only those who are truly born again can understand how that whether Jew or Gentile:
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
It is important that we not trip over the truth in our pursuit for some illusive dream that is never achieved. The Bible shows us that what our soul longs for is that true connection to God which is only possible through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Be sure you have that connection.
Pastor Bartel