It's good to see you all. Tonight we'll be finishing up our look at Esther, the last of the Old Testament's history books. We've been tracing thus far the story of Redemption through the symbols used here, and we've found remarkable parallels between the first few chapters and the history of human beings. We find Satan and his fall from grace are represented in the person of Haman, an Amalekite who tried to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom of Persia. We've found the "new Bride," Esther to be a representation of the Church, acting as an intercessor for her people with the King, and in the last few chapters, we're going to examine the role of another character: Esther's uncle Mordecai.

At the end of chapter 7, Haman's plot to destroy the Jews was uncovered, and as he was seen as acting contrary to the king's wishes, he was hanged on a a gallows that he had prepared for the very same Mordecai who had revealed his plan to Esther, and thereby to the king.

We pick the story up at that point, with chapter 8. "On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her." (Est 8:1)

One of the first things that happens after Haman's death is that Mordecai is finally introduced to the king. He's already saved the monarch's life twice now, and when it's discovered that he is also the queen's uncle, the king is moved to bestow upon him great honor.

"And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman." (Est 8:2)

Now this matter of the king's ring is going to be discussed again tonight. For now, we'll just say that it's a sign of the king's authority, and by giving the ring to Haman, Ahasuerus is allowing the newly promoted governor to speak in his name, and to sign official documents as if they had been authored by the throne itself.

Last week we looked at Esther as a symbol of the Church, and as an intercessor between God and mankind - but there is another Intercessor as well, isn't there? In fact, the _true_ advocate between Heaven and Earth is of much greater importance than even the humans which comprise the earthly church. Christ Himself is the true Link between ourselves and the Father. We find that this is reflected in the story of Esther as well. True, she did speak to the king directly about both of the seditions (the eunuch's plan to harm the king, and Haman's plot to destroy the Jews). Looking at the details, however, we find that it was truly Mordecai who was responsible.

In the first case, where the eunuchs planned to do Ahasuerus violence, look at the relevant verses: " In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name. And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king." (Est 2:21-23)

Esther may have been the one to tell the king, but it was Mordecai who allowed this to occur, and even more significantly, look at the way the passage describes the queen's actions. She did this act "in Mordecai's name." That sounds familiar to Christians, doesn't it?

"Then Peter said, 'Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.'" (Acts 3:6)

Oh, the Bride can do great things... can do miraculous things. We are authorized to do great works of mercy, and kindness, and healing, and love... but only "in the name of Christ." Only by that Name can we do anything that will result in lasting good. That should make perfect sense of course, for: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

So Esther did the speaking, but it was only with the information Mordecai gave to her, and acting in his name. In this way was the protection of the king accomplished.

What about the second time? When Haman moved the arm of the king to strike at the Jews, once again, it was Esther's uncle who first realized the danger.

" When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth." (Est 4:1)

This is a very significant verse, and I'll tell you why. Last week, at the end of our study of this chapter (and some others), one of the individuals who heard the study came to me to ask about the significance of wearing "sackcloth and ashes" during mourning. I replied that I wasn't sure, and we talked about it for a while... and we sort of came to the informal conclusion that, among other things, the sackcloth and ashes were about the suffering and, strangely enough... the earth.

That is to say, the mourner removed the clothing he was used to, and put on something that was uncomfortable as a visible sign of internal discomfort, that being the sackcloth. The ashes, they seemed to reflect humanity, for after Adam sinned shortly after his Creation, it was told to him: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. " (Gen 3:19)

But that's 'dust,' you might say... where do the ashes come from? The ashes seem to be an "intensified" form of dust from an awareness-of-death standpoint, and there are several verses that seem to indicate this: "And Abraham answered and said, 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.'" (Gen 18:27)

"Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay." (Job 13:12)

When Mordecai discovered a plan to wipe out all of his people, he changed his regular clothing, and put on something that was both uncomfortable, and a reminder of his mortality. Is this beginning to sound familiar yet? In order to save humanity, our Lord certaily exchanged His glory for a house less comfortable, and was by it's nature dust, and corruptible and mortal.

Once again, we find that the Bride Esther's actions are initiated by this true intercessor. Esther sent her servant Hatach to speak with her uncle: "And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai." (Est 4:9)

The bride would have known nothing, and would have been powerless to do anything, had in not been for Mordecai's actions. Also, In our last study, we saw that the bride was the "salt" of the earth, which preserves the dead planet from decay... but can't hold off the destruction forever. We're about to see that principle fulfilled here also, as we continue to read chapter 8.

We've seen Mordecai elevated to be a ruler second only to the king, which perhaps we can see as a parallel to Christ being exhalted to the right hand of the Father after His resurrection, the thing which defeated Satan, and which corresponds to Haman being hung.

The problem didn't stop there, however... the Jews were still in danger, and for an interesting reason. Here we come upon the philosophers' famous "problem of evil" discussion. Why do bad things happen to good people? In fact, why do bad things happen at all, in a universe ruled by an all-powerful and all-loving God? But let's come to that point in the story... "And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews." (Est 8:3)

Here we have a nice picture of what we should be for this earth. As Abraham pleading for the safety of Sodom, as Moses standing between the rebellious sojourners in the desert when a plague broke out among them for their sins... we also must be the salt of this earth, praying for the leaders, and the citizens alike... for we remember that Christ also loved us when we were lost in the world.

But sadly... salt cannot preserve forever, and even the bride cannot for long hold back the necessary destruction that results from deception and sin.

"Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, and said, ' If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?'" (Est 8:4-6)

That sounds reasonable, but remember, this is the kingdom of Persia, and the rule was that once the king sealed a document with his ring, it was binding: "Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, 'Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.'" (Est 8:7-8)

The king could not undo the former writting, for it was written as if it had come from him originally. Now, however, he offers the Jews a chance to be spared, and he gives Mordecai and Esther the leave to write whatever they wished to aid their people, and they could also sign it with the king's ring.

Here we see that although Satan was defeated (and it was a true defeat) at the cross, his influence remains with us until the cleansing itself. His power may be limited, and his temptations may have no authority over us (if you'll recall from my "victory over sin" studies), yet he may bother, annoy, and contrive circumstances to ensure that "In the world ye shall have tribulation." (John 16:33)

Yet, we are not to despair, for that is not the entire verse. That reads: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

So why do bad things happen in this world? Why doesn't God stop it? Well, as we see from the example of Ahasuerus, he will not generally use force to stop the events already in motion. The reasons may be subtly different, but the principle is the same. Ahasuerus could not go against what the people percieved to be his own previous order - that would call into question his integrity, and the nation would more lightly regard his future commands. That's bad for a government. In Yahweh's case, His entire kingdom is founded on freedom - on loving service given of one's own free will. For Him to move His hand and force everyone to "be good," either on earth or in heaven, is to go completely against His original order: "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." (Gen 1:27)

Mankind was created originally to be FREE, and free we shall remain, even if that means we are free to choose death and sin rather than righteousness and life. Our freedom was "sealed with the king's ring," as it were, and no one may reverse that order. This is the respect our loving Father has for us: He would rather we die than be slaves, even slaves to Him.

So Mordecai and Esther wrote to the Hebrews, warning them about the coming attack, and giving them advice as to how to best go about surviving, and beating back the soldiers. And it says of Mordecai: "And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries." (Est 8:10)

And look at what it goes on to say about this individual after the letters were sent: "And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad." (Est 8:15)

Why is so much attention given to what Mordecai was wearing? This is why I went on a bit before about the mourning period. Well, if you'll remember from then, his clothing indicated his state, and as we parallelled to Christ, the time of sackcloth and ashes were representative of the Messiah taking on a lowly, mortal state for our sakes. Now, after Haman was killed, Mordecai is placed in a position of authority, given royal robes, and a crown.

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." (Acts 2:32-33)

Christ's death and resurrection "shed forth" or "poured out" the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit, and look at what it says again of Mordecai in the next verse, concerning his promotion, and new ability to help the Jews: "The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour." (Est 8:16)

This is obviously a spiritual statement, for didn't the Jews have literal "light," before Mordecai's promotion? The only way I can see this statement is in terms of the life of Christ, and His giving of the Holy Spirit which this part of the story seems to represent.

The letter which was sent out in the kingdom began to have immediate effects: "And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them." (Est 8:17)

Many people became Jews... We could talk here about the Gentiles being "grafted in" during New Testament times, which this seems to parallel, but we could go on and on about that matter, so let's see how the story in Esther continues :)

On the day appointed, when those who were still committed to carrying out Haman's orders attacked the dwelling places of the Jews, they found them ready. "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. And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. 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." (Est 9:5-6,10)

There's something interesting in that last verse, and we'll see that, along with something else, after we read this passage following: "Then said Esther, 'If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.' And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons." (Est 9:13-14)

Haman's ten sons were already slain in the conflict (verse 10)... what is the point of hanging them afterwards? And why does it say in verse ten (and it's repeated in verse 15) that the Jews "laid not their hand" upon the prey? Well, as you will recall from the last two studies on Esther, Haman was an Amalekite, of a nation that Yahweh had specifically ordered completely wiped out during the reign of king Saul. In fact, Saul's deliberate failure to accomplish this task is what eventually led to his fall from grace, and the lineage of David being established.

If we look at the commandment that God gave to Saul via the prophet Samuel, we find this: "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (1 Sam 15:3)

Notice, nothing was to be spared... no animals, no property. It was all to be laid waste. But what Saul actually did was somewhat different: "But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal." (1 Sam 15:21)

There is an entire study right there... when the Father tells you to do something, you'd better do it; and you'd better do it the WAY that He describes also, or there is sure to be trouble. But the important thing is that the "spoil" was not to be used by the Jews. Here in Esther, we find that the original commandment given to the Israelites is being fulfilled, albeit a few centuries late. Haman's sons were hanged in public, a visible display of Yah's delayed judgment on the Amalekites, and their property was left to looters or whoever would have it.

The rest of Esther 9 goes on to describe the stand that the remnant made against their oppressors. It also gives how many of the soldiers they slew: five hundred in one place, three hundred in another... seven thousand five hundred in the provinces... but again in verse 16 it specifies, their possessions were not looted by the Israelites. This was an important point, as they learned from Saul's mistake.

Afterwards, it speaks of how Mordecai and Esther establish a feast called Purim to commemorate the occasion. The word "Purim" means a "lot," as in, a name chosen by chance. It seems to refer to Haman's beginning this problem when he was selected to speak at a meeting with the king in this verse: "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." (Est 9:24)

In establishing this feast, it is written: "Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim." (Est 9:29)

Again we have the matter of speaking with the authority of the King, and that a decree from the King cannot be rescinded. It brings to mind a verse we looked at last week, when considering the role of the Bride in the last days... and we saw this, that while the earth is being destroyed by sin, the "salt" which preserved it for so long escapes before the final destruction: "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, 'Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.'" (Rev 7:2-3)

There is a "sealing" in the last days, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit just before the end, and in the pattern of Pentecost. If you read Peter's speech in Acts 2 about the Holy Spirit, he quotes Joel, who said, "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month." (Joel 2:23)

And just as the former rain was given at the seed time, the establishing of the Church, so there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at "harvest time," just before the end. And of the Holy Spirit, Paul said: "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Eph 4:30)

We see that when WE are "sealed" by the King, that's Salvation. No man may undo that sealing... for it is written: "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:29)

Of course, that leads to the famous "once saved always saved/eternal security" controversy... which would take up our entire night if we got into it now; so let's attempt to skirt it diplomatically :) One verse that may "complicate" the matter being: "'As I live,' saith the LORD, 'though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence.'" (Jer 22:24)

So it's not an easy topic. That word "signet" as in the Ring with which a king places his seal, is the same idea... Perhaps we can look at that and some other verses in a later study. Let it suffice to say, though, that at least this is certain: if you're sealed in this manner; no temptation, no man, no outside influence, can move you from that place.

And so it is we find that Mordecai and Esther were, in the end of chapter 9, able to use this ring to seal their documents. So it is that Christ, and His Bride, in these last days are the ones with the authority to speak for the Father on the earth. This is a mighty responsibility to be sure: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Mat 16:19)

Our job in these last days, then, is to find out what it is the Father wants, and to dedicate our lives to doing His will, so that whatsoever we put our "seal" to, He also will bless. When we speak in His name, by the authority of the Spirit, the hearers will listen, and they also will come up, and join with us as members of the Bride.

Though often overlooked, I think the book of Esther gives us a dramatic representation of who God is, who we are, and the state of the world - and yes, the Bride, and our association therewith, is important as the New Testament also explains: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Heb 10:25)

Interestingly enough, although we are the Bride, and although we have to look at things from our perspective for now, we must always keep in mind that to Christ should the glory go. To Him do we give our thanks, our praise. It is for His sake we do all things, and even this is parallelled in the book we are now studying. Although it is called the Book of Esther, Esther is not even mentioned in the last chapter! In fact, it's all about the king and Mordecai. The very last verse of the tiny final chapter concludes thus: "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." (Est 10:3)

Let it be so with us also... for though we have an important role to play, thought the Bride works with Christ, the true Intercessor, let our "selves" be forgotten, let our story be lost in His... For to Christ, and Christ alone, should the glory be.

David.