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ESTHER

CHAPTER 9

1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

Ahasueras had not reversed his penalty of death for all Jews; but he had given them authority and power to defeat any enemy who would try and enforce it.
God could not reverse the penalty of death upon the human race because of sin. But He could give them power and authority over the enemy Satan through Jesus Christ.
Now, when the day came that the penalty of death was to be imposed, the Jews gathered themselves together so they could fight if need be. But there was no need, because everyone was afraid to harm them. After all, the QUEEN was a Jew too.
The QUEEN of heaven is the "Bride of Christ." That's YOU AND ME! PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GRACE!

3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

Mordecai, who had been the "planner" behind all this, was given authority over ALL the other rulers. He depicts Jesus. Jesus is given ALL power and authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18).

5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them. 6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. 7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, 9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, 10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand. 11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.

There were a few who TRIED to enforce the death penalty, but the Jews DEFEATED them and killed them.
The power and authority given to Christ will withstand the "enemy" at judgment day.

12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done. 13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. 14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. 15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand. 16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, 17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof; and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

The king was not satisfied that ALL the enemies of the Jews were destroyed. God will not be satisfied until EVERY FOE IS VANQUISHED!!
The king asked Esther what MORE would she request. She replied that tomorrow the Jewish people be granted the SAME opportunity should any more enemies come against them.
The next day, more did come.
All through our lives on earth we will be faced with the ole devil and his evil angels. Then we'll be faced with them accusing us at the final judgment. Today, we have the power of Christ in us to defeat the enemy and keep him from us. But in the final judgment day, God will put the enemy away for ever.
On the 13th and the 14th, the Jews stood to defeat the enemy. On the 15th, they "rested." They proclaimed a new "Sabbath." It became known as the "Feast of Pur." This feast is in celebration of the power over the enemy that God gives to His people.

19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another. 20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, 21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. 23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; 24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; 25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, 27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; 28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. 29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry. 32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

According to the authority the king had given him, Mordecai sent out a letter to all the provinces that the 13th and 14th of Adar would be a feast day for all Jews.
Then Esther also sent out a decree stating the same thing.
Verses 27 and 28 tell us that the decree also included a command for all Jewish parents to teach their children the MEANING of this feast.
It is good that we remember to celebrate certain days. But it is better that we remember WHY we celebrate certain days.
Christmas is not just "gift giving" time, it is the BIRTH OF CHRIST.
Some say we should not celebrate Christmas because of the secular problems that pertain to it. Should we not celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ?
And should we not celebrate it in "giving portions to one another," and standing together in the love of God?

CHAPTER 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.

Ahasuerus made Mordecai his Second-in-Command. This act, along with an act of taxation, was written in the "chronicles" (record) of the kings of the Medes and Persians.
That record is GONE. But the record of God is true. The Bible has never been proven wrong, and shall endure forever.
When, in the last judgment day, all the nations and kings and authorities are brought before God, it will not be what THEY wrote that is important; it will be what GOD wrote!
Mordecai, like Christ, sought the well-being of his people, and gained PEACE for them.

What a great story, this story of Esther. What a great REVELATION through prophetic writing!

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