In the third and final post on this series of Bible Stories – Esther and Mordecai rise up as helpers for the Jews against Haman’s decree and go for a victorious win.
In this Bible Stories – Esther and Mordecai having finally been recognized by the king, come together and are raised up as deliverers for the Jews in the ancient empire of Media and Persia.
Esther and Mordecai
Esther stood to her feet in her elegant room. She had been praying and she sensed the time was right. The plan was coming together far better than she could have hoped. By now she had the king’s attention and he was no doubt intrigued about her request. He had generously offered her anything she wanted even up to half of his kingdom. She prayed again that the words would come out right when she made her request to the king for the lives of her people.
The trio of the king, queen, and Haman had a relaxed evening at Esther’s second banquet. They sat under a tent that led into the palace garden. They talked casually as they finished their meal and drank wine, and then the king asked Esther again.
“Tell me what you want queen Esther, and I will give it to you. Even up to half of my kingdom”.
“If I have found favor with the king” she began “and if the king wishes to grant my request, I ask that my life and the life of my people be spared. My people and I have been given up to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If we had merely been sold as slaves, then I would not have bothered the king with such a trivial matter.”
The king’s wrath
“Who would dare do such a thing?” the king demanded angrily. “Who would be so presumptuous as to try to touch you?”
Esther replied, “This wicked Haman is our adversary and the enemy of the Jews.”
At this, the king leapt to his feet in a rage and went out into the palace garden to cool off.
Haman stayed back however to plead with the queen for his life because he could see that the king intended to kill him. In his desperation, Haman fell on the couch where the queen was reclining, just as the king was returning from the palace garden.
“What?!!!” he exclaimed. “Will he also assault the queen right here before my eyes?”
And at these words from the king, the guards who stood by covered Haman’s face signaling his doom. Now one of the king’s eunuchs who was nearby said to the king.
“Haman actually has a pole set up in his house. He was going to hang Mordecai on it. The same Mordecai whose word saved the king” he said
“Then hang him on his own pole” Ahasuerus declared
So, they hanged Haman on the pole he had prepared for Mordecai. And finally, the king’s anger subsided.
Before the king again!
That same day, king Ahasuerus gave Haman’s property to queen Esther. Then he asked that Mordecai be brought to him because Esther had told him how they were related. The king then promoted Mordecai. He took his signet ring, which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther also appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.
This was all good news, Haman their enemy was dead, but the law he made was still in effect and according to the law of the Medes and Persians, it could not be changed. The Jews were still set to be slaughtered on the appointed day and people feared the king’s decrees too much not to obey them.
Esther knew what she must do. So she dressed up in her royal robes and went into the king’s inner court uninvited again! This time, as she entered into his presence, she fell at his feet and begged him with tears to stop the evil plot that Haman had devised against the Jews. Again the king held out his golden scepter to the queen, so she rose up and stood before him.
The request
“if it pleases the king and if I have found favor in his sight” she began “and if the king thinks it is right and if he finds me pleasing. Then let there be a decree to reverse the orders of Haman the Agagite. For how can I bear to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed.”
So the king asked them to bring in Mordecai as well, and he addressed both of them.
“I have given you the property of Haman and had him hanged on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews,” he said. “Now, you may go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name. You may tell them whatever you want and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever is already written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring cannot be changed”.
So Esther and Mordecai thanked the king. And they went to work, brainstorming on the best way to counter Haman’s former decree without actually changing it. After a few weeks, when they finally came up with the perfect plan, they sent for the king’s secretaries. Mordecai dictated the new decree to them. It was sent to the Jews, the highest officials in the land, the governors, and nobles of all 127 provinces under the rule of King Ahasuerus.
The new decree
The decree was written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring. Mordecai sent the decree by swift messengers all through the empire. The new decree gave the Jews in every city the right to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone from any province who attacked them or their wives and children, and to take the property of their enemies.
The day chosen for this was the 13th day of the month of Adar, the 12th month, the same day they were initially meant to be killed and slaughtered. The news was received with joy in all the provinces and in the fortress of Susa. The people of Susa celebrated the new decree, and in fact, the Jews were honored and many of the people of the land became Jews because they were afraid of the Jewish people. As for Mordecai, he was honored and promoted in the land and he went in and out before the king wearing royal robes and a crown of gold.
Judgment Day
On the day the two decrees of the king came into effect, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them. But it was quite the opposite because the Jews overpowered their enemies. The Jews gathered together throughout the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to attack them. But no one could overpower them because everyone was afraid of them.
All the nobles and princes of the land actually came together to help the Jews for fear of Mordecai. Because Mordecai had become very powerful and very popular in the provinces. So, the Jews went ahead and overpowered their enemies and they did as they pleased with those who hated them. In Susa, about 500 men died. They also executed the ten sons of Haman. But they did not take the properties of any of the people who had attacked them.
When the king was informed of the number of people that were killed in Susa, he called the queen and told her the news. “Is there anything else you or the Jews need?” he asked “Just tell me what else you want and it will be granted to you” he said.
Esther responded “If it pleases the king, please give the Jews in Susa permission to do this again tomorrow. Because they anticipate some retaliation from the families of those that were slain today.
“Also let the bodies of the ten sons of Haman be hanged on a pole” she finished.
The king agreed and gave permission to the Jews in Susa to come together against their enemies the following day as well and they executed 300 more people the next day. Throughout the provinces, there was joy and rejoicing as the Jews had victory over those who hated them and sought to kill them.
Victory Celebration
So, they declared a celebration. Mordecai and queen Esther wrote letters to all the Jews in the provinces. They asked them to make the celebration of their victory an annual affair, called the festival of Purim. The festival was called Purim because Haman had cast lots to determine the best day to kill the Jews. But his plan backfired and the Jews won the victory instead. The ancient word for lots is Purim.
The Jews continued to celebrate the festival of Purim throughout their generations. Mordecai was promoted to the role of Prime Minister and became second in command to the king. He continued to work for the good of his people and speak up for their welfare. And he was held in high regard by all the people of the land.
Adapted from the Holy Bible, book of Esther, chapters 7 to 10.
Bible Stories – Esther and Mordecai.
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